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The Secret History of Minnesota Part 1: Engineering Research Associates

Steve Blank

Meanwhile the biggest and fastest scientific computer companies were in Minnesota. A contract for a system named O’Malley followed. By 1953, 40% of the University of Minnesota electrical engineering graduates – including Cray – were working for ERA. More in part 2 of The Secret History of Minnesota Minneapolis/St.

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University of Minnesota Commencement speech – May 10th 2013

Steve Blank

Minnesota is a wonderful place to hunt, fish, canoe, raise kids, and pursue lots of interests other than just your job. University of Minnesota Science and Engineering alumni have founded more than 4,000 active companies, employing over ½ million people and generating annual revenues of $90 billion. And that’s great. Only In America.

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Planning Your Fund Raising — “Measure Twice, Cut Once”

Both Sides of the Table

If you’re talking with a firm that mostly only invests in the San Francisco Bay Area and you’re in Minnesota, you’re probably wasting your time for a seed or A round unless you find somebody at that firm who is from Minneapolis and comes home 2–3x / year already. The third-pass is geography. The next pass is the “competitive pass”?

LP 215
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How Minnesota Became the Land of 10,000 Startups

ReadWriteStart

Minnesota is no stranger to big business. It’s home to such names as Target, Best Buy, General Mills, and Ecolab — all of which have made their homes in Minnesota for generations and have become a source of pride. But a new industry — technology — is taking Minnesota by storm, boosting the local economy […].

Minnesota 321
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The Millennial Entrepreneur: Idealistic or Realistic? [with Infographic]

Up and Running

For some personal insight, I spoke with Matthew Leirdahl, a millennial entrepreneur from Minnesota, and Shanesh Ranchhod, a millennial from Auckland New Zealand who is on the verge of entrepreneurship. Aspiring to Leadership. A lack of confidence can also be a major hurdle for millennials.

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University of Minnesota Commencement speech – May 10th 2013

Steve Blank

Minnesota is a wonderful place to hunt, fish, canoe, raise kids, and pursue lots of interests other than just your job. University of Minnesota Science and Engineering alumni have founded more than 4,000 active companies, employing over ½ million people and generating annual revenues of $90 billion. And that’s great. Only In America.

Minnesota 227
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It's time for lean philanthropy: a case study

Startup Lessons Learned

Minneapolis, Minnesota: Cars line up at a drive-thru food pantry. The individual then picks up the meals, gives the restaurant their name and last four digits of their phone number, and our work is done. Some food banks saw demand 3-4x normal, just as their volunteer base shrunk due to worries about COVID-19 infection.

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