Gopher Angels

Gopher Angels is a group of accredited investors who are passionate about creating businesses in Minnesota. GA looks for outstanding entrepreneurs who can turn their vision into a successful business. In addition to finanical support, GA members will provide the users with strategic guidance, valuable connections, and business support to take your company to the next level.

L. David Russick

Founder and Managing Director

22 past transactions

HLRBO

Seed Round in 2024
HLRBO is an online platform that connects landowners with hunters, facilitating hunting leases without any fees or commissions. The platform features thousands of property listings, allowing hunters to contact landowners directly with inquiries or to negotiate leases. In addition to its core services, HLRBO provides supplementary offerings such as forest management, hunting land advising, and e-scouting, enhancing the experience for both landowners and hunters. This network aims to improve safety and streamline the process of leasing hunting land.

Creatively Focused

Seed Round in 2023
Creatively Focused is an educator-driven technology company that specializes in supporting special education professionals. Through its web-based platform, the company automates workflows and provides tailored resources to enhance the skills and effectiveness of teachers, paraprofessionals, and administrators. Creatively Focused aims to foster a sense of connection and support within the special education community by offering insights into social-emotional learning and guidance on funding opportunities. By equipping educators with deliberate strategies and abilities, the company strives to improve student outcomes and create a collaborative environment for passionate individuals in the field of special education.

ProsperStack

Seed Round in 2022
ProsperStack is a hosted cancellation flow service that aims to reduce customer churn for subscription-based businesses. The platform automates and enhances the customer acquisition and retention process, allowing companies to tailor questions and interventions without relying on limited development resources. By utilizing a big data engine, ProsperStack analyzes consumer demand and integrates with a real-time dashboard that provides alerts and notifications to assist in retaining customers. This enables businesses to identify target audiences, understand demand patterns, and refine marketing strategies, ultimately contributing to increased profitability.

Omnia Fishing

Seed Round in 2020
Omnia Fishing, LLC is an e-commerce platform that specializes in providing fishing gear tailored to specific bodies of water. Founded in 2018 and based in Golden Valley, Minnesota, the company utilizes a "shop-by-lake" concept, allowing anglers to discover and purchase gear relevant to their fishing locations. The platform features custom maps and a recommendation engine to help users find suitable products based on various factors such as water body, species, fishing styles, and seasonal conditions. Additionally, Omnia Fishing emphasizes fast shipping, enhancing the overall shopping experience for fishing enthusiasts.

Surgical Innovation Associates

Series A in 2019
Surgical Innovation Associates, Inc. is a medical device company based in Chicago, Illinois, focused on developing innovative solutions for plastic, reconstructive, and general surgery. Founded in 2014, the company aims to enhance the standard of care while reducing systemic costs through its range of implantable devices. Its flagship product, DuraSorb® Monofilament Mesh, is designed for soft tissue reinforcement in surgical procedures and is US FDA 510(k) cleared and CE marked. The mesh, made from polydioxanone, features a unique design that minimizes bacterial adhesion and promotes healing by absorbing in alignment with the tissue's natural recovery. This allows for versatility in surgical applications, enabling surgeons to manipulate the mesh similarly to autologous tissue. Surgical Innovation Associates serves both domestic and international markets, addressing key clinical needs with a growing pipeline of novel medical devices.

Balance the Superfood Shot

Seed Round in 2019
Balance the Superfood Shot is a health supplement company based in Kansas City that specializes in nutritional food supplements aimed at promoting the daily intake of fruits and vegetables. Founded in 2011, the company offers a product line that includes premium health and nutrition items designed to enhance preventative health. Their flagship product provides consumers with a convenient shelf-stable tonic that delivers half a day's serving of organic fruits and vegetables, along with essential multivitamins and nutrients. This approach supports individuals in achieving a healthier, more balanced lifestyle through easy access to vital nutrients.

Omnia Fishing

Seed Round in 2018
Omnia Fishing, LLC is an e-commerce platform that specializes in providing fishing gear tailored to specific bodies of water. Founded in 2018 and based in Golden Valley, Minnesota, the company utilizes a "shop-by-lake" concept, allowing anglers to discover and purchase gear relevant to their fishing locations. The platform features custom maps and a recommendation engine to help users find suitable products based on various factors such as water body, species, fishing styles, and seasonal conditions. Additionally, Omnia Fishing emphasizes fast shipping, enhancing the overall shopping experience for fishing enthusiasts.

75F

Seed Round in 2018
75F, LLC, founded in 2012 and based in Burnsville, Minnesota, specializes in building automation systems that utilize Internet of Things (IoT) technology to enhance energy efficiency in commercial buildings. The company offers a comprehensive Building Energy Management System that integrates a range of smart devices, including sensors, thermostats, and control units, to optimize HVAC performance and lighting. By leveraging real-time data and wireless communication, 75F's solutions allow for precise climate control, adapting to occupancy and environmental changes to ensure comfort while minimizing energy consumption. The company's mission focuses on improving indoor air quality and occupant productivity while promoting sustainable practices. Through its intelligent automation and centralized monitoring, 75F helps clients reduce operational costs and their carbon footprint, making smart building technology accessible and effective.

Upsie

Seed Round in 2018
Upsie Technology Inc. operates a mobile application that simplifies the process of purchasing extended warranties for consumer electronics and durable goods. Founded in 2015 and based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Upsie allows users to buy warranties for a range of products, including televisions, laptops, home appliances, and more, at competitive prices without the typical sales pitches or markups. The app provides users with transparent pricing and coverage options, enabling them to easily compare warranties. Additionally, it allows for the storage of digital receipts and tracking of warranty expirations, streamlining the management of product protection. Users can purchase coverage, initiate claims, and even scan barcodes while shopping to check warranty availability for specific items.

Kaleidoscope

Seed Round in 2018
Kaleidoscope is a company that designs, administers, and hosts branded scholarship and grant programs through a cloud-based marketplace. Established in 2016 and headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, it connects scholarship funders with students, creating a streamlined platform that facilitates access to personalized and curated scholarship opportunities. The company's scholarship management tool aids organizations in funding future leaders, artists, and professionals by simplifying the administration of scholarship programs. This innovative approach not only reduces administrative costs but also enhances student choice, allowing for impactful program design that meets the needs of both funders and recipients.

Attune Medical

Series C in 2017
Attune Medical develops a medical device designed to efficiently regulate patient body temperature through cooling or warming via the esophagus. The device consists of a single-use, fully-enclosed triple lumen system made from medical-grade silicone, which is inserted into the esophagus and connected to an external heat exchanger. This innovative technology allows healthcare practitioners to modulate and control patient temperature for a variety of clinical applications, including critical care, emergency medicine, burns and trauma, elective surgery, transplant surgery, sepsis, cardiology, and electrophysiology. By providing a safe and effective method for temperature management, Attune Medical aims to enhance patient outcomes in diverse medical settings.

CoreBiome

Seed Round in 2017
CoreBiome, Inc. specializes in microbiome analysis through advanced genomic and informatics solutions. The company offers two primary products, BoosterShot and BenchMark, which facilitate large-scale microbiome experimentation and profiling. BoosterShot employs ultra-shallow shotgun sequencing to deliver detailed taxonomic and functional profiles at the species level, while BenchMark utilizes a 16S rRNA gene-based assay to enhance microbiome profiling accuracy. CoreBiome combines sample processing with machine learning-driven data analysis, providing comprehensive services that include primary data analysis, taxonomic classification, and various diversity metrics. The company serves clients in pharmaceuticals, agriculture, and academic research, aiming to accelerate discoveries and applications related to the microbiome. Founded in 2016 and based in Saint Paul, Minnesota, CoreBiome operates as a subsidiary of DNA Genotek Inc.

SwineTech

Series A in 2017
SwineTech, Inc. is a company based in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, that focuses on enhancing the welfare and productivity of sow farms in the pork industry through artificial intelligence and sensor-based technologies. Founded in 2015, SwineTech has developed the SmartGuard platform, which monitors pregnancy and piglet health to prevent piglet mortality, particularly from being crushed by their mothers. The technology analyzes data related to sow health, allowing pork producers to implement and manage on-farm processes more effectively. By empowering producers with tools to track and adjust their practices remotely, SwineTech aims to improve overall herd health and optimize resource utilization within the industry.

Oppsource

Venture Round in 2017
OppSource, based in St. Paul, Minnesota, specializes in sales development software, offering a comprehensive platform known as OppSource PursuitPro. This platform automates and organizes the sales development process, allowing users to create customized sales campaigns and deliver account-based opportunities that are ready for sales teams. OppSource also provides consulting services that encompass go-to-market strategies, sales and marketing alignment, lead process assessments, and content evaluations. With a focus on enhancing the efficiency of sales management, the platform integrates both digital and human elements to capture, nurture, measure, and score leads as they progress through the marketing funnel, ultimately improving the return on investment for marketing and sales initiatives. Founded in 2008, OppSource has spent years refining its offerings to better serve large sales development teams.

Kidizen

Series A in 2017
Kidizen, Inc. operates a peer-to-peer resale marketplace that enables parents in the United States to buy and sell pre-loved clothing, gear, toys, and accessories for children. Founded in 2010 and based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the platform allows parents, particularly mothers, to create storefronts, earn money, and connect with one another through shared experiences and styles. Kidizen offers a mobile application for iOS and Android that facilitates communication, purchasing, and selling of children's items. The marketplace is designed to be trustworthy and environmentally friendly, allowing users to easily list items without incurring listing fees, thus promoting sustainability while helping parents find the latest trends for their children. The company was previously known as Itizen, LLC before rebranding to Kidizen, Inc. in May 2014.

RoverMed BioSciences

Seed Round in 2017
RoverMed develops precision targeted drug delivery technology aimed at delivering life saving drugs to the most challenging diseases in hard to reach places in the body. RoverMed has developed targeted, twenty nanometer nanocapsule technology capable of reaching the most challenging disease sites and delivering cargo – intact – into the nucleus of target cells, regardless of where these cells are located in the body. RoverMed’s nanocapsule technology has been proven, through years of intensive research and development, by Minnesota-based GeneSegues Therapeutics. A precision target drug delivery platform has been developed initially for solid tumor cancers of the head and neck, prostate, and colon. RoverMed is now applying this technology toward a broader spectrum of treatment applications, in partnership with larger drug developers, in order to expand the acceptance, use and impact on a host of new, exciting applications. Our business model includes partnering our drug delivery technology with our partner's drugs to advance novel therapeutics aimed at treating some of the most challenging diseases that are not well served by traditional therapeutic options.

Allergy Amulet

Seed Round in 2016
Allergy Amulet Inc., founded in 2016 and based in Madison, Wisconsin, specializes in the manufacture and sale of consumer food allergen sensors designed to test for common allergens in food. The Allergy Amulet device is recognized as the world's smallest and fastest food allergen sensor, providing results in seconds. Its portable design allows users to carry it on a keychain, necklace, or wristband, making it convenient for families, individuals, and businesses. With food allergies affecting approximately 32 million Americans and hundreds of millions globally, Allergy Amulet aims to enhance the quality of life for those with food allergies and intolerances, enabling them to enjoy their meals with greater safety and confidence.

StemoniX

Seed Round in 2016
StemoniX Inc. is a biotechnology company specializing in stem cell technologies to enhance drug discovery and personalized medicine. Founded in 2014 and headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, with an additional office in La Jolla, California, StemoniX offers a platform that focuses on the 3-D printing of stem-cell derived human tissues. This innovative approach allows for the creation of custom drug discovery models and facilitates the development of living cells in larger formats, addressing various medical conditions such as heart disease, dementia, breast cancer, autism, and ALS. The company's platform also operationalizes human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) disease models for high-throughput screening, improving the research process for neurotoxicity and other drug screening efforts.

Attune Medical

Series A in 2014
Attune Medical develops a medical device designed to efficiently regulate patient body temperature through cooling or warming via the esophagus. The device consists of a single-use, fully-enclosed triple lumen system made from medical-grade silicone, which is inserted into the esophagus and connected to an external heat exchanger. This innovative technology allows healthcare practitioners to modulate and control patient temperature for a variety of clinical applications, including critical care, emergency medicine, burns and trauma, elective surgery, transplant surgery, sepsis, cardiology, and electrophysiology. By providing a safe and effective method for temperature management, Attune Medical aims to enhance patient outcomes in diverse medical settings.

Naiku

Venture Round in 2014
Naiku, Inc. is a company that develops a classroom learning and assessment platform aimed at enhancing the educational experience for teachers and students. Founded in 2010 and based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Naiku offers various assessment solutions, including Benchmark Now!, which provides ready-to-use online exams for grades 3-12 aligned with common core state standards. The platform includes Naiku for Teachers, designed to engage students and support formative assessments, as well as Naiku for Districts/Schools, which facilitates collaboration among educators and administrative staff. Utilizing proprietary data mining algorithms, Naiku enables teachers to gain real-time insights into student strengths and needs, allowing for personalized learning interventions. This approach is supported by a professional social network where teachers can share relevant information and collaborate effectively to address individual student requirements.

Preceptis Medical

Venture Round in 2014
Preceptis Medical, Inc. is a medical device manufacturer focused on developing surgical technologies specifically for pediatric patients. The company produces the Hummingbird Tympanostomy Tube System (TTS), which enhances the ear tube placement process by reducing surgical trauma and pain, allowing for the use of moderate sedation instead of general anesthesia. This innovation aims to streamline routine ear tube procedures, making them safer and more comfortable for children. Founded in 2011, Preceptis Medical is headquartered in Maple Grove, Minnesota.

BuyerCurious

Series A in 2012
BuyerCurious.com is a free, online real estate marketplace that enables people who want to buy a home or sell a home cost effectively to do so, either on their own or with the help of an agent, attorney or other personal advisors. Buyers can search homes for sale, request showings, and make an offer on a home online, while sellers can list a home for free, get information on low cost and discount ways to advertise their properties tapping the best of web 2.0, get professional yard signs, receive and negotiate offers, and finalize a purchase agreement in a private, online Deal Room. Agents can be on the leading edge with time-saving client collaboration tools, promote visibility and purchase dialogues on their listings, and create Everybody Wins scenarios with do-it-yourself buyers.
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