Ignite MN

05/28/2026

Tomorrow morning (Friday, May 29th) - join us at Ignite between 9-11 am for our AI open office hours! Bring your laptop and your curiosity — explore with us.

We will discuss how you can start leveraging AI for your business, right away!

05/24/2026

Most small business owners hear the word “tariffs” and think:
“That doesn’t really affect me.”

But global trade shifts have a way of quietly showing up in places we don’t expect:
- Shipping costs
- Materials and equipment
- Technology purchases
- Agriculture and supply chains
- Customer spending habits
- Pricing and planning uncertainty

Even businesses that never import products directly can still feel the ripple effects.

That’s why we’re hosting a practical community discussion around what business owners should actually be watching right now, and how changing tariff policies could impact businesses across southeastern Minnesota.

⭐ Join us for Ignite Your Morning: A Discussion on Tariffs with Beth Benike of Busy Baby LLC and Main Street Alliance

Whether you’re a manufacturer, retailer, entrepreneur, ag business, service provider, or simply curious about where the economy may be heading, this conversation is for you.

Register here:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1989269308050?aff=oddtdtcreator

05/20/2026

AI doesn’t have to feel overwhelming.

Next Friday (May 29th) from 9am–11am at Ignite, we're hosting open AI office hours for entrepreneurs, business owners, and curious professionals who want practical help using AI in their work.

Bring your questions, ideas, workflows, marketing challenges, content needs, operations headaches, or just your curiosity. We’ll sit down together and explore ways AI can help you save time, think differently, and work smarter.

No formal presentation. No pressure. Just hands-on guidance, conversation, experimentation, and support.

Whether you’re trying to:
• improve marketing and communications
• organize operations and systems
• brainstorm business ideas
• create content
• understand AI tools
• or figure out where to even begin…

…this is a space to explore with someone who’s been training organizations and entrepreneurs on AI for years. 🙌

Stop in, bring your laptop if you’d like, grab a coffee, and let’s build something useful together!

📍 Ignite – Red Wing
🗓 Friday, May 29th
⏰ 9am–11am

05/16/2026

Big congratulations to Annie from ForkIt for taking 1st Place at the 2026 Ignite Cup Pitch Competition! 🎉⚡

ForkIt is making personalized nutrition more simple and accessible through data-driven insights that help people make smarter food decisions based on their unique health needs.

We’re excited to continue supporting Annie on her journey as she advances into the semi-finals of the Minnesota Cup competition. ()

The future of health innovation in Southeast Minnesota is bright, and we can’t wait to see what comes next!

Stay tuned — the rest of the MN Cup semi-finalists should be announced on Monday! 👀

05/13/2026

The last Friday of every month, Ignite hosts a half-day of free , combined with some great community .

This month, on Friday, May 29th, we will host open -office hours from 9-11am, where you can get some hands-on practice with prompt engineering for your business with an experienced mentor. No registration necessary.

On June 26th, we're hosting a discussion about , refunds, and other federal programs that you may not have heard about yet.

Register for the June event: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1989269308050

We'd love to see you at the Ignite Hub, soon! 🙌

05/04/2026

Every day at Ignite is dedicated to supporting entrepreneurs, at any stage of their business growth.

This week, we celebrate with the folks at the U.S. Small Business Administration!

Tune in to some of their great free resources this week, and then when you need extra support, call Ignite! :)

https://www.sba.gov/national-small-business-week

05/02/2026

Great day at today - sitting in on Sean E. Williams’ session about early-stage funding for founders. ❤️

04/30/2026

This year’s Ole Cup Pitch Competition at St. Olaf College was a powerful reminder of what happens when students are given the tools, mentorship, and space to grow.

Over the course of the program, we watched early ideas transform into fully developed ventures, and students step into the role of confident founders.

We’re proud to support this journey alongside incredible partners and mentors.

Take a look at this year’s winners and what made the 2026 cohort so impactful:

A recap of the 2026 Ole Cup Pitch Competition at St. Olaf, highlighting student innovation, venture winners, and how IgniteMN helps.

04/25/2026

We will have much more to say about it shortly, but today’s Ole Cup Pitch Competition was fan-freakin-tastic! All of the founders did an amazing job. ❤️

04/24/2026

Happy Anniversary, ! ⭐️