Dan Niepow

Glendale, Minneapolis

Digital Editor at Twin Cities Business

digital editor @tcbmag. Wisconsinite turned Minnesotan. hatted and bearded 95% of the time. opinions are my own. (he/him)

Articles

AG Ellison Joins Suit to Block Surmodics Acquisition

1 week ago | tcbmag.com | Dan Niepow

There might not be many things that Minnesota attorney general Keith Ellison and the Trump administration agree on, but the fate of Eden Prairie-based medtech firm Surmodics Inc. appears to be one of them. On Thursday, Ellison announced that he’s joining the Federal Trade Commission’s suit to halt Surmodics’ acquisition by Illinois-based private equity firm GTCR BC Holdings LLC. Illinois attorney general Kwame Raoul also joined the suit.
Minnesota Electricity Generated by Renewables Held Flat in 2024

1 week ago | tcbmag.com | Dan Niepow

Wind turbines near Alpha, Minnesota. Photo Credit: Minnesota Pollution Control Agency In 2024, energy derived from renewable resources accounted for about one-third of all electricity generated in Minnesota.
Women in Leadership: On Trust and Unconventional Paths to the Top

1 week ago | tcbmag.com | Dan Niepow

For women, the path to the C-suite isn’t necessarily easier these days, but it certainly is changing. That’s one of the takeaways from TCB’s annual Women in Leadership luncheon at the RiverCentre in downtown St. Paul on Tuesday. Prior to a featured conversation with former Target executive and new author Laysha Ward, a panel of four mid-career women took questions about hybrid work, the lingering impact of the pandemic, and navigating personal and professional goals.
Egg Medical Lands $14.3M Raise

2 weeks ago | tcbmag.com | Dan Niepow

An interventional cardiologist for more than 35 years, Dr. Robert Wilson has ordered countless X-ray-guided procedures over the years. These generally routine procedures are carried out to place stents in blood vessels or check for blockages, among other things. But he’s also well aware that they carry risks for medical staff carrying them out. “What most people don’t know is that less than 1% of the X-ray beam actually makes it to the detector to make the picture,” Wilson says.
Global Accelerator Plug and Play Lands in Minneapolis

2 weeks ago | tcbmag.com | Dan Niepow

A global accelerator program is starting a new chapter in the Twin Cities. On Thursday, Sunnyvale, California-based accelerator and investor group Plug and Play announced the nine startups that will take part in its first Minneapolis cohort. The Minneapolis iteration of the program will join over 60 other Plug and Play sites around the world. The organization’s existing programs cover over two dozen industry verticals, including aerospace, med-tech, and health.
Former Target Exec Launches $6M Venture Fund

3 weeks ago | tcbmag.com | Dan Niepow

Small Wonder, a hair care company founded by another former Target executive, is among the businesses funded by Ocampo Capital’s first fund. Photo courtesy of Small Wonder A former Target executive aims to supercharge the venture capital scene in the upper Midwest with a new fund targeting consumer product companies.
Employee Well-Being in the Post-Covid Era

3 weeks ago | tcbmag.com | Dan Niepow

The idea of “taking mental health day” may have been considered unusual a decade ago. Today, you’d be hard pressed to find a worker who’s never taken one. It’s emblematic of the many ways the workplace has changed dramatically amid generational shifts and the lasting effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. Employees are demanding more from employers, and white-collar workers, in particular, have gained an unprecedented level of flexibility and autonomy after the rapid adoption of hybrid and remote work.
Walz Calls State Employees Back to the Office 50% of the Time

4 weeks ago | tcbmag.com | Dan Niepow

Minnesota State Capitol building Shutterstock JPMorgan Chase is calling workers back to the office five days a week. So is Amazon. The Trump administration, too, is calling federal workers back to the office, whether they have a space to work or not. Now, Gov. Tim Walz is following suit with Minnesota state employees, though he’s stopped short of a five-day mandate.
AG Keith Ellison to Name ‘Strategic Facilitator’ in U of M, Fairview Talks

1 month ago | tcbmag.com | Dan Niepow

Exterior shot of M Health Fairview University of Minnesota Medical Center – East Bank Photo Courtesy of M Health Fairview As negotiations on the future of the University of Minnesota’s relationship with Fairview Health Services hit a standstill, the state’s top lawyer is getting involved.
Bread & Butter Ventures Unveils $40M Fund

1 month ago | tcbmag.com | Dan Niepow

A local venture capital firm that debuted in the early days of Covid-19 is back with a new, bigger fund and plans to invest it in dozens of early-stage businesses. Bread & Butter Ventures, a Minneapolis-based early-stage VC firm, on Tuesday announced a fourth fund that totals $40 million. Brett Brohl, the firm’s managing partner, said he expects to invest that money into around 30 startups over the next few years.