Minnestar

Progress Update: 63% Complete We’ve raised $12,487 and every contribution is matched dollar-for-dollar this month, up to $20K! This is your opportunity to double your impact and help fuel the future of Minnesota’s tech community. Let’s hit 100% together. minnestar.org/donate

“I support Minnestar because I’ve learned so much at their events over the years, and I want to help share that same opportunity with more and more people in the future.” - Lindsi Gish / gish&co. Your gift helps keep Minnestar’s events free and accessible. Plus, every dollar you donate this month will be matched, up to $20,000! Donate today and make twice the difference: minnestar.org/donate

🎉 Huge congrats to Tyrre B. and the entire Player’s Health team! Players Health was a standout from Minnedemo25 - and their work in sports safety and wellness continues to inspire. Proud to see this Minnesota innovation leading the way! Check out their big news 👇

Double your impact thanks to the generosity of an anonymous donor! Every gift through year-end will be matched dollar-for-dollar, up to $20,000. Your support helps us keep our events free and accessible, empowering Minnesota’s tech community to thrive. Plus, contribute $100+ and you’ll receive: 🎟️ Priority registration for all Minnestar events in 2025 👏 Recognition on our website and at events 🚀 The opportunity to beta test new ideas with us Thank you for being part of our community. Together, we can achieve so much — donate now to double your impact. https://lnkd.in/gg66RjyJ

I am so incredibly late in extending a HUGE thank you to Meg Steuer and the Minnestar team for allowing Sameer Kumar & I to be part of this year's Twin Cities Startup Week (TCSW) #Minndemo40! Entrepreneurship is a nonstop of highs and lows - and since COVID, it's been a tremendous roller coaster at HabitAware. From supply chain issues, to challenges with competition to the rise of #BFRBs during all the uncertainty. As business owners, we are often so focused on what is wrong / what needs to be fixed. We often lose sight of what went right / what we accomplished. Being on stage to demo our new innovations and adaptations of HabitAware helped me recognize the growth. It was a gift to celebrate with this community that has truly been part of our story since the beginning. THANK YOU 🙏 Photo credits: Minnestar and Justin Grammens (who's Lab651 | Custom Software Development & Process is also our development partner in hope & healing) #thankfulthursday #gratitude #entrepreneurship #scaling #growth #mentalhealthmatters #innovation #wearables #minnedemo40 #tcsw2024

Did you see?! Caleb Olson took his Poopcopter from the Minnedemo stage all the way to The Morning Show in Australia! Check it out 👇 https://lnkd.in/g7cJXsGq Huge thanks to Emily Costello + Seven Network for highlighting Caleb's genius Minnesota-made tech!

The wait is over - Minnedemo40 recordings are live! Rewatch your favorite demos or catch the ones you missed from this incredible lineup: HabitAware, Aneela I. + Sameer Kumar OmegaVR, Dagmawe Mamo tinkl Pee in Peace, Essie Schlotterbeck Attentio, Lukas Valine Abe, Isaac Kamsin HLRBO, Heath Schubert + Cookie HLRBO The Poopcopter, Caleb Olson https://lnkd.in/gVvwCKns

Presenting Omega VR at Minnedemo40 was an amazing experience! The support from the audience and the chance to share our brain-computer interface (BCI) and Infrared eye-tracking integrated VR system left me feeling truly grateful. Our Inspiration: Through meaningful conversations and firsthand experiences, we recognized a significant gap in how individuals with physical disabilities interact with both real and virtual worlds. The Problem: The real world often isn’t designed for everyone, especially individuals with physical disabilities. Traditional VR systems also fall short in providing accessible, natural interaction methods, relying heavily on handheld controllers. This limits the full potential of virtual environments and excludes those who could benefit the most from immersive experiences. Additionally, the lack of accessible technology for controlling computers restricts opportunities for productivity, recreation, and independence for people with disabilities. The Solution: Omega VR combines EEG (electroencephalogram) technology with Infrared eye-tracking, leveraging machine learning to interpret brainwave activity. This allows users to bind specific actions to their thoughts and gaze, enabling control of both virtual environments and their computers. By providing customizable bindings for productivity tasks and recreational activities, Omega VR creates an intuitive, accessible, and immersive experience—breaking down barriers and redefining how users interact with digital and virtual spaces. At Minnedemo40, we witnessed a diverse array of innovative solutions, each tackling different challenges—some focused on leveraging technology, while others addressed social issues or practical needs in everyday life. Here are some of the inspiring projects presented: HabitAware (Aneela I. Idnani and Sameer Kumar) — supporting underserved health communities through awareness-driven behavior change. Tinkl (Essie Schlotterbeck) — improving restroom accessibility for trans, nonbinary, and gender-nonconforming individuals. Attentio (Lukas Valine) — using AI to make tech more accessible. Abe (Isaac Kamsin) — empowering homeowners to decide when to DIY or hire help. HLRBO (Heath Schubert) — helping hunters and landowners connect in new ways. Poopcopter (Caleb Olson) — a creative solution for pet waste removal. Thanks to @Meg Steuer for helping navigate all this, and to the Minnestar Board and staff for fostering an incredible tech community: Robert Tomb, Matt Decuir, Tim Herby, Kathryn Frengs, Fredrick Blocton, Caroline Karanja, Eve Poeschl, Lizzie Breyer Bowman, Lindsi Gish, Jenna Pederson. #Minnedemo #OmegaVR #TechInnovation #EEG #EyeTracking #VR #Startups #MinnesotaTech #Innovation #TechCommunity #Accessibility #DisabilityInclusion #AssistiveTechnology #InclusiveDesign #BCI #MachineLearning #AccessibilityMatters #TechForGood #AccessibleTech #DisabilityAwareness https://lnkd.in/g26RXGMz