Minnesota has an extremely diverse and competitive economy.  More than 90% of the industries represented in the United States are located in Minnesota and its economy more closely resembles that of the U.S. than any other state. 

Springing from the banks of the Mississippi River, the Twin Cities’ East Metro area ranks in the Top Ten Nationally for Manufacturing Excellence, with companies such as 3M, Ford Motor Company, Diamond Products ranked among the best.

Manufacturing accounts for 25% of all jobs in the region and the strong demand for industrial land in Saint Paul remains vital to the economy of this area.

Biotechnology also has a long and history in Minnesota. Biotechnology and related companies from established firms like Cargill, 3M, and Land O’Lakes, to start-up companies such as Blizzard Genomics and NanoMedica. The internationally regarded Mayo Clinic and University of Minnesota continue to break new ground in biotechnology research.  International recognition came to Minnesota in 1950 when researchers Edward Calvin Kendall and Philip Showalter Hench received the Nobel Prize for their groundbreaking work with cortisone at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester. Their pioneering efforts led to the first known treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.
The state of Minnesota supports the biotechnology industry through funding of advanced educational resources and a successful technology transfer program, as well as a diverse and modern higher educational system. Minnesota recently funded a 4,000-square-foot Biotechnology Resource Center –part of the larger Biodale facilities network at the University of Minnesota, and has approved plans to construct a new Biotechnology Precinct on the university’s Saint Paul Campus. In 2000, the University of Minnesota was ranked 4th nationwide in the number of start-up companies spun-off from its technologies.

Private universities within the state also play an important role in life sciences education. The University of St. Thomas, St. Olaf College, Concordia College and St. Mary’s University of Minnesota are just a few of the private institutions which offer biotechnology-related programs.

Source: MinnesotaBiotech.org, Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development