A growing national network that could build on Wisconsin’s tradition of manufacturing, agricultural and nature resource excellence will be described during the 2020 Wisconsin Early Stage Symposium, to be held on a virtual platform Nov. 9-11. Registration is now open!

Michael Koeris, the founding chief executive officer of the BioIndustrial Institute of Manufacturng Excellence, will join with Mary Blanchard of the Madison-based Wisconsin Energy Institute (WEI) for a 10:15 a.m., Nov. 11 panel discussion. It will be led by former state government cabinet secretary Karen Timberlake, now with Michael Best Strategies.

California-based Koeris has a background as a venture capital-backed entrepreneur, which will help the work of BIIOME as it works with industry to develop advanced products, fuels and more from raw materials. Koeris is also taking part in the symposium’s “Investor Intros” Nov. 9.

“Wisconsin has long produced food and forest products that power the nation,” said Tom Still, president of the Wisconsin Technology Council. “It is also a leader in manufacturing. The creation of the national BIIOME will help to pull those sectors closer together through a partnership involving major companies, researchers and sources of organic materials. Entrepreneurs and investors alike can benefit by learning more.”

Bio-industrial processes seek to turn renewable non-food resources, organic waste and gaseous waste into fuels, materials and chemicals that can touch a full range of Wisconsin industries, such as agriculture, forestry, biotechnology, consumer products and manufacturing.

General registration is now open by clicking here!

The Early Stage Symposium is a leading forum for young companies that want to pitch to investors. Investor Intros will feature scheduled one-on-one meetings with interested investors on Nov. 9. The Elevator Pitch Olympics will take place live on Nov. 11 with 90-second presentations by younger companies who will be scored and get immediate feedback from investors. Companies chosen for Tech Council Investor Network Presentations will utilize AirDeck to create their pitch decks and they will be available to attendees in advance.

Here are investor groups so far participating in the Early Stage Symposium: 4490 Ventures, Atlene, Baird Capital, Bascom Ventures, the BioIndustrial Institute of Manufacturing Excellence, Bold Coast Capital, Brightstar WI Foundation, Capital Innovators, CMFG Ventures, Cream City Venture Capital, Dundee VC, Golden Angels Investors, Great North Labs, HealthX Ventures, Hyde Park Ventures, Idea Fund of La Crosse, Inventure Capital, Iron Forge, Lancaster Investments, Lewis & Clark Ventures, Lightbank, Lightship Capital, M25 Capital, Madison Development Corporation, MaSa Partners, Matchstick Ventures, Midwest Wealth Ventures, N29 Capital, NVNG Investment Advisors, Oshkosh Corp., Plymouth Growth Partners, Rock River Capital Partners, Sandalphon Capital, Silicon Pastures, Stateline Angels, TASC Ventures, The Ardent Group, Tundra Angels, Venture Investors, Winnebago Capital Partners, Winnow Fund, Wisconn Valley Ventures, Wisconsin Economic Development Corp., Wisconsin Investment Partners, WISC Partners and Ziegler.

The conference will also feature:

  • A variety of insightful keynote speakers, including recently announced entrepreneur and viral influencer Jon Jacques and targeted panel discussions featuring leading entrepreneurs, investors and others tied to the tech and investor sectors
  • Previously announced presentations on a new Wisconsin partnership involving the international Creative Destruction Lab; the Epic Health Research Network; and Midwest investors discussing the potential of Wisconsin.
  • 7th annual “Triple E” award winner Lorrie Keating Heinemann to be recognized
  • Virtual sponsor exhibit hall showcasing more than 40 innovative Wisconsin companies

The Tech Council produces the conference. Sponsors so far include: 100state, Aberdean, Advanced Materials Industrial Consortium, Alliant Energy, American Family Insurance, American Transmission Co., AT&T, Aurora Health Care, Baird Capital, Baker Tilly, BDO, C.D. Smith Construction, City of Fitchburg, Concordia University Wisconsin, CUNA Mutual, Dane County Regional Airport, Dedicated Computing, DeWitt, Exact Sciences, Findorff, First Business Bank, Fluno Center, Godfrey & Kahn, Google, HealthX Ventures, Husch Blackwell, Idea Fund of La Crosse, Insperity, Kimberly-Clark, KW2, M3 Insurance, Madison Gas & Electric, Makin’ Hey Communications, Marshfield Clinic Health System, Michael Best, Mobile 22, Morgridge Institute, N29 Capital Partners, Neider & Boucher, Northwestern Mutual, One City Schools, Oshkosh Corp., Quarles & Brady, Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren, RSM US, Signature Bank, Skyward, State of Wisconsin Investment Board, Summit Credit Union, board member Susan Healy, TASC, University Research Park, UWM Research Foundation, UW-Madison Computer Sciences, UW-Madison Office of Business Engagement, Venture Investors, Versiti, Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation, Wisconsin Center for Manufacturing Productivity, Wisconsin Economic Development Corp., Whitewater University Technology Park, WIPFLi and Ziegler.