Collider Foundation Receives Grant Through the Mayo Clinic Community Contributions Program

Collider Foundation was recently awarded a grant through Mayo Clinic’s Community Contributions Program. This generous funding will support Collider’s ongoing mission to empower early-stage entrepreneurs throughout Rochester, Minnesota.

Collider Foundation is dedicated to helping local innovators break through the barriers to success by fostering a supportive, inclusive, and entrepreneur-first ecosystem. With this funding, the foundation will be able to continue its work, offering both programmatic and operational support throughout 2025.

Collider Foundation supports its mission to make entrepreneurship more accessible and inclusive through a variety of initiatives, including events, education, a coworking space, and community storytelling. Collider Foundation believes that the support, education, and growth of our entrepreneurial ecosystem is a pathway to a more prosperous and inclusive future for the Rochester community.

Originally launched as a for-profit coworking space in 2016, the Collider team realized that the real value the organization brought to the community lay in education, mentorship, and storytelling for local entrepreneurs. This insight led to Collider's transformation into a nonprofit in 2019, focusing specifically on supporting early-stage entrepreneurs and making business ownership more approachable for everyone, especially those facing the greatest barriers to entrepreneurship.

Today, Collider Foundation offers personalized startup support, a comprehensive framework for business development through free or low cost business education, a welcoming coworking environment, and a platform to highlight the inspiring stories of Rochester entrepreneurs. 

“It takes the work of many individuals, organizations, and systems of support to create a healthy entrepreneurial ecosystem with economic mobility for all. We are constantly grateful to have Mayo Clinic as a collaborator and supporter of our work at Collider Foundation to provide pathways to entrepreneurship for anyone in the community with a solid business plan and the passion to see that business grow,” said Amanda Leightner, Collider Foundation Executive Director.

If you have any questions about Collider or our work within the community, please contact Amanda Leightner at amanda@collider.mn or call (507) 722-0306.