Wisconsin Resources and Contacts

This agency offers technology loans and grants to qualified companies, assists in site and location matters, and manages the Qualified New Business Venture (QNVB) program for investor tax credits.  

Contact:  Paul Jadin, Secretary
(608) 266-7088 / helen.stewart@wisconsin.gov

For Specific QNVB Information Contact:
Shelly Harkins / (608) 267-0346

WARF is a non-profit organization that supports research, transfers technology and ensures that the inventions and discoveries of UW-Madison benefit humankind. The UW-Madison is a premier research institution with world-class faculty and staff who attract more than $900 million in sponsored research each year. WARF receives about 400 disclosures per year and has taken an equity share in about 40 companies.

Contact:
Carl Gulbrandsen, Managing Director
(608) 263-2824
carl@warf.org

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WAN's mission is to fuel the growth of entrepreneurial, early stage financing throughout Wisconsin. WAN produces and provides resources to the early stage investing community. Those resources include the "Deal-flow Pipeline," an online connection point for investors and entrepreneurs; assisting with angel network and early stage fund formation; facilitating collaboration between investors; on-demand videos, templates and other resources designed to help entrepreneurs seeking capital; and more.

Contact:
Zach Brandon, Director
(608) 442-7557
zbrandon@wisconsinangelnetwork.com

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SWIB is the state agency that invests the assets of the Wisconsin Retirement System, the State Investment Fund and other state trust funds. As of August 2008, SWIB managed nearly $87 billion in investments.

Contact:
Chris Prestigiacomo,Portfolio Manager, Private Markets Group 
(608) 266-6723 
Chris.Prestigiacomo@swib.state.wi.us

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WiSys is a non-profit WARF subsidiary established to identify innovative technologies developed beyond the UW-Madison campus, primarily within 11 other UW System campuses and Marshfield Clinic Applied Sciences. It helps to bring those technologies to the marketplace for the benefit of the inventors, their universities, Wisconsin’s economy and society.

Contact:
Maliyakal John, Director
(608) 265-2135
maliyaka@wisys.org

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UW-Milwaukee researchers in engineering, business, the natural sciences, the social sciences, and the arts and humanities are looking for partners to bring their discoveries to the world. The campus manages about $30 million in sponsored research each year.

Contact:
Brian Thompson, President
(414) 229-3397
briant@uwmfdn.org

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Marshfield Clinic Applied Sciences promotes the exchange of knowledge between patient care services and research programs by helping to determine the commercial potential of advances. The division aligns research projects with health care needs and assists in the patent process. The clinic conducts about $25 million in sponsored research each year.

Contact:
Marsha Barwick, Assistant Director of Applied Sciences
(715) 389-3430
barwick.marsha@marshfieldclinic.org

 

The MCW Office of Technology Development is responsible for managing the discoveries, inventions, and other intellectual property assets of the Medical College of Wisconsin and advancing these discoveries. The MCW conducts about $125 million in sponsored research each year.

Contact:
Joseph Hill, Vice President and Director
(414) 456-4381
jhill@mcw.edu

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PowerBuy 4 You is a newcomer to the Wisconsin business community, and is using a variety of well-established business principles to help businesses in Wisconsin be more competitive.   These core ideas include collective buying power, thrift, economies of scale, service, and member advocacy.  Membership in the consortium is free of charge, and open to companies across a broad spectrum of industries. 

 

Contact:

Becky Pharo

608-225-3350
becky@powerbuy4you.com  

 

UW-Madison ranks with the likes of Stanford, UCLA and the University of California, San Diego when it comes to award-winning research talent. It allows for innovative collaborations among nearly 750 engineers, biologists, geneticists, neuroscientists, chemists, political scientists and others in the life sciences.

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UW-Madison includes one of the leading technology transfer organizations in the world to help researchers bridge the gap between discovery and the marketplace.

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DFI's mission is to ensure the safety and soundness of Wisconsin's financial institutions, to protect the consumers of financial services, and to facilitate economic growth. The agency regulates and licenses financial service providers who do business in Wisconsin.

Contact:
Peter Bildsten, Cabinet Secretary
(608) 264-7800
peter.bildsten@wisconsin.gov

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MIN introduces and coordinates funding rounds between its membership, which is made up of 16 angel networks and funds from across the Midwest.  Membership is open to any angel network, fund or early stage fund interested in syndicating Midwest deals. 

Contacts: Zach Brandon / (608) 442-7557
Zbrandon@wisconsinangelnetwork.com
Dennis Serio, Co-founder / (630) 207-3076
dserio@sbcglobal.net

MRUN is an alliance of professionals dedicated to facilitating growth of university technology spinout companies through start-up formation.  MRUN is built around the idea that regional cooperation in new business formation can foster commercialization of university research. 

Contact:  Allen J. Dines, Founder and President
(608) 262-2797 / ajdines@wisc.edu

BioForward is the independent, member-driven state association that is the voice of Wisconsin's bioscience industry.  It focuses on making innovation happen:  helping members find partners and funding, advocating for public policy that fosters innovation and growth, offering group purchase discounts and providing tools for recruiting and developing talent.

Contact: Bryan Renk, Executive Director
(608) 236-4753 / brenk@bioforward.org

Wisconsin has a number of high-quality banks, credit unions and other financial institutions that are experienced in dealing with small businesses. Here are some points to consider while determining what institution might be right for your business.

 

Many high-growth entrepreneurs eventually seeking angel or venture financing, and the Wisconsin Angel Network at http://www.wisconsinangelnetwork.com/ is a source of information. Entrepreneurs often start with other sources, however, such as fellow founders, friends, family and more. Here are some tips: