0208727758727769ourstories-meta/deed/assets/ourstories-meta_tcm1045-727916.pngourstories-meta/deed/assets/ourstories-meta_tcm1045-727916.png<custom:Link urlOnly="true" type="Component" destination="tcm:1045-748243" templateURI="tcm:0-0-0" origin="tcm:0-0-0" />2026-05-08T05:00:00ZKNSI — Niron Magnetics is getting state funding to grow its workforce.1045<p xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">KNSI — Niron Magnetics is getting state funding to grow its workforce.</p> <p xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">According to a press release, the company has been awarded $400,000 from the Minnesota Job Skills Partnership grant program, administered by the Department of Employment and Economic Development. The funding will support workforce training as the company moves into high-volume manufacturing of rare-earth-free iron nitride permanent magnets.</p> <p xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><a href="https://knsiradio.com/2026/05/08/niron-magnetics-receives-state-funding-for-workforce-expansion/" target="_blank" class="button-brand-primary">Read more on KNSI</a></p>7482432026-05-18T17:28:18Z727758727769ourstories-hydrogen/deed/assets/ourstories-hydrogen_tcm1045-727907.jpgourstories-hydrogen/deed/assets/ourstories-hydrogen_tcm1045-727907.jpg<custom:Link urlOnly="true" type="Component" destination="tcm:1045-728654" templateURI="tcm:0-0-0" origin="tcm:0-0-0" />2025-12-21T06:00:00ZFaribault County Register — Winnebago Manufacturing shared information that they plan on expanding their plant and workforce in the coming year.1045<p xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">Faribault County Register — The local area received some good news ahead of the holiday season when Winnebago Manufacturing shared information that they plan on expanding their plant and workforce in the coming year. <br /> <br /> “One of the reasons for the expansion is that two of our largest customers are growing significantly,” office manager Janet Hassing said. “They also have told us they expect that growth to continue in the near future.”</p> <p xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">Winnebago Manufacturing also received good news when they learned they were going to receive a $120,000 grant which they will use towards the expansion.</p> <p xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><a href="https://www.faribaultcountyregister.com/news/local-news/2025/12/21/blue-earth-business-doing-a-major-expansion/" target="_blank" class="button-brand-primary">Read more on Faribault County Register</a></p>7286542026-05-18T17:28:16Z727758727769728495/deed/assets/ourstories-mnbiz_tcm1045-727919.jpg/deed/assets/ourstories-mnbiz_tcm1045-727919.jpg<custom:Link urlOnly="true" type="Component" destination="tcm:1045-728600" templateURI="tcm:0-0-0" origin="tcm:0-0-0" />2025-12-06T13:00:00ZThe Star Tribune — DigiKey seven years ago made a huge bet on staying in Thief River Falls. It built the state’s largest building, adopted new processes and sees no limits to its opportunities.1045<p xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">The Star Tribune — THIEF RIVER FALLS, MINN. – There are too many patches of woods around this northwestern Minnesota town of 8,800 people to see a dramatic vista of one of the largest buildings in Minnesota. <br /> <br /> But that’s OK. The real drama of DigiKey’s 2.2 million-square-foot product distribution center — twice the size of the Amazon fulfillment center in Shakopee — is that it’s there at all. <br /> <br /> DigiKey confronted Minnesota’s biggest economic challenge — the low rates of population and workforce growth — before other companies and political leaders clued in on them. <br /> <br /> A decade ago its leaders, including company founder and Thief River Falls native Ron Stordahl, felt the company was getting too large for the town and seriously considered moving. They examined Des Moines, Omaha and Sioux Falls and other Midwest cities with convenient shipping logistics and more people in the hiring pool. <br /> <br /> “It was pretty much a given that it wouldn’t be here,” Dave Doherty, DigiKey’s CEO and president, told me as he recalled that time.</p> <p xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><a href="https://www.startribune.com/ramstad-why-digikey-made-huge-investment-in-northwestern-minnesota-despite-slowing-economy/601524925" target="_blank" class="button-brand-primary">Read more on The Minnesota Star Tribune</a></p>7286002026-05-18T17:28:15Z727758727769ourstories-meta/deed/assets/ourstories-meta_tcm1045-727916.pngourstories-meta/deed/assets/ourstories-meta_tcm1045-727916.png<custom:Link urlOnly="true" type="Component" destination="tcm:1045-728604" templateURI="tcm:0-0-0" origin="tcm:0-0-0" />2025-12-04T06:00:00ZMankato Free Press — Two businesses in the region are recent recipients of financing from Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development’s Job Creation Fund.1045<p xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">Mankato Free Press — Two businesses in the region are recent recipients of financing from Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development’s Job Creation Fund. <br /> <br /> The fund provides financing to new and expanding businesses that meet certain job creation and capital investment targets. <br /> <br /> Mankato-based Rolls-Royce Solutions America Inc. — a backup power-generation systems manufacturer — was awarded $500,000. The company plans to invest $4.5 million for site improvements and renovations of an existing building. The investment is expected to create 25 new jobs within the first three years, a DEED press release said.</p> <p xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><a href="https://www.mankatofreepress.com/news/local_news/deed-provides-funding-to-rolls-royce-winnebago-manufacturing/article_a51776cb-86ed-4b1f-91be-c22b77e3ea0d.html" target="_blank" class="button-brand-primary">Read more on Mankato Free Press</a></p>7286042026-05-18T17:28:14Z727758727769728495ourstories-meet/deed/assets/ourstories-meet_tcm1045-727915.pngourstories-meet/deed/assets/ourstories-meet_tcm1045-727915.png<custom:Link urlOnly="true" type="Component" destination="tcm:1045-728598" templateURI="tcm:0-0-0" origin="tcm:0-0-0" />2025-11-25T09:50:00ZCCX Media — The state of Minnesota awarded Hennepin Technical College more than $4 million to expand its Automation Robotics Engineering Technology program. The grant will develop students for careers in the semiconductor industry.1045<p xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">CCX Media — The state of Minnesota awarded Hennepin Technical College more than $4 million to expand its Automation Robotics Engineering Technology program. Instructors at the school say it will help its students have an edge in a rising, high-demand field. <br /> <br /> The grant, awarded by the Department of Employment and Economic Development, will develop students for careers in the semiconductor industry. <br /> <br /> Semiconductors control all kinds of technology, from medical devices to cell phones. <br /> <br /> Costs to develop the program total $8.3 million with Hennepin Tech paying for about half. The new space should be fully operational by fall 2027.</p> <p xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><a href="https://ccxmedia.org/news/hennepin-tech-awarded-4-million-to-develop-automation-robotics-department/" target="_blank" class="button-brand-primary">Read more on CCX Media</a></p>7285982026-05-18T17:28:13Z727758727769728495728421University of Minnesota banner/deed/assets/ourstories-mn_tcm1045-727918.pngUniversity of Minnesota banner/deed/assets/ourstories-mn_tcm1045-727918.png<custom:Link urlOnly="true" type="Component" destination="tcm:1045-727766" templateURI="tcm:0-0-0" origin="tcm:0-0-0" />2025-11-24T20:23:05ZMPR News — In the past five years, only four universities have spun off 20 or more startups annually. The University of Minnesota ranks among the top four during that time frame.1045<p xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">MPR News — In the past five years, only four universities have spun off 20 or more startups annually. The University of Minnesota ranks among the top four during that time frame.</p> <p xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">The U’s Technology Commercialization Office (TechCom for short) focuses on the business prospects of ideas generated by researchers there.</p> <p xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">TechCom has been involved with 285 startups since 2006, and nearly half of that growth has been since 2020. Its initiatives range from protecting intellectual property to licensing the right to use an invention to backing startup companies.</p> <p xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><a href="https://www.mprnews.org/story/2025/11/24/university-of-minnesota-startup-generator-boosts-local-economy" target="_blank" class="button-brand-primary">Read more on MPR News</a></p>7277662026-05-18T17:28:12Z727758727769727771728495BAE Systems facility in Maple Grove, Minnesota/deed/assets/bae-systems_tcm1045-705149.jpgBAE Systems facility in Maple Grove, Minnesota/deed/assets/bae-systems_tcm1045-705149.jpg<custom:Link urlOnly="true" type="Component" destination="tcm:1045-727765" templateURI="tcm:0-0-0" origin="tcm:0-0-0" />2025-09-09T19:19:35ZBusiness Facilities — New Minneapolis facility will develop advanced capabilities for warfighters. Plus, Minnesota provides $4.2 million in business expansion funding for three projects expected to create more than $270M in private investment.1045<p xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">Business Facilities — BAE Systems has officially opened its new 247,000-square-foot engineering and product development facility in Maple Grove, Minnesota. The new site serves as a critical innovation hub focused on engineering and product development for the U.S. military and its allies.</p> <p xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><a href="https://businessfacilities.com/bae-systems-opens-new-engineering-facility-in-minnesota/" target="_blank" class="button-brand-primary">Read more on Business Facilities</a></p>7277652026-05-18T17:28:10Z727769727758welcome to minnesota/deed/assets/ourstories-welcomemn_tcm1045-727935.pngwelcome to minnesota/deed/assets/ourstories-welcomemn_tcm1045-727935.png<custom:Link urlOnly="true" type="Component" destination="tcm:1045-727761" templateURI="tcm:0-0-0" origin="tcm:0-0-0" />2025-08-23T18:47:11ZKAALTV — On Wednesday, Governor Tim Walz and the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) announced $12 million will go towards workforce development for Minnesotans.1045<p xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">KAALTV — On Wednesday, Governor Tim Walz and the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) announced $12 million will go towards workforce development for Minnesotans.</p> <p xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">It’s part of the State Drive for 5 program which provides competitive grants to provide workforce training and job placement in five high growth industries:</p> <ul xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> <li>Caring professions</li> <li>Education</li> <li>Manufacturing</li> <li>Technology</li> <li>Trades</li> </ul> <p xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">“Minnesota depends on a skilled, trained, and educated workforce,” said Governor Walz via a press release. “We’re equipping Minnesotans with the support they need to step into high-demand industries, helping employers fill critical positions, supporting families and communities, and keeping our state competitive.”</p> <p xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><a href="https://www.kaaltv.com/news/gov-walz-deed-announce-12-million-in-funding-for-workforce-development/" target="_blank" class="button-brand-primary">Read more on KAALTV</a></p>7277612026-05-18T17:28:07Z