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Two GPM Clients Named in the Top Eight U.S. Entrepreneurs

11/4/2013

Founders of two Gray Plant Mooty clients, Drazil Foods and St. Theresa Medical, Inc., were recently selected as two of the top eight entrepreneurs in the United States through the first-ever “Get in the Ring: The American Startup Clash.” The competition, hosted by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, narrowed down the eight finalists from a field of nearly 300 applicants.

Drazil Foods, based out of Minneapolis suburb Edina, MN, is a woman-owned small business that produces Drazil Tea, a blend of naturally caffeine-free organic tea sweetened with an infusion of fruit juices. Founder Christine Wheeler was inspired to create products that are both healthy and delicious; from this vision, Drazil Tea was born, a drink with the delicious flavor of juice and the health benefits of herbal tea, but without caffeine and high levels of sugar.

Maple Grove-based St. Theresa Medical, Inc., is a medical device company dedicated to commercializing FASTCLOT®, a new hemostatic technology platform. The patent-pending FASTCLOT® technology accelerates the clotting cascade by adding clot-forming proteins to a wound site to stop hemorrhaging faster.

The eight finalists will compete in Kansas City, MO, on November 18 by delivering a final pitch in front of a panel of judges for a top prize of $10,000 and a second-place prize of $5,000. The U.S. champion will be flown to the Get in the Ring global finals in the Netherlands for the chance to compete with seven other international finalists from 30 participating nations in hopes of securing angel investment from a possible $1.3 million.

About GPM:

Gray Plant Mooty is recognized as one of the leading corporate law firms in Minnesota and one of the top franchise firms in the world. Our roots go back to 1866. Today, we are a 170-attorney, full-service firm with offices in Minneapolis and St. Cloud, Minnesota, and Washington, DC. Our attorneys and staff provide exceptional client service and value to our clients, and directly or with our global affiliations, we provide comprehensive legal services on a regional, national, and global basis.