Top Stories of 2020, iraLogix, and LaunchMN Calls for Mentors
Welcome to our last newsletter of 2020. It’s been a challenging year. We feel fortunate that the local early-stage startup scene has remained strong, and believe that investment in innovation and digital transformation will help fuel the post-pandemic economic recovery. In 2020 Great North Labs invested a total of $5.8M, adding 14 startups to our portfolio for […]
$2M Startup Competition for Black Founders, Winning Startups to Watch, and Twin Cities Startup Week
It’s a wrap for Twin Cities Startup Week (TCSW), Minnesota’s largest annual startup event. How big is it? In 2019 the event attracted 17,000 people to over 200 sessions. This year, the event stretched nearly a month as it went virtual for the first time. Startup Competition Winners One of two big competitions during TCSW is the MN Startup […]
Seizing Opportunity in a Recession, Allergy Amulet, and Twin Cities Startup Week
Last month we wrote about the history of local startups that were formed during a recession and went on to success, including local unicorn Jamf. The conversation quickly turned to what that means for founders and investors. Starting Up in a Downturn The idea is that while many startups are beat down by strong headwinds, those that are […]
Recessionary times, a record-setting IPO, and Minnesota’s Resilient Startups
Today it was announced that last quarter’s drop in GDP was the second largest ever recorded. Overall US economic output fell by 9.5%. This dire news comes on the heels of fantastic news for the MN tech startup community: the largest IPO from a Minnesota company ever, Jamf’s $468M IPO and $4.7B market cap. Minnesota’s Resilient Startups In good times, […]
Minnesota's Resilient Startups
There is a history of successful tech companies in Minnesota founded during recessions. These resilient startups didn’t just survive- they proliferated under pressure. Jamf, which recently raised $468M in an IPO, is the largest, latest, and highest-profile example. Jamf was founded in 2002 out of UW-Eau Claire, and is headquartered in Minneapolis. Jamf is now […]
July 4th, Equitable American Dream-ing, and Robots Diagnosing COVID
On July 4th, 239 years ago, a group of entrepreneurs, visionaries, and leaders came together to free themselves from a politically oppressive system that they found socially and economically limiting. The country they founded promised life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness- free from tyranny and organized in a way “most likely to effect their […]
Jumpstart, the Startup School, and Branch Wins a Webby!
Welcome to the May edition of the Great North Labs newsletter. In this time of economic change, entrepreneurial skills, advancing technology, and its new applications will drive the innovations and evolving business models necessary to spurn economic growth and prosperity on the other side of the downturn. Great North Labs recognizes the importance of seeding […]
COVID-19 Trends, the Great North response, and our Founders Survey
Forecasts of the economic impact are still developing as the COVID-19 pandemic continues. Mary Meeker (famed for her annual Internet Trends report) released a report on coronavirus trends as an exclusive to Axios. Takeaways from the trends report include the acceleration of digital transformation, the inclusion of more scientists and domain experts, and the broad technological evolution of healthcare. […]
Giving in the Time of Coronavirus
With unemployment soaring, small businesses shuttering, and even some large chains withholding rent, the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic are reverberating through our communities. Many people wait on relief from the government in the form of stimulus payments and unemployment benefits. Businesses scramble to secure emergency loans, payroll support, and new ways to gain revenue. […]
COVID-19 Resources for Startups, State-by-State
Welcome to our state directory for startups seeking COVID-19 resources! Last month we whittled the plethora of resources available down to the essentials here. We certainly weren’t the first to provide a guide, and we realized that with the proliferation of the same information over many sources, it would also be valuable to provide this […]