Amplifying stories from the Rochester, MN entrepreneurial ecosystem.
The Otto Bremer Trust Awards Grant to Collider Foundation
Rochester 501(c)3 nonprofit Collider Foundation was recently awarded a grant in the amount of $30,000 by the Otto Bremer Trust. This grant will support Collider’s ongoing work to empower Rochester’s early stage entrepreneurs and assist us in building upon lessons learned from our past successes and community feedback to expand our capacity to reduce and remove barriers to entrepreneurship. This work will help further our strong track record of assisting local entrepreneurs in progressing from idea to action, operationalizing their business plan, feeling more connected to and supported by their community, and setting them up for long term success with their business.
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. As an organization, Collider Foundation aims to identify and assist local innovators in overcoming barriers to success by empowering an impactful, inclusive, and entrepreneur-first ecosystem.
Collider Foundation supports its mission through 1:1 startup support, accessible business education, a vibrant coworking community, and storytelling to help foster an inclusive, diverse, and healthy entrepreneurial ecosystem. This grant award will allow for programmatic and operational support of the foundation’s ongoing activities throughout 2024.
“We are so grateful for the continued support of the Otto Bremer Trust to help sustain our work to lower barriers to entrepreneurship and just get people with ideas started. With the Trust’s help last year, our work was able to support 700 entrepreneurial starters in the community. This ongoing support is crucial to keep this work moving forward,” said Amanda Leightner, Collider Foundation Executive Director.
The Otto Bremer Trust is a private charitable trust based in St. Paul, Minn. Created in 1944 by Otto Bremer, it is committed to supporting a better quality of life for residents of Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, and Wisconsin. Since its founding, OBT has invested nearly $1 billion in people, places, and opportunities in its region. For additional information, visit ottobremer.org.
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.
The Collider Cup: Celebrating Emerging Rochester Entrepreneurs
Collider to Host Community Celebration for Fourth Cohort of CO.STARTERS Graduates
Rochester 501(c)3 nonprofit Collider Foundation is excited to announce that we are hosting our fourth Collider Cup pitch event, which was designed in 2022 to celebrate our CO.STARTERS graduates, give them the opportunity to share their unique business ideas with the Rochester community, and compete for a cash prize, provided by CO.STARTERS sponsor, Minnwest Bank.
This winter, 10 different participants graduated from CO.STARTERS programming, facilitated by Collider. This included a 9 week cohort based program as well as an intensive one day business bootcamp. Our CO.STARTERS participants have worked hard within the program to fine tune their business ideas and determine next steps they need to take to move forward.
The Collider Cup will take place on Tuesday, March 12th at Collider’s space in the Minnesota BioBusiness Center from 5:30-7:30pm. This event will serve as a business pitch competition as well as a community celebration for these emerging entrepreneurs in Rochester. Six of our CO.STARTERS graduates will be verbally pitching their business ideas. A panel of judges will determine the winner of the pitch competition. Three of our past CO.STARTERS participants will also be presenting their business ideas in an expo format, giving attendees a chance to ask questions and give feedback to each entrepreneur.
Interested individuals can learn more and register for the event here.
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. We as an organization aim to identify and assist local innovators in overcoming barriers to success by empowering an impactful, inclusive, and entrepreneur-first ecosystem. We are excited to have had the opportunity to fulfill our mission through CO.STARTERS and offer assistance to local entrepreneurs through this cohort.
For additional information contact Amanda Leightner at amanda@collider.mn or call (507) 722-0306
Collider Community Incubator Program
Collider Foundation is excited to open applications for its inaugural 12 week intensive incubator program, which will take place on Thursdays, April 4th through June 20th from 8:30-11:00AM. The application window will remain open until March 14th.
Since becoming a nonprofit in 2019, Collider has continued to evolve its services to best meet the needs of entrepreneurs within the community. Through many conversations with entrepreneurs over the past four years, we have uncovered a need for accessible, early stage education and connection to resources to help entrepreneurial starters create a strong foundation for growth. In particular, those who identify as women or minority founders have historically felt the most disconnected from and have more limited access to resources and knowledge in our community.
We began facilitating CO.STARTERS in 2021 to provide a foundation of business education to the entrepreneurial community. CO.STARTERS is a cohort-based program that equips starters of all kinds with the insights, relationships, and tools needed to turn business ideas into action, leaving graduates with a deeper understanding of how to create a sustainable business. While CO.STARTERS has been a great fit for this community, we found that the entrepreneurs that we were serving wanted and needed more.
Collider designed the incubator program to best serve CO.STARTERS graduates or individuals who received extensive 1:1 startup support from Collider, individuals with a tested business canvas or business plan, and those with a newly developed product or service who are ready to grow their sales. This program provides structure and continued support for entrepreneurs who are ready to keep moving forward with their business ideas and take that important next step to becoming a viable business. Through our incubator program, these individuals will develop the skill sets and relationships that will help them pursue economic freedom and improve their financial situation through entrepreneurship.
The 12 week incubator program will help participants go from a solid business model to the next steps, demonstrating that their idea has what it takes to become a viable business within the community. During this structured program, incubator companies will create an individualized plan to create a minimal viable product or service, or increase their sales. The incubator program also includes dedicated workshops, which are also open to the public, plus a cohort based model to connect participants to other like-minded individuals taking the same steps with their business.
Incubator companies will receive:
Mentorship
Structured programming
1:1 startup support
Networking opportunities
Increased visibility for their business
Resource connection
Access to discounted business services
Cohort based support
Personalized plan to keep your business moving forward
Does this program sound like the right fit for you and your business? Apply today and take meaningful steps toward turning your business idea into a reality.
Q&A with Enrique Nuñez of La Receta
Collider is passionate about sharing the stories of local entrepreneurs and small business owners! Today on the blog, we share a Q&A with chef and owner of La Receta, Enrique Nuñez.
Q: What brought you to Rochester?
A: Due to life circumstances, I unexpectedly came to the United States a few years ago. Now, I have a family here, but I have not disconnected from my country and everything I left behind there.
Q: What initially made you want to start cooking and what inspired you to start your catering business?
A: I come from a family of restaurant entrepreneurs. My sister and I grew up in the environment of food and customer service. When I turned 20, with the help of my family, we opened what is now one of the most representative restaurants in the south of Peru, with my sister and my mother running the restaurant.
After a few years working in different places here in Rochester, I decided that I had to do something different, something that would also allow me to be present in the growth of my children and do what I am truly passionate about: cooking from scratch and showing my culture through the already world-renowned Peruvian food. On one hand, it was missing the food from my country, and on the other hand, it was the need for Latin options in the city.
We want to offer Peruvian food, and why not also some Latin options. We will provide catering services and have a location where people can pick up their orders a few days a week. Additionally, we would like to participate in Rochester events.
Q: What are some challenges you faced while starting your business or since opening?
A: One of the biggest challenges as an immigrant, I think, is realizing that, far from family, friends and all the support you have, here you depend on yourself for everything. Finding people you can really trust, who understand your ideas and projects, is a challenge and an important thing to start with. Once you have the project in mind, you begin to see that all the procedures, permits and steps to follow are different from what you know.
Q: Has working with Collider been helpful in starting or growing your business?
A: Working with Collider was important because, first of all, they listened to us and helped us refine the ideas for the project. In addition, they guided us step by step in the process of what we had to do and facilitated contacts with the corresponding entities for the procedures
Q: What variety of foods can people order from you?
A: We offer empanadas filled with traditional recipes, and some of the most representative dishes of Peru such as “Lomo saltado”, “Ají de Gallina, Ceviche, Arroz con Pollo, among others. Everything made from scratch, good ingredients and food safety measures. And we also make specials, not necessarily all of them from Peru.
Q: What is the best way for people to find and order your food?
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Email: larecetaminnesota@gmail.com
Q: Any big plans for the future?
A: For now we want people to know us, to know that they already have a Peruvian alternative in Rochester, and for people who have not yet had the opportunity to try Peruvian food to know about it.
Q: What are your hobbies and interests outside of work?
A: I love to travel, especially when it’s with family. Since I was little, my father took us on many trips. Back then, it could be exhausting, but now I’m grateful for the opportunity to have explored those places, met their people, experienced their culture, and, above all, tasted their food. I enjoy trying different cuisines because you always learn something new while traveling. No trip feels like enough—I truly cherish my free time spent with family and friends.
Thank you for taking the time to read Enrique’s story!
Learn more about La Receta.
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Q&A with Collider Board Member D'Angelo Tines
At Collider Foundation, we are grateful to lean upon the expertise of our board, which is made up of individuals with valuable experience within the Rochester community. Take a moment to learn more about a recent addition to our board, D’Angelo Tines!
Q: What brought you to the Rochester area and what would you say keeps you around?
A: I was born and raised in Rochester, so my roots here run deep. My family has been part of the community for over three decades, with my mom working as a social worker in Olmsted County and my dad being part of the Mayo Clinic. What keeps me around is the unique blend of a supportive community, thriving entrepreneurial spirit, and the sense of belonging that Rochester offers. It's more than just a place; it's home.
Q: What do you do for work?
A: I’m the owner of Popus Gourmet Popcorn in Rochester, where we're known for our 50+ flavors of handcrafted gourmet popcorn. Beyond delighting taste buds, I'm deeply invested in our community through Popus Gives, our fundraising platform. In 2023 alone, we helped local schools, nonprofits, and youth sports teams raise $53,000, something I'm incredibly proud of. My entrepreneurial ventures also include owning and managing a couple of properties, further diversifying my business endeavors and allowing me to engage with the community in multiple capacities.
Q: What drew you to Collider and sparked your interest in becoming a board member?
A: My connection with Collider dates back to 2016 when I was part of a group mentored by Collider's former executive director, Jamie Sundsbak. This experience was pivotal; it introduced me to the power of community in nurturing entrepreneurship. Becoming a board member felt like a natural progression, offering me an opportunity to give back to an organization that was instrumental in my own entrepreneurial journey. I’m excited to contribute my insights and experiences to help Collider grow and continue to support local entrepreneurs.
Q: How do you hope to impact the entrepreneurial community through your involvement with Collider?
A: Through my involvement with Collider, I hope to foster a supportive environment where entrepreneurs can connect, collaborate, and thrive. Leveraging my own journey and the lessons I’ve learned in building a business from the ground up, I aim to provide valuable guidance, resources, and mentorship. I’m particularly passionate about nurturing a space where innovation is encouraged, and every entrepreneur, regardless of their background, feels empowered to bring their vision to life.
Q: What are some of your hobbies and interests?
A: Outside of work, I'm an avid reader with a keen interest in personal development and business strategy books. I enjoy staying active through weightlifting and playing sports like golf and basketball. These activities help me maintain a balanced lifestyle, offering both physical challenge and mental relaxation.