ON ANOKA-HENNEPIN SCHOOLS WINTER 2025
Graduate spotlight : Andover High School grad ‘ plows ’ forward with sixth-grade dream , future business plans
Coming full circle
Minakov enjoys collaborating with other dreamers at the U of M , where he serves as a director for Atland Ventures — a student-run Venture Capital firm that invests in technologybased startup companies . His involvement offers opportunities to understand finance , research prospective investees , listen to business pitches and network with business leaders . He and fellow undergrads raised $ 1 million over the past year to replenish the fund for future startups developed by aspiring inventors like him .
“ It ’ s cool to think that what started as a sixth-grade project has turned into something real , and I ’ m excited to see where it goes next .” n
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Max Minakov , Andover High School ( AndHS ) alum ( 22 ’), realized a potential career pathway at Oak View Middle School ( OVMS ) when his sixth grade Science project kick-started an idea that has snowballed into a pretty ‘ cool ’ invention : A snowplow robot .
His Science teacher , Tim Quigley , tasked students with completing a project — around the same time that Minakov had turned a cold shoulder to a chore at home : Shoveling the driveway .
Minakov designed and presented a robotic snowplow to his class , creating a buzz in school that earned him a reputation as the “ robot kid ” before advancing to the districtwide Science Fair .
Focused on his dream
From there , Minakov embraced the rigor of advanced placement ( AP ) chemistry and calculus courses at AndHS . While he participated in basketball , tennis and track with his friends — he remained focused on school and refining his robot in his free time .
As a junior and senior , Minakov earned college credits through the Post-Secondary Education Option ( PSEO ) at Anoka- Ramsey Community College part-time . While there , he kept in touch with his past teachers . “ They really cared about my growth and helped me find ways to connect my learning to the real world ,” he said .
Minakov credits Industrial Technology teacher Thomas Gallagher for teaching him about CAD and 3-D printing ; Ann VanGheem with challenging him in AP Chemistry ; Kate Tverberg for assisting with writing algorithms for his robot outside of Calculus ; and Justin Brama , a history teacher who supported him in his business journey . “ They were genuinely excited to work with me on problems I encountered [ with the robot ]. That mentorship was invaluable and set the foundation for what I ’ m building today .
Max Minakov , 2022 grad from Andover High School , designed his first snowplow robot in 2015 . Today he is launching Nivoso .
Snow business
Minakov will graduate this spring from the University of Minnesota ( U of M ) Carlson School of Management with a degree in entrepreneurial management — in just three years . He remains focused on turning his middle school idea into a sustainable business .
Nivoso , the Latin word for “ snowy ,” is the company he has launched — specializing in snow removal robots — already gaining significant recognition .
In 2023 , he took first place in a business competition at the U of M among 3,200 applicants .
Last year , he earned second place at the University of St . Thomas ’ e-Fest ®, an undergraduate entrepreneurship competition , adding $ 30,000 to Nivoso ’ s funding .
The goal is to adapt the robot for lawn mowing and agricultural applications . “ Snow is a great testing ground because of its harsh and unpredictable nature , but the technology has potential far beyond that ,” he explains . His current design is built for commercial use , but Minakov plans to launch a pre-order for a residential grade of snowplow robots after he graduates this summer .