Learn About Why These Businesses Decided to Make a Home in Fargo
When starting or expanding a business, location is one of the first considerations. The business owner might ask themselves: where will this business thrive? Where will our clients be able to access our products or services without stress or burden? Which location is financially ideal for the company? As readers of Fargo INC!, you know that the Fargo area has a thriving business scene that is consistently growing—making our community a great place for a new or relocating business to put down some permanent roots. We see new businesses popping up all the time, filling niches and exceeding expectations at every corner. This month, we talked to some of the business owners and operators that decided to bring their company to the FM and surrounding area—whether that meant opening a new location or completely relocating to the region.
TheraTec
Information provided by Tony Hyk, CEO
Relocated from:
Bloomington, MN to Horace, ND
What does your business do?
We provide technology for physical therapists to remotely monitor their patients while they do their prescribed exercises at home.
What are some facts about your business that would make us say “wow” or impress us?
Using our technology can make physical therapy “fun” if you can believe that! Our wearable sensor easily tracks the motion of the exercises so you know when you have reached your target.
If you have ever had physical therapy, you know it can be lonely, and having that connection to your provider with technology really helps you get to your desired outcome.
When was your business founded?
Originally in 2008, but in its current form, it was 2019.
Can you take us through the business’s story arc? How did you get to where you are today?
We started as a company called WellClub, which used behavior change methodology to help people with healthy living, weight loss, etc. When that technology was presented to an orthopedics group, they liked it but wanted it for PT and they wanted a wearable sensor. TheraTec was born at that point. Since I took over, we have pulled our software development back to the US from overseas and beefed up security, stability, and capacity. We are commercializing primarily in the Midwest for the moment and we target any provider organization that gives their patients a home exercise program (HEP).
Why did you choose to relocate the business to Fargo?
The people, the business environment, and the incentives. The last two really don’t exist in Minnesota in any practical way. There is also the desire to start a legacy in healthcare technology in North Dakota, to be a founding member of the community that spurs more product ideas and companies.
What did that relocation process look like? What were the difficulties you faced while relocating?
We were actually without an office in Minnesota because of COVID, so it really wasn’t that bad. We currently sublease space in Horace, but we’ll likely outgrow that towards the end of the year and will be looking for a new home. Our space in Horace is for the people we’ve hired in the Fargo area since last May.
Since you got here, how have you been supported by the business community? What organizations/individuals have assisted you?
The support has been great and I’m afraid I’ll leave somebody out, but here it goes:
- Greater Fargo Moorhead Economic Development Council – Ryan Aasheim
- Minnkota Power – Matt Marshall
- ND Commerce Department and ND Development Fund – Hannah Lange, Shayden Akason, Brian Opp, Josh Teigen
- City of West Fargo – Casey Saunders
- BIOND – Richard Glynn
- Bank of North Dakota – Joel Erickson
- Signum – Ed Schwind
Now that your business has been established here for some time, what have you found to be the benefits of having your business here?
The people we have hired so far have been fantastic. I’m impressed how everyone will make time for you at any business or any level of government—I’ve never seen that before. We’ve also met some great partners that can help us bring purchases from China back to the US.
What are your favorite things about FargoMoorhead at large?
The city is really easy to navigate and traffic isn’t crazy. There are some great restaurants and breweries.
What are some of your favorite places/activities around town?
We haven’t done a whole lot of casual things yet—it’s been mainly dining out, and Maxwells and Cedar Creek were awesome. Scoop N Dough is amazing as well!
theratec.com
Facebook: /TheraTec
Instagram: @Theratec_
Boson Motors
Information provided by Naveen Thomas, Product & Operations Manager
Expanded from:
Mountain View, CA to Fargo, ND
What does your business do?
Boson Motors is a startup in the sustainable energy space. We are working on solving farming/agricultural automation problems by creating robust electric vehicles and stationary energy storage systems for industrial and farming applications.
What are some facts about your business that would make us say “wow” or impress us?
We have office locations in the US across North Dakota, California, and Texas!
When was your business founded?
The company was founded on March 1, 2017.
Can you take us through the business’s story arc? How did you get to where you are today?
The two co-founders, Arun Seelam and Suri Bhupatiraju, previously worked at Google as software engineers before starting Boson in 2017. At Google, they worked to develop Android Auto, a software platform that mirrors the features of an Android phone to a car’s display on the dashboard. Arun and Suri saw a wide-open opportunity to bring innovative technology to the automotive space, especially in the agricultural industry, so they decided to start Boson.
They received a lot of encouraging feedback on the initial prototype and were accepted into the Techstars Farm to Fork Accelerator in Minneapolis. This is where Arun met Brian Carroll, the Director of Grand Farm in Fargo. Brian showed Arun the Grand Farm Grower Pain Point report from 2020, which highlighted a set of challenges faced by existing farmers in the Upper Midwest, including workforce shortage and reliability in the agriculture industry. Boson took these challenges seriously in the refinement of the existing prototype by focusing on building an easy-to-use vehicle with robust autonomous technology that can perform essential tasks on the farm while saving labor costs. This ed to the creation of an affordable, light electric utility vehicle that starts at under $25,000 with the ability to retrofit autonomous technology for added cost later down the line. Sales are anticipated to begin in 2024 following an extensive test pilot program.
Why did you choose to relocate the business to Fargo?
Fargo has a huge AgTech presence, and Boson specializes in just that area, making it a logical fit for some of our operations. After Boson’s CEO, Arun Seelam, reconnected with Grand Farm director Brian Carroll at a Techstars conference in Minneapolis in 2022, Arun was compelled to make a visit to Fargo. With the wonderful ecosystem, Grand Farm had to offer and the state incentives the Greater Fargo-Moorhead Economic Development Corporation referred us to, we decided to officially expand our operation to Fargo starting in June 2022.
What did that relocation process look like? What were the difficulties you faced while relocating?
The relocation involved shifting a couple of employees from California to Fargo. The main difficulty was the lack of nearby family members for the team members who relocated. The lack of seeing family frequently was a major adjustment, but overall we settled in comfortably and adapted well to the weather conditions and to the community as a whole.
Did you look to any organizations for assistance in making the move?
We looked to Emerging Prairie to provide us with some office space in the Prairie Den, where we now have a dedicated office.
Since you got here, how have you been supported by the business community? What organizations/individuals have assisted you?
The business community has been very supportive! First and foremost, Emerging Prairie has put me in a great position to attend many events like StartupBREW, where I get to network with so many individuals across numerous domains. It has been exciting to learn about all the entrepreneurial activities taking place in Fargo! The folks at the Greater Fargo-Moorhead Economic Development Corporation (Ryan Aasheim and John Machacek) have played an instrumental role in getting me acclimated with the Fargo community and directing me toward resources that provide incentives for our newly relocated startup.
Now that your business has been established here for some time, what have you found to be the benefits of having your business here?
One key benefit to having Boson here is being able to connect with the AgTech ecosystem at large via Grand Farm. Seeing multiple companies demoing their technology on the farm has greatly inspired us to do the same when the time comes for us to keep one of our products in the area at the new Grand Farm innovation campus in Casselton.
What are your favorite things about FargoMoorhead at large?
The people in Fargo-Moorhead are super friendly and willing to go out of their way for just about anything. Also, it is nice to experience extremely variable seasons, which offers the ability to do a variety of activities at different times of the year.
What are some of your favorite places/activities around town?
I really like Brewhalla because it offers so many tasty local food options in a single area—definitely gives me Pike Place Seattle vibes. Additionally, Broadway Square is fantastic, especially when they host the Folkways Night Bazaar in the summer and perform the ice skating rink conversion in the winter.
NuTek Natural Ingredients
Information provided by Anna Biehn, VP of Marketing & Strategy
Expanded from:
St. Louis Park, MN to Fargo, ND
What does your business do?
We are a manufacturer of clean-label ingredients for the food and pet food industries.
What are some facts about your business that would make us say “wow” or impress us?
Our Salt for Life salt substitute can reduce your sodium in food by 75% with the same great taste as common salt. Our Beyond Himalayan salt combines the pure taste of pink Himalayan salt with potassium salt resulting in a perfect culinary salt with 30% less sodium. Also, our clean-label preservatives can be found in pet treats to eliminate food waste in a healthy way.
When was your business founded?
The business was founded in 2006, and we opened our Fargo facility in 2016.
Can you take us through the business’s story arc? How did you get to where you are today?
NuTek Natural Ingredients was founded in 2006 by two food executives centered around one idea: created by nature, nurtured in science. The first technology they developed was a proprietary process to reduce sodium in packaged food products. NuTek began with the single vision of reducing sodium in food formulations by swapping potassium salt for sodium salt. NuTek was at the forefront of creating a solution to the unhealthy levels of sodium in ultra-processed packaged and restaurant foods.
As a company rooted in science and harnessing the power of science to develop new products, NuTek quickly innovated additional ingredients to fill out the portfolio and meet the growing demand for clean-label solutions.
Today, NuTek Natural Ingredients has three primary ingredient platforms including flavor, taste, and preservatives and they are continuing to fulfill their mission, one ingredient at a time.
Why did you choose to relocate the business to Fargo?
We chose Fargo as our manufacturing location in 2016 for several reasons including proximity to our raw materials, a good labor market, and a favorable business community. As demand for our products continued to grow, so did our need for more capacity and equipment—so we made the choice to expand our site in Fargo in 2021. As part of this expansion, we built an R&D lab onsite and relocated some of our team to work in Fargo to be close to our manufacturing team and the development work. Additionally, North Dakota offers a rich agricultural base for raw materials for future products.
What did that relocation process look like? What were the difficulties you faced while relocating?
While Fargo has many positives when it comes to the community and business environment, there are also some realities—like the weather—that can give pause to newcomers as they assess the opportunity. We were very open in our recruiting visits with our potential employees to have them meet with resources locally to understand the great assets of the community including the schools, people, and the housing market.
Since you got here, how have you been supported by the business community? What organizations/ individuals have assisted you?
We were fortunate to meet Ryan Aasheim and the team from the Greater Fargo Moorhead Economic Development Corporation (GFMEDC) and they were very supportive of our expansion efforts. They hosted an event with several business, financing, and government groups from the area for us to share our growth plans and to understand more about the programs offered in the Fargo-Moorhead area for businesses like ours. It was a great connection and has created several additional relationships with organizations like NDSU, Dakota Business Lending, ND Jobs, APUC Committee, and many more. We have also had the opportunity to work with a few nonprofit organizations like The F5 Project, the Great Plains Food Bank, the YMCA, and the YWCA. The Fargo-Moorhead business community is like an extended family where everyone knows everyone and is very supportive and willing to make connections.
We have been delighted with the support and help we have received.
Now that your business has been established here for some time, what have you found to be the benefits of having your business here?
We continue to find the community very supportive with good resources to help businesses grow. The labor market is tight for everyone right now and that is evident here as well, so we continue to be creative with our people resources team to find ways to attract new employees.
What are your favorite things about FargoMoorhead at large?
Our team enjoys the variety of restaurants and activities to do in the area including dog parks, community events, and connections with the local universities.
nuteknatural.com
Linkedin: /company/nuteknatural
North Dakota Soybean Processors
Information provided by Bill McBee, Commercial Manager
Expanded from:
Mt. Vernon, IN & Brewster, MN to Casselton, ND
What does your business do?
North Dakota Soybean Processors (NDSP) is a joint venture formed by CGB Enterprises, Inc. (CGB) and Minnesota Soybean Processors (MnSP) for the ownership and operation of a state-of-the-art soybean processing plant currently under construction near Casselton, North Dakota. The new facility, expected to open in the fall of 2024, will crush 42.5 million bushels of soybeans in the first year, providing a more competitive and viable market within North Dakota for soybean production that previously left the state.
What are some facts about your business that would make us say “wow” or impress us?
NDSP will crush/process 42.5 million bushels annually. This translates into approximately 3100 acres of soybeans crushed a day! To do this, the plant will create 60-70 new jobs with above-average wages and excellent benefits packages.
When was your business founded?
North Dakota Soybean Processors will open in the Fall of 2024.
Can you take us through the business’s story arc? How did you get to where you are today?
NDSP is an exciting project that has been in the works for CGB and MnSP since 2019; CGB and MnSP created the joint venture to both build and operate the plant that will not only produce soybean meal for the livestock industry and soybean oil for consumers but also serve the increasing demand from the renewable fuel industry. MnSP’s General Manager, Jeramie Weller, said, “We are pleased to partner with CGB to build this facility that will complement our current operations in Brewster, MN. The combination of these assets positions us to meet demand domestically and globally for meal and oil while providing a consistent, competitive market for locally grown soybeans for local farmers.” CGB has an existing Soybean Processing plant in Mt. Vernon, IN that was built in 1997 and recently underwent a significant expansion to increase its soybean processing capabilities in Southwest Indiana. MnSP started crushing soybeans in 2003 and added a biodiesel refining facility in 2005.
Why did you choose to relocate the business to Fargo?
North Dakota is such an ag-friendly state with highly productive soybean growers. We are excited to provide a local market for soybean growers throughout the Red River Valley, while also benefiting from the Casselton location. With access to the interstate system, as well as to the BNSF Railroad and Red River Valley Railroad, NDSP will bring new market options for local farmers as well as build connections between the agriculture and energy industries. This means increased economic activity not only for growers but also for the residents in the surrounding communities.
What did that relocation process look like? What were the difficulties you faced while relocating?
We have had a great experience setting up the NDSP plant in Casselton. Now, visiting Casselton in March when there was 4 feet of snow on the ground was new for us, but we love it here. When we did experience obstacles, both state and local support provided the assistance needed to navigate those challenges. We are grateful for the support and look forward to serving the great people in the community.
Since you got here, how have you been supported by the business community? What organizations/individuals have assisted you?
The North Dakota Soybean Council and the North Dakota Soybean Associations have invited us to connect and speak with their groups. This is an excellent opportunity for NSDP to listen to the needs of the local growers and learn about one another. We have learned about the various export markets and facilities that will be more available to the local producers once NDSP opens.
What are your favorite things about FargoMoorhead at large?
You can’t beat the friendliness of the people in the Fargo-Moorhead area! As folks from CGB relocate here, we all appreciate the great reception we have experienced. My wife and I have enjoyed seeing how active downtown is—there are so many festivals and recreational activities available to participate in. We are looking forward to enjoying the Fargo-Moorhead area and meeting the locals.
Did you look to any organizations for assistance in making the move?
We received knowledgeable guidance from the Greater Fargo Moorhead Economic Development Corporation and its CEO, Joe Raso. The group connected us to the right people to advance the process for approval and construction of the plant. We send our sincere thanks as well to Melissa Beach (the Economic Development Director for the City of Casselton), both the Casselton and Everest Township leaders, as well as the City Commissioners. We were very pleased as well to receive support from Casselton Mayor Michael Faught and former mayor Lee Anderson, as well as Governor Doug Burgum and his excellent staff.
What are some of your favorite places/activities around town?
There is no shortage of great restaurants and places to enjoy a cold (or hot!) beverage. It’s very unique to see the culture here—you don’t get many curling clubs and ice fishing huts in most parts of the country. We look forward to visiting and seeing all Fargo has to offer!
ndsoy.com
Facebook: /NDSoyProcessors
