Investors rejoiced when Minnesota finally passed a five year, $50 million angel tax credit. Only one problem: the state’s largest angel group will be largely shut out.Under a last minute provision inserted into the bill, investors participating in angel deals through individual retirement accounts and family trusts will not be eligible for the tax credit [...]

Fresh from passing a landmark angel investor tax credit, Minnesota lawmakers are advancing a bill that would, in time, radically alter high-tech economic development in the state by concentrating authority in a single public-private entity.The proposed Minnesota Science and Technology Authority, modeled after programs like Third Frontier in Ohio and The Ben Franklin Technology Partners [...]

Aside from sharing the same first letter, “mojo” and “Minnesota” are words that don’t seem to carry a lot in common, though that may soon change. The state is home to 19 Fortune 500 companies, a world-class hospital and research center in Rochester and SPAM–what else do you need? But the land of 10,000 lakes [...]

The $50 million angel tax credit passed by the Minnesota legislature Monday will no doubt provide much-needed early stage capital for young start-ups. But the law’s biggest benefit may not be dollars and cents, but rather how outsiders see Minnesota and how Minnesota sees itself.By passing the bill quickly in the legislative year and with [...]

Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty and the state’s top research university are not exactly close allies.At The Collaborative’s annual venture capital conference last year, Pawlenty criticized the University of Minnesota for being unfriendly to business just minutes before university spin-outs were to pitch investors. University sources say Dan McElroy, commissioner for the Department of Employment and [...]