University of Minnesota
Minneapolis, Minnesotatwin-cities.umn.edu
Overview
The University of Minnesota is a public research university that makes seed and early-stage investments in startups developed from its own research. Its investment activities are primarily managed through its Office for Technology Commercialization (OTC), which includes the Venture Center and the Discovery Capital investment program. The university invests in sectors such as biotechnology, life sciences, agriculture, software, and advanced manufacturing. The Discovery Capital program co-invests up to $500,000 per round in companies built on university-licensed technologies.
Investments
| Company | Date | Stage | Lead |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phoam Labs | Apr 2026 | Seed Round | Co-investor |
| SecondWave Systems, Inc. | Oct 2025 | Series A Extension | Co-investor |
| Claros Technologies Inc. | Aug 2025 | Convertible Debt | Co-investor |
| Sironix Renewables | Mar 2025 | Seed | Co-investor |
| Zepto Life Technology | Jan 2025 | Grant | Co-investor |
Sector & Stage Mix
Industry, funding stage, and valuation band breakdowns.
