Twenty Minutes

Featured Interviews:Allisa Song, CEO of Nanodropper (Grand Prize Winner of MN Cup 2021)Jessica Berg, Director of MN CupHeadlines:2021 Minnesota Startup Awards Recap5 Companies Win Meda's Million Dollar Challenge

Featured Interviews:Ryan Broshar, Founder and Partner at Matchstick VenturesMatchstick Ventures Announces $55 Million Fund IIIHeadlines:SendSquared Hires New Vice President of SalesFlywheel Secures $22 Million Series C, Announces New AcquisitionRally Ventures Announces New Chief People OfficerKaleidoscope Launches New ‘Award Builder' ToolTCSW 21 Event Spotlight: TCSW 2021 Opening Party

Featured Interview:Kelly Schultze, Manager Director of BETATwin Cities Startup Week 2021 at a GlanceHeadlines:U of M Announces New Center for Medical Device CybersecurityHere Are Your MN Cup FinalistsTCSW 21 Event Spotlight: Tech Job & Opportunities Fair

Featured Interviews:Dr. Achin Bhowmik, CTO and EVP of Engineering of StarkeyStarkey Announces New Generation of Hearing AidsThe tech.mn Podcast Summer Brewery Tour: Dr. Achin Bhowmik at Finnegans BrewingHeadlines:Genome Medical Acquires GeneMattersEcommerce Startup GrocerKey Acquired for $42 MillionTwin Cities Startup Week 2021: The Ultimate Guides

Featured Interview:Toby Madden and Chris Madden, St. Paul developers of Fifefer IslandBuy the GamePlay the DemoListen to the Podcast (or on YouTube)Follow Fifefer IslandHeadlines:Calabrio Announces Hire of Chief Human Resources OfficerMeet the 14 Companies of the Fall 2021 BETA CohortFINNOVATION Lab Announces Fourth Fellowship Cohort

Featured Interviews:Companies of the gBETA St. Thomas 2021 cohort:SimBullSimBull Sports Exchange helps sports fans profit from their knowledge by trading virtual shares that represent professional and collegiate teams. Users buy and sell shares in virtual sports teams that mirror objective results, interact with other fans in SimBull's sports community, and monetize their sports content. SimBull has over 1,500 active members and a market cap of $350,000.Kenneth Giles, Co-Founder and CEO | kenneth.giles@simbull.app | simbull.appWilla'sWilla's creates deliciously creamy plant milks using whole, organic ingredients for the dairy-free foodie. Willa's Plant Milks are revolutionary in their nutrition-packed simplicity, delicious consistency, and no-waste process, making them the healthiest and most sustainable options available. Willa's is a consistent top-seller on Amazon and recently added Foxtrot and Erewhon as retail partners.Christina Dorr Drake, Co-Founder and CEO | Christina@willaskitchen.com | willaskitchen.comZeSaZeSa manufactures patented instability training devices for training, rehab and prehab protocols. ZeSa's devices, the Activator Training Platforms®, combine instability and rotation with five progressive levels of difficulty to help trainees achieve optimal strength, balance and flexibility. ZeSa Fitness has sold $129k in Activators, including to 25 professional sports teams (MLB, NBA, WNBA, NFL).Cindy Vavra, Co-Founder and CEO | cindy@zesafitness.com | zesafitness.comSeraph 7 StudiosSeraph 7 Studios develops console video games (PlayStation, Xbox and Nintendo) that create change for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color communities all over the world. Seraph 7 distributes through online marketplaces for instant purchase-to-play. Seraph 7 provides science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics work-study for local high school students. Seraph 7 Studios is a Minnesota Public Benefit Corporation and will release its first game in Q1 2022.Jules Porter, Founder | jules@seraph7studios.com | seraph7studios.comHeadlines:HR Software Company Ascentis Acquires Cincinnati Time SystemsBranch Secures $48 Million Series B, Closes on $500 Million Credit FacilityCheck out the Minnesota Companies That Made the 2021 Inc. 5000 ListNew York Tech Company Unite Us Acquires Carrot HealthgBETA Medtech is Seeking Black Founders for Fall 2021 CohortInspectorio Joins Apple Impact Accelerator Cohort

Headlines:U.S. Bank to Acquire Chicago Fintech StartupgBETA St. Thomas Announces 2021 CohortTwin Cities Startup Week Announces COVID-19 PoliciesSendSquared Secures $1 Million Seed RoundArctic Wolf Names New CEO

Featured Interviews:James McNeal, Principal Architect of James McNeal Architecture and DesignChris Knutson, Co-founder and CEO of TeamGeniusHeadlines:Suma Brands Secures $150 Million Series AEcolab Opens New Design Center in EaganMeda Announces Million Dollar Challenge FinalistsBest Buy Announces Investments With Brown Venture GroupBright Health Releases Q2 Financials in Earnings CallClaros Technologies Raises $5.3 Million Series ANiron Magnetics Raises $21.3 Million

Featured InterviewAllisa Song, CEO of NanodropperNanodropper Announces First Board of DirectorsHeadlinesWicked Kitchen Expands Into KrogersDatasite Acquires Toronto-Based Firmex

HeadlinesMinnesota Twins Accelerator by Techstars Announces Leadership TeamIPOs, M&A the Big News in Medical Alley Association Quarterly Reportsoona Announces New Chief Operating Officer75F Secures $28 Million in Series A RoundFormer Ecolab CEO Joins Ownership Group of JIT Services

Featured Interviews:Alfredo Martel, CEO and President of MedaApply for the Fourth Annual Million Dollar Challenge for Minority Entrepreneurs TodayHeadlines:Minnesota Statistics Show Small-Business BoomTechnovation[MN] Announces Winners of Appapalooza 2021Digi International Acquires California-Based Industrial Data Communications CompanyFlywheel Announces Partnership with Madison-Based Medtech CompanyMinnestar Announces Minnedemo35 Presenter LineupShow Your Support for Launch Minnesota (Updated: Fully Funded)Surmodics Acquires Ireland-Based Vertex Medical Ltd.

Featured Interviews:Sean Higgins, CEO of BetterYouBetterYou Secures $2.25 Million Funding RoundHeadlines:Medical Device Company CVRx Makes Public DebutNexben Hires New CTOKavira Health Expands Into Employee HealthRegister for the Bold Open 2021 Reverse Pitch Event Today

Headlines:Bright Health Goes Public With Biggest IPO in Minnesota HistoryDrake's Organic Spirits Closes in on $10 Million Financing RoundBest Buy Announces New Commitments to Support BIPOC, Diverse BusinessesApply for the Fourth Annual Million Dollar Challenge for Minority Entrepreneurs TodayArctic Wolf Announces Plans for European Expansion

Featured Interviews:Brian Skalak, Director of Marketing and Events, REM5 Virtual Reality Laboratory REM5 Partners With Twin Cities Film Festival for VR ExperienceYasameen Sajady, CEO and Co-founder of MaazahHeadlines:Announcing The tech.mn Podcast Summer Brewery TourBright Health Details IPO Terms in SEC Filing5 Startups Chosen for OnRamp Education Workforce & Innovation AcceleratorOnRamp Education & Workforce Innovation Conference to Announce New Accelerator Participants

Featured Interviews:Casey Schultz, Executive Director of BETABETA Acquires tech.mn to Increase Community AmplificationHeadlines:Brightstone Venture Capital Targeting $50 for Third Funding RoundJamf Shareholders Propose $340 Million Stock SaleSezzle Announces New Scholarship ProgramSentera Secures $25 Million Series C Round

Featured Interviews:Susan Langer, CEO of Space, LLCReseda Group Acquires Live.Give.Save, Launches Spave 2.0Jeanette Dorazio, CEO of LeadpagesLeadpages Announces New North Loop HQHeadlines:Get a Glimpse of Future Medtech at the gBETA Medtech Pitch EventAI Company Lucy Secures $3 Million Series A

Featured Interviews:Jessica Berg, Director of MN CupMN Cup Announces 2021 SemifinalistsHeadlines:Groove Capital Announces Four-Part ‘Angel Fest’ EventIcario Names New CTO

Featured Interviews:Maria Burns Ortiz, CEO and Co-founder of 7 Generation GamesHeadlines:Sezzle Partners With Ally Lending for Long-Term Lending ProgramBright Health Files for IPONetSPI Secures $90 Million in Growth Funding

Featured Interviews:Jazz Hampton, CEO and General Counsel of TurnSignlNew Startup TurnSignl Aims to Get Everyone Home SafeHeadlines:Upsie Announces $18.2 Million Series AA Sezzle IPO Is ComingHealthTech Company AmVentureX, Inc. Raises $1 MillionJAMF Acquires Security Technology Company for $400 MillionHelpSystems Acquires Beyond SecurityWhen I Work Announces New CTOLone Wolf Technologies Acquires HomeSpotter

A new contract with U.S. SOCOM, climate accelerators, a big Branch raise, and more. This is the news in Minnesota tech and startup for the week of Friday, April 16.

A new Series A that’s bringing jobs to the area soon…a, paying it forward by helping a new generation of entrepreneurs, and discussion of the verdict that finally brings some accountability, it’s Friday, April 23, and this is Twenty Minutes.

A new accelerator in town, North Loop healthtech companies unite, and more. This is the news in Minnesota tech and startup for the week of Friday, April 16.

A new cohort full of stars, a new venture studio firing up its engines, acquisition and expansion, and more. This is the news in Minnesota tech and startup for the week of Friday, April 9.

A sure and swift acquisition, the official dates for Twin Cities Startup Week 2021, great venture happenings in the north, and more. This is the news in Minnesota tech and startup for the week of Friday, April 2.

One school’s first online degrees in more than a century, testing the waters for live startup and tech events in Minnesota, a potential new IPO, and more. This is the news in Minnesota tech and startup for the week of Friday, March 26.

Viral drone videos, Minnedemo, a not-so-tiny TinySeed raise, and more. This is the news in Minnesota tech and startup for the week of Friday, March 19.

A Shark Tank debut, FeMNist Days, a new cohort lineup, and more This is the news in Minnesota tech and startup for the week of Friday, March 12.

Well and Good props, human security platforms, caption tech, and more. This the news in Minnesota tech and startup for the week of Friday, March 5.

Data-protection mergers, states of the state, innovation grants, and more. This the news in Minnesota tech and startup for the week of Friday, February 26.

Fishing raises, facial recognition bans, cryptocurrency, and more. This is the news in Minnesota tech and startup for the week of Friday, February 19.   Interview Stories: Compute North Secures $25 Million in Growth Capital Funding Lemonada Unveils 10 New Podcasts for 2021 Esports Documentary Featuring St. Louis Park High School Team Releases Today Shaye Mandle Announces Departure as Medical Alley Association President & CEO   Headlines: Omnia Fishing Raises $2.1 Million Minneapolis City Council Approves Ordinance Banning Purchase of Facial Recognition Technology Shrpa Partners With Explore Minnesota to Spark Tourism   Follow tech.mn on Twitter Sign up for tech.mn’s newsletters

Here’s an understatement to end all understatements — life moves fast. And if you’re part of the startup and tech community in Minnesota, it can feel like it moves even faster. Twenty Minutes by tech.mn is for you. A podcast with the biggest Minnesota tech and startup news of the week tied up in a pretty 20-minute bow, Twenty Minutes talks with the people behind the headlines of the week in short-form interviews. We condense the latest acquisitions, newest hires, and biggest product releases into a digestible, listenable, and personable experience so you can keep up without slowing down. Twenty Minutes by tech.mn. Every Friday.