A Mankato company, 75F, which has developed sensors and cloud-based software that computes the forecast nightly and saves energy for small commercial buildings, has won a regional entrepreneurial competition.
75F wins regional entrepreneurial competition
October 30, 2014 at 2:44AM
75F also was one of three finalists selected at the several-state Midwest Cleantech Open in Minneapolis this week to compete for $200,000 in investment and in-kind services at the Global Cleantech Forum in November in San Francisco. The other finalists are Igor, an Iowa company that powers and controls LED fixtures and sensor using an Ethernet wire; and Michigan-based SurClean.
75F earlier this year won the Minnesota Cup entrepreneurial sweepstakes and also a $100,000 investment from tech-billionaire Steve Case in one of several competitions he runs.
The awards cap a two-day conference of 400 participants engaged in energy efficiency and alternatives, finance, public-private partnerships, big and small company innovations.
Justin Kaster, executive director of the Midwest Open, said the regional conferences, several-month business accelerator program for participants and national competition have led to small companies raising $900 million-plus in growth capital since 2006.
More information on the 17 clean-technology participants that went through this year's Midwest accelerator program is at www.midwestinnovationsummit.com.
Neal St. Anthony
Pioneering surgeon has run afoul of Fairview Health Services, though, which suspended his hospital privileges amid an investigation of his patient care.
