Hundreds of people are set to attend the 2021 Wisconsin Entrepreneurs’ Conference on our virtual platform. Here are 10 reasons to join them Wednesday morning and much of Thursday for one of the Midwest’s premier events for entrepreneurs, where this year’s theme is “Building blocks for young companies.”
- You’ll spend time with a real unicorn! Well, not the four-legged horned variety of mythology, but a young entrepreneur whose vision is behind the rise of Fetch Rewards. Wes Schroll leads Fetch, a young, Madison-based company valued at $1 billion (unicorn status) that is making a mark nationally. Hear his story and advice for other entrepreneurs Thursday morning.
- Did you visit one of the 768 Kwik Trip stores in the upper Midwest during the pandemic months? If so, you’ll enjoy learning more about the technology and service culture behind the company. Join us noon Thursday for remarks from Don Zietlow, the 2021 recipient of the Ken Hendricks Memorial “Seize the Day” award, and a follow-up discussion. It’s been the Tech Council’s “entrepreneur of the year” award since 2004; voting takes place each year among members of the conference steering committee.
- The conference caps the 2021 Wisconsin Governor’s Business Plan Contest. Our “Diligent Dozen” finalists present live on a virtual stage beginning 10 a.m. Wednesday. If you’re signed up for the conference, you may attend that on a separate link. The awards will be announced Thursday afternoon. The top 12 represents just 4.8% of all entries.
- It’s the next best thing to in-person. Attendees on Thursday will use a top-ranked virtual platform to experience speakers and panel discussions, network among themselves and compete for door prizes. The vFairs software-as-a-service platform adopted by the Wisconsin Technology Council for this conference was recently ranked No. 1 in its class by Webbiquity.
- There is no need to miss anything during the conference. Every session will be recorded, so if you need to grab lunch, walk the dog or come back later – even up to three months later – those sessions will be there for you to review.
- It’s a chance for some targeted, one-on-one meetings. People who register for the conference can review the profiles of other attendees and invite them to take part in 15-minute sessions through June 3.
- Six panel discussions will provide information and advice built around the conference theme, “Building blocks for young companies.” Those panels are titled: “Getting back on the horse: Post-pandemic resources for entrepreneurs”; “Tech talent wanted: Attracting and developing the skills to fuel your growth”; “The Badger Fund of Funds: How it’s investing in young companies”; “A virtual tour: Regional growth strategies around Wisconsin”; “Understanding NFTs and cryptocurrency: A primer”; and “Sales in the ‘new normal’: How do you get to your first $100k in sales?”
- You will hear an expertly delivered presentation by the winner of our youth business plan contest, “Wisconsin YES!”, 9th grader Pranil Panda from New Berlin.
- Discounts are available for military veterans and students. We are offering a $49 rate for returning U.S. military veterans who would like to learn more about starting and running a business. Students get the $49 rate, too. General admission is $109.
- You’ll be a part of a unique networking event: While we’re all longing for the day when people can once again safely gather in large settings, the 2021 Wisconsin Entrepreneurs’ Conference offers what we hope is the next-best-thing to being there live. Please join us!
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