This Month's Latest Tech News in Rochester, MN - Wednesday April 30th 2025 Edition

This month marks a significant leap for Rochester, MN's tech and health sectors, as local institutions take center stage in the AI transformation of healthcare.

The Mayo Clinic is pioneering multiagent AI ecosystems that augment decision-making, automate administrative tasks, and personalize care, with new Google Cloud tools like Agent2Agent and Agent Garden propelling operational efficiency and patient care forward (AI's transformative rise in healthcare operations).

Industry leaders echo that AI-driven innovations - from predictive analytics to AI scribes and generative tools - are quickly becoming indispensable, reducing costs, relieving clinician burnout, and supporting proactive care models (Insights from healthcare executives on 2025 tech trends).

Additionally, Rochester will host the Machine Learning for Healthcare Conference in August, underlining the city's leadership in AI research, regulatory advances, and interdisciplinary collaboration (Mayo Clinic's leading AI events and research partnerships).

As Dr. Ryan Jelinek observes, “There will always need to be human interaction to care for people. AI has a profound opportunity to help with that.”

“That is how we think about agentic space. We are orchestrating different activities and different technologies to all work together.” – Sameer Sethi, Hackensack Meridian Health

The Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN has made significant strides in women's heart health by deploying advanced AI-based screening tools, specifically targeting early detection of cardiovascular issues in women planning pregnancy - a group for whom undiagnosed heart conditions can increase pregnancy-related risks.

According to a recent Mayo Clinic study led by Dr. Demilade Adedinsewo, AI-enhanced electrocardiogram (AI-ECG) and digital stethoscopes were able to identify previously unknown heart problems with outstanding accuracy: the AI-ECG yielded an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.94, while the Eko DUO digital stethoscope achieved an AUC of 0.98.

The chart below highlights the screening performance in their latest clinical study:

Device	AUC	Positive Screening Rate (Primary Care)
AI-ECG	0.94	1%
Eko DUO Digital Stethoscope	0.98	3.2%

"Statistically, nearly half of pregnancies in this country are unplanned, and approximately 1% to 2% of women may have heart problems they don't know about. Our research findings suggest that these AI tools could be used to screen women before pregnancy, allowing for improved pregnancy planning and risk stratification, early treatment, and better health outcomes which addresses a critical gap in current maternal care."
- Dr. Demilade Adedinsewo

AI-powered ECG solutions not only enhance diagnostic accuracy but also help clinicians detect heart conditions early and cost-effectively, potentially improving outcomes for mothers and babies alike; recent analyses of 22,000 patient records confirm their long-term economic value (AI-enhanced heart failure screening study).

As these innovations are further integrated into regular clinical workflows (AI in women's heart health), Mayo Clinic continues to bridge critical gaps in maternal care and reshape the future of preventive cardiology for women in Rochester and beyond.

Rochester's healthcare sector stands on the cusp of transformation as multiagent artificial intelligence (AI) systems move from vision to operational reality, offering unprecedented possibilities for efficiency, personalization, and care coordination.

Unlike traditional chatbots, these next-generation “agentic AI” systems are designed to ingest and reason across complex, unstructured health data - from handwritten notes to genomic records - serving as dynamic collaborators that automate processes, synthesize insights, and empower care teams.

Hackensack Meridian Health is already piloting AI agents to cut time-consuming administrative tasks, streamline appointment logistics, and bolster patient support, while Google Cloud's new Vertex AI tools (including the Agent2Agent protocol and pre-built Agent Garden) enable health systems to orchestrate entire ecosystems of intelligent agents.

As Ganesh Padmanabhan explains, “Agentic AI turns healthcare complexity into opportunity … the future is Agentic AI.”

“That is how we think about agentic space. We are orchestrating different activities and different technologies to all work together.” – Sameer Sethi, Hackensack Meridian Health

Industry case studies illustrate the rapid operational payoff: automated pre-authorization, enhanced record review, and smarter clinical research workflows.

The table below summarizes emerging use cases and their impact:

Application Area	Agentic AI Benefit
Prior Authorization	Reduces request time from 35+ minutes to near real-time
Care Coordination	Minimizes duplication and burnout, improves care handoffs
Revenue Cycle & Claims	Automates reviews, appeals, accelerates resolution

For Rochester-area healthcare organizations, adopting multiagent AI is rapidly evolving from an innovation goal to an operational necessity.

Explore further use cases and the vision for AI-powered hospital operations from the AHA Center for Health Innovation's report on rapidly advancing multiagent AI applications, discover Google Cloud's investments in multiagent health systems in this feature on the next AI frontier in healthcare by Fierce Healthcare, and delve into the strategic shift to agentic AI as outlined in MedCity News' examination of healthcare transformation through agentic AI.

The Mayo Clinic Platform_Accelerate Showcase recently highlighted 15 cutting-edge health tech startups from around the globe, each leveraging Mayo Clinic's vast de-identified data network to advance AI-driven innovations for patient care.

During the 30-week accelerator program, participating companies received mentorship and validation support in clinical, regulatory, technological, and business domains.

Notable startups and their focus areas include Bloom Standard's RAPIDscan, an AI-enhanced one-minute ultrasound for heart and lung monitoring; Ethos, a platform for detecting and treating Alcohol-Associated Liver Disease; and Smart Opinion, which uses AI to improve early breast cancer detection via ultrasound.

International cooperation featured prominently as well, with five Japanese startups joining through a collaboration between Mayo Clinic and JETRO, targeting areas such as brain health screening (Splink Inc.), menopause support (Ystory), and efficient medical data analysis (Yuimedi).

As Jamie Sundsbak, the program's senior manager, noted,

“We are incredibly proud to celebrate these 15 companies. Their dedication and accomplishments have raised the bar, and we look forward to continuing to support their efforts as they make strides in advancing patient care worldwide.”

The table below summarizes select innovations from the latest cohort:

Startup	AI Health Solution
Bloom Standard	AI-guided ultrasound for heart/lung
Ethos	Alcohol use detection and liver health
Smart Opinion	AI for breast cancer ultrasound
Splink	Early brain disorder diagnosis
Ystory	AI-powered menopause support

For a full overview of the new cohort and details on the program, visit the official Mayo Clinic Platform_Accelerate Showcase announcement, learn how global collaboration is propelling innovation in the JETRO partnership with Mayo Clinic, and explore program insights on the Mayo Clinic Platform_Accelerate webpage.

Mayo Clinic's historic $5 billion “Bold. Forward. Unbound.” expansion is reshaping downtown Rochester into an international hub for healthcare innovation. Touted by Governor Tim Walz as a “transformation globally on (the way) health care is delivered,” the project will introduce five state-of-the-art buildings totaling 2.4 million square feet, seamlessly blending physical and digital care and harnessing artificial intelligence to enhance patient outcomes and operational efficiency.

As demolition and construction move forward, the transformation will create construction jobs, modernize logistics with robotics and predictive analytics, and expand community impact - not just through medical innovation but also via over $1.2 million in local grants supporting education, food security, and mental health in early 2025.

“Now, that vision is becoming more concrete and real... These careers and facilities are going to transform health care,”

said Mayor Kim Norton.

The project's comprehensive vision is fully funded by Mayo Clinic, with an additional $585 million in public infrastructure upgrades, and is expected to deliver significant benefits through 2030 by addressing growing patient needs and creating adaptable clinical spaces.

For more details on the project's economic and technological impact, explore the official visit recap by Governor Tim Walz, view the comprehensive Mayo Clinic Rochester $5 billion expansion plan, and learn about the Mayo Clinic's community grants for 2025 supporting education, food security, and mental health that broaden the project's transformative reach.

Across Rochester's small and midsize business landscape, artificial intelligence (AI) adoption is rapidly emerging as a growth driver, especially as companies in sectors like manufacturing, health care, and data services shift from reactive strategies to disciplined expansion.

Minnesota-wide analysis shows that over 1.6 million jobs - 56% of employment - are in roles highly exposed to AI, with the majority offering above-median wages and requiring advanced education (full AI exposure report for Minnesota).

Businesses are embracing new AI-powered tools such as Salesforce's Einstein Copilot and Tableau Next, which democratize data-driven decision-making, automate complex workflows, and enable staff in every function to surface insights without specialized training.

According to a leading industry survey, 67% of companies anticipate maintaining or increasing their AI investments despite just 21% reporting proven outcomes to date - pointing to the importance of robust data infrastructure and clear AI roadmaps (Coastal Cloud's 2025 AI leadership survey reveals insights).

In manufacturing, experts predict AI will play an increasingly strategic role in prototyping, machine learning, demand forecasting, and operational efficiency, with investments in upgraded data infrastructure and smart equipment helping address workforce shortages and drive productivity (2025 manufacturing trends and expert analysis).

As Rochester companies navigate opportunities and challenges, data readiness, workforce retraining, and ethical governance will be key to maximizing AI's benefit to both bottom lines and job quality.

Federal program cuts are sending shockwaves through Minnesota's rural tech and manufacturing sector, threatening the survival of Enterprise Minnesota's critical Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) services.

With $3.2 million in federal funds - 45% of its budget - set to disappear by September 30, 2025, Enterprise Minnesota may be forced to shrink its operations from 82 counties to just 12, jeopardizing support for over 500 small manufacturers and suppliers across the state.

These cuts arrive as part of a nationwide reprioritization of Department of Commerce funds toward emerging tech fields like AI and quantum computing, a move that has deeply unsettled both business owners and state leaders.

Over the past five years, MEP-supported businesses have generated $696 million in new revenue and created 6,600 jobs, from companies like Atscott Manufacturing Co. - which leveraged MEP assistance to grow tenfold and secure aerospace contracts - to Gauthier Industries, which credited MEP consulting for a 30% sales jump.

As one manufacturer bluntly put it,

“This is the biggest punch you can give in the belly of manufacturing, in my view.”

The debate has spurred a surge of advocacy, with lawmakers like Senator Amy Klobuchar pointing to the MEP's proven role in job creation and industry competitiveness.

State reporting dashboards reveal a stark landscape: Minnesota has already lost or risks losing nearly $360 million in cancelled or at-risk federal funds across sectors.

MEP Federal Funding	Counties Served	Jobs Created	Revenue Added (5 years)
$3.2M (45% budget)	82 (pre-cuts) → 12 (post-cuts)	6,600	$696M

For a deeper look at how these changes could reshape the statewide economy, see the Star Tribune's report on the loss of rural manufacturing support, explore the latest MPR News coverage of Minnesota's state funding dashboard, and get a broader industry perspective from IndustryWeek's analysis on the uncertain future of the MEP programs nationwide.

Research into deepfakes and AI-driven misinformation has suffered a major setback this month as the National Science Foundation (NSF) abruptly cancelled over 400 grants nationwide - impacting projects tackling disinformation, election security, and STEM diversity.

Driven by the Trump administration's new priorities and the arrival of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), these terminations ended crucial funding for initiatives such as deepfake detection tools at Rochester Institute of Technology and a $5 million program at University at Buffalo educating older adults about AI-generated scams.

According to Business Standard's coverage of the DOGE-led policy, the cuts were justified as protecting constitutional speech rights, aligning with a broader rollback on research related to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

The sudden halt, described by experts as “unprecedented,” leaves hundreds of researchers and students in limbo and has drawn criticism over the abrupt, opaque process and its chilling effect on scientific progress.

As highlighted in a deep analysis of the NSF's mass terminations, the broader impact includes uncertainty for universities, a diminished pipeline for the cybersecurity workforce, and fewer resources for combating the increasingly sophisticated threat of AI misinformation.

As Ashley Dayer, a researcher whose grant was cancelled, lamented:

“It's just this outright attack on science right now... It's going to have lasting impacts for American people and for science and knowledge in our country... afraid that people aren't going to go into the field of science.”

For a detailed overview of affected grants and the changing NSF landscape, see the full report at Nextgov's NSF grant cancellation breakdown.

This month, Rochester's Mayo Clinic Platform_Accelerate showcased the future of health tech by celebrating 15 pioneering startups leveraging artificial intelligence to advance early cancer detection, rapid symptom checking, and brain health.

The global cohort benefited from Mayo Clinic's rich, de-identified datasets, mentorship, and clinical insights over a rigorous 30-week accelerator. Innovations included Smart Opinion's AI tool enhancing breast ultrasound accuracy for early cancer detection, Ubie's AI-powered symptom checker now guiding over 12 million patients worldwide, and Splink's AI-driven cognitive assessments and “Brain Life Imaging” for early intervention in dementia and mental health disorders.

As Jamie Sundsbak, Senior Manager at Mayo Clinic Platform_Accelerate, remarked,

“We are incredibly proud to celebrate these 15 companies. Their dedication and accomplishments have raised the bar, and we look forward to continuing to support their efforts as they make strides in advancing patient care worldwide.”

Five Japanese startups joined via a collaboration with JETRO to develop U.S.-ready AI solutions for cancer, menopause, symptom navigation, and medical data analytics.

The table below summarizes selected standout solutions:

Startup	AI-Powered Solution	Focus Area
Smart Opinion Inc.	Breast ultrasound diagnostic support	Early cancer detection
Ubie Inc.	Symptom checker and disease navigation	Patient triage and care access
Splink Inc.	“Brain Life Imaging” and CQ cognitive test	Brain health and dementia screening
YStory Inc.	JoyHer menopause care app	Women's health and personalized treatment

Discover the full slate of innovations and details on Mayo Clinic's effort to accelerate health tech at the Mayo Clinic Platform_Accelerate Showcase highlighting health tech innovation, learn more about the startups and their cutting-edge tools via this feature profiling AI startup deployments at Health Tech News, and explore the Japanese partnership fueling global collaboration in JETRO's announcement on AI medical tech collaboration.

Agentic AI is rapidly transforming the landscape for Rochester businesses, ushering in a new era where autonomous AI agents not only streamline operations but also offer significant returns on investment.

Recent surveys reveal that over half of companies globally have already deployed AI agents, with 62% expecting more than 100% ROI - an average projected return of 171% in the U.S. alone.

By 2027, up to 86% of companies expect to be operational with agentic AI, which is poised to automate or expedite roughly 36% of routine work tasks according to industry research on agentic AI ROI.

Strategic adoption is accelerating; a Cloudera survey found 57% of enterprises implemented AI agents within the past two years, and 83% now see these agents as critical for maintaining a competitive edge.

Use cases include performance optimization bots (66% adoption), security monitoring agents (63%), development assistants (62%), and customer support automation (78%) - all leveraging advanced large language models and open-source tools for flexibility and compliance.

The market's momentum is reflected in a projected $47.7 billion value by 2034, with North America leading adoption at an impressive 41.8% compound annual growth rate as reported by Market.us Scoop on business automation market growth.

A growing consensus highlights the need for robust data infrastructure, ethical frameworks, and upskilled workforces to capitalize on these opportunities while addressing challenges like data privacy and bias.

As agentic AI matures, Gartner forecasts that a quarter of firms using generative AI will pilot agentic AI in 2025, with 50% integrating it by 2027 - a trend echoed by industry experts predicting major advances in adaptability, transparency, and business impact in this expert analysis of agentic AI adoption trends.

The accelerated rollout signals a transformative shift for Rochester's enterprises committed to future-ready tech strategies.

As Minnesota prepares for the July 31, 2025, enforcement of its newly enacted Consumer Data Privacy Act, organizations in Rochester and across the state face a crucial year for managing AI risks and ensuring responsible adoption.

The new law emphasizes consumer rights - such as access, correction, deletion, and portability of personal data - while adding strict consent requirements and broad definitions for sensitive data, including health and biometric information.

Businesses must now implement robust privacy management processes, with obligations for data protection assessments and a designated Chief Privacy Officer, and ensure transparent mechanisms for users to opt out of targeted advertising or challenge profiling results.

Notably, Minnesota's SF 3270 mandates express consent for biometric data collection, underscoring the need for tightened security measures and staff training.

According to the 2025 State Privacy Laws guide, the following compliance deadlines are most relevant:

State	Law	Effective Date
Minnesota	Consumer Data Privacy Act	July 31, 2025
Tennessee	Information Protection Act	July 1, 2025
Maryland	Online Data Protection Act	October 1, 2025

The State of Minnesota is also advancing secure adoption of generative AI in government, with a clear focus on upholding the highest data protection standards.

“Our commitment to innovation goes hand in hand with our responsibility to safeguard Minnesotans' data, ensuring that AI is used securely and effectively to enhance public services,”

said Tarek Tomes, State CIO. For organizations, best practices include conducting data minimization reviews, strengthening internal compliance, and following new regulatory guidance as additional rules and penalties evolve.

Businesses should also monitor the progress of privacy and AI legislation nationwide using resources such as the US State Privacy Legislation Tracker to keep risk management strategies current and compliant.

As Rochester enters a pivotal phase of technological transformation, major investments - including the recently announced $90 million funding to expand the Empire AI Consortium - are catalyzing a surge in AI research, workforce development, and regional innovation.

This initiative brings together institutional powerhouses such as the University of Rochester, Rochester Institute of Technology, and Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai to drive advances in healthcare, climate science, and data infrastructure, all while building on public-private collaborations outlined in the city's $300 million Regional Revitalization Partnership (read the announcement about the Empire AI Consortium funding).

Upcoming events like the AI Spring Summit 2025 focusing on responsible AI innovation will further cement Rochester's role as a Midwest hub for ethical AI and interdisciplinary collaboration, with industry leaders and researchers spotlighting both promise and risk:

“We are entering uncharted territory where AI presents enormous opportunities but also significant uncertainty. A whole-of-industry approach is essential to inform policymaking, drive data integration, and implement forward-looking strategies that meet the healthcare needs of the American people.” - Gopal Khanna, Chair, Health AI Institute

With continued momentum in commercial real estate and talent attraction, Rochester's tech ecosystem is poised to benefit from both local upskilling and global investment - skills that Nucamp bootcamps are designed to foster.

For readers interested in joining this new wave of opportunity, compare Rochester's workforce programs with booming venture capital trends such as SignalFire's $1 billion fund for AI startups as reported by PYMNTS coverage of SignalFire's $1B AI investment fund.

The future holds exciting promise - but also demands vigilance, inclusive partnerships, and a commitment to ethical growth for Rochester's next tech chapter.