Bob Wood
, who has mentored scores of young companies while helping to lead one of Wisconsin’s oldest and largest angel networks, will be inducted into the Wisconsin Technology Council’s “George Mosher Memorial Investor Hall of Fame” during the Nov. 3-4  Wisconsin Early Stage Symposium.

Active in Madison-based Wisconsin Investment Partners since its inception in 2000, Wood will be honored Nov. 3 at a dinner with fellow investors from across Wisconsin, the Upper Midwest and beyond. The dinner is sponsored by Baird Capital and Signature Bank.

The “Investor Hall of Fame” was established by the Tech Council to highlight the importance of angel and venture investors to the early stage economy. It was renamed in 2019 in honor of the late George Mosher, one of the first inductees and a prolific angel investor.

Along with Golden Angels Investors in the Milwaukee area, WIP is one of the state’s largest angel investment groups. It includes more than 100 angel investors with vast industry expertise. The network has invested in more than 75 companies, including about 40 current investments. Over the past five years, it has invested at least $3.5 million annually. It is consistently ranked among the 10 most active angel groups nationally, according to the Halo Report.

Wood’s background includes the startup through sale of Space-Metrics LLC, a manufacturing firm specializing in commercial and residential cabinetry, store fixtures and office furniture. He was involved in the startup of American Players Theatre and urban redevelopment projects such as “Capitol Point” and ‘Nolen Shore’ in Madison. He remains a WIP co-manager.

“Bob Wood was one of the first major angel investors in Wisconsin,” said Tom Still, president of the Tech Council. “Through his quiet style and patient mentoring, he has consistently stepped forward to help young companies and entrepreneurs.”

He joins past Hall of Fame inductees Dick Leazer, Wisconsin Investment Partners; the late George Mosher; the late Roger Ganser, Venture Investors; Jeff Rusinow, Silicon Pastures; Carl Gulbrandsen, Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation; Tom Shannon, BrightStar Wisconsin Foundation; John Neis, Venture Investors; Jan Eddy, Phenomenelle Angels, and Tim Keane, Golden Angels Investors.

General registration is now open by clicking here!

The conference will also feature:

  • Thirty-eight company presentations and the “Investor Intros” speed-dating segment.
  • Keynote speakers Nathan Herbst and Joel Fields, CEO and CFO of Paradigm, and founders of the Young Enterprising Society Khalif and Que El-Amin.
  • A conversation with Joe Boucher, the winner of the “Excellence in Entrepreneurial Education” award.
  • “Office Hours,” offering the opportunity to meet with subject experts on a variety of topics in small discussion groups or one-on-one.
  • A Nov. 3 evening conference reception, two luncheons, two breakfasts and other networking opportunities.

The Tech Council produces the conference. Sponsors so far include: Aberdean Consulting, Advanced Materials Industrial Consortium, Advocate Aurora Health, American Family Insurance, American Transmission Co., AT&T, Baird Capital, Baker Tilly, BDO, City of Fitchburg, CUNA Mutual, Dedicated Computing, DeWitt, Exact Sciences, Findorff, Fine Point Consulting, First Business Bank, Godfrey & Kahn, Google, HealthX Ventures, Husch Blackwell, Idea Fund of La Crosse, KW2, M3 Insurance, Madison Development Corp., Madison Gas & Electric, Makin’ Hey Communications, Marquette University, Marshfield Clinic Health System, Michael Best, Mobile22, Morgridge Institute for Research, N29 Capital Partners, Neider & Boucher, One City Schools, Perkins Coie, Quarles & Brady, Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren, RSM US, Signature Bank, State of Wisconsin Investment Board, SustainableHR PEO, TASC, University Research Park, UWM Research Foundation, UW-Madison Computer Sciences, Venture Investors, Versiti, Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation, Wisconsin Economic Development Corp., Wisconsin Center for Manufacturing & Productivity, Wipfli, WEA Trust, Zendesk and Ziegler.