March 2025: 39+ Events, $1M Pitch, 6 Accelerators, 27 News Articles


Startup Wisconsin is organized by Headway, a digital product agency based in Green Bay, WI.

Powered by our state sponsors, Nicolet National Bank and gener8tor.


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Upcoming Events

Filter these events by city and topic on our events page.

March

March Code and Coffee
March 1, 9:00 am [Milwaukee]
This gathering is designed to foster connections within our local tech community. Whether you are a seasoned professional, a hobbyist, or just getting your feet wet in the world of coding, there's a place for you here.

2025 Wisconsin Esports Summit
March 3, 12:00 pm [Milwaukee]
In its fourth year, the Wisconsin Esports Summit is bigger and better than ever! This action-packed, one-day event brings together gamers, industry leaders, businesses, and community visionaries to dive into the future of esports and make powerful connections that will shape the region's gaming landscape.

WiB Women on Boards Series: Understanding Financials
March 4, 4:30 pm [Madison]
Join Women in Biohealth (WiB) for our Women on Boards Series- Understanding Financials. An educational session on the financial responsibilities of being a member of a corporate board. Learn about becoming financially literate, reading financial statements, key financial metrics, audit committees, and risk management.

StartingBlock's Lunch with a Founder - featuring Tatum Kepler
March 6, 12:00 pm [Madison]
Tatum Kepler, Director of Product Management of the Proven Process Group, has substantial experience recruiting for Engineering positions, servicing over 500 clients, and building a brand new department, optimizing your current team, or working on a special project.

Q&A With U.S. Venture Sustainability Accelerator Alumni | Appleton Founder Stories
March 6, 6:00 pm [Appleton]
We are pleased to announce a panel conversation with alumni from the U.S. Venture Sustainability Accelerator. This fireside chat and Q&A will discuss their experiences in the accelerator, the lessons they have learned, and if they are raising a round of funding.

MadJS Monthly Meetup: Roundtable Discussion
March 10, 6:15 pm [Madison]
Continuing with our happy hour format for a while. Just a handful of JS developers talking about what they're working on and what new frameworks and tools catch their interest.

Optimizing Manufacturing with AI: Golgix at MKE Manufacturer Tech Event
March 11, 5:00 pm [Milwaukee]
Ever wondered how to optimize manufacturing processes with AI? Join us at the Milwaukee Manufacturers Tech Expo to hear from Golgix, a Milwaukee-based AI startup revolutionizing manufacturing. Learn how their technology helps increase efficiency, reduce costs, and improve quality. Network with industry leaders and tech innovators!

March Code + Brews
March 12, 5:00 pm [Milwaukee]
Grab a drink and meet fellow developers to talk about coding, tech, and everything in between. This is a laid-back atmosphere for networking and connections in Milwaukee's tech community. Whether you're a seasoned developer or just curious about tech, join us!

WI Women in Biohealth: Headshot Happy Hour
March 13, 8:00 am [Madison]
Advance your professional image with a free professional headshot during this networking event. Connect with women in biohealth while boosting your LinkedIn or company website profile. Don't miss this dual opportunity to enhance your professional network and image!

Global AI Milwaukee Bootcamp
March 13, 9:00 am [Milwaukee]
Join us for the Global AI Milwaukee Bootcamp! This intensive 1-day AI learning event brings you hands-on workshops in TensorFlow, PyTorch, transformers, generative AI, and prompt engineering. Perfect for AI enthusiasts, developers, engineers, product managers, and students looking to enhance their skills!

Improving Receipt Understanding at Fetch
March 13, 6:30 pm [Madison]
Join us to learn how Fetch is improving receipt understanding using improved OCR, ML, and generative AI. We'll discuss recent changes to how we extract data from receipts, the challenges of noisy inputs, approaches to error measurement, and using generative AI to understand the structure of receipt documents.

UW Entrepreneur Meetup #9
March 13, 7:00 pm [Madison]
This meetup is the official bi-weekly community meetup of the UW-Madison entrepreneurship community. If you are a UW student looking to begin your entrepreneurial journey, an experienced founder wanting to get tapped into the UW entrepreneurship ecosystem, or anything in between, you have come to the right place.

5th Annual Deep Learning Workshop presented by The OSCT at Marquette University
March 14, 8:00 am [Milwaukee]
This workshop will be a hands-on introduction to Deep Learning, starting with the basics, leading into building AI and machine learning models using open source tools. Just bring your laptop and we'll provide the rest. An excellent first step for those who want to learn Deep Learning from the ground up.

Sip & Sync in Kenosha
March 14, 8:30 am [Kenosha]
Sip & Sync invites entrepreneurs to join for a morning cup of coffee. Connect with the startup community for casual networking and meeting like-minded business owners and professionals. Join to socialize, share ideas, and build relationships in a relaxed setting!

Chippewa Valley Code Camp 2025
March 15, 8:10 am [Chippewa Valley]
Maybe you sling code, maybe you just use scripts to transform data. If you've ever had to edit a configuration file or parse a response payload, you'll probably fit in great. If you've ever had to debug a stack trace, you belong here!

2025 Wisconsin Tech Summit
March 17, 8:30 am [Milwaukee]
The goal of the Wisconsin Tech Summit is to bring together major firms and emerging companies in a setting that allows them to meet and explore likely business relationships around technology needs and innovation. Major firms will hear from emerging companies with innovative products or services.

Shaping the Future of Women's Health: Insights and Innovations
March 17, 7:00 pm [Madison]
Join Forward BIOLABS for a panel discussion on women's health with female leaders in the field. The conversation will cover key market trends, funding strategies, and innovation in Women's Health. Network with a passionate community working to advance women's health as we explore research, innovations, and current funding trends.

Madison's Geek Lunch
March 18, 11:45 am [Madison]
If you've never been to a Geek Lunch, it's an engaging conversation with your geekiest friends, where the topic bounces around depending on whatever anyone wants to contribute. All are welcome regardless of where you lie on any imaginary geek scale. Think "The Algonquin Round Table" with an emphasis on tech.

Funding Mastery: Insider Strategies to Raising Startup Capital
March 18, 6:00 pm [Madison]
Securing funding is one of the biggest challenges for startups—but what if you had access to insider strategies that could help you break through the barriers? Join us at 100state for an exclusive, high-impact session with Jason Weaver, a seasoned entrepreneur who has successfully raised over $100 million in startup capital.

Sip & Sync in De Pere
March 19, 8:30 am [Green Bay]
Sip & Sync invites you to join us for morning caffeine to connect with your fellow Wisconsin startup community. A casual space to network and meet like-minded business owners and professionals. No agenda—just socializing, sharing ideas, and building relationships.

Capital Entreprenuers - March Meetup
March 19, 6:00 pm [Madison]
Capital Entrepreneurs is dedicated to fostering a supportive, collaborative culture where growth and innovation lead the way. We host monthly meetups and an annual Founder Day!

Founders Day - March 2025
March 26, 9:00 am [Milwaukee]
Milwaukee Startup Founders – Founders Day was designed for YOU! We know the entrepreneurial journey can be tough, so we’re hosting a full day of free coworking, mentorship, networking, and more.

StartingBlock Lunch & Learn: Tactical Skills Series - featuring Nikki Bown
March 27, 12:00 pm [Madison]
Learn how to delegate your busy work with AI and automation to focus on your most important deep, meaningful, and human work. Nikki Bown is a Senior Product Operations Manager at Zapier and brings Product and Go-To-Market teams together by collecting, analyzing, and sharing the customer feedback that brings innovative new features to life.

Advancing Assistive Robotics: Transforming Personal Care and Rehabilitation
March 27, 2:00 pm [Milwaukee]
Hear from Dr. Mohammad Habibur Rahman, professor of mechanical engineering and chair of the department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM), about the advancements in assistive robotics for personal care, with a focus on three pivotal areas: robot-assisted activities of daily living support, stroke rehabilitation, and telerehabilitation. This presentation will explore the integration of AI, machine learning, and advanced robotics to usher in a new era of personalized care.

April

UW Entrepreneur Meetup #10
April 3, 7:00 pm [Madison]
This meetup is the official bi-weekly community meetup of the UW-Madison entrepreneurship community. If you are a UW student looking to begin your entrepreneurial journey, an experienced founder wanting to get tapped into the UW entrepreneurship ecosystem, or anything in between, you have come to the right place.

April Code and Coffee
April 5, 9:00 am [Milwaukee]
This gathering is designed to foster connections within our local tech community. Whether you are a seasoned professional, a hobbyist, or just getting your feet wet in the world of coding, there's a place for you here.

April Code + Brews
April 9, 5:00 pm [Milwaukee]
Grab a drink and meet fellow developers to talk about coding, tech, and everything in between. This is a laid-back atmosphere for networking and connections in Milwaukee's tech community. Whether you're a seasoned developer or just curious about tech, join us!

StartingBlock Lunch & Learn: Tactical Skills Series - featuring Eagan Heath
April 10, 12:00 pm [Madison]
Discover new strategies for marketing with AI, including creating videos, designing graphics, and writing more impactful content. Eagan Heath, founder of Learneds Agency, will show how AI can streamline your marketing, letting you focus on your startup's mission.

Sip & Sync in Milwaukee
April 11, 8:30 am [Milwaukee]
Sip & Sync invites Milwaukee entrepreneurs to join for a morning cup of coffee. Connect with the startup community for casual networking and meeting like-minded business owners and professionals. Join to socialize, share ideas, and build relationships in a relaxed setting!

MadJS Monthly Meetup: Roundtable Discussion
April 14, 6:15 pm [Madison]
Continuing with our happy hour format for a while. Just a handful of JS developers talking about what they're working on and what new frameworks and tools catch their interest.

NMDSI Symposium - Navigating AI: Transforming Industries and Careers
April 15, 9:00 am [Milwaukee]
The annual NMDSI Symposium draws industry professionals and academics to discuss how data, AI, and automation are transforming industries. This year, experts will explore the impact of generative AI across sectors, helping attendees understand opportunities and challenges in this rapidly evolving landscape.

Madison's Geek Lunch
April 15, 11:45 am [Madison]
If you've never been to a Geek Lunch, it's an engaging conversation with your geekiest friends, where the topic bounces around depending on whatever anyone wants to contribute. All are welcome regardless of where you lie on any imaginary geek scale. Think "The Algonquin Round Table" with an emphasis on tech.

Sip & Sync in De Pere
April 16, 8:30 am [Green Bay]
Sip & Sync invites you to join us for morning caffeine to connect with your fellow Wisconsin startup community. A casual space to network and meet like-minded business owners and professionals. No agenda—just socializing, sharing ideas, and building relationships.

Capital Entreprenuers - April Meetup
April 16, 6:00 pm [Madison]
Capital Entrepreneurs is dedicated to fostering a supportive, collaborative culture where growth and innovation lead the way. We host monthly meetups and an annual Founder Day!

FOUNDER/FEST
April 16, 6:00 pm [Milwaukee]
Join the Midwest Founders Community (MFC) for FOUNDER/FEST at Penrod! An experience that brings Midwest area startup founders together to build a community of support and celebration. Founders come to network as well as to hear stories from those who have built, scaled, and lost businesses in an informal, party-like setting.

UW Entrepreneur Meetup #11
April 17, 7:00 pm [Madison]
This meetup is the official bi-weekly community meetup of the UW-Madison entrepreneurship community. If you are a UW student looking to begin your entrepreneurial journey, an experienced founder wanting to get tapped into the UW entrepreneurship ecosystem, or anything in between, you have come to the right place.

How To' Give the Perfect Pitch: Lessons Learned from 300+ Presentations
April 22, 12:00 pm [Madison]
Join us for an interview & AMA with Startup Hypeman Founder and Chief Pitch Artist Rajiv 'RajNATION' Nathan!

StartingBlock's Lunch with a Founder - featuring Kaiser Pister
April 22, 12:00 pm [Madison]
Topic: "Early stage startups, education, ecommerce and AI in production." Featuring Kaiser Pister, CTO of ALL3D. ALL3D was founded in 2020 with the vision of bringing photorealistic 3D experiences to retail, reducing wasteful online returns and increasing customer satisfaction and conversion rates. The company has grown to more than 20 employees after raising its Series A funding round in September of last year, and we successfully launched our first production AI models in February.

Hackreation (hackathon)
April 26, 9:00 am [Milwaukee]
Join Us at Hackreation April 2025 – A Day of Innovation, Collaboration, and Creativity! Mitobyte is excited to kick off Hackreation on April 26th, 2024, at Penrod downtown and here's your chance to dive into an unforgettable experience. Whether you're looking to build something amazing, join a talented team, or get hands-on mentorship, this event has something for everyone!


Startup Accelerator Programs & Pitch Contests

$1 Million Dollar Startup Draft by TitletownTech
Application Deadline: March 16th

Hosted in partnership with the Green Bay Packers and Microsoft, they're investing $1 million dollars in a startup harnessing emerging technologies in industries aligned with Wisconsin’s core strengths.

Level Set by StartingBlock
Enrollment for Winter, Spring, and Fall 2025 Cohorts Available!

StartingBlock's Level Set program is an intense 6 week program designed to help you build and validate a business model. Offered 6x per year, we help you explore the pros and cons of different business models, model revenue and get real world feedback on your ideas.​

FOR-M Spring 2025 Incubator by MKE Tech
Application Deadline: TBD, Apply Now

FOR-M is your first step to creating a tech startup company in Milwaukee. Solidify the startup idea that’s been bouncing around in your head and understand your next steps. This program is limited to 25 founders and will begin accepting folks immediately…so apply soon!

gBETA Kenosha Spring 2025​
Application Deadline: April 4th, 2025

gBETA is a free, seven-week accelerator for early-stage companies with local roots. Each program is capped at five teams and requires no fees and no equity.

gener8tor Milwaukee Accelerator 2025
Application Deadline: May 15th, 2025

gener8tor Milwaukee invests in five high-growth startups per cohort. This is an industry-agnostic and business model-agnostic program. We accept ALL types of startups across ALL industries and business models.

gBETA Milwaukee 2025
Application Deadline: TBD (Rolling Applications)
gBETA is a free, seven-week accelerator for early-stage companies with local roots. Each program is capped at five teams and requires no fees and no equity.


Wisconsin Tech News

Grant program awards funding to seven UW startups
University of Wisconsin’s Discovery to Product awarded funding to seven UW startups Monday through a grant program managed by D2P and a matching fund of $250,000 from the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation, according to D2P Interim Director Abram Becker.

Startup Sidos is disrupting deeply-entrenched market for Wi-Fi planning & survey tools
Every Wi-Fi expert will have his preferred Wi-Fi planning and survey tool – but the choice of platforms has now widened.

Novir: Driving innovation in healthcare
Milwaukee-based healthcare services company Novir has been quietly disrupting the healthcare industry since 2020.

1Director Closes Pre-Seed Fundraising Round
1Director, a SaaS startup servicing funeral homes, announced recently that it closed its pre-seed fundraising round, which was led by RiverPark Ventures.

Truss bridges global talent with Wisconsin roots
Truss is connecting U.S. and U.K. businesses with tech talent in emerging markets such as Uzbekistan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, and Armenia.

gBETA Urban League Names 2025 Winter Cohort - Startup and Tech News
Five companies, all based in Madison, were selected for the 2025 winter gBETA Urban League cohort, the organization announced recently.

DataChat Now Available on Snowflake Marketplace
DataChat's generative AI platform is now available on Snowflake Marketplace, the company announced recently.

Wisconsin could be part of $500 billion Stargate AI project. Data center sites explored.
Wisconsin could be one of the states for $500 billion Stargate project, Open AI says.

Technology and Wisconsin’s labor market
Mike Hochholzer discusses the impact of AI on Wisconsin's economy, workforce, and productivity.

Sanacor at the forefront of cardiometabolic innovation
Milwaukee-based Sanacor is on a mission to reverse diabetic cardiovascular disease.

Exact Sciences, Flatiron Health to Partner
Exact Sciences and Flatiron Health, a healthtech company dedicated to improving cancer care and advancing research, are partnering to accelerate clinical...

WEDC Awards $100K to gBETA Urban League
The Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) provided a $100,000 Entrepreneurship Partner Grant (EPG) to support the gBETA Urban League program.

1Director brings funerals into the digital age
1Director is a Madison-based startup that created a software platform that serves both funeral directors and families planning funerals.

Veda Receives 10th Patent
Veda, which specializes in AI-driven healthcare data automation, announced recently that the United States Patent and Trademark Office granted it its 10th patent.

2 GOP state lawmakers pushing to advance nuclear energy in Wisconsin
Two Republicans who chair state legislative committees on energy and utilities say they want to bring more nuclear power online in Wisconsin in the coming years.

Wisconsin VC Funding for January 2025
According to PitchBook, Wisconsin startups raised at least $8.9 million in disclosed funding in January 2025.

TitletownTech Launches $1 Million Startup Draft
Green Bay Packers and Microsoft-backed venture capital firm to spotlight emerging innovation and startups ahead of 2025 NFL Draft in Green Bay.

RAIC Labs to launch revolutionary AI tool: RAIC Foundry
RAIC Labs is pioneering artificial intelligence (AI) solutions that eliminate traditional barriers to AI model development.

DeliverHealth Launches New Tool
DeliverHealth, a provider of software, AI and technology-enabled services in mid-revenue cycle and digital health, has launched eSOne InstaNote, a new tool.

New cancer imaging startup harnesses Wisconsin expertise - Morgridge Institute for Research
Morgridge scientists are working with a Madison biomedical company to improve the success rates of cancer immunotherapy treatments, which harness patients' own immune response to fight cancer.

2025 SBIR Advance Accepting Applications
The Center for Technology Commercialization (CTC) is now accepting applications from small businesses for its SBIR Advance grant, the organization announced.

WI Gov’s BPC semi-finalists announced
The semi-finalists in the 2025 Wisconsin Governor’s Business Plan Contest, presented by the Wisconsin Technology Council have been announced.

Cambridge Storefront Competition Now Accepting Apps
The Cambridge Storefront Competition, launched by Collaborative 523, Inc., in partnership with UW-Whitewater's ENACTUS team, is now accepting applications.

Early-stage investment activity was down in 2024, Tech Council says
“Numbers are down, and we’re hearing a lot of different reasons from investors, from valuations being high, some of them don’t feel that they’ve been seeing good deal flow,” Kremer said. “There’ve been other issues that we’ve seen, some investment rounds haven’t been happening.”

Summit Credit Union Fellowship Names Second Cohort - Startup and Tech News
Eleven entrepreneurs were selected for the second cohort of the Summit Credit Union Fellowship for Women Entrepreneurs, the organization announced.

Regal Rexnord adds Microsoft exec to board to bolster AI, data center expertise
Rashida Hodge brings extensive experience in artificial intelligence that Regal Rexnord executives believe will bolster the manufacturer's digital transformation.



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Startup Wisconsin Newsletter

Helping tech founders, startups, investors, and talent get connected and discover events and programs across Wisconsin since 2017.

Read more from Startup Wisconsin Newsletter

Startup Wisconsin is organized by Headway, a digital product agency based in Green Bay, WI. Powered by our state sponsors, Nicolet National Bank and gener8tor. TitletownTech Launches $1 Million Startup Draft Green Bay Packers and Microsoft-backed venture capital firm to spotlight emerging innovation and startups ahead of 2025 NFL Draft in Green Bay. → Full press release here The TitletownTech Startup Draft will culminate with Startup Draft Day, a live-streamed event on Thursday, April 24,...

Startup Wisconsin is organized by Headway, a digital product agency based in Green Bay, WI. Powered by our state sponsors, Nicolet National Bank and gener8tor. Curious what people are talking about lately in our startup ecosystem? Posts we publish and repost on LinkedIn will appear on our website's home page to create more awareness around conversations with founders, investors, and community leaders. Upcoming Events Filter events by city and topic on our events page. February February Code...

Startup Wisconsin is organized by Headway, a digital product agency based in Green Bay, WI. Powered by our state sponsors, Nicolet National Bank and gener8tor. Upcoming Events Filter events by city and topic on our events page. January 2025 - Happy New Year! Startup Funding AMA & Founder Institute Info Session w/ Jonathan Greechan (CEO) January 7, 7:00 pm [Virtual] If you're interested in learning about startup funding and discovering how the Founder Institute can help, join this live and...