Neela Mollgaard

Neela’s career has involved bringing people together to create change. Neela is currently the Executive Director of Launch Minnesota, working to create an environment to support entrepreneurs and nurture tech startups with a goal of fostering an innovation ecosystem across the state that draws global attention, talent, and capital. She has been a leader and facilitator of innovation across organizations and communities. Most recently, she served as a founder of the nonprofit Red Wing Ignite, which supports entrepreneurs, businesses, and students to succeed in the 21st century economy. By forging partnerships with government, academic, corporate, and community partners, Red Wing Ignite developed an innovative ecosystem model that garnered national attention. She has served in a variety of leadership roles with local organizations and non-profits. She is a former member of the Governor’s Task Force on Broadband, and founder and chair of Women Cents, a non-profit that supports children and families. Neela was recently named in Twin Cities Business Magazine’s “TCB: The People to Know in 2020.”

“I feel blessed to live in such an amazing community. I feel strongly that together we can do anything and that alone, we can accomplish little.”