About

We, together,are Innovate MN!

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InnovateMN:AGeneralBenefitCorporation

Innovate MN has officially registered as a General Benefit Corporation in Minnesota. This means we’ve made a public, legal commitment to leverage our business for a positive impact, not just for shareholders, but for our community and environment. As a GBC, we align our mission and operations with the values of “capitalism with a conscience,” ensuring that our growth fuels sustainable, inclusive change in our region.

We invite you to learn more, get involved, and join us in building a more resilient and caring Minnesota.

We are

market-disrupting innovation specialists who aim to improve the world for ourselves, our communities, and our collective futures.

We are

collaborative deep thinkers and problem solvers. We do not stop at the status quo but continue to push, evolve, and expand our horizons. We incubate ideas to change the world, using our collective imaginations for good (and not evil). We cultivate an abundance mentality every time we share, knowing that the cross-pollination process and practice of sharing means that all will get to take something away with them- whether it is a deeper connection to a professional colleague, a new perspective to explore a relationship to our industry or the possibility of inter-industry collaboration that we didn’t think was possible. We, together, are Innovate MN!

Hello

Dr.JonellPacygaandMattPacygaaretheco-foundersofInnovateMN.

Together, they bring over two decades of expertise in digital product management and educational leadership, leveraging their diverse experiences from both startup ecosystems and corporate environments to foster innovation and drive impactful change.

Dr. Jonell Pacyga

is a professor and program lead for the ESL Education and Spanish Education licensures at the University of Northwestern-St. Paul. In addition to her teaching role, Jonell has served for five years on the leadership committee for faculty professional development, focusing on aligning mission-driven goals with scholarly practices. Her academic passions include Instructional Technology, Language Acquisition, The Science of Reading, Developmental Learning, and Trauma-Informed Practices. Holding an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership, she is an advocate for ethical, cross-cultural education and brings a wealth of knowledge in dispute resolution, compliance, and developmental teaching methodologies.

Matt Pacyga

is an innovation strategist specializing in mobile, web, and omnichannel product development. With a career spanning startups, Fortune 500 companies, and nonprofit initiatives, Matt has a proven track record of leading digital transformation efforts that deliver measurable value. He holds a patent for new media technology and has founded and advised several successful startups, including Slice Engine and Gray Squid Division.

As a mentor with Techstars' Farm to Fork accelerator, Matt empowers emerging businesses in the digital food ecosystem. His expertise extends to GenAI-driven ideation, where he guides teams through design sprints and prioritization strategies to move from visionary concepts to actionable results. Matt, a collaborative problem-solver and thought leader, is passionate about fostering community-driven innovation and building meaningful solutions.

At Innovate MN, Matt and Jonell combine their unique perspectives—Jonell's leadership in education and Matt's product innovation expertise—to create a collaborative environment where ideas flourish and businesses thrive. Together, they’re committed to inspiring change, supporting local initiatives, and helping organizations unlock their potential through market-disrupting innovation.

SeasonThemes

Each season of Innovate MN carries a visual identity that reflects the spirit of collaboration, creativity, and community at the heart of our mission. These themes provide a cohesive thread throughout our events, materials, and communications, celebrating the power of bringing diverse minds together.

Season 3 - Bee

Season Three: Pollinator Ecosystem

This seasonʼs theme draws inspiration from Minnesotaʼs native pollinators: a symbol of collaboration, innovation, and growth. Just as bees and butterflies help flowers bloom, Innovate.mnʼs community members share ideas and energy that help local businesses thrive. Together, weʼre cultivating an ecosystem where innovation grows.

Lydia Venjohn, our Season 3 artist, brought design collaboration across the innovate mn brand.

Season 2 - The Fish

Innovate MN is excited to partner with Bekah Worley (@bekahworley), an illustration artist in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Bekah brings a wonderful color palette to our community with warm, organic designs featuring earthy tones of rust, terracotta, and cream. Her artwork, featuring fish and nature-inspired shapes, captures the authentic, collaborative spirit of our events. Bekah's distinctive visual style can be seen throughout Season 2 materials, adding warmth and creativity to every Idea Jam.

Season 1 - The Robot

Our first season featured the robot icon that became the foundation of the Innovate MN brand. The robot mascot, a design made of connected parts, symbolizes the interconnected community of innovators who come together at our events. Like a #innovator badge on LinkedIn, this robot represents every thinker, dreamer, and doer in our community who is ready to transform challenges into opportunities. The robot embodies our commitment to fostering an environment where diverse perspectives connect to create something greater than the sum of their parts.

ContactInnovateMN

Interested in sponsoring? Reach out and connect.

hello@innovate.mn