MN, Blow Your Tech Horn: 10 years of the Tekne Awards

The week before last I was fortunate to be able to attend the Tekne Awards, guest of Joy Lindsay (a great MN innovator/investor).  Tekne, created by the Minnesota High Tech Association (MHTA) to recognize companies and individuals contributing to Minnesota tech innovation, has been going strong now for ten years.  Two great things about Tekne: learning about amazing MN tech companies and leaders; and learning about Minnesota’s remarkable tech legacy (via Science & Technology Hall of Fame inductions).

Frankly, it was a breath of fresh air after several months of economic gloom and doom and reports of underfunded Minnesota startups looking elsewhere for financing and support.  One only has to read the business press to see the hardball efforts of Wisconsin, Michigan, New York and other states to grow and new lure new enterprise for the 21^st century.  In our (overly) humble Minnesota culture, we need to toot our own horn sometimes.

Who provided hope at the awards?  Try Nonin Medical, Inc. (Plymouth), which is a tech leader in non-invasive physiological monitoring products (pulse oximeters; capnographs).  Or VAST Enterprises, LLC (Minneapolis), which is making high-tech pavers that are 95% recycled material, but can withstand weather and wear better than concrete.  And even Ecolab, which continues to push the frontiers of sustainability and green practices.  Here’s the complete list, including several individuals who were honored.

What about the Science&Technology Hall of Famers?  Think: C. Walton Lillehei, M.D. (the “father” of open heart surgery); Earl H. Wood, Ph.D. (co-inventor of the G-Suit); William F. Austin (hearing aid pioneer; Starkey Laboratories CEO); and Richard Gurley Drew (3M inventor of masking tape and transparent tape – aka SCOTCH® tape).  See the full list here.  Amazing folks, rightly honored for technological leadership and real-world problem-solving in Minnesota.

We have a lot to be proud of in Minnesota: a world-class research university; 92% high school graduation rate (we’re tied for tops); over 30 Fortune 500 companies; a killer medical device and life sciences startup scene (maybe killer not the right word?); and an environment that supports creativity and communal effort.  But we really need to focus our efforts, promote startup-friendly policies, nurture our community of innovators, and work to narrow the gap between new enterprise and finance if we’re going to stay competitive.  And the Tekne Awards are a great reminder to keep up the fight.