When pop culture hits the ice. 🧊

⏰ Midwest Minute 

Ice hockey’s organized roots trace back to 19th-century Canada, with the first recorded indoor game played in Montreal in 1875 and the founding of the National Hockey League in 1917. One of the league’s “Original Six” franchises, the Detroit Red Wings, has anchored the sport in the Midwest for more than a century, and the region has since become one of hockey’s most reliable talent pipelines. Minnesota consistently ranks among the top U.S. states in youth participation and carries the nickname “State of Hockey,” while college programs across Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin and North Dakota have combined for dozens of NCAA championships. On the international stage, Olympic play continues to reinforce that dominance: the U.S. women’s team enters as a favorite after beating Canada, while on the men’s side, both Team USA and Canada remain widely viewed as the teams to beat. With the Winter Olympics once again putting the sport front and center, viewers are seeing both its global reach and its deep North American roots.

At the professional level, rivalries have long shaped the Midwest’s hockey identity. The Chicago Blackhawks and Red Wings built one of the NHL’s fiercest matchups during their years in the same division, and their combined 14 Stanley Cups underscore the region’s competitive legacy. Chicago’s three titles between 2010 and 2015 cemented a modern dynasty, while Detroit’s 11 championships remain among the most in league history. Beyond the standings, hockey is finding itself newly embedded in broader pop culture, drawing fresh attention from both longtime fans and first-time viewers. It mirrors what happened with Formula One, where docuseries storytelling and film exposure significantly expanded U.S. viewership and introduced the sport to entirely new audiences. Combined with Olympic momentum and heated rivalries, hockey is experiencing a moment that feels both deeply rooted and newly amplified.

Have any insights into the Midwest ecosystem or a funding announcement to share? Want to share your favorite hockey team? Send us an email: [email protected] 

📰 Notable News

From the Blog

• Entravia Launches Infrastructure Platform Powering PEO & Broker Sales

Exits

• Indianapolis-based Malomo acquired by Redo for an undisclosed amount

• Minneapolis-based Digi International acquired Particle for an undisclosed amount

Startup Funding

• Prenosis - $20M Series A led by PACE Healthcare Capital | Chicago

• When - $10.2M Series A co-led by 7wire and MachesterStory | Chicago

• Graci - $7.5M Series A led by Sante Ventures | Cleveland

• FinOpsly - $4.5M Seed led by Cultivation Capital | Cincinnati

• Quail Logistics - $3M Pre-Seed led by Struck Captial | Chicago

• Kairos - $2.5M round led by a16z | Chicago

• Rectangle - $2.5M Pre-Seed led by Autotech Ventures | Chicago

VC Funds

• Ariel Project Level - $250M fund | Chicago

• SNAK Venture Partners - $50M FI | Chicago

• Multimodal Ventures - $15M FI | Chicago

Other News

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• US VC Valuations and Returns Report

• The AI 'work slop' crisis is causing new headaches and expenses

• Agtech isn’t dead—just sobering up, says Syngenta Group Ventures MD: ‘Now is the time to deploy capital’

• Why Pittsburgh was never a backup

• Anthropic to cover costs of electricity price increases from its data centers

Have exciting news to share? If you're announcing a funding round, exit or other milestone, send your press release to [email protected] to be featured. While we can’t share everything, we love to feature great stories from across the region.

📆 Mark your Calendar

Need to fill your social calendar? We’ve scoured newsletters, scanned LinkedIn and found some of the latest tech + startup events in the region. Know of any upcoming events and want to share them in our next newsletter? Send us an email: [email protected]