Future entrepreneurs: Attend Founders Day 2026 on Wednesday, May 13
Don't miss this event!
Join fellow alumni and the broader entrepreneurial community for the annual Founders Day celebration of innovation and entrepreneurship. Learn about innovative projects led by students and faculty aimed at developing new products, testing new business concepts and launching new startups.
This year will feature the MVP Challenge, showcasing 25 projects from classes and labs across the Univeristy of Minnesota (UMN) that share prototypes designed to address significant social, medical and health, environmental and manufacturing challenges. Recent technology startups spun out of UMN will also be featured, alongside students developing new products and startup companies in experiential entrepreneurship courses.
The event will also announce student, teacher and faculty entrepreneurship awards and recognize the 2026 University of Minnesota Entrepreneur of the Year, Ryan Broshar, founding partner of Matchstick Ventures and co-founder of Beta.MN and Twin Cities Startup Week.