Startup Wisconsin is organized by Headway, a digital product agency based in Green Bay, WI.

Upcoming Events

September

​Investor Accelerator Info Session - September 2024​
​September 3rd, 12 PM [Madison]​
Whether you're looking to start investing in startups, learn about the investor journey, or understand why investors are asking certain questions about your startup, this program is perfect for you!

​Startup Wisconsin Week 2024 - How to Get Involved + Q&A​
​September 4th, 12 PM [Virtual]​
Startup Wisconsin Week is November 11-15th, 2024! Want to learn more about how to get involved? We're hosting a live-stream discussion and answer your questions.

​Madison Women in Tech - SOCIAL: New Member Social - Picnic Potluck​
​September 5th, 5:30 PM [Madison]​
It can be intimidating to show up to an event when you don't know anyone! To help mitigate that, we're having one of our semi-annual social events just for people who haven't attended a Women in Tech meetup yet or haven't attended one in the last six months. First-timers can all be new together :)

​2024 Brew City Business Crawls - South Side​
​September 7th, 12 - 5 PM [Milwaukee]
​The Brew City Business Crawls will happen over three Saturdays in September and each Saturday will showcase businesses in one geographic area. It will be an “open house” format that will invite patrons to experience the hard work and dedication you and your fellow businesses have put into building your community.

​MadJS Monthly Meetup: Roundtable Discussion​
​September 9th, 6:15 PM [Madison]
​Continuing with our happy hour format for a while. Just a handful of JS developers talking about what they're working on and what new frameworks and tools catch their interest.

​Lunch with a Founder - featuring Jim Malewitz​
​September 10th, 12 PM [Madison]​
Jim Malewitz, Deputy Managing Editor of Wisconsin Watch will share how Wisconsin Watch is leveraging partnerships to revitalize Wisconsin’s shrinking and fractured news ecosystem.

​How to 'Series' with Godfrey & Kahn: Deal Process and Cap Table​
​September 10th, 4 PM [Milwaukee]​
Join MFC and Godfrey & Kahn for an immersive How-To event. They'll provide a detailed outline of the deal process and Cap Table, equipping you with the knowledge and tools needed to navigate financing rounds confidently.

​Rev-Up MKE Small Business Competition - Live Pitch Event​
​September 10th, 5 - 8:30 PM [Milwaukee]
​The community will hear from finalists, cast votes for the audience choice winner and enjoy a taste of the Near West Side by sampling food from neighborhood restaurants. 1st place will receive $10,000 start up business funding from Town Bank.

​She Stands Tall: Featuring Janeth and Lizeth Zorrilla​
​September 10th, 5:30 PM [Milwaukee]​
Join She Stands Tall for an inspiring evening with Janeth and Lizeth Zorrilla, the dynamic sister duo behind La Finca Coffee House. Don’t miss this opportunity to hear their story and be inspired by their journey!

​2024 Machine Learning Marathon​
​Registration Deadline: September 10th
Duration: September 12th - December 12th [Virtual + Madison]
​In collaboration with MadAI and the Open Source Program Office, the ML+X community invites both beginner and advanced machine learning (ML) practitioners to join the 2024 Machine Learning Marathon (MLM24)! This 12-week hackathon offers real-world ML projects (“Challenges“) catering to different skill levels, application areas, and ML/AI methods.

​Lunch & Learn: Investor Series w/Brad Bodden, Co-Manager at Wisconsin Investment Partners​
​September 12th, 12 PM [Madison]​
This monthly event features top Wisconsin investors specializing in startup investments, offering insights into their company philosophy, investment interests, and criteria for potential investments. Founders can gain practical advice, participate in interactive Q&A sessions, and benefit from valuable networking opportunities.

​Pitch & Pints - A mixer for entrepreneurs & tech professionals​
​September 12th, 4:30 PM [Kenosha]
​Connect with fellow entrepreneurs and tech professionals in the Kenosha area. Whether you're a startup founder, a tech enthusiast, or an industry professional, come share your ideas, network and enjoy some pints with like-minded individuals.

​Careers & Beers: Science and Entrepreneurship​
​September 12th, 5 PM [Madison]​
UW-Madison grad students and postdocs are invited to enjoy drinks and appetizers while networking with community members and explore alternative science career options after graduate school through informal conversations. Chat with Aimee Arnoldussen, innovation and commercialization specialist at Discovery to Product; Connie Lebakken, chief operating officer at Stem Pharm; and Victor Santoro-Fernandes, entrepreneurial postdoctoral fellow in Medical Physics, to hear their stories.

​DevOps for Python​
​September 12th, 7:30 PM [Madison]​
David Webber, PhD, co-founder and chief scientist of Scanalytics, Inc, will introduce some tools and design practices to make python software deployments more manageable, faster, and easier. Starting with a Python script that performs a useful function, we’ll webify it, containerize it, put it in the cloud, and monitor its health.

​2024 Brew City Business Crawls - Near West Side​
​September 14th, 12 - 5 PM [Milwaukee]
​The Brew City Business Crawls will happen over three Saturdays in September and each Saturday will showcase businesses in one geographic area. It will be an “open house” format that will invite patrons to experience the hard work and dedication you and your fellow businesses have put into building your community.

​Military Entrepreneurship Forum - Milwaukee​
​September 17th, 9:30 AM - 5:30 PM​
The D’Aniello Institute for Veterans and Military Families (IVMF) is hosting a regional Military Entrepreneurship Forum, sponsored by Fiserv, that will focus on providing veteran- and military spouse-owned businesses in the regional area the opportunity to learn from, and network with, subject matter experts, resources in the space, Fortune 500 companies, and fellow entrepreneurs.

​Madison's Geek Lunch hosted by MADdotNET​
​September 17th, 11:45 AM [Madison]
​If you've never been to a Geek Lunch, it's an engaging conversation with your geekiest friends, where the topic bounces around depending on whatever anyone wants to contribute. All are welcome regardless of where you lie on any imaginary geek scale. Think "The Algonquin Round Table" with an emphasis on tech.

​Doyenne Informational Session - September 2024​
​September 17th, 12 PM [Madison]​
Curious to know more about Doyenne and how it can help you with your venture? These live informational sessions cover our educational events, workshops, programs and membership benefits with casual Q&A to help you determine where to plug-in to the community.

​TECH TALK: "NLP, without a PhD"​
​September 18th, 6 PM [Madison]​
How can you work in the field of NLP and language AI without a PhD? In this talk, Julia shares her own experience from nearly a decade in the field. She presents her past consumer-facing projects, highlights key concepts and challenges, and outlines skills and opportunities across various industry job roles.

​2024 Brew City Business Crawls - King Drive/Riverworks​
​September 21st, 12 - 5 PM [Milwaukee]
​The Brew City Business Crawls will happen over three Saturdays in September and each Saturday will showcase businesses in one geographic area. It will be an “open house” format that will invite patrons to experience the hard work and dedication you and your fellow businesses have put into building your community.

​WI Tech Month Kick-Off Social​
​September 24th, 3 PM [Appleton]​
Join Women In Tech Wisconsin for the first Northeast Wisconsin Tech Month Kick-Off Social at the Fox Club, Fox Cities Stadium in Appleton. This exciting event, in collaboration with NEW Digital Alliance and Amplify Oshkosh, will feature light food and drinks, live music, networking opportunities, a brief presentation on October's Tech Month events.

​How to Become an Angel Investor, Presented by NVNG & Startup Wisconsin​
​September 25th, 3:30-5 PM [Milwaukee]
​Join us for an intimate and educational session that will allow you to hear from a panel of seasoned investors who will guide you through the essential steps to becoming an angel investor. This session will uniquely blend transformative real-world examples and expert insights, providing a compelling introduction to the world of startup investing.

​NVNG Founder Happy Hour​
​September 25th, 5 PM [Milwaukee]​
They invite founders, investors, and innovators from across the state and the region to come and connect for a Founder Happy Hour. In attendance will be founders, VCs from across the country, and other regional ecosystem partners. It will be an excellent way to meet other founders and get introduced to new companies. Taking place at the Starlight Lounge within the renowned 3rd Street Market Hall.

​+Venture North 2024 Presented by NVNG Investment Advisors​
​September 26th [Milwaukee]​
+Venture North will showcase how collaboration and networks between venture capital and corporations can further propel Midwestern industries to become engines of economic growth. The program will delve into topics relevant to the region’s largest industries and key interests while providing insights into cutting-edge trends and areas of focus for leading organizations. Attendees will hear perspectives from venture capitalists, corporate innovators, successful founders and operators, and more.

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October

​UW-Madison E-Business Consortium: Annual Conference​
​October 1st, 8 AM - 5 PM [Madison]​
The conference features five tracks – Customer Service, Human Resources, Information Technology, Marketing, and Supply Chain – as well as a variety of strategic briefings, world-class keynotes, and a distinguished executive panel.

​Lunch & Learn: Investor Series w/Juan Gomez, Vice President of Lending and Investments at Madison Development Corporation​
​October 8th, 12 PM [Madison]​
This monthly event features top Wisconsin investors specializing in startup investments, offering insights into their company philosophy, investment interests, and criteria for potential investments. Founders can gain practical advice, participate in interactive Q&A sessions, and benefit from valuable networking opportunities.

​FOUNDER/FEST XIV​
​October 9th, 6 PM [Milwaukee]​
An experience that brings Midwest area startup founders together to build a community of support and celebration. Founders come to network and hear stories from those who have actually built, scaled, and lost businesses in an informal, party-like setting.

​MadJS Monthly Meetup: Roundtable Discussion​
​October 14th, 6:15 PM [Madison]​
Continuing with their happy hour format for a while. Just a handful of JS developers talking about what they're working on and what new frameworks and tools catch their interest.

​Madison's Geek Lunch hosted by MADdotNET​
​October 15th, 11:45 AM [Madison]
​If you've never been to a Geek Lunch, it's an engaging conversation with your geekiest friends, where the topic bounces around depending on whatever anyone wants to contribute. All are welcome regardless of where you lie on any imaginary geek scale. Think "The Algonquin Round Table" with an emphasis on tech.

​Doyenne Informational Session - October 2024​
​October 15th, 12 PM [Madison]​
Curious to know more about Doyenne and how it can help you with your venture? These live informational sessions cover our educational events, workshops, programs and membership benefits with casual Q&A to help you determine where to plug-in to the community.

​2024 Wisconsin Economic Summit​
​October 15-16th [La Crosse]​
This year promises to be a groundbreaking event that will explore the latest trends in innovation and artificial intelligence (AI) and how they are shaping the future of our economy.

​4th Annual Small Business Owners Conference & Awards​
​October 16-17th [Milwaukee]
​The Small Business event of the year for solopreneurs and micro-businesses in downtown Milwaukee. Join hundreds of fellow small business owners for an unforgettable two-day event packed with inspiring talks, practical workshops, and unbeatable networking opportunities.

​Wisconsin Biohealth Summit 2024 Powered by BioForward​
​October 28-29th [Madison]​
Explore the future of biohealth. Sessions will cover groundbreaking advancements in AI, sustainable practices, emerging growth companies, and the latest developments from the Wisconsin Biohealth Tech Hub.

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November

​The Midwest Game Industry Conference​
​November 8th [Madison]​
MDEV stands as a cornerstone event of the Midwest game industry, catering to both seasoned professionals and aspiring creators eager to transition into the industry. Six years running it has served as the essential hub for developers and industry professionals from Wisconsin, the broader Midwest, and beyond, offering a unique opportunity to delve into the latest developments in the science, art, mechanics, and business of games.

​MadJS Monthly Meetup: Roundtable Discussion​
​November 11th, 6:15 PM [Madison]​
Continuing with their happy hour format for a while. Just a handful of JS developers talking about what they're working on and what new frameworks and tools catch their interest.

​Lunch & Learn: Investor Series w/Carrie Thome, Managing Director at NVNG​
​November 12th, 12 PM [Madison]​
A monthly event featuring top investors from Wisconsin who specialize in startup investments. Each session provides a comprehensive overview of the investor's company philosophy, areas of investment interest, and the rationale behind their past and present startup investments.

​How to: Leverage the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation​
​November 19th, 8:30 AM [Virtual]​
Get a comprehensive understanding of the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) and learn about its pivotal role and the support network available to startups and growing businesses in the state.

​Madison's Geek Lunch hosted by MADdotNET​
​November 19th, 11:45 AM [Madison]
​If you've never been to a Geek Lunch, it's an engaging conversation with your geekiest friends, where the topic bounces around depending on whatever anyone wants to contribute. All are welcome regardless of where you lie on any imaginary geek scale. Think "The Algonquin Round Table" with an emphasis on tech.

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Startup Programs

​gBETA Madison Fall 2024​
​Application Deadline: September 20th, 2024​
gBETA is a free, seven-week accelerator for early-stage companies with local roots. Each program is capped at five teams and requires no fees and no equity.

​gBETA Beloit Fall 2024​
​Application Deadline: September 29th, 2024
​gBETA is a free, seven-week accelerator for early-stage companies with local roots. Each program is capped at five teams and requires no fees and no equity.

​gBETA Kenosha Winter 2024​
​Application Deadline: November 15th, 2024​
gBETA is a free, seven-week accelerator for early-stage companies with local roots. Each program is capped at five teams and requires no fees and no equity.

​gener8tor Milwaukee Accelerator 2025​
​Application Deadline: December 4th, 2024​
gener8tor invests in five high-growth startups per cohort. This is an industry-agnostic and business model-agnostic program. We accept ALL types of startups across ALL industries and business models. Accepted startups receive $100K and 12 weeks of mentorship-driven programming.

​Northwestern Mutual Black Founder Accelerator Spring and Fall 2025​
​Application Deadline: February 10th, 2025​
The Northwestern Mutual Black Founder Accelerator, powered by gener8tor, invests in high-growth startups that are building products for consumers’ changing financial preferences, reimagining the client experience, advancing the digital health revolution, or creating transformational analytics and technologies.

​gBETA Milwaukee 2025​
​Application Deadline: TBD (Rolling Applications)​
gBETA is a free, seven-week accelerator for early-stage companies with local roots. Each program is capped at five teams and requires no fees and no equity.

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Investor Programs

​The Doyenne Investor Accelerator​
​Program Runs: Sept 19-Nov 7 ​
The Doyenne Investor Accelerator is open to women who are interested in learning more about investing in early-stage ventures. You do not have to be an accredited investor or have a certain amount of personal wealth to be part of this program.

Wisconsin Tech News

​Amulet Welcomes HealthTech Leaders Darcey Nett and Lisa Strovink to its Board of Directors​
Amulet, the company shining a light on invisible threats in our food system, today announced the addition of two distinguished members to its Board of Directors: Darcey Nett, Principal at HealthX Ventures, and Lisa Strovink, Managing Partner at AllerFund.

​At Epic, AI isn’t just the next big thing: It’s already improving care
​Speakers at UGM stressed AI has been in play with Epic products for years, with some 400 health systems using the company’s predictive models for tasks ranging from estimating readmission rates to patient bills to “drug-drug” interactions that can be dangerous if not avoided.

​Exclusive: Food allergy tech Amulet raises $5.8M​
Amulet raised a $5.8 million Series A round to bring its allergy detection product to more consumers and businesses, CEO Abigail Barnes tells Axios exclusively.

​State’s angel, venture capital investments through June 30 top last year’s by $100M​
Investments in young, Wisconsin-based companies by angel and venture capitalists and other equity investors totaled $248.4 million through June 30, topping the dollar total through the same six-month period in 2023 by more than $100 million.

​Interested in learning more about disparities in VC funding and board representation here in Wisconsin?​
Only 14 active, Wisconsin-based, female-founded companies have raised more than $1M in venture capital. Historically, 21 female-founded companies in WI have raised more than $1M in VC.

​Small language models could address some AI concerns, expert says
​Smaller, localized versions of AI language models could help address emerging concerns around data privacy and the cost of the technology.

​SixLine Semiconductor wins 11th annual Pressure Chamber competition​
The winner of this year’s Pressure Chamber pitch competition, Madison-based SixLine Semiconductor, is raising funds to establish a lab facility as it continues developing its advanced materials technology.

​UW Health, Epic issue report with AI recommendations for policymakers​
UW Health and Epic say policymakers should provide “targeted investment and support” to ensure AI in health care benefits rural communities and other underserved areas.

​BioForward Announces 2024 Award Recipients​
BioForward announced recently the recipients of its 10th annual Wisconsin Biohealth Awards, which recognize exceptional scientific and business accomplishments within the state’s biohealth industry.

​Apps Open Aug. 12 for WEDC Entrepreneurship Partner Grant​
Applications for the next round of the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) Entrepreneurship Partner Grants will open Monday, Aug. 12, the organization announced recently.

​Congruity Health tackles healthcare costs​
“We’re a health plan product. We serve employers with self-funded health plans. We reduce risk and cost for high-risk cardiometabolic patients within those health plans,” co-founder and CEO Justin Davis said.

​Technova Industries: From FOR-M to the frontier of security technology​
The Madison-based company was awarded a $10,000 grant at the close of the program in November 2023, and the team behind this cutting-edge technology has not stopped moving since.

​VC firm gener8tor connects female founders with funders​
It is no secret that startups founded by women are receive much less venture capital funding than their male counterparts. In 2023, companies founded solely by women garnered just 2.1% of the total capital invested in venture-backed startups in the US.

​Sonoptima: Pioneering the Future of Radiation Oncology with Wearable Technology​
Sonoptima’s device not only promises to improve patient outcomes but also offers significant financial benefits for healthcare providers, heralding a new era in radiation oncology.

​Catch up with WIA nominee TRT Speech Labs​
The company is collaborating with therapists to create best practice guidelines for at-home use of Hello Audrey.

​Minlopro Partners Doubles Revenue in Year Two: A Success Story​
When asked about their impressive growth, Sayyed attributes it to their team. “It’s our people and our investment in them, starting with our recruitment process,” he explains.

​From Local Roots to Global Impact: Exploring gener8tor's Approach to Global Expansion​
In 2012, frustrated by the limitations of the US Venture Capital landscape, Wisconsin based attorneys Troy Vosseller and Joe Kirgues envisioned a more empowering approach to nurture local entrepreneurship.
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Have questions?
​We've got you. Ask away!
jacob@startupwi.org

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