In the second year of its Chicago-based BMO Harris/1871 Innovation Program, BMO Harris Bank has announced it is accepting applications from Wisconsin financial technology startups.

The entrepreneurs who particpated in the BMO Harris/1871 Innovation Program in 2017.

BMO will accept six to eight startups for the upcoming cohort, which is now open to both Chicago-area and Wisconsin applicants, and three winners will be selected at the conclusion of the three-month startup mentorship program. Winners will split $50,000, and gain working space at the 1871 co-working space in Chicago, three months of mentorship and resources from BMO and the potential opportunity to pilot their technology with the bank.

Emily Penate, a spokeswoman for BMO Harris Bank, said Wisconsin startups would not necessarily have to move to Chicago.

“The market (in Wisconsin) is really booming and there’s great talent, so we want to capture that,” Penate said. “We’ll leave it optional, but they definitely can use the space at 1871. Our hope is that they will utilize that space, but we will pair up those appropriate startups with BMO executives in Milwaukee, too.” Read the full story here.

Read the Milwaukee Business Journal story here.