Grid Catalyst

Grateful to so many amazing leaders and partners for giving us the opportunity to share the phenomenal traction gained in the first 14 months of the Minnesota Energy Alley initiative. I was proud to testify on behalf of Grid Catalyst as a guest of House author Representative Larry Kraft, in front of the House Energy Finance and Policy Committee yesterday, alongside Gregg Mast of Clean Energy Economy MN (CEEM) and Navaid Burney of Flow Environmental Systems. We shared these results we've achieved, in partnership with CEEM and the Minnesota Department of Commerce since we launched the initiative last year: ✅ Supported over 20 Minnesota-based businesses in advancing their technologies toward commercialization. ✅ Eight earlier-stage MN startups growing through our PowerNorth Incubator. ✅ Five MN startups have participated in our demonstration program, with pilots funded through MN Energy Alley, alongside six companies attracted from other states. ✅ Projects mobilized across MN with local partners - including the Grand Rapids Public Utilities (working with Enspi.io), Minnesota Power for a battery pilot in Long Prairie, a high-efficiency motor installed at Summit Brewing Company, a data center cooling project in St. Cloud, hosted by Alexandria-based Vaultas in partnership with Rochester-based LiquidCool Solutions, Inc., and Rogers-based Flow Environmental Systems demonstrating their heat pump technology at the Local 455 Steamfitters/Pipefitters training facility.  ✅ Return on investment - Since 2024, just over $1 million has been invested in projects through seed grants to startups, which has attracted over $11 million in follow-on funding (federal and private investments). Of that, $9 million was secured by the Minnesota companies in our cohort. Our tremendous thanks to Chair Patty Acomb and Chair Swedzinski, along with other committee members and our bipartisan co-authors for their consideration of our funding renewal request. We know this platform works and can continue building great opportunities for Minnesota's economy. #MinnesotaEnergyAlley #energy #innovation #goodforbusiness #goodforMinnesota

We are proud to join Clean Energy Economy MN (CEEM) and other key partners in supporting the renewal of Minnesota Energy Alley funding. This initiative is proving to be a crucial catalyst for energy innovation and economic development in our state. Through our work with early-stage companies, we've seen firsthand how MN Energy Alley is transforming Minnesota into a thriving energy innovation hub by connecting startups with demonstration partners, providing critical funding, and creating pathways to commercialization. Since launching last year, funding via the MN Energy Alley initiative has enabled 10 pilot projects alongside Minnesota partners, providing critical real-world demonstrations to advance innovative energy technologies. The State’s investment of just over $1 million in these projects has helped cohort companies attract another $11 million in federal and private follow-on funding, with $9 million secured for Minnesota-based companies. We're excited to continue building on this foundation to establish Minnesota as a global leader in clean energy innovation. #AccelerateNorth #MinnesotaEnergyAlley #energy #innovation

The average human attention span is 8.5 seconds. That means you can lose an investor in the first 10 seconds of your pitch. 🚨 In Week 8 of the PowerNorth Incubator, Adam Choe – former founder, healthcare innovation expert, startup acceleration veteran, and venture capitalist – shared crucial strategies for winning those critical first moments and keeping investors engaged throughout your pitch. Drawing from his experience on both sides of the table, Adam delivered a masterclass in attention-grabbing pitch techniques specifically designed for early-stage startups making their first ask. Some of Adam’s key tips and counterintuitive insights: 1️⃣ Use your first slide fully. Don't waste valuable real-estate with just a name and logo – start with a compelling visual and memorable tagline. 2️⃣ Keep it moving. Only sit on a slide for 30 seconds at the absolute max. The faster the better. 3️⃣ Whatever time they give you, take less. Brevity signals confidence and respect for investors' time. 4️⃣ "Set the murder scene." Make the problem/pain point you're solving vivid and memorable. What's the emotional hook? Don't get bogged down in scientific details. 5️⃣ Spend less time talking about your solution. Keep it high-level. If they're excited about the problem, they'll follow up with questions. 6️⃣ Don't stop at the pitch. You're building a relationship, not (just) asking for money. To quote Pitbull, "Ask for money, get advice. Ask for advice, get money twice." Send them monthly or quarterly updates. Overcommunicate! As Adam emphasized: The best fundraising strategy is relationship-first. Start connecting with potential investors months before you actually need capital. Thank you Adam for sharing your perspective and advice as both a former founder and current investor!  _____________ Want to see our founders put these investor-ready strategies into action? Join the PowerNorth Incubator showcase on April 22 at Sunrise Banks Corporate Office in St. Paul. 🎟️ Showcase details and registration this way → https://lnkd.in/gB_tsbst #PowerNorth #InvestorReadiness #StartupFunding #VentureCapital

Exciting coverage of our Grid Catalyst 2025 Demonstration Cohort! 🚀 Yesterday, Twin Cities Business reporter Dan Niepow visited Summit Brewing Company in St. Paul to see our cohort company C-Motive Technologies in action: https://lnkd.in/g-Aqr4s5 C-Motive is demonstrating their groundbreaking electrostatic motor technology that, as of March 5, is powering one of the brewery's many conveyor belts. Their innovative technology offers greater efficiency than traditional motors with no rare earth materials, far less copper, and a fully domestic supply chain. As C-Motive's Business Development Director Brandi Kochera explained during the demonstration: "We're now a tariff-proof motor." This is just one of five innovative partnerships in our 2025 cohort, with each project receiving seed funding from the Minnesota Energy Alley initiative to support their demonstrations. Thanks to our amazing partners, the startups in our cohort, and everyone working to position Minnesota as a leader in energy technology advancement! Stay tuned for more coverage of our other cohort companies in the coming weeks... #AccelerateNorth #Energy #Innovation #Minnesota #Business

🍻 A fantastic day for innovation and high-efficiency beer production. 👏 Congrats to C-Motive Technologies for the successful installation and demo of their high-efficiency electrostatic motor at Summit Brewing Company in Saint Paul, MN., as one of five startups demonstrating their cutting-edge tech in MN through the Grid Catalyst 2025 Demonstration Cohort. It was wonderful to have partners and facility operations folks join us for the demo and see the motor in action. This is one of only two electrostatic motors in facility operations in the US. ⭐ What makes it special? C-Motive’s motors are engineered to provide silent, maintenance-free, and high-efficiency torque for stationary industrial applications. These machines consume less electricity compared to other motors, and eliminate the need for additional components like active cooling systems, belt drives, or gearboxes. And they don't use rare earth metals or magnets, which means a fully domestic supply chain. Thanks to Summit Brewing for making this pilot possible and for opening your doors (and your taps) for guests. Thanks to our demo co-hosts Clean Energy Economy MN (CEEM), Full Stack Saint Paul, City of Saint Paul, and GREATER MSP Partnership. And thanks to our partners in the Minnesota Energy Alley initiative for the essential resources to bring these technologies to our state. Links in the comments to learn more about C-Motive, the Demonstration Cohort, and Minnesota Energy Alley. #AccelerateNorth #demo2deploy #motors #efficiency #innovation #startups

Do you work in facility operations with small motors? Do you like beer and innovative tech? Looking for ways to increase operational efficiency? We are hosting a small demo event at Summit Brewing this afternoon to showcase the innovative C-Motive Technologies electrostatic motor integrated into the Summit production operations. C-Motive is one of the five startups in the Grid Catalyst 2025 Demonstration Cohort and the first to complete their installation. The tour starts at 3:00. RSVPs are needed. Message me if you are interested in joining and I can provide additional details. #efficiency #innovation #energy #demo

⚡️🛠️Big News! We’re unveiling the first slate of five energy startups selected for our 2025 Demonstration Cohort projects in Minnesota, empowered by seed funding from the Minnesota Energy Alley initiative. These projects advance solutions that save energy costs for consumers and businesses, modernize our energy systems for greater efficiency and resiliency, and drive technological advancement across critical sectors: ↳ Flow Environmental Systems + Local Union 455 Pipefitters/Steamfitters Flow (Rogers, MN) makes a first-of-a-kind CO2 heat pump for heating and cooling both water and buildings, offering the first refrigerant-free option on the market. They will be partnering with the Local 455 to install their heat pump at the union’s training facility in Saint Paul. ↳ LiquidCool Solutions, Inc. + Vaultas LiquidCool (Rochester, MN) develops highly-efficient immersive cooling for data centers and is the only company combining direct-to-chip with total liquid immersion cooling. They will be partnering with data center solutions provider Vaultas to test their innovative cooling technology at a data center in St. Cloud. ↳ Enspi.io + Grand Rapids Public Utilities Commission Enspi (Minneapolis, MN) develops AI-enabled software for utility management to increase operational efficiency and cybersecurity. They will be partnering with the Grand Rapids Public Utility to develop a “digital twin” of the system’s energy assets. ↳ C-Motive Technologies + Summit Brewing Company C-Motive (Madison, WI) makes high-efficiency and rare-earth-magnet-free electrostatic motors. They already partnered with Summit Brewing to replace a traditional motor with a one-horsepower electrostatic motor in one of the packaging lines at the brewery in St. Paul. ↳ EcoSnap, LLC + Precipitate Architecture EcoSnap (Centennial, CO) makes easy-to-install, ductless mini-split heat pumps that cost significantly less to install compared to current solutions on the market. They will be partnering with Precipitate to incorporate four 9kw mini-split heat pumps into a small, high-efficiency mixed-use building in South Minneapolis. _____________ These demonstration projects are made possible by seed funding from the Minnesota Energy Alley initiative, led by Clean Energy Economy MN (CEEM) in partnership with the Minnesota Department of Commerce. With their support, we bring together over 30 forward-thinking Fortune 500 companies, utilities, universities, cities, and institutions based here in Minnesota (our Innovators Network) to consider pilot projects with the country’s best and brightest that resulted in matches for these five projects. Together, we're positioning Minnesota as a leading hub for energy innovation. Stay tuned for deep dives into each startup's innovative technology and their trailblazing pilot projects. Find the full press release in the comments below 👇 #PowerNorth #CleanEnergy #Innovation #EnergyTech #Startups

Week 7 of the PowerNorth Incubator was all about transforming aspirations into action. 📊 Mortenson Construction Director of Strategy Jacquie O'Connor delivered a powerful workshop on setting, measuring, and operationalizing goals. Drawing from her diverse experience spanning military service, McKinsey consulting, and private equity, Jacquie equipped our founders with frameworks to: ↳ Identify your “Big Rocks” – the 3 most important 3-year goals that cannot fail. ↳ Cascade 3-year goals → 1-year goals → quarterly goals → weekly check-ins to ensure you’re making progress on the right things. ↳ Create accountability structures that turn strategy into measurable results. A big thanks to Jacquie for sharing her multifaceted expertise to help our founders build sustainable growth engines for their ventures. ________________ Join the PowerNorth Incubator founders as they showcase their solutions in front of a live audience on April 22 at Sunrise Banks in St. Paul. 🎟️ Save your spot → https://lnkd.in/gtY2C9GR #PowerNorth #StartupStrategy #GrowthMindset

Super excited to partner with Grid Catalyst and Institute on the Environment University of Minnesota to launch this summer program. Apply now: https://lnkd.in/dVYvJc5b

🌱 Summer Innovation Fellowship: 8-Week Paid Opportunity. Applications due next week! Calling higher education students curious about science, energy, sustainability, business, or entrepreneurship – no matter your major. 🚀 The Fellowship Experience: Dive into an 8-week paid summer program that's more than just a job. You'll: → Work directly with innovative startups → Receive personalized mentorship from industry experts → Participate in weekly design learning sessions → Collaborate with peers → Contribute to cutting-edge initiatives that make a real-world impact 💡 What Sets This Fellowship Apart: → Experience bridging science and business → Meaningful networking opportunities → Competitive compensation → Personal and professional growth → A chance to shape the future of innovation We’re looking for a broad mix of majors. Students both in and outside of the sciences are encouraged to apply. 📅 Application Deadline: March 15. This is your chance to make a meaningful impact and expand your skills in a growing field! 🔗 Apply Now: https://lnkd.in/dVYvJc5b This unique program is made possible through a partnership between MIN-Corps, Grid Catalyst, and Institute on the Environment University of Minnesota with additional funding from LaunchMN, NorthStar Stem Alliance, and the Holmes Center for Entrepreneurship.. #SummerFellowship #Sustainability #Energy #Business #Entrepreneurship #HigherEd #Innovation #Mentorship #FutureLeaders #ApplyNow