Army Veteran invents placemat to end ‘toddler toss’

ORONOCO, Minn. (KTTC) —  A local army veteran was awarded $25,000 for Minnesota Cup’s “top veteran-led business” category.

Beth Fynbo served in the army for ten years. She’s a mother of a two-year-old and has invented a tool for toddlers that solves a problem faced by many parents.

“The Busy Baby mat” keeps babies from tossing things on the ground while eating at a table.

Fynbo says while she experienced hardship while deployed in Iraq, nothing prepared her for being a parent, and her goal is to make the lives of other parents a little easier.

“Getting out of the military after ten years was tough,” said Fynbo. “I think for about five years I kind of wandered aimlessly, didn’t know what to do…and now, I’ve finally settled into what I hope is my forever life with my farmer, my son, and my company.”

Fynbo credits part of her success to a non-profit called Bunker Labs which helps veteran entrepreneurs and military spouses start a business.