When the directorship at Launch Minnesota opened up, Rob Cimperman knew that leading the state initiative that supports entrepreneurs with capital and other aid “was exactly what I was looking for.” He became enamored with entrepreneurship while leading strategy and business development for 3M’s industrial business, which also included running an in-house incubator to stimulate new product ideas. “I got to work with internally focused entrepreneurs working directly with customers and driving technology solutions,” he recalls. Since taking the helm of Launch Minnesota in 2023, he continues to build upon the organization’s mission, notably by helping develop a statewide medtech incubator.