Idea Jam 1 - Twin Cities

Event Pics

Event Deck

General Themes From The Session

Miro Board

Imagining Tomorrow: Innovate MN's Idea Jam & Happy Hour

The Innovate MN meetup group is all about sparking innovation through collaboration. Let's gather at Buch to generate piles of topic and speaker ideas and co-create the next six-month agenda for our meetup. Anyone is welcome to attend - please share with your network! Find Matt Pacyga for a drink ticket.

What emerging technologies, social challenges, or business concepts do you want to explore as a community? Come ready to brainstorm, enjoy local craft brews, and connect with fellow innovators. We'll capture all the ideas generated to shape our meetup schedule for the coming months.

Whether you're a regular Innovate MN member or new to the group, your insights are valuable! This is an informal gathering - no need to prepare anything in advance. We provide the beverages sponsored by OBS; you provide the creative thinking. The more diverse perspectives we have, the better our innovation ecosystem becomes. RSVP today and share this event with friends who may be interested.

Let's keep the innovation flowing in Minneapolis!

Thank you to our sponsor, Online Business Systems, for supporting our community. OBS has been a leader in helping companies with digital transformation for 40 years. Are you interested in learning more about OBS? Check out OBS on Glassdoor and see why it is one of the best companies to work for.

Innovate MN's mission aims to bring together a diverse community of professionals, thought leaders, and enthusiasts passionate about driving digital innovation and transformation. Our group seeks to foster knowledge sharing, collaboration, and inspiration in the rapidly evolving landscape of digital technologies.

Whether you are a business leader seeking to adapt to the digital age, an entrepreneur looking to leverage new technologies for your startup, or a professional interested in staying at the forefront of digital innovation, our meetup group provides a platform for knowledge sharing, inspiration, and networking.​​

EVENT RECAP

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Event Pictures

Event Deck

GENERAL THEMES FROM THE SESSION

1. Improving People's Lives

2. Developing Tech Capabilities

3. Environmental Sustainability

4. Civic Participation

5. Digital Equity and Access
   

	Human Services	Digital Transformation	Environmental Justice	Civic Innovation	Information Equality
Trends	Expanding healthcare and mental health access and affordability; Improving food security and nutrition programs	Applying AI and emerging tech across sectors; Advancing manufacturing, computing, and transportation tech	Mitigating climate impacts; Promoting clean energy and transportation; Enabling circular economy solutions	Increasing voter access and gov't accountability; Reforming criminal justice policies and oversight	Addressing homelessness and unemployment; Improving education and training
Themes	Healthcare access and coordination; Mental health resources; Social determinants of health	AI risks and applications; Infrastructure modernization; Advanced computing; Data privacy	Climate resilience; Waste reduction and recycling; Environmental risk mitigation	Voter registration and turnout; Law enforcement accountability; Alternatives to incarceration	Affordable housing; Living wages; Skills training; Education equity
Problems	Inequities in access; High costs; Fragmented programs and tools	Digital divides; AI biases and harms; Online mis/disinformation; Short product lifecycles	Climate change impacts; Pollution; Biodiversity loss; Environmental injustice	Voter suppression; Discrimination; Mass incarceration; Weak oversight	Poverty; Unemployment; Unaffordable housing; Student debt
MN Orgs	State and local health agencies; Healthcare systems; Social services Minnesota Council of Nonprofits: A resource for news and information on non-profits addressing various social issues in Minnesota. MN Community Foundation: Engages in community development and philanthropy across Minnesota. Healthcare and Mental Health: Minnesota Department of Health: Offers comprehensive information on healthcare services, policies, and initiatives in the state. MN Health Action Group: Focuses on improving healthcare quality and affordability in Minnesota.	Technology industry groups; University research centers; Business accelerator hubs MNTECH: Provides resources, networking opportunities, and advocacy for Minnesota's technology community. Tech.MN: A hub for Minnesota's tech industry, offering news, events, and a directory of tech companies and startups in the state.	State/local environment agencies; Sustainability focused coalitions Environmental Initiative (EI): A nonprofit organization that works with businesses, nonprofits, and governments to develop collaborative solutions to Minnesota's environmental problems. Minnesota Pollution Control Agency: Provides information on environmental protection and sustainability initiatives.	Secretary of State; Justice system entities; Community action networks Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT): Provides information on transportation projects and infrastructure development in the state. Metropolitan Council: Offers insights into urban planning, public transportation, and development in the Twin Cities metropolitan area. Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED): Offers resources on business development, employment, and economic trends in the state.	Housing assistance orgs; Job centers; Education systems Minnesota Department of Education: Offers resources and information on educational policies, programs, and initiatives in the state. Education Minnesota: The state's professional organization for educators, providing information on educational developments and advocacy.

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Twin Cities Miro Board