Minnesota Cup names 49 semi-finalists

Statewide entrepreneurial competition Minnesota Cup named its semi-finalists this week.

The 49 semi-finalists were picked from more than 1,000 applicants and were selected based on the quality of their business ideas. The contestants will now compete to be one of three finalists in their specific divisions: clean tech and renewable energy; bioscience and health IT; high tech; as well as in the general and student categories.

Division finalists will be announced on Aug. 20. Then, the finalists will compete to win their divisions and vie for the contest's grand prize of $40,000.

Below are the semi-finalists in the high tech and bioscience divisions. A full list of semi-finalists can be viewed here.

BioScience and health IT

-Fitness Formulary, a fitness and nutritional supplements firm

-General Blood, a blood products provider

-OrthoCor Medical, a maker of a device that provides relief from arthritis and joint pains

-Pneumatic Structures, a firm that creates pneumatic structures used to improve cystic fibrosis vests and make devices such as removable splints and casts

-Quantitative Insights, a software platform that aims to help in the diagnosis of breast cancer

-United Medical Innovations, a medical device firm

-Tychon Bioscience, a biotech firm

-Walkasins, maker of a device that helps patients improve their walking mobility and balance

High tech

-BuyerCurious, a website that eases the home-buying process

-ConnectToMe, an app that helps people exchange contact information

-CoraCove, a firm that creates online apps to process forms

-Mashalot, a social shopping marketplace that collects the buying intent of individuals and groups

-PatentCore, an online database on patent examiners

-PointStack, a program that gives customers reward points by tracking their credit or a debit card purchases. The points can go toward cash for charities or discounts at stores.

-PreciouStatus, an app that provides updates on loved ones at care facilities, such as an elder at a nursing home.

-Proliphiq, an interface that filters experts on certain topics and ranks how helpful they are