ECMC Foundation is a Los Angeles-based organization established in 2000, dedicated to enhancing educational outcomes, particularly for underserved populations, through evidence-based innovation. As part of the ECMC Group enterprise, it focuses on two primary areas: College Success and Career Readiness. The foundation provides grants and engages in program-related investments in both nonprofit and for-profit ventures, aimed at fostering improvements in post-secondary education and initiatives. Its overarching vision is to empower all learners to realize their full potential and attain family-sustaining wages.

Rally Ventures, established in 2012, is a venture capital firm headquartered in Menlo Park, California, with an additional office in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The firm specializes in early-stage investments in business technology companies, focusing on sectors such as cloud infrastructure, fintech, SaaS, and security. With a track record spanning over three decades, Rally Ventures' partners, who are industry veterans, have consistently delivered superior returns by investing in and operating early-stage enterprise B2B technology companies. The firm's investment strategy aims to support entrepreneurs creating new markets or transforming existing ones.

The Otto Bremer Trust is a private charitable foundation based in St. Paul, Minnesota, established in 1944. Its primary mission is to assist individuals in achieving full economic, civic, and social participation, thereby enhancing the overall well-being of communities. The foundation focuses on creating measurable and meaningful impacts through its philanthropic efforts across Minnesota, North Dakota, and western Wisconsin. The trust's assets are overseen by an executive management team dedicated to fostering positive change and strengthening community engagement.

Founded in 1933, this company offers health insurance plans, including medical, dental, and prescription drug coverage, for individuals and families.

Founded in 2017, Bread and Butter Ventures is an early-stage venture capital firm based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Led by Brett Brohl and Mary Grove, the firm invests globally in founders at the seed stage across foodtech, digital health, and enterprise SaaS sectors.

Split Rock Partners is a venture capital firm founded in 2004. It specializes in investing in early-stage companies within the emerging healthcare, software, and internet services sectors across the Upper Midwest and West Coast regions of the United States.

Great North Ventures is a venture capital firm based in Maple Grove, Minnesota, founded in 2017. The firm focuses on investing in entrepreneurs who leverage breakthrough technologies to transform industries that remain reliant on analog processes. Great North Ventures primarily targets disruptive technology companies across the United States, providing essential guidance, capital, and connections from seed stage to Series B. The firm is committed to identifying promising startups regardless of their geographic location, recognizing that innovative companies are emerging beyond traditional hubs like Silicon Valley. With a foundation built by successful founders, Great North Ventures emphasizes the importance of execution and the capability of their portfolio companies.

The U.S. Department of Energy is a government agency established in 1977, located in Washington, D.C. Its primary mission is to ensure the security and prosperity of the nation by tackling energy, environmental, and nuclear challenges. The Department focuses on promoting transformative scientific and technological solutions to address these issues, thereby supporting the country's energy needs and environmental sustainability.

Norwest Mezzanine Partners, established in 2000, is a Minneapolis-based investment firm that provides junior capital solutions to middle market companies backed by private equity firms. It focuses on driving value and successful outcomes for all stakeholders by investing across various industries, including business services, consumer, healthcare, and industrials. The firm operates from offices in Minneapolis and West Palm Beach, and it has an affiliation with Norwest Equity Partners, a middle market equity investment firm with a history dating back to 1961.

Matchstick Ventures, established in 2013, is a Minneapolis, Minnesota-based venture capital firm. It focuses on investing in early-stage technology companies, particularly in sectors like business products, services, and information technology. The firm targets high-growth startups located between the coasts of the United States and Toronto, supporting their creation and growth in often overlooked startup ecosystems.

Gopher Angels is an angel investment group based in Minnesota, established in 2012. The organization comprises accredited investors who are committed to fostering the growth of early-stage businesses in the region, particularly in the information technology and healthcare sectors. Gopher Angels not only provides financial investment but also offers strategic guidance, valuable connections, and business support to entrepreneurs. By focusing on outstanding entrepreneurs, Gopher Angels aims to help transform innovative ideas into successful enterprises.

New Enterprise Associates is a venture capital firm founded in 1977 and based in Menlo Park, California, with offices in the United States, India and China. It makes investments across technology and healthcare startups at multiple stages, from seed to growth, including software, cloud, data, internet services, fintech, AI, e-commerce, and enterprise technology, as well as healthcare information technology, life sciences, medical devices, and biopharma. It also considers energy technology and infrastructure opportunities, such as solar, batteries and smart grids. The firm pursues a global approach, with activity in the United States, Asia and other regions, and supports companies through rounds of financing ranging from small to sizable investments as they scale. NEA focuses on building portfolios in software, IT services, consumer technology, and healthcare technology, backing ambitious entrepreneurs across sectors and geographies.

M25 is a Chicago-based venture capital firm established in 2015 by Victor Gutwein and Mike Asem, focused on funding pre-seed and seed-stage technology startups in the Midwest. The firm supports portfolio companies across multiple industries, with a regional footprint spanning 24 Midwest cities in 11 states. Since its inception, M25 has backed more than 90 early-stage tech startups, aiming to accelerate growth and strengthen the Midwest startup ecosystem.

Dundee Venture Capital, established in 2010, is a venture capital firm headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, with additional offices in Chicago, Minneapolis, and Saint Louis. The firm specializes in investing in early-stage technology companies, focusing on B2B SaaS, e-commerce, fintech, and supply chain technology sectors. Dundee typically invests between $0.25 million to $1 million in initial rounds, with a potential follow-on investment, and seeks board positions or observer roles. The firm's investment focus is on underserved capital markets across the United States, with a typical exit timeline of six to eight years. Dundee Venture Capital does not invest in companies requiring government approval for operation, such as those in bio, pharma, or life sciences sectors.

TT Capital Partners is the private equity arm of TripleTree and an independent investment firm based in Minnesota, with offices in Minneapolis and New York. It concentrates on growth equity investments in healthcare and technology companies, including healthcare services, clinical services and healthcare technology, aiming at innovative, high-growth firms expanding their customer base or entering new markets. The firm typically seeks majority stakes and combines principal investing with advisory capabilities rooted in its merchant banking heritage. TT Capital Partners focuses on opportunities within the healthcare and technology sectors and supports portfolio companies through strategic growth initiatives.

Vensana Capital is a Minneapolis based venture capital and growth equity firm focused on healthcare technology. It backs medical devices, diagnostics, life science tools, and data science oriented solutions, as well as tech enabled services that improve patient care and research outcomes. Founded in the late 2010s, the firm operates from Minnesota and pursues opportunities across stages in the healthcare sector, partnering with companies developing breakthrough medical technologies.

Arthur Ventures, LLC, established in 2008, is a venture capital firm headquartered in Fargo, North Dakota, with an additional office in Minneapolis. The company specializes in post-angel and pre-institutional investments, focusing on early-stage and growth capital for companies in the United States and Western Europe. Arthur Ventures primarily invests in the information technology sector, with a particular emphasis on B2B software companies across North America. Additionally, the firm considers investments in life sciences, healthcare, and clean technology sectors. Its initial investments range from $500,000 to $3 million, with later-stage investments made in syndication with other investors. Arthur Ventures targets companies based in the Upper Midwest, with a focus on the Great Plains region for early-stage investments.

The Community Development Financial Institutions Fund (CDFI Fund) is a U.S. government initiative aimed at promoting economic growth and development in underserved communities. It provides financial assistance and support to Community Development Financial Institutions, which offer affordable loans, investments, and financial services to low-income individuals and communities. The CDFI Fund focuses on fostering access to capital, encouraging community revitalization, and empowering local economies. By investing in various sectors, including housing, small businesses, and community facilities, the CDFI Fund plays a crucial role in enhancing the economic opportunities available to marginalized populations, thereby contributing to the overall stability and growth of disadvantaged areas.

Sofia Fund is a venture capital firm based in St. Paul, Minnesota, founded in 2006. It specializes in investing in startup and early-stage companies that are led by women, focusing on sectors such as information technology, business products and services, health and wellness, and clean technology. The firm conducts extensive due diligence to identify high-potential investment opportunities and typically invests between $0.1 million and $0.5 million per company over one or two funding rounds. In its portfolio, Sofia Fund emphasizes technology-based innovations, including business intelligence, SaaS, mobile and digital content, e-commerce, and energy-efficient solutions. The firm seeks to support the growth of its portfolio companies and aims for profitable exits within three to five years. Sofia Fund also has an additional office in Kansas City, Missouri.

McGowan Capital Group is a private equity firm based in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, established in 2004. The firm specializes in growth capital investments, focusing primarily on early to mid-stage companies. By providing financial resources and strategic support, McGowan Capital Group aims to foster the development and expansion of its portfolio companies.

Versant Ventures is a healthcare-focused venture capital firm based in San Francisco with offices in Canada, the United States and Europe. Founded in 1999, it invests across the healthcare sector at all stages, with emphasis on the discovery and development of novel therapeutics, medical devices, biotechnology and pharmaceuticals. The firm combines investment, operating and scientific expertise to take a hands-on approach to building portfolio companies, helping entrepreneurs translate science into commercial therapies and technologies. It has supported numerous portfolio companies through acquisitions or IPOs, reflecting a track record of guiding early stage ventures toward meaningful exits in biopharma, life sciences and related fields.

Omphalos Venture Partners is a venture capital firm located in Shakopee, Minnesota, established in 2010. The firm focuses on investing in early-stage companies across various sectors, including healthcare, manufacturing, software as a service (SaaS), robotics, artificial intelligence, sensor technology, and nanotechnology. Omphalos Venture Partners aims to support both business-to-business (B2B) and business-to-consumer (B2C) enterprises, particularly those leveraging innovations in digital health and the internet of things. With a commitment to fostering growth in these industries, the firm actively seeks to contribute to the development of transformative technologies and services in the United States.

The National Science Foundation (NSF) is an independent federal agency established in 1950 and based in Alexandria, Virginia. It is dedicated to supporting research and education in science and engineering across a wide range of disciplines. The NSF provides significant non-dilutive funding, up to $1.5 million, to startups and small businesses through its America's Seed Fund initiative, which is part of the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program mandated by Congress. With an operating budget of approximately $7.8 billion, the NSF is committed to advancing fundamental research and education, thus fostering innovation and technological development in the United States.

Affinity Capital Management, founded in 1993 by Edson Spencer, is a Minnesota-based firm that provides investment services specifically for the healthcare technology sector. The company focuses on identifying and supporting innovative companies within this industry, aiming to drive growth and enhance value for its clients. With a commitment to the healthcare technology landscape, Affinity Capital Management leverages its expertise to assist firms in navigating the complexities of investment and development in this rapidly evolving field.

Capita3 is a venture capital firm founded in 2018, specializing in investments in women-led startups. It focuses on early-stage companies operating in digital health, genomics, and food-as-medicine sectors across the United States.

Ulu Ventures is a California-based venture capital firm focused on seed- and early-stage investments in technology-driven startups. It backs companies in enterprise IT, software-as-a-service, internet-enabled consumer and business services, EdTech, FinTech, healthcare, sustainability, IoT, digital media, and mobile, with an emphasis on diverse entrepreneurial teams. Based in Palo Alto, the firm favors opportunities in the Bay Area and across the United States, often collaborating with others to build early-stage portfolios. Founded in 2008, Ulu Ventures applies a disciplined investment process that integrates risk assessment and data-informed decision making to identify viable exit paths and foster steady returns. The firm is recognized as Latina-led, marking a notable leadership milestone in Silicon Valley.

Northstar Capital, established in 1993, is a Minneapolis-based investment firm that specializes in providing junior capital, primarily mezzanine debt, to middle market companies in the United States and Canada. The firm focuses on sectors such as value-added distribution, light manufacturing, business services, financial services, education, and specialty healthcare. Northstar partners with proven sponsor groups and experienced management teams, offering commitment and clear direction throughout the investment process.

SightLine Partners, established in 2004, is a venture capital firm headquartered in Bloomington, Minnesota, with an additional office in Palo Alto, California. The company specializes in late-stage investments, focusing on medical technology, biotechnology, and healthcare services sectors within the United States. SightLine Partners typically invests between $2 million and $8 million, structuring deals as preferred stock, and aims to exit within five years. The firm's investment strategy is to support emerging growth and later-stage companies, particularly in therapeutic areas such as vascular diseases, diabetes, and nervous system disorders.

Founded in 2009, Tamiami Angel Fund is a Florida-based investment firm specializing in seed and early-stage investments. It focuses on companies based in the United States, with a preference for those located in Florida and Southwest Florida.

Breakthrough Energy, established in 2016 and headquartered in Kirkland, Washington, is an impact investment firm focused on combating climate change. It invests patiently over a 20-year period in cleantech and energy sectors, supporting companies from seed to commercialization stages. The firm's portfolio spans electricity generation and storage, transportation, industrial systems, agriculture, and energy efficiency, aiming to make power reliable, affordable, and climate-friendly. Breakthrough Energy Ventures, its investment arm, manages funds in the U.S. and Europe, with a goal to back 40 to 50 companies per fund.

Service Provider Capital is a venture capital firm established in 2014 and located in Golden, Colorado. The firm focuses on co-investing in seed and series A rounds, primarily in collaboration with institutional venture funds. It targets a diverse range of sectors, including artificial intelligence, machine learning, blockchain, cannabis, cybersecurity, e-commerce, education technology, fintech, hardware, information technology, robotics, and health. By concentrating on these industries, Service Provider Capital aims to support innovative companies at critical stages of their development.

Norwest Equity Partners (NEP) is a prominent middle market investment firm established in 1961, known for its commitment to partnering with business owners to transform companies into industry leaders. The firm has successfully raised over $7 billion through various equity and mezzanine funds, emphasizing quality investments and strong financial returns. NEP provides flexible transaction solutions, including management buyouts, recapitalizations, and growth financings, and prioritizes long-term relationships to assist stakeholders in achieving liquidity at optimal times. The firm seeks equity investment opportunities ranging from $30 million to over $250 million in profitable, growing companies across sectors such as agriculture, business services, consumer products, distribution, diversified industrials, energy, and healthcare. NEP is headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Piper Sandler, established in 1895, is a prominent investment banking and asset management firm headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The company offers a wide range of services, including mergers and acquisitions, capital markets transactions, private placements, and restructuring advisory services. Piper Sandler's investment banking group serves corporate clients and financial sponsors across various sectors such as agriculture, consumer, energy, financial services, and healthcare. Additionally, the firm manages a private equity arm, Piper Jaffray Merchant Banking, which invests in commercial-stage businesses within the sectors covered by Piper Sandler's equity research and investment banking resources. The firm's revenue ranges from $275 million to $500 million.

Founded in 2016, Sum Ventures is a venture capital firm based in Santa Monica, California. It focuses on investing in early-stage companies operating within fintech, proptech, IoT, AI, cleantech, and medtech sectors.

Founded in 2020, Burnt Island Ventures is a New York-based venture capital firm focused on investing in early-stage companies within the B2B, energy, information technology, clean technology, and climate technology sectors.

MFV Partners Management, LLC is a venture capital firm based in Palo Alto, California, founded in 2017. The firm specializes in investing in early-stage companies that have progressed beyond seed and Series A funding, with a particular emphasis on growth capital. MFV Partners targets a range of sectors, including automotive, retail, knowledge services, and transportation. Its investment focus encompasses advanced technologies such as sensors, electric vehicles, autonomous systems, artificial intelligence, process automation, and crowd-learning. Additionally, the firm is interested in smart home technologies, energy efficiency, renewable energy, precision agriculture, and innovations in manufacturing, particularly in areas related to the Internet of Things, computer vision, 3D printing, and robotics.

UnitedHealth Group Ventures is the corporate venture capital arm of UnitedHealth Group, focusing on investments in healthcare startups. The firm primarily invests in businesses that enhance affordable, high-quality care delivery through innovative technologies and market entrants.

Lemhi Ventures is a Minnesota-based venture capital firm focused on health care services and related technology. Founded in 2006, it invests across incubation, seed, follow-on, and growth stages in U.S.-based privately held companies with disruptive health care service models. The firm avoids investments in medical devices or the development of specific therapies and seeks opportunities in companies offering innovative approaches to health care delivery. It typically targets early-stage opportunities, often acting as a lead investor, and is open to partnerships and syndications. The team emphasizes hands-on involvement, including board seats or partnership roles, to help portfolio companies scale. Lemhi Ventures draws on deep industry experience from entrepreneurs and executives who have built and exited health care ventures, guiding companies through growth, market entry, and potential exits.

Meridian Behavioral Health operates a network of recovery and addiction treatment centers in Minnesota, based in New Brighton, offering residential and outpatient care, medication-assisted treatment, and methadone maintenance. It provides therapeutic, psychotherapeutic, and cognitive behavioral treatments for adults, including programs for men, women, and LGBT individuals, as well as jail-based programs. The organization conducts confidential chemical health assessments and supports a continuum of care across assessment, treatment, and recovery.

LHB Inc. is an engineering, architecture, and planning firm based in Duluth, Minnesota, with additional offices in Minneapolis, Cambridge, and Superior, Wisconsin. Founded in 1966, the company provides a comprehensive range of services, including architecture, interior design, civil, electrical, mechanical, and structural engineering, as well as land surveying. LHB also specializes in planning, site design, transportation, urban design, and historic preservation. The firm emphasizes sustainable practices, offering research and development, policy development, and consultancy on sustainable guidelines. It also provides energy modeling, building analysis, and commissioning services, including Performance Metrics to ensure buildings operate efficiently and B3 Benchmarking for managing energy consumption. LHB serves a diverse clientele across commercial, education, government, healthcare, housing, industrial, pipeline, and public works sectors, focusing on creating vibrant and functional spaces.

Techstars is a global platform that invests in and supports early-stage technology companies. Founded in 2006, it operates a mentorship-driven accelerator program, providing seed funding, intensive mentorship, and access to a network of investors and entrepreneurs. Techstars has programs in various locations worldwide, including Boston, Boulder, New York, Seattle, London, Chicago, and Austin. It invests $118,000 in each company, with $18,000 in seed funding and an optional $100,000 convertible debt note. Techstars also has industry-specific accelerator programs, such as Techstars Retail and Techstars Music, focusing on retail and music technology, respectively. Its portfolio includes over 1,000 companies with a combined market cap of $8.1 billion.

Yukon Partners, established in 2008 and headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, is a private equity firm specializing in mezzanine investments. It focuses on middle market, mature, and late-stage companies, typically investing between $10 million and $50 million in transactions controlled by private equity sponsors. Yukon Partners provides capital through secured debt, subordinated debt, and equity, targeting companies with EBITDA between $5 million and $50 million and revenues between $30 million and $500 million. It has a broad investment focus, including healthcare, automotive, consumer products, industrial manufacturing, and business services, among others. The firm is known for its strong relationships within the private equity community and regularly partners with other investors and senior lenders.

Established in 1953, the Bush Foundation is a non-profit organization based in Saint Paul, Minnesota. It supports community development and innovation across the region by providing grants to both individuals and organizations.

Charlesbank Capital Partners, LLC, established in 1998, is a private equity firm headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, with an additional office in New York. It manages approximately $2 billion in assets, focusing on the middle market. The firm invests in mature, privately held companies across various sectors, including communications, healthcare, consumer products, and industrials, among others. Charlesbank partners with management teams to acquire and build fundamentally strong businesses, typically investing between $20 million to $150 million per transaction in companies with enterprise values ranging from $50 million to $1.5 billion and EBITDA between $15 million and $75 million. The firm takes a board seat in its portfolio companies and aims to hold investments for five to seven years, exiting through IPOs, strategic sales, or sales to other private equity firms. Charlesbank prefers to take majority and minority stakes in companies.

Doran Companies, LLC is a Minnesota-based firm that specializes in the commercial development, general contracting, and management of multi-family residential and commercial properties. Incorporated in 2007 and headquartered in Bloomington, the company focuses on the development of mixed-use commercial properties, retail shopping centers, student housing, and luxury apartments. Its general contracting services encompass a range of projects, including post-tension concrete high-rise buildings, five-story wood construction apartment buildings, and various tenant improvements for retail, hospitality, medical, and dental offices. Additionally, Doran Companies provides comprehensive property management solutions to ensure the effective operation of its developments.

Perforce Software is a developer of software configuration management systems headquartered in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, with additional offices in California, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia. The company specializes in source code management and collaboration software through its platform, Perforce Helix, which allows global teams to efficiently collaborate on various file types, including code, CAD designs, and environment configurations. Helix supports both centralized and distributed workflows while providing advanced behavioral analytics to protect intellectual property. Perforce's tools facilitate faster and higher-quality delivery of digital products and offer features for agile project management, enabling users to manage requirements, issues, and test processes effectively. With over 15,000 customers, including notable brands like adidas, Samsung, and Pixar, Perforce is recognized for its contributions to enhancing developer collaboration and accelerating product delivery cycles.

Northern Pacific Group, established in 2012, is a Minnesota-based private equity firm focused on investing in companies within the technology and business services sectors in the Upper Midwest region of the United States.

Paragon Development Systems, headquartered in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin, operates multiple offices across the Midwest and provides information technology services to a diverse clientele nationwide. The company focuses on four primary markets: healthcare, government and higher education, corporate, and professional services. PDS offers a range of services including digital workspace solutions, security, digital infrastructure, staffing, and enterprise technology services. By delivering these services, PDS aims to enhance productivity, reduce costs, and improve both customer and employee satisfaction, while ensuring greater compliance for its clients. As a leading technology services provider in the region, PDS continues to adapt and innovate in response to the evolving needs of its customers.

Brown Venture Group is a venture capital firm and accelerator based in Minnesota that focuses on incubation, seed and early-stage investments in technology startups. It specializes in supporting Black, Latino and Indigenous founders and aims to build and promote minority owned tech ventures through its venture studio activities, which develop and launch startups in addition to funding them. Founded in 2018, it operates in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul area.

Venture Investors, LLC, established in 1982, is a Wisconsin-based venture capital firm specializing in seed and early-stage investments in the healthcare sector, with a focus on the Midwest region. The firm invests in biotechnology, medical devices, diagnostics, digital health, and other technology-enabled healthcare companies. It seeks to invest $0.25 million to $2.5 million initially, with the potential for follow-on investments of up to $8 million, typically holding investments for five to seven years. Venture Investors aims to be the lead investor and prefers to invest in the form of preferred stock and/or debt with warrant coverage. The firm has offices in Madison, Wisconsin, Ann Arbor, Michigan, and Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and has over $200 million in assets under management.