Epic, Healthcare IT, City Leaders, and the Startup Community

Posted on April 8, 2013

wi state journal logoThe Wisconsin State Journal featured a number of articles this weekend on the Madison startup community.

The second of a two part article highlighting “Life After Epic” ran on Sunday and focused on the important role the Madison entrepreneurial community has among Epic alums. These entrepreneurs are creating both healthcare and non-healthcare related startups, and are a quickly growing part of the Madison startup community. Check out the full Life After Epic article here.

“Churn like this is a great thing for the Madison tech community as a whole.” – Forrest Woolworth, Co-Founder of Capital Entrepreneurs

Madison’s increasing role as a great place for healthcare IT innovation was highlighted by another article. These companies have already created hundreds of jobs, and the article touched on a “grand vision” for making Madison into an even better place for healthcare IT. Check out the full healthcare IT article here.

“I love the vibrancy that these bright folks bring to our community in general and bring to health care.” – Frank Byrne, President of St. Mary’s Hospital

An article featuring Madison city leaders including Mayor Paul Soglin and Alder Scott Resnick focused on plans of how to make the city more startup friendly. Check out this full article here.

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Asthmapolis Raises $5 Million

Posted on April 5, 2013

Asthmapolis_Logo_WebsiteAsthmapolis has just closed a $5 Million Series A round of funding from The Social+Capital Partnership. Asthmapolis makes an FDA approved “smart” asthma inhaler that helps patients and health providers better monitor, visualize, and understand the behavior of asthma by utilizing a sensor that attaches to an inhaler.

Asthmapolis, on the other hand, is on a mission to hack your inhaler.

Asthmapolis will use the funding to build new sensors that work with other inhaled medications, accelerate plans to secure regulatory clearances in countries outside of the US, and also help market their products. For more information, check out articles on TechCrunch and MobiHealthNews.

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gener8tor Now Accepting Summer Applications

Posted on April 5, 2013

gener8tor-logoApplications are now being accepted for gener8tor’s Summer 2013 program in Milwaukee. gener8tor is a startup accelerator program that invests its community, capital, expertise, mentorship and network in capable, first-stage and second-stage entrepreneurs with innovative business models. gener8tor works with the startups in its portfolio to create successful, scalable companies.

Check out a few recent stories on previous gener8tor participants on TechCrunch, IBMadison, and TheNextWeb.

A member of the Global Accelerator Network, genre8tor follows the seed-stage, mentorship-driven accelerator model. gener8tor is thankful for the support of American Family Insurance as its premier program sponsor.

Learn more and apply online for the gener8tor Summer program in Milwaukee by visiting www.gener8tor.com. The application deadline is May 5th and the program kicks off on May 31st.

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Slow Money Wisconsin Business and Investor Showcase

Posted on April 4, 2013

slow money wisconsin logoAttend the first annual Slow Money Wisconsin – Business and Investors Showcase! The Business and Investors Showcase is an event aimed at establishing relationships between investors and entrepreneurs who are scaling up their ventures to create the next generation of local food and farm establishments.

The event is scheduled for April 25th and April 26th. Learn more. Register Now!

Entrepreneurs needing investment to present at the Showcase are wanted! This event is an opportunity for entrepreneurs who are in the food and fiber value chain and are seeking investor financing to present your business proposition to potential investors and collaborators from around the state.

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Madison FoodCamp Returns April 13

Posted on April 3, 2013

food camp logoMadison FoodCamp (the foodie equivalent of the tech focused BarCamp) returns April 13, 2013. FoodCamp is a one day, DIY food focused “unconference” of learning and knowledge sharing. The event is low-key, with mostly hands-on workshops where the presenters are just regular people.

This is a great event for aspiring food entrepreneurs. Sessions are expected to include many food related topics, including workshops on gardening, composting, pickling, fermenting, chicken raising, bee keeping, foraging, CSAs and more. Attending FoodCamp is all about engaging with your fellow Madisonians – Ask questions, offer up your own experiences, and be active in the learning process. For more information and to register, go here.

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gener8tor Launch Day + After Party

Posted on April 2, 2013

gener8tor-logoJoin gener8tor, Capital Entrepreneurs and the Forward Technology Festival after the gener8tor Winter 2013 Launch Day event at the Wisconsin Institutes for Discovery! Come celebrate the launch of the latest innovative class of entrepreneurs, and the progress made in supporting entrepreneurship in the Midwest. Food and beverages will be provided. The event is sponsored by Venture Investors.

Date: Thursday, April 4th
Time: 8:00 – 10:00 p.m.
Location: Wisconsin Institutes for Discovery

Register here: http://www.meetup.com/gener8tor/events/110561722/

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Startup Weekend is this Weekend!

Posted on April 2, 2013

startup weekend_kauffman_greenStartup Weekend returns to Madison this weekend, April 5-7, 2013. Startup Weekend is a 54-hour event where developers, designers, marketers, product managers, and startup enthusiasts come together to share ideas, form teams, build products, and launch startups. Nearly 100 people have already registered to attend, but there are still a few spots available so be sure to register soon!

Speakers at the event include Mark McGuire (Co-founder of Jellyfish.com, Alice.com, and Nextt), Alisa Toninato (Founder of FeLion Studios), Monty Schmidt (Founder of Sonic Foundry and wuntusk), and Natasha Vora (Co-Founder and CEO of Iristocracy.com), and there will be a bunch of great mentors available to help out teams.

Organizing partners for the event include Capital Entrepreneurs, Sector67, The Doyenne Group, UW-Madison, MATC, and Edgewood College. The event is sponsored by WEDC, Google, American Family Insurance, Neider & Boucher, and gener8tor.

Check out the 2013 Startup Weekend Madison website for more info and to register: http://madison.startupweekend.org/

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Startup Scene Highlighted in Madison Magazine

Posted on March 28, 2013

Madison Magazine logoThe Madison startup ecosystem and its supporting groups were highlighted in a recent article in Madison Magazine.

The tech startup ecosystem is a key driving force behind Madison’s quest to be among the top cities for tech. Retaining talent, funding, collaboration, and mentors were highlighted as crucial pieces to foster successful new companies. The growing ecosystem of support that exists for startups was highlighted, including Capital Entrepreneurs, The Doyenne Group, gener8tor, and Sector67. Read the full article here.

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WomStreet Hosts Electric Daisy Carnival Contest

Posted on March 25, 2013

womstreetWhite-blue-transparent (1)Up-and-coming DJs and producers now have a chance to play at one of the largest concert festivals in the world through a new WomStreet contest. Electric Daisy Carnival (EDC) is an international annual electronic dance music festival held in the summertime. The event attracts over 300,000 people, making it North America’s largest electronic music festival.

WomStreet, in partnership with Insomniac Events, invites musicians to enter the Discovery Project for the chance to play at the festival’s Chicago debut, be considered for Insomniac’s music marketing platform, and get featured on the EDC and Do312 websites. To enter, participants must remix Bad Boy Bill’s track “Unsaid” ft. Tamra Keenan and capture a thirty-minute audio recording of their mix. To enter the contest and view submissions, go here.

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Tonight! Spring Tech Kickoff: Capital Entrepreneurs and Horizon Coworking Open Social

Posted on March 20, 2013

Capital EntrepeneursCapital Entrepreneurs and Horizon Coworking unite to bring you Madison’s Spring Tech Kickoff happening TONIGHT (Wednesday, March 20)!

Doors open at 6pm to check out Horizon and learn about what ULI is up to on the Square, and the Capital Entrepreneurs Open Social runs from 7-9pm. The event is at Horizon Coworking, located at 7 North Pinkney St. The format is informal, come, mingle, folks will be there to answer questions about Horizon and show you around. Music and refreshments provided, including coffee and drinks from the new Alterra opening soon on the Square, wine from Square Wine, and appetizers from the soon-to-open Fox & Bird.

Sponsored by Urban Land Interests and Godfrey and Kahn, S.C., we welcome you to come meet some of Madison’s up-and-coming innovators working on a wide variety of interesting companies at the Capital Entrepreneurs and Horizon Coworking Open Social.

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WARF an SWIB Form New $30M Venture Fund

Posted on March 19, 2013

SWIB-WARFlogoThe Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF) and the State of Wisconsin Investment Board (SWIB) have partnered to form a new $30 million venture fund. The fund, called 4490 Ventures, will target early-stage IT startup companies in Wisconsin.

WARF has been a worldwide leader in technology transfer from the University, and has traditionally focused more on licensing related to biotech and medical device startups. In the past few years a growing IT/tech startup scene in and outside of Madison has emerged. These younger IT based startups do not need to leverage the same traditional technology licensing used in other industries because their businesses often do not rely on patentable technologies.

“WARF has recognized for some time that there is a significant opportunity in Madison and other regions of the state in information technology startup companies,” – Carl Gulbrandsen, WARF Managing Director

This fund will enable broader support and funding for Wisconsin based IT startups, and will target companies looking to raise $250,000 to $2 million in funding. More information is available here.

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Spring Tech Kickoff: Capital Entrepreneurs and Horizon Coworking Open Social

Posted on March 15, 2013

Capital EntrepeneursCapital Entrepreneurs and Horizon Coworking unite to bring you Madison’s Spring Tech Kickoff on Wednesday, March 20!

Doors open at 6pm to check out Horizon and learn about what ULI is up to on the Square, and the Capital Entrepreneurs Open Social runs from 7-9pm. The event is at Horizon Coworking, located at 7 North Pinkney St. The format is informal, come, mingle, folks will be there to answer questions about Horizon and show you around. Music and refreshments provided, including coffee and drinks from the new Alterra opening soon on the Square, wine from Square Wine, and appetizers from the soon-to-open Fox & Bird.

Sponsored by Urban Land Interests and Godfrey and Kahn, S.C., we welcome you to come meet some of Madison’s up-and-coming innovators working on a wide variety of interesting companies at the Capital Entrepreneurs and Horizon Coworking Open Social.

Capital Entrepreneurs is the cornerstone of Madison’s entrepreneurial community, and this normally members only monthly meeting opens its door to anyone with an interest in entrepreneurship.

Horizon Coworking is Madison’s downtown, open, collaborative workspace. Recently moved into 7 North Pinkney, we are pleased to formally open our doors to the public. We have worked closely with ULI to create a space where entrepreneurs, independent workers, and broader groups supporting startups and nontraditional work can come together.

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Startup Weekend Madison is back April 5-7!

Posted on March 13, 2013

SW_kauffman_greenStartup Weekend returns to Madison April 5-7, 2013. Last year’s event brought together over 100 people for a weekend to work on 15 different exciting projects – some even turned into real companies. Startup Weekend is a 54-hour event where developers, designers, marketers, product managers, and startup enthusiasts come together to share ideas, form teams, build products, and launch startups. To get a better idea about the event, check out a brief video trailer here.

Early Bird registration ends Friday (3/15), so be sure to register now to save 25%! If you’re a student, use the promo code ‘STUDENT’ to save 50%!

Startup Weekend is a true risk-free environment and a great opportunity for both new and seasoned entrepreneurs to gain valuable entrepreneurial experiences and put their unique skill sets to use, meet great people, and have fun. People of all different backgrounds and with all different skills are encouraged to participate. Organizing partners for the event include Capital Entrepreneurs, Sector67, The Doyenne Group, UW-Madison, MATC, and Edgewood College. The event is sponsored by WEDC, Google, American Family Insurance, Neider & Boucher, and gener8tor.

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PerBlue Execs Named to UW Forward Under 40

Posted on March 12, 2013

553350_456817914389322_331852373_nJustin Beck and Forrest Woolworth of PerBlue were named to the 2013 University of Wisconsin Alumni Association’s Forward Under 40 list. The Forward Under 40 award is given out to a small set of UW graduates each year who embody the Wisconsin Idea. This is the sixth year for the award, with 9 alumni in the 2013 class. Read more here.

Exemplifying the Wisconsin Idea, the foundation of this honor, each of the nine 2013 recipients are, among many things, talented and inspiring — I could not be more pleased or proud to recognize their amazing achievements with this award. – Paula Bonner, Wisconsin Alumni Association President

Jon Hardin and Scott Resnick of Hardin Design and Development were also recognized with the Forward Under 40 award in 2012.

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Tonight: Wisconsin Startup Night with TechStars

Posted on March 4, 2013

techstars-logo-smallWisconsin Startup Night: TechStars in Madison is happening tonight (March 4) at the Monona Terrace starting at 5pm. The event is co-organized by Accelerate Madison, Capital Entrepreneurs, and Foley & Lardner.

Presenters include Monty Schmidt, founder of Madison’s Sonic Foundry; Sam Yagan, co-founder of OkCupid, CEO of match.com and co-founder of Excelerate Labs (now TechStars Chicago); and Matt Younkle & Preston Austin, co-founders of Murfie, serial entrepreneurs and TechStars alumni. The evening will include networking, a full explanation of TechStars Chicago, and a call for new businesses to apply to the TechStars Midwest accelerator.

To register, go here.

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