10 years of accelerating innovation ----
107 startups featured----
$52M+ in capital raised by Walleye Tank Companies -----
10 years of accelerating innovation ---- 107 startups featured---- $52M+ in capital raised by Walleye Tank Companies -----
Walleye Tank | Spring 2026
- Event Highlights -
Join the Investor Circle |Partner Opportunities & Benefits | fuel the future of healthcare innovation
Now powered by HealthcareMN — accelerating bold healthcare startups in Minnesota and beyond.
200+ attendees | 15 startups pitched | $12,000 awarded
Featured in TCB: This Year’s Walleye Tank Featured New Backers | Twin Cities Business
Junior-Anglers
RUNNER-UP:
$1,500 Awarded
Mid-Level Reelers
WINNER:
Octin Health
$5,500 Awarded
+ MN Cup Semifinal advancement
RUNNER-UP:
LiliyPAD
$2,500 Awarded
Great Lakes Giants
The Giants category was determined through audience voting, highlighting strong community engagement and preference.
People’s Choice WINNER:
AuthSnap
2026 Walleye Tank People’s Choice Trophy Awarded
Thank You!
What is the Walleye Tank?
This isn’t your average pitch competition.
Walleye Tank is Minnesota’s premier life science stage, where founders with bold ideas compete for capital, mentorship, and the attention of the region’s top investors. It’s fast. It’s intense. And it’s where early-stage traction meets real opportunity. Finalists leave with more than prize money — they gain credibility, visibility, and direct access to the decision-makers who can fuel their next big leap. We bring together investors, industry leaders, mentors, and service providers — all focused on one thing: helping the most promising healthcare and life science startups scale. Step into the tank, and take your startup to the next level.
Why Walleye Tank?
Live Pitch Competition – showcase your innovation in front of key stakeholders.
Healthcare-Focused Startups – connect with a community driving real impact.
Curated Investors & Operators – engage with those who can fund, advise, and partner.
Community-Driven Prize Pool – reward and recognition beyond the pitch.
More Than a Pitch – a platform for visibility, networking, and growth and mentorship.
Click here to read more about the Walleye Tank.
This event was originally founded in 2016 in Rochester, Minnesota. Over the years it has been organized by the University of Minnesota Venture Center and Mayo Clinic Office of Entrepreneurship. Since its founding, financial support has included contributions from University of Minnesota Medical School the Gary S. Holmes Center for Entrepreneurship and Launch Minnesota and promotional partnership from The Medical Alley Association. Beginning in 2026, HealthcareMN is honored to steward the next chapter of Walleye Tank — preserving its mission, competitive spirit, and deep commitment to Minnesota’s innovation ecosystem while expanding its statewide reach - spotlighting bold founders, connecting them with investors and strategic partners, and accelerating the future of health innovation in Minnesota.
👉 Read the full announcement here: [Press Release]
“The Walleye Tank pitch competition was an amazing launching pad for OneDose (formerly Hinckley Medical). The cash prize was incredibly helpful, but more importantly, we were able to network and meet people who were directly involved in our pre-seed fundraising round. The judges, organizers, and companies pitching are all world-class, it is truly the best competition in the Twin Cities area.”
“As Walleye Tank celebrates its tenth year of supporting Minnesota’s healthcare innovation ecosystem, the world is still in desperate need of rapid innovation to improve patient outcomes and reduce healthcare cost. ”
“We’re thrilled to bring it back with an even stronger platform to support founders, accelerate solutions, and connect innovators with the resources they need to succeed. Looking ahead, our goal is to expand Walleye Tank across the Midwest, sharing this celebration of healthcare innovation with an even broader community of founders and innovators.”
