It was founded in 1982 to document the winners of the McKnight Fellowship offered by its parent organization, the Minnesota (now American) Composers Forum.

During its early years, it produced several sampler LPs featuring the work of Minnesota composers, many of whom have since gone on to national prominence,[citation needed] such as Eric Stokes, Ann Millikan, Libby Larsen, Paul Schoenfield, and Stephen Paulus.

With the advent of the compact disc, Innova began releasing highlights from the top ensembles, such as the Dale Warland Singers, Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, and the Alexander String Quartet, that had been on the Composers Forum concert seasons.

It is best known for its series of releases featuring Harry Partch[2] and Henry Brant.

The label was awarded an endowment by the McKnight Foundation.