Groove Capital Invests in St. Paul Startup Maxwell Labs, Building on $500K U.S. Army Energy Tech Grant Groove Capital announced that it has added Maxwell Labs, a St. Paul–based startup pioneering laser cooling technology for AI hardware and high-performance computing (HPC) systems, to its investment portfolio. Next In the North • Tech
AI Startup Blank Metal Raises $3M to Accelerate Enterprise AI Deployment Blank Metal, an AI-native engineering company, has raised $3 million in seed funding to help enterprises move artificial intelligence projects from pilot to production in under 90 days. Next In the North • Funding
Bread and Butter Ventures Backs Parento’s $5.9M Seed II to Expand Paid Parental Leave Access Parento, a New York-based provider of paid parental leave insurance and employee support services, has raised $5.9 million in Seed II funding to expand its reach among small and mid-sized businesses. Grant Gibson • VC News
Minneapolis Health Tech Startup DUOS Secures $130M Growth Investment Led by FTV Capital DUOS, a Minneapolis-based digital health startup, announced it has secured a $130 million strategic growth investment led by FTV Capital, with participation from Forerunner Ventures, its earliest institutional investor. Next In the North • Funding
Minneapolis-Based Vertical Insure Raises $8.5M to Expand Embedded Insurance Platform Vertical Insure, a Minneapolis-based InsurTech startup, has raised $8.5 million in equity financing, according to a recent SEC filing. Next In the North • Funding
