Tell us a bit about your background George. I’ve been in software and the cloud for about 25 years, back when it was all starting, working with small emerging companies as the head of sales and marketing. One of my most interesting experiences was with Enstratius where I was one [...]
A smart idea from the early 2000s takes flight in 2010. Today, When I Work serves over 200,000 workplaces in 80 countries, and is focusing its plans for continued growth. Chad Halvorson’s very first job was bagging groceries and stocking shelves in a grocery store. As an hourly employee, he [...]
Founded in 2012 with support from the National Science Foundation, Pivot Interactives develops cloud-based science activities and lab experiments that allow students to explore scientific phenomena without costly lab equipment. In late August 2022, the company was acquired by Discovery Education and its parent Clearlake Capital Group. The acquisition brings [...]
HelloIgnite, an idea generation and implementation software platform, empowers companies to collect, share and manage innovation ideas from employees to improve experiences for customers. Working with global organizations and Fortune 100 clients, HelloIgnite helps foster innovation and help identify opportunities for company growth, organized through a centralized technology platform that [...]
Omnia Fishing has seen rapid growth since their founding in 2018. In 2019, founder and CEO Matt Johnson realized there were significant opportunities and milestones ahead to achieve the kind of success he was looking for. In 2019, he began a mentoring relationship with two MESA mentors, Dan Kinsella, former [...]
Carving out an entrepreneurial path is not for the faint of heart. Founders and CEOs need to demonstrate conviction to their teams and investors. But no founder or CEO has all the answers, and that’s where mentoring comes in. On September 21, MESA mentors and mentees came together to share [...]
Achieving Real Impact In his column in the Star Tribune Business section, Isaac Cheifetz captured MESA’s contributions and its continuing goal of helping CEOs of emerging Minnesota software companies get to the next stage of growth and success. More than 70 emerging software companies in Minnesota have been mentored.Thirty-five companies [...]
Paylocity (NASDAQ: PCTY), a leading provider of cloud-based HR and payroll software solutions, announces the acquisition of VidGrid, a leading video platform provider and MESA mentee company. VidGrid enables peer-to-peer video learning courses, transforming video into two-way communication. With the deal, Paylocity expands its product functionality around workplace video communication [...]
In our current environment, it is especially exciting to hear stories of progress and growth. Sven Gustafson, founder of BuildTools, and a graduate of the MESA Mentoring program in 2018, just announced that BuildTools has been acquired by ECI Software Solutions. BuildTools developed a robust system for the residential construction industry [...]
Sezzle Inc., a Minneapolis-based fin-tech firm specializing in setting up installment payments for online purchases, recently graduated from the MESA Accelerator program. Graduating from any startup course is a rewarding achievement, but doing so from MESA’s, a premier startup mentoring and acceleration venture, is a signature event. It’s a declaration [...]
In June, MESA Mentee Sansoro Heath, founded in 2014, merged with Datica. The combined entity now offers the most advanced and complete platform available to manage and integrate patient data on the cloud. Jeremy Pierotti, CEO The merged firms will operate under the name Datica and be headquartered in Minneapolis, [...]
Founder Jim Moar MESA, the Minnesota Emerging Software Association, is celebrating its tenth year of mentoring young Minnesota software companies. In October of 2009, when the markets were still reeling from what is considered the worse economic melt-down since the great depression, six individuals came together to form MESA. Their [...]
UR TURN, an education-technology company and MESA mentee based in St. Louis Park, MN, was chosen as one of eight startups for this year's AT&T Aspire Accelerator class. The 2019 AT&T Aspire Accelerator connects entrepreneurs who are leading the way with the resources they need to drive exponential change in [...]
Think back to the earliest days of your career. Maybe you were trying to grow a business, monetize an idea, or figure out your next step. What would it have meant to have someone more experienced offer to guide you in exchange for...nothing? If it sounds too good to be [...]
MESA is excited to welcome Mark Casey and George Hadjiyanis to the mentor team. Mark joins us from Tact.ai, where he's a successful sales VP with expertise in AI, SaaS, cloud computing, software, mobile, analytics and consulting. George joins us from i.e. network, and brings over 20 years of business development [...]
MESA is excited to start the new year by welcoming Tim Bates to our mentor team, and OppSource to our portfolio. Tim joins us from the Exponential Group, where he helps early-stage companies bring new products and services to market. We look forward to leveraging his guidance and expertise. To learn more [...]
MESA is pleased to welcome Kent Lillemoe as the newest member of our mentor team. Kent is currently Chief Financial Officer at Field Nation; a solution that connects businesses and contingent workers. Previous successful technology companies that Kent has been involved with include MinuteClinic and Fargo Electronics. To learn more [...]
Rapid growth at MESA continues with the addition of three new companies to the MESA portfolio: Sansoro Health, Sezzle, and CaptureLife. Sansoro Health offers software that allows digital health applications and EMRs to seamlessly exchange data in real-time. The software removes integration barriers, enables smoother workflows, reduces licensing and maintenance [...]
MESA is pleased to welcome Bob Tuttle as the newest member of our mentor team. Bob is the current president of Agile Frameworks, a rapidly growing SaaS company based in the Twin Cities. He is a technology veteran with a passion for digital transformation and the Internet of Things. We [...]
The Star Tribune recently published an excellent article about the progress and success of the MESA portfolio company, AstroHQ (Read Here). Founders Matt Ronge and Giovanni Donelli are doing a wonderful job, and their story is a testament to the power of a collaborative mentoring relationship. Nicely done team!
Being the CEO of an emerging software company can be incredibly challenging. MESA mentors have been there and can offer you unbiased guidance to help your business flourish.
There’s no substitute for experience. If you are a seasoned software industry executive, local early-stage software companies could benefit from your knowledge and expertise.
For the latest information on MESA, our portfolio companies, and industry news, join our email list.
© 2023 MESA Group | All rights reserved | Privacy Policy