Track the Plan: Strategy 7

Attract and grow high-wage industry and innovation: technology, advanced manufacturing, and life sciences

In alignment with recommended actions from Strategy 7, the following metrics focus on fostering economic competitiveness, innovation and transformation to demonstrate the Economic Competitiveness & Inclusion Plan’s impact.

Dial set at 25 percent

Increase in share of entrepreneurial businesses and specifically those in targeted sectors.

Expand business support network to advance entrepreneurial activity

  • Ramsey County was awarded $1.5M in congressionally directed spending in late 2022.   The planning stage of the Re-Imagination Resource Center started in August of 2024.  A Request for Information (RFI) was deployed in April of 2025 to assess the needs of various Business Community Organizations (BCOs). A Request for Proposal (RFP) is anticipated in June 2025.   This pilot program aims to support BCOs in delivering training, technical assistance and mentorship to small business owners. If the program proves successful, additional funding will be pursued to expand and sustain the assistance.  
  • Continued involvement with the Open to Business program. Open to Business provides direct technical assistance and other forms of support to small business owners and entrepreneurs. In 2022, Open to Business served 64 existing businesses and 26 start-ups. 71% of program participants are from racial and/or ethnic communities.  In 2023, 150 businesses were served mainly in the retail, service, and food industries. In 2024, the program served 153 businesses, with a noticeable increase in the number of businesses from the health and fitness sector seeking assistance.
  •  CEO Now business Institute was launched in 2024 with the goal of supporting early-stage companies that are in the process of establishing their operations, building a customer base, and achieving financial stability. These businesses often face challenges such as limited resources, lack of formal business planning, and the need for foundational support in areas like marketing, finance, operations, and compliance. CEO Now provides targeted technical assistance in a cohort format to help them build strong business fundamentals, increase their chances of long-term success, and position themselves for future growth. The first round of the program successfully graduated six CEOs from Ramsey County. 

Use Ramsey County Means Business website to encourage and attract niche manufacturing.

Use the Ramsey County Means Business website to attract small-scale medical device companies.

Map the ecosystem of business technical assistance for biotech and advanced manufacturing industries. 

  • No updates at this time.