By Tom Still
MADISON, Wis. – Some cities, states and regions have a healthier technology startup economy than others, as metros such as San Francisco, Boston, Austin and others have shown for decades. How does Wisconsin stack up? An upcoming Madison conference will offer a glimpse at some long-term drivers – and some cautionary views, as well.
The Wisconsin Early Stage Symposium has been around under that name for 20-plus years. At its heart, it is a place where entrepreneurs, investors, researchers and others come together to hear startup company “pitches,” sometimes invest angel or venture risk capital in those nascent firms, examine the latest tech-based trends and hear about policy initiatives.
More on that Nov. 5-6 event at Monona Terrace Convention Center and a related Nov. 4 reception, the Wisconsin Innovation Awards, later in this column. First, how does one knowledgeable outsider view elements of success?
Chicago-based M25, a venture capital firm, issues an annual report that ranks the 64 top startup cities in a 15-state region. In its August 2025 edition, eight Wisconsin cities made the cut with Madison ranked 9th and Milwaukee 14th.
Among about two-dozen weighted variables were: Overall startup activity based on quantity and “quality” in the sense of successful acquisitions, initial public offerings and other exits; access to resources such as accelerators, skilled workers, universities and government support; business climate as measured by costs of doing business, tax “friendliness” and transportation “connectivity,” such as good highways and even airport connections.
The Early Stage Symposium’s agenda touches on most of those categories.
- Three panel discussions will cover topics such as sales strategy, breaking into emerging markets and building market validation without burning too much cash.
- More than 60 companies from across Wisconsin will pitch across three sessions.
- Investors will hold one-on-one sessions with invited companies in addition to sitting in on the pitches
- Hands-on “office hours” will cover topics such as mastering technical sales; strategies to win over customers; gaining traction through bootstrapping; what happens on the other side of the pitch; building a strong “minimum viable product;” navigating intellectual property in an artificial intelligence world; and what not to do when starting a company.
Such sessions likely could not take place without a cadre of experienced tech entrepreneurs, investors and others to offer advice – and to display a few scars from deals that didn’t work out. That’s a sign of maturity within Wisconsin’s tech scene.
The Nov. 4 Wisconsin Innovation Awards process began with about 110 entries and was narrowed to 27 finalists including companies, large and small, as well as institutions that help to fuel the startup process.
How does government support fit into that agenda? A bipartisan forum featuring five major-party, announced candidates for governor of Wisconsin is set for the morning of Nov. 6.
Washington County Executive Josh Schoemann is on the Republican side; U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany will take part assuming Congress is not called back into session. Democrats are Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, former Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. Secretary Melissa Hughes; Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez; and state Sen. Kelda Roys. Matt Smith, political director for WISN 12 News in Milwaukee, will moderate.
It’s the first such gathering of candidates in an election season that will lead to primary elections in August 2026 and a general election in November 2026.
My successor, former gener8tor executive Maggie Brickerman, will also talk about where she sees the bipartisan and non-profit Wisconsin Technology Council heading in the future.
As the conference will likely highlight, there’s much work to be done before Wisconsin can play with some of the nation’s bigger tech hubs. At least there’s a running start.
Still is the past president of the Wisconsin Technology Council. tstill@wisconsintechnologycouncil.com.