Amplifying stories from the Rochester, MN entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Collider Foundation Receives Funding from CLA Foundation
Rochester 501(c)3 nonprofit Collider Foundation is thrilled to announce it has received a grant of $15,000 from the CLA Foundation. This grant is a testament to Collider’s ongoing work within the community and will enable Collider to continue its mission of empowering Rochester's entrepreneurs through startup support, business education, community focused coworking and storytelling. Collider believes that the support, education, and growth of our entrepreneurial ecosystem is a pathway to a more prosperous and inclusive future for the Rochester community.
“The CLA Foundation believes in the power of education, employment, and entrepreneurship to transform lives,” said Susan Carter, executive director of the CLA Foundation. “Our grants are designed to support organizations that embody these principles and strive to create lasting impacts within their communities. By funding initiatives that promote these three E’s, we’re helping to build a brighter future for all and further our commitment to be connected to the communities in which we live and work.”
The grant will be used to support various initiatives at Collider Foundation, including operational funding for its well established programming such as 1:1 startup support, cohort based education, inclusive storytelling, and a welcoming community space – all geared towards lowering barriers to entrepreneurship for those who need it most.
“CLA has been a long supporter and partner of the work done here at Collider. With a shared vision of how entrepreneurship can transform lives, we are extremely grateful for this generous support to foster new ideas and innovations and get business ideas off the ground in the Rochester community,” said Amanda Leighter, Collider Foundation Executive Director.
The CLA Foundation is a private 501(c)(3) organization. This foundation supports a variety of initiatives aimed at improving education, employment, and entrepreneurship opportunities. The Foundation provides grants to support organizations as they advance their missions and make a tangible difference in their communities. The Foundation is exclusively funded by contributions from CLA family members and does not accept unsolicited grant proposals from external organizations.
For more information about the CLA Foundation, please visit Community Impact: CLA.
In 2016, Collider began as a for profit coworking space to serve the Rochester community and provide a place for innovation minded individuals to connect to spark new ideas. Recognizing that most of the work being performed was better served under a nonprofit model, Collider transitioned in 2019 to a 501(c)3 organization with the mission to activate, connect, and empower early stage entrepreneurs in Rochester, Minnesota. Since then, Collider has served over 1,488 Rochester-based entrepreneurs through 1:1 startup support, low-cost business education, a supportive community work environment, and a platform for the stories of local entrepreneurs. This year, its team aims to remove barriers for 300+ individuals within the community to open up inclusive, accessible pathways to business ownership.
For additional information about Collider and its work within the Rochester community, contact Amanda Leightner at amanda@collider.mn or call (507) 722-0306.
Rooted in Connection: Lessons in Community-Driven Entrepreneurship
Entrepreneurship is about more than building businesses — it’s about building community.
Our Grassroots Growth Learning Report captures insights from local entrepreneurs, ecosystem builders, and community supporters on navigating uncertainty, leading with authenticity, and fostering resilience in Rochester’s business ecosystem.
Across every conversation, one truth stood out: human connection is economic power. When we share knowledge, make introductions, and give before we get, we strengthen the foundation for an inclusive, thriving local economy.
Collider Foundation, as part of its Grassroots Growth Annual Celebration, focused on the theme of ‘Entrepreneurship in Uncertain Times.’ As part of this event, we held a series of engagement stations that featured in-depth discussions with entrepreneurs and ecosystem builders about navigating unclear situations and fostering resilience in the local business community. Community supporters, funders, civic leaders, and small business owners participated in these stations. The following observations represent the major insights that emerged from these highly engaging conversations centered around local support, pivots and macrotrends.
Local Support
Overall Trend: Community members tend to see local support as a social movement, not just a spending choice. The key opportunity is to make “buying local” emotionally rewarding and culturally habitual.
Key Barriers:
• Convenience & Cost: Online shopping is faster, cheaper, and more convenient — a major hurdle for local businesses.
• Cultural Shifts: Modern consumers value speed, comfort, and variety over community ties.
• Awareness Gap: People often don’t recognize the true social cost of non-local consumption.
Breaking Down Barriers:
• Sell the Experience: Local businesses can compete through personalized service, storytelling, and community connection.
• Educate Consumers: Help people understand the broader economic and environmental impact of their choices.
• Community Acceleration: Collective action and awareness can strengthen local ecosystems faster.
Motivations to Support Local:
• Human Connection: Relationships with business owners and shared community identity drive loyalty.
• Values-Driven Choices: Supporting sustainability, reducing carbon footprint, and reinvesting in community wealth.
• Pride of Place: Desire to preserve local character and small-scale entrepreneurship.
Individual Actions:
• Word-of-mouth referrals, reviews, and social media promotion.
• Intentional spending — “treat yourself locally.”
• Invite others to local spaces (“power of invitation”).
• Support businesses that give back and align with community values.
Rochester’s entrepreneurial ecosystem is shaped by both challenge and opportunity. While local businesses face strong competition from the speed, affordability, and convenience of online shopping, they hold a unique advantage in their ability to offer authentic, human-centered experiences that digital platforms cannot replicate. The path forward lies in transforming the consumer mindset from one focused solely on convenience to one that values connection, impact, and place. By educating customers about the broader social, economic, and environmental benefits of local spending, and by fostering collective community action, Rochester can strengthen its local economy and preserve its distinct character. Every individual plays a role — through intentional spending, storytelling, and advocacy — in sustaining a thriving, values-driven local marketplace where entrepreneurship and community grow together.
Pivots
Overall Trend: Entrepreneurs increasingly view pivots as strategic evolution rather than reactive change. Emotional intelligence, adaptability, and curiosity are vital entrepreneurial tools.
When and Why Pivots Happen:
• External Shocks: COVID-19, supply issues, or sudden staff loss.
• Internal Triggers: Burnout, misaligned values, or fading passion.
• Recognition After Struggle: Entrepreneurs often realize the need to pivot only in hindsight.
Mindset Shifts for Growth:
• Customer-Centric Thinking: Let customer needs guide evolution.
• Emotional Detachment: “Keep it in your head, not your heart.”
• Growth Through Curiosity: See change as a learning opportunity, not a failure.
• Courage & Conviction: Pivots require confidence and belief in purpose.
Opportunities Through Flexibility:
• Use challenges as launchpads for innovation.
• Balance passion with pragmatism.
• Maintain financial reserves to stay agile.
Pivots reflect both resilience and adaptability in the face of change. Whether prompted by external shocks like the pandemic or internal factors such as burnout or shifting values, successful pivots emerge when entrepreneurs embrace curiosity, self-awareness, and customer-centered thinking. The process often transforms struggle into strategic insight, a chance to realign purpose with opportunity. By balancing passion with pragmatism, maintaining flexibility, and building the financial and emotional capacity to adapt, local entrepreneurs can turn disruption into innovation. Ultimately, the willingness to pivot is not a sign of failure but of evolution, and a testament to the courage and conviction that fuel sustainable growth in Rochester’s dynamic business community.
Macrotrends
Overall Trend: Businesses that lead with transparency, diversify smartly, and nurture relationships internally and externally are best positioned to thrive amid macroeconomic uncertainty.
Resilience in Uncertainty:
• Acceptance of Change: Normalizing uncertainty as constant.
• Human-Centered Leadership: Team trust, transparency, and small wins sustain morale.
• Community & Mentorship: Collective problem-solving and emotional support are resilience anchors.
• Storytelling & Authenticity: Building customer loyalty through shared values and meaningful narratives.
• Diversified Revenue: Multiple income streams as buffers against instability.
Hybrid & Remote Work Shifts:
Opportunities:
• Broader talent access and flexible structures.
• Passion-driven projects improve engagement.
Challenges:
•Loss of personal connection and spontaneous “watercooler” moments.
• Need for intentional team-building and relational spaces online.
Solutions:
• Retreats, informal chats, and “no work talk” sessions help restore connection.
Economic & Supply Chain Pressures:
Rising Costs and Tariffs Force Creative Responses:
• Redundant supply chains and local manufacturing.
• Early IP protection and new sourcing strategies.
• Knowledge-sharing across industries.
• Recognition that global instability requires proactive, informed decision-making.
Rochester is a macro environment defined by uncertainty, yet its strength lies in adaptability, connection, and creativity. Businesses are learning to normalize change, lead with empathy, and build resilience through trust, transparency, and collective support. In this climate, authenticity and storytelling have become tools for deepening customer loyalty and reinforcing community values. Hybrid and remote work have expanded access to talent and flexibility, but they also demand intentional efforts to preserve human connection and team culture. Meanwhile, economic and supply chain pressures are driving innovation — from diversifying revenue streams to localizing production and sharing knowledge across sectors. Together, these trends reveal a clear truth: resilience in Rochester’s business community is not about avoiding uncertainty, but about embracing it with foresight, collaboration, and purpose.
Themes Across All Sessions
Human Connection as Economic Power: Relationships and storytelling drive loyalty, adaptability, and resilience.
Values Alignment: Community, sustainability, and authenticity underpin decision-making for both consumers and entrepreneurs.
Adaptive Mindset: Flexibility and curiosity are essential entrepreneurial competencies.
Community as Infrastructure: Local ecosystems thrive when individuals act intentionally—buying local, sharing stories, and supporting each other through change.
Maintaining momentum- How can you support the ecosystem?
Collider advocates for a ‘Give Before You Get’ mentality, moving past short term transactions to long term relationships built on trust. Below are some suggestions of ways you can practice ‘Give Before you Get’ to help foster a more inclusive, diverse, and robust entrepreneurial ecosystem in this community.
Share Knowledge and Experience Freely. Spend 30 minutes over coffee with a new entrepreneur. Offer practical workshops without strings attached. Share insights on navigating city, country, and state systems, or open up access to public resources.
Make Meaningful Introductions. Connect a peer to a potential customer, supplier, or mentor. Introduce startups to programs, investors, or service providers they may not know about. Connect entrepreneurs to decision-makers or community champions who can help them navigate policy or partnerships.
Create Visibility for Others. Highlight another startup on social media or recommend them for an opportunity. Nominate entrepreneurs for awards, grants, or speaking slots. Recognize entrepreneurs publicly at events or in council communications.
Offer Resources Without Expectation. Share tools, templates, or even co-working space for a day. Provide access to grant-writing support, market data, or research that would normally cost money. Make underused spaces available for entrepreneurial meetups or learning sessions.
Grassroots Growth showcased the resilience, creativity, and community spirit that define Rochester’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. Through candid conversations about uncertainty, adaptation, and opportunity, participants reaffirmed that entrepreneurship is not just about surviving change, but thriving through it.
Across all discussions, one message was clear: human connection is the foundation of economic strength. Whether through local consumer support, strategic business pivots, or navigating macro-level challenges, relationships, trust, and shared purpose remain the driving forces of progress.
Entrepreneurs and community members alike recognized that adaptability, authenticity, and values alignment are essential for sustainable growth. Local businesses have the power to transform everyday transactions into meaningful exchanges that reinforce community identity. Likewise, embracing curiosity, empathy, and collaboration enables entrepreneurs to view uncertainty as a catalyst for innovation rather than a barrier.
As Collider and its partners look ahead, the call to action is simple, “Give Before You Get.” Building an inclusive and vibrant entrepreneurial community requires generosity, shared learning, and intentional connection. By mentoring emerging founders, amplifying others’ successes, and fostering open collaboration, Rochester can continue to grow a resilient ecosystem rooted in trust and collective impact.
Partner Spotlight: Altra Federal Credit Union
Altra Federal Credit Union has been a longtime supporter of Collider’s work in the Rochester entrepreneurial community, particularly for educational programming such as CO.STARTERS and the Business Incubator. Learn more about Altra and their dedication to supporting local innovation and entrepreneurship!
Q: Over the years, what impact have you seen from Collider's work in the community, and what role do you feel your organization has played in the overall effect on the ecosystem?
A: Collider’s work has led to the growth of new businesses, job creation, and a stronger entrepreneurial ecosystem in our community. Altra Federal Credit Union has played a supportive role by providing resources, guidance, and financial support to these entrepreneurs, helping to amplify Collider’s impact and foster a culture of innovation.
Q: Why do you believe it’s important for financial institutions to play a role in fostering innovation and small business development in our local economy?
A: Financial institutions like Altra Federal Credit Union are uniquely positioned to provide the resources and support that entrepreneurs and small businesses need to succeed. By fostering innovation and supporting small business development, we help drive economic growth, create jobs, and build resilient communities.
Q: How does supporting Collider align with your organization's core values?
A: Supporting Collider aligns with Altra Federal Credit Union’s core values by fostering prosperity for our members, employees, and communities. Small businesses are the backbone of our economy, and many begin as entrepreneurial ventures. By supporting Collider, we help nurture early stage entrepreneurs, directly contributing to economic growth and community well-being—key pillars of our mission.
Q: How has your organization benefited from partnering with Collider?
A: Partnering with Collider has allowed Altra Federal Credit Union to strengthen its commitment to local economic development. Through this partnership, we’ve been able to connect with innovative entrepreneurs, support small business growth, and reinforce our role as a community-focused financial institution.
Q: What inspired your organization to invest in local, early stage entrepreneurs and partner with a nonprofit like Collider?
A: Our inspiration comes from our belief that small businesses and entrepreneurs are vital to the health and prosperity of our communities. As a credit union, we are dedicated to helping our members and communities thrive. Partnering with Collider allows us to invest in the future of local entrepreneurship and support the next generation of business leaders.
Q: What excites you most about the future of entrepreneurship in Rochester?
A: We are excited to see the continued growth of entrepreneurship in Rochester, driven by passionate individuals and organizations like Collider. The future holds great promise for new ideas, businesses, and opportunities that will benefit our community and economy.
Q: How do you see your organization contributing to that future vision?
A: Altra Federal Credit Union will continue to support entrepreneurs and small businesses through financial services, mentorship, and community partnerships. We are committed to helping Rochester’s entrepreneurial ecosystem thrive and ensuring that our members, employees, and communities prosper.
Building Cohort Models that Work- Lessons Learned from Two Years of Practice
Overview
Entrepreneurship is already challenging. But when there's limited access to practical business education to help entrepreneurs develop necessary skill sets to get their idea off the ground, starting a business is even more difficult.
Cohort based models, where entrepreneurs learn key fundamentals by doing and challenge other participants to think of their businesses in a new way, are one way to break down these barriers and reduce trial and error associated with starting a business.
But cohorts don't just work. They have to be designed intentionally and need to evolve based on lessons learned. And when they do work, they can have long lasting ripple effects within communities.
We've spent the past two years refining our cohort models, supported by a grant from the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (MN DEED) and other community partners. From this work, we learned six key tactics to build an environment where cohorts can thrive.
We hope this model can foster innovation and sustainable business development in additional ecosystems.
Key Lessons Learned
One of the most valuable lessons learned from this project were reproducible methods to run successful multi-session education cohorts. From hosting proven CO.STARTERS cohorts to launching a self-built incubator, the following key tactics have led to 75%+ graduation rates and continued meaningful engagement with our organization post cohort:
Creating an environment where participants felt part of something bigger than themselves.
Providing honest and empathic feedback on a business idea.
Building a robust admissions process.
Providing mini incentives to encourage progression towards completion of a final project.
Additional pipeline of programs to offer support at different business stages.
A curriculum and process that evolved based on lessons learned and participant feedback.
Creating a strong sense of belonging has been key to cohort engagement. Participants often express how motivating it is to be part of a group that pushes them to grow and helps them identify as entrepreneurs. This collective identity encourages them to see our organization as a central hub where they are not alone in their journey. The result is a natural sense of accountability—participants show up not just for themselves but also to support their peers. Even when they don’t need direct help, they engage actively in group dynamics, strengthening peer learning and shared responsibility. This culture of encouragement directly enhances program outcomes and long-term commitment.
Feedback is structured to be honest yet empathetic, encouraging participants to refine ideas without labeling them as successes or failures. From the cohort start, expectations are set that ideas will be openly questioned to uncover assumptions and generate new perspectives. This process creates a safe but challenging environment where entrepreneurs build confidence in articulating their business concepts. Peer-to-peer input allows founders to see blind spots and opportunities they might otherwise miss. Over time, participants highlight this approach as one of the most valuable aspects of their cohort. By normalizing open dialogue, these programs equip entrepreneurs with resilience and adaptability for real-world challenges.
How participants are selected for the cohort greatly affects their engagement. When cohorts are limited or require a small fee, participants value the program more and treat it as a privilege. Even modest costs establish a sense of commitment, signaling that the program is a meaningful opportunity and one worthy of dedicated engagement.. Compared to free programs, those with a small investment lead to higher attendance, stronger preparation, and deeper engagement. Participants also take pride in being specially selected, which fuels their motivation. This process raises the quality of the cohort and strengthens the perceived impact of the incubator.
Completion of a major project additionally helps with cohort retention and provides something tangible at the end of the program that helps move participants’ businesses to the next, more advanced stage of development. This project could be a business canvas, a more complex business plan, or any other completed work that provides evidence of the weeks and months of focus during the cohort. Personalized milestones, breaking down the project into small bites, have been especially effective, allowing participants to feel a sense of accomplishment through completion of small tasks throughout the multi-week cohort process.
A pipeline of programs to facilitate support in addition to the primary education cohort has been critical to continue to engage graduates with our organization years after their cohort ends. This allows for service opportunities along multiple points of the graduate’s business journey, building upon the trust created during the original cohort. This decreases barriers for the entrepreneur, allowing them to access information and assistance through one resource or network of resources, removing the need to build new relationships, and the associated trust, as their business grows. We’ve found that an alumni network is one of the most valuable additions to our programming, allowing graduates to continue to develop peer-to-peer relationships in a semi-faciliated manner after the consistency of their program is complete.
And lastly, curriculum that evolves and adapts based on learning and participant feedback has proven key to consistently providing high value to participants. This work involves a bottom up approach, taking time to understand the journey of those served through the programs and what is most useful for their development. It flips the honest feedback around, demanding us, as the organization, to listen to the experiences of our participants and modify topics of focus, adjust cohort length and delivery, and make other adjustments as needed. This listening has allowed us to understand that our participants value most learning from shared perspectives of their peers and more experienced entrepreneurs, not necessarily from an overly academic approach.
Case Study
Participant Background
Bereket arrived in the United States as a refugee from Ethiopia shortly before joining Collider’s second Business Incubator cohort in winter 2024. A mechanical engineer by training with years of experience building food processing machines, he brought with him the vision of designing a machine capable of producing Injera Bread, a traditional fermented flatbread made from teff. With a growing Ethiopian community in Minnesota and Illinois and increasing demand from restaurants serving traditional food, Bereket saw an opportunity to scale production efficiently. However, starting over in a new country presented major barriers—unfamiliarity with American business systems, lack of a credit history, limited local connections, and no prior business training despite his academic and professional background.
Engagement with Collider Program
After 1:1 advising through Collider’s Startup Support program, Bereket applied to the Business Incubator with the goal of refining his idea and developing a detailed business plan. Throughout the 12-week program, he participated in workshops, received mentorship from Collider’s Entrepreneur in Residence, and accessed guidance from the SBA and SBDC on funding and financial planning. He gained critical skills in areas such as web design, legal structures, and financial planning, and practiced pitching his idea to an audience. Through the program, he became connected to Rochester’s entrepreneurial ecosystem and gained confidence navigating his new community.
Progress Made
Just three months after graduation, Bereket filed an LLC alongside three business partners. Together, they launched ENAT, an Ethiopian restaurant in Rochester, beginning with a weekly pop-up at the summer festival “Thursdays on First.” The restaurant is scheduled to open officially in fall 2025, and Bereket has successfully built his Injera-making machine, which is currently awaiting inspection. Through investment from friends and family, the venture secured about $200,000 in startup funding. Today the business has three equity partners, two operation partners, and employs additional staff, contributing to local job creation and cultural diversity in the Rochester food scene.
Challenges and Outcomes
One of Bereket’s early setbacks was the inability to access traditional bank financing due to his immigration status. Partnering with others proved critical, allowing him to pool resources and broaden the venture from a machine-focused business to a full restaurant that will also serve as a distribution point for Injera. The Incubator program provided tools and knowledge that helped him adapt to Rochester’s business culture, overcome barriers, and move his vision forward. Bereket’s journey highlights the importance of access to education, networks, and capital for underrepresented founders, and demonstrates how entrepreneurship can build resilience and inclusion in Southeast Minnesota’s economy.
Future Outlook
Next steps for Bereket include passing the inspection of his Injera machine, securing first commercial buyers, and launching the official opening of ENAT. Continued access to financial and technical resources will be key as the business scales. Reflecting on his experience, Bereket expressed deep gratitude for the guidance and encouragement he received at Collider, noting that the incubator gave him the confidence and tools to start again in a new country and bring his entrepreneurial vision to life.
Future Direction
As we move forward with this work, lessons learned and participant feedback has helped to refine and narrow the programming for community incubator participants and the role of expert mentors has been more clearly defined. We additionally are looking to further our pipeline of support by launching a microloan fund, offering loans of up to $5,000, to entrepreneurs participating in these programs who are most often excluded from traditional funding mechanisms. In addition, we look forward to investing in partnerships to support program capacity and expand our mentor network, adding more diverse perspectives to our alumni network of graduates, and tracking longer term business survival rates, revenue growth, and job creation from program graduates.
Research by: Amanda Leightner (Executive Director) and Juliana Silva (Director of Startup Support)
This work was additionally supported by: Mayo Clinic, the Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation, Knutson Construction, First Alliance Credit Union, Altra Federal Credit Union, Fredrikson & Byron, MInnwest Bank, the Small Business Development Center, and Think Bank.