Startup Wisconsin Blog  |  October 2026

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Skylark Energy Solutions Wins Launch Wisconsin 2026 by Pitching the Grid We Already Have

Wisconsin's energy story this year is mostly about building more. New data centers, new demand, and a lot of talk about new transmission lines.

Skylark Energy Solutions won Launch Wisconsin by pitching the opposite. Get more out of the lines we already have.

The Madison company took the $50,000 grand prize on October 6 at Marquette, plus the deep tech category. And all four category winners came from Madison: BeachEase, Induction Technologies, CellTrack, and Skylark.

Read the story →

Northeast Wisconsin, you're up

Northeast Wisconsin Pitch Competitions 2026: Dates, Prizes, and How to Apply

Madison founders win a lot of these because they get more reps. The New North Pitch Series is six chances to get yours closer to home.

It's built for the early stage. If your business has brought in more than $300,000 in revenue or capital raised, you can't enter. Each local contest pays $1,000 for first and $500 for second, and the top two from each one advance to the regional at TitletownTech.

Pick the one closest to you.

Envision This!
November 4, 5:30 PM | Fond du Lac
The Passenger Lounge, powered by Envision Greater Fond du Lac.

Fast Pitch
November 9, 5:15 PM | Oshkosh
Sage Hall at UW-Oshkosh, for founders in the Fox Cities and Oshkosh area.

Accelerate Sheboygan County
November 10, 5:30 PM | Sheboygan
Jake's Café, powered by Sheboygan County EDC and Lakeland University.

Pitch Greater Green Bay
November 12, 5:00 PM | Green Bay
Urban Hub, powered by the Greater Green Bay Chamber.

LevelUp
November 12, 5:00 PM | Manitowoc
Mosaic Event Center, powered by Progress Lakeshore.

Lighthouse Launch
November 18, 6:00 PM | Sturgeon Bay
For Door and Kewaunee County founders. Venue to be announced.

NEW Launch Alliance Regional Pitch
December 2 | Green Bay
The top two from every local contest pitch at TitletownTech for $2,000, $1,000, and $500.

Applications close October 31.

You don't need a finished product or traction. You need an idea you believe in and a few minutes to explain it.

Apply to the New North Pitch Series →

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Four for four is a Madison story this year. It doesn't have to stay one.

If you're building in Northeast Wisconsin, apply before October 31. If you know someone who should, forward this to them.

And if there's a founder or a story I should know about, reply and tell me. I read every one.

Keep building.

Jacob