The Commons Moves to Walker's Point

The Commons, Milwaukee Today we are excited to announce The Commons, an initiative led by Startup Milwaukee in partnership with The Greater Milwaukee Committee has new home! We are moving to a 4,000 square foot office in The Kramer Foundry Building  above Colectivo & Stack'd in Walker's Point.

We would like to thank our Landlord Randy Elliott of Pierce Engineers for helping us secure the space and Mandel Group for helping us locate the office space. We are excited to be a part of Milwaukee's emerging innovation district in Walker's Point where tech and creative firms such as PKWARE, 88nine Radio Milwaukee and Ward5 Code School are setting up shop!

Read complete coverage of the announcement:

The Commons Launches with an intense 48-hour long event in Walker's Point, click here to learn more. 

96square Turns 1!

One year ago today, Startup Milwaukee launched 96square. We started with a few initial tenants, over the year we have grown to 19 companies with over 45+ employees working out of the space. Before 96square Milwaukee lacked a place where growth-oriented entrepreneurs could go to gain access to affordable, scaleable office space and a community of supportive peers during the earliest stages of their companies.

Building a Community of Like-minded Entrepreneurs At Startup Milwaukee we felt that a physical space for entrepreneurs in Milwaukee needed to happen to increase collisions among entrepreneurs to ultimately accelerate the growth of their companies and increase the pace of innovation. A year later I have no doubt that our tenants have developed their own community where knowledge sharing and co-learning happens almost everyday.

Enabling Growth in Milwaukee We’ve seen Rent College Pads scale-up  from just one desk a year ago, to over 10 desks today as they continue their recently documented growth trajectory. We’ve also seen companies such as Find My Spot, Homefront Alliance, SpotHopper and Snapifeye grow their footprints at 96square as well.

Providing Access to Capital We promised we would provide more access to capital through 96square. Since our founding we’ve had local groups such as CSA Partners (Milwaukee) and Wisconsin Super Angel Fund meet with entrepreneurs in our space. We’ve even attracted investor groups from around the Midwest to hold office hours in Milwaukee for the first time, these groups include AmFam Ventures (Madison), Hyde Park Angels (Chicago) and Techstars Chicago. All through our efforts we’ve made over 73 connections between these groups and startups in Southeast Wisconsin.

Thanks to Our Team While I often get to serve as the face of 96square, there is a great group of volunteers who produce events that serve as the glue of 96square the team includes: Steve Anderson and  Brandon Alberti of Snapifeye, Brennan Stehling of SpotHopper and my fellow Startup Milwaukee co-founders Alicia Boknevitz, Tim Grove and Joe Poeschl! Also importantly, thank you to our real estate partners David Florshiem and Ronnie Reum.

Where does 96square go from here? We are excited to watch the continued growth of the space. Right now demand outstrips supply and we are nearing capacity, stay tuned!

Want to work @ 96square? Desks start at $110/month and that includes: access to fiber internet, unlimited use of conference rooms, access to our community kitchens and a network of like-minded entrepreneurs who are committed to growing here in Milwaukee. To learn more about leasing a desk visit 96square.org.

Additional Reading: Co-working space 96square aims to help Milwaukee start-ups collaborate. - by Kathleen Gallagher of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 1/28/14

Founder of Milwaukee’s First Angel Network, Jeff Rusinow, to Headline gener8tor's Launch Event

MILWAUKEE – Local angel investor and former retail executive, Jeff Rusinow, will keynote gener8tor’s Premiere Night event October 21, as five startup companies present their businesses to over 400 attendees.The event will feature companies that have completed gener8tor’s Milwaukee 2014 accelerator program, which provides funding, mentorship, and training for high-tech entrepreneurs. The program culminates with a Premiere Night event where each entrepreneur pitches their company to an audience of potential investors.

Jeff Rusinow has been an active member of the early-stage venture capital community in the Midwest for over the past 15 years, when he founded Milwaukee's first angel network, Silicon Pastures. He earlier spent 22 years in retail management, holding senior executive positions at Macy's, Gimbel's, Hudson Bay Company and, most recently, Kohl's Department Stores, where he served as an Executive Vice President until leaving corporate mainstream in 2000.

Jeff has been on the Board of Directors of a number of private and public companies, as well as non-profits, over the past several years. As an angel investor, he has invested in over 30 startups, and has had 6 successful exits. He has been the Chairman and lead investor in  two startups that have been acquired by Fortune 500 companies. He is a Founding Donor  of BrightStar Foundation and is on the Investment Committee of the Wisconsin Super Angel Fund.

“Jeff has been a critical supporter of gener8tor through his mentorship, investment and cheerleading support. We’re thrilled to have him keynote our firth Premiere Night,” said Troy  Vosseller, gener8tor Co-Founder.

The companies to be featured at the Premiere Night event:

 

Calling All College Students: The Commons is Accepting Applications

Interested in launching a startup? Want to tackle a corporate innovation challenge? The Commons Launch weekend is officially accepting applications from college students to participate in a 48-hour kick-off event Friday, November 7th through Sunday, November, 9th. During the event, participants will be able to connect with students from around Southeast Wisconsin to form teams to create startup companies or conquer innovation challenges presented by local companies. This is a FREE event for students of all skill sets, areas of study and levels at local colleges and universities. Ready to apply? Click here.

Why should students apply?

  • Connect with some of the area's top employers & take on real-world business challenges
  • Start your own company; build a team or join the founding team of a startup
  • Exclusive access to network of mentors & corporate executives
  • Great resume builder!

Have more questions? Check out our website.

Not a college student? We are also looking for seasoned entrepreneurs, corporate executives and faculty members to mentor student teams throughout the launch. To apply to be a mentor, click here.

Brightstar will invest $50k in each gener8tor alumni company

MILWAUKEE, Sept. 3, 2014 – BrightStar Wisconsin Foundation Inc. today announced the formation of a partnership agreement with gener8tor, a Milwaukee- and Madison-based business accelerator that invests in technology-enabled, rapidly scalable, early stage companies. BrightStar has made a commitment to invest $50,000 in each company that comes out of the bi-annual gener8tor accelerator program that meets BrightStar’s mission and main investment criteria, creating high-quality jobs in Wisconsin. The most recent class had five participants that were picked from nearly 400 applicants. “BrightStar's partnership enables gener8tor to attract and retain the region's most promising new companies,” said Joe Kirgues, gener8tor co- founder. “We're thrilled to partner with BrightStar as we continue our shared mission of improving our community through job and wealth creation.”

BrightStar also announced that its investment committee has authorized funding for two new companies: Forward Health Group Inc. and Swallow Solutions LLC, both based in Madison. These investments total $400,000. The companies were first screened for their ability to create a sufficient number of quality jobs and then passed the committee’s investment criteria for their stage of development.

“BrightStar is very excited to commit to two companies that improve the standard of care and overall costs within health care,” said Dan Matola, CFA, chief investment officer at Jacobus Wealth Management and BrightStar investment committee member. “Swallow Solutions offers a medical device and therapy to help treat dysphagia, a huge cause of patient re-admittance, and Forward Health allows health systems to better leverage the vast amount of data they collect in health records to improve treatment and allocation of resources.”

BrightStar is a 501(c)(3)-designated non-profit foundation created to facilitate job creation and increase Wisconsin’s economic activity by deploying donated funds into equity stakes in early stage rapid growth companies. Entrepreneurs interested in learning more about the businesses of these companies may contact the foundation’s portfolio manager, Todd Sobotka, at tsobotka@brightstarwi.org.

Introducing The Commons

Startup Milwaukee is excited to partner with Innovation in Milwaukee and several local academic institutions to announce The Commons. The Commons will give college students from around Southeast Wisconsin the opportunity to launch a high-growth startup or work on innovation challenges from local companies in a supportive environment. We hope The Commons will create the region's next generation of entrepreneurs and intrapreneurs and have a significant impact on Southeastern Wisconsin. Get involved with The Commons here.

What local leaders are saying about The Commons: 

  • “What’s exciting about this (The Commons) from my perspective as president of the Medical College of Wisconsin is that this gives us probably our best opportunity to connect directly with the creativity sector.” - Dr. John Raymond, President, Medical College of Wisconsin (source)
  • The Commons is really about moving southeastern Wisconsin forward, creating jobs, and keeping bright, entrepreneurial and innovative students here in southeastern Wisconsin. - Matt Cordio, Co-founder & CEO, Startup Milwaukee
  • “I strongly believe that this project will strengthen a vibrant community where our current students will stay as well as serve as a catalyst to attract talented professionals from outside Wisconsin.” - Dr. Mary Meehan, President, Alverno College (source)
  • “Mandel Group is here to support the efforts of The Commons and find The Commons an appropriate home. From our standpoint and first-hand experience with creative, students and startups, The Commons is the conduit between their ideas and making them possible, teaching them entrepreneurial skills that are many times lacking, and facilitating access to capital to drive new businesses, jobs and our regional economy.” - Barry Mandel, President, The Mandel Group (source)
  • “I find that higher education too often looks at things in the rear view mirror. It’s time to get out front in moving things forward and this (The Commons) is a good way to do it.” - Neil Hoffman, President, MIAD (source)
The Commons in The Media: 
Connect with The Commons: 

Get your startup in front of established corporations at OnRamp

In an effort to increase connections between Wisconsin’s startups and established corporations, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and gener8tor, in collaboration with Forward Fest and Madworks, are sponsoring OnRamp – an event that gives young companies the opportunity to pitch their products and services to established Wisconsin corporations. OnRamp will be held Thursday, August 28th, 2014 at Madworks at University Research Park. The event is intended to help startups in the critical effort to find sales channels and to provide a way for established companies to engage with the entrepreneurial community. It highlights the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and gener8tor’s commitment to helping Wisconsin’s emerging entrepreneurs succeed.

Participating corporations include American Family Insurance, CUNA Strategic Services, and more to be announced soon!

Startups wishing to apply are encouraged to research the participating corporations. Each participating corporation will receive those startup applications that requested to pitch to them and those whose applications indicate a potential customer opportunity. Participating corporations will then choose 4-6 startups to pitch them at the event.

Those startups selected to pitch at the event will be notified on 8/24 and offered a time slot to pitch at the 8/28 event. Startups are requested to arrive at Madworks (505 S Rosa Rd #225, Madison, WI 53719) at least 30 minutes before their scheduled pitch. No technology will be available at the event, however you can use your laptop to present. Startups are encouraged to bring brief handouts of PowerPoint presentations or sales collateral to aid in their presentation. Startup pitches will last 20 minutes including Q&A.

At the conclusion of the event, participating corporations will select at least one startup to either purchase from or mentor (at least two lunches/coffees). Organizers will notify each selected startup.

Apply to OnRamp: https://www.f6s.com/onrampwisconsin#/apply

Milwaukee-based Scanalytics Selected for AmFam Ventures / Microsoft Ventures Accelerator

Milwaukee-based Scanalytics has been selected to participate in American Family Ventures and Microsoft Ventures Home Automation Accelerator in Redmond, Washington. The program began August 11. Read more here: https://www.microsoftventures.com/blog/tabid/233/ID/77/Meet-the-Startups-Selected-for-the-Microsoft-Ventures-Accelerator-with-American-Family-Insurance.aspx

Milwaukee Startup Community News & Events - July 23, 2014

Unraveling The Internet of Things - July 30, 6pm @ 96square Startup Milwaukee is partnering with Milwaukee Tech Engine to present

Join Startup Milwaukee and Milwaukee Tech Engine at 96square  for a night devoted to unraveling the Internet of Things (IoT) featuring short talks from gener8tor, Johnson Controls & Tempo IQ.  The event is free to attend, register here.
Learn about Uber's Launch in Milwaukee - August 5, 6pm @ 96square Our August growth hacking nights event will feature speakers from Uber who will share the story and tactics they used to launch the popular ridesharing service in Milwaukee. The event is free, register here via EventPally or our meetup page.
1million Cups Launch Event - August 6th, 9am @ The Pritzlaff Building CSA Partners, gener8tor & Wired Wisconsin are bringing The Kauffman Foundation's 1million cups program to Milwaukee. To learn more, click here. 

To learn more about what's going on in the community visit our website, startupmke.org.

Venture forth! Team Startup Milwaukee

Take Action: Protect Ridesharing in Milwaukee

Startup Milwaukee rarely takes positions on political issues, but tomorrow morning, the Milwaukee Common Council will vote on a measure that would negatively impact ridesharing services such as Uber and Lyft in the city of Milwaukee.  This measure has been written to protect special interests (the taxi lobby) and limit your access to safe, affordable and friendly ridesharing services.

Ridesharing services are creating jobs and making the city more accessible for citizens, tourists and business travelers.  Research also shows ridesharing services may even be leading to a decrease in drunk driving in other cities.

The folks at Uber have made it extremely simple to email your alderman. You may also visit the official contact directory for The Common Council here. Remind them, a vote for this measure is a vote against job creation, innovation, public safety and keeping Milwaukee competitive with other cities in the 21st century economy.

Let’s keep moving Milwaukee forward, The Startup Milwaukee Team

5 Companies, 1 from Milwaukee Start gener8tor's Summer Program

Milwaukee, WI - gener8tor, a Wisconsin-based startup accelerator, kicks off its Milwaukee 2014 Program this week at their downtown Milwaukee office. This is the fifth gener8tor program since its inception. gener8tor recruits, mentors and trains entrepreneurs leading high-tech business ventures from around the world. Since June 2012, the 23 startup graduates from gener8tor’s previous four accelerator programs have gone on to raise nearly $25 million in financing and created over 150 jobs. Over the course of the 12-week gener8tor program, which begins on July 18, 2014, gener8tor invests its community, capital, mentorship, network and expertise into each company. In addition to gener8tor’s initial $20,000 cash investment, each participating company is guaranteed $50,000 of additional follow-on investment from gener8tor and its investment partners, Angels on the Water and Wisconsin Investment Partners. The program culminates with a Premiere Night event in October, where each entrepreneur will pitch their company to a crowd of community members and potential investors.

“The Milwaukee 2014 program brings a diverse mix of companies from Wisconsin and across the country,” said Troy Vosseller, co-founder of gener8tor. “We’re excited for these five great companies to join the Milwaukee and gener8tor startup communities.”

Out of over 450 applications, the five companies participating in the Milwaukee 2014 Program are listed below:

Beekeeper | beekeeperdata.com Beekeeper Data allows companies to make smarter decisions with their vast amounts of data. For companies that use Hadoop, Beekeeper’s collaborative software platform democratizes data analytics in the same way that Github has democratized software engineering. By working together collaboratively on Beekeeper, organizations with large amounts of high volume and unstructured data can make more informed decisions and reduce costs. (Madison, WI)

HITLIST |  gohitlist.com HITLIST takes the annoyance out of advertising. Developed at the request of ad giant J. Walter Thompson, the HITLIST SaaS application uses gamification techniques to provide online publishers with an embedded display ad widget to increase user site duration, user engagement, and customer targeting. Beta tested over 18 months by several powerful American brands with over 50 million “hits,” the end result is a dramatic increase in site duration, social engagement, and visitor feedback. (Provo, UT)

Modern Movement | modmov.com Modern Movement is creating the next generation of balance training products. Beginners to elite athletes, including those on the U.S. Ski and Snowboarding teams, are using Modern Movement products to improve their balance. The new, patented designs will combine instability and 3-dimensional movement with sensor-based performance measurement and tracking. To date, the company has sold over 2,000 units and will be debuting in a national outdoor recreational retailer this fall. (Madison, WI)

Project Foundry | projectfoundry.org Project Foundry is an intuitive, web-based platform that helps students and teachers manage and expedite authentic personalized learning. With features like Google Drive integration, collaborative communication, standards-based reporting, student self-assessment and more, Project Foundry is the most complete workflow management system available for project-based learning. Project Foundry currently manages over 250,000 projects for 30,000 students and teachers in over 160 schools. (Milwaukee, WI) Stock Mfg. Co. | stockmfg.co Stock is a vertically integrated, domestically made clothing brand that blends an innovative sales model with old school, American craftsmanship. By skipping the traditional retail middlemen that inflate the cost of clothing, and selling directly to their customers, Stock is able to deliver premium, American-made garments at price points that are affordable to the average consumer. To date, Stock has sold over 9,000 garments in 40 states and nearly a dozen countries. Stock is the preferred outfitter of several notable clients including Goose Island Beer Co., Soho House Chicago and Alinea Restaurant Group. (Chicago, IL)

For more information, email troy@gener8tor.com, visit www.gener8tor.com or follow us at @gener8tor. gener8tor is thankful for the support of American Family Insurance as its premier program sponsor.

Spreel, a Milwaukee Based Startup, is taking on Groupon & Yelp by Helping Small Businesses Attract & Retain Loyal Customers

Spreel’s mission is to build a community of small businesses that want to attract, retain and reward loyal customers. Businesses that sign up for Spreel are given a platform and tools needed to create promotions and deals for their customers, and are only charged a small transaction fee for completed transactions.  Spreel is a no-pressure and no-risk platform.  This means there are no monthly fees, no sign up fees, no minimums, and no contracts! Boris Levchets, Spreel’s Founder & CEO, explains Spreel is built on the premise that “business grow and benefit from loyal customers because of repeat business and referrals; however, business just don’t have great tools to entice their customers to shop often and share”.

Spreel is currently accepting new businesses.  Early adaptors stand to benefit from many different perks such as additional keyword promotions and early adaptor recognition. Any business interested in growing sales and increasing customer loyalty will benefit from Spreel.

Spreel is headquartered in Milwaukee, where the company plans to develop its operations.

Visit Spreel at www.spreel.com

Businesses can sign up for free at www.spreel.com/business/registrations/user_credentials

View recent articles at blog.spreel.com

Connect with Spreel on Twitter @spreel

Inquiries or additional questions can be directed to service@spreel.com

Grow where you're planted. Starting-up (again) in Milwaukee.

This is a guest blog post by Jim Emling co-founder of WhyHigh Technology a stealth startup based in Milwaukee. Prior to founding WhyHigh Jim was President of Zywave one of Milwaukee's tech startup success stories. Jim started at Zywave in 1996 as their first developer.  I was encouraged by friends & family to start a blog on my experiences starting up our new venture, WhyHigh Technology. My first few posts will come from the most common questions I have heard since launching. The most frequent line of questioning comes from people trying to figure out what the heck we're doing - but that's not being revealed for a few more months!

First up: is Wisconsin a conducive place to start a business - a high-tech one at that?Is there readily available capital? Is there talent? Disclosure: I am proudly a life-long Wisconsinite - I grew up in a south-side suburb of Milwaukee, went to school in Madison (on Wisconsin!), came back to the Milwaukee area to work, and I’m currently married with two small kids living in the western suburbs of Milwaukee. I already helped build one 500-person software company here. I think there’s plenty of room for another (or hundreds more, for that matter)! Here’s why my confidence in location is unshaken.

Finding Capital While previous success has afforded us the finances necessary to fund the early stages of WhyHigh, there is plenty of capital for those that have proven they can make their investors a reasonable return on that capital. I think this latter point is perhaps the hang-up for some. While there are a handful of examples of the college drop-out turned billionaire, the more common approach simply requires a lot more sweat equity than most people like to write about. It took me almost twenty years working my way up through a single employer from intern to president - getting a little lucky along the way - to earn the privilege to forge my own path. Others have put themselves out there and taken chances in front of business accelerators to kick-start things. Like most good things in life, it probably won’t come easy. Remember, business ownership is a unique privilege of the highest order - it should take some effort!

I think the key takeaway is that no one is going to just give you money because you have a good idea on paper - you either have to prove it (by getting customers to pay you - how old-fashioned!), or come in with a track record that dramatically increases your odds of success in the eyes of your investors. As a case in point, we have turned down several inbound investment offers so we can stay focused on product and customers instead of investors in our formative growth years. I'll write more about the benefits of boot-strapping in future posts - it's definitely the way to go in the early days if you can pull it off. In any case, there is money and financing to be had in the great state of Wisconsin. It doesn’t grow on trees and you can’t just apply for it online - but you can most definitely earn it. The mid-western way of hard-work, patience, and resilience can still pay-off.

Talent is Everywhere. The talent concern is even more ludicrous. Wisconsin’s private and public schools produce tens of thousands of capable, motivated people every year. We also boast some of the world’s largest and most successful employers - across many different spectrums of industry. The challenge for us as business owners is to provide break-through opportunities that rival or surpass those coming from the legions of firms that come here to recruit our top local talent away from us. A long thirteen years ago I was featured in an article on preventing brain drain from our state. Clearly, there’s more work to be done here, because many of the salient points continue to need addressing. Nevertheless, I anticipate zero problems staffing our business with people who were born and raised here.

Staying Local has other Rewards There are other clear advantages of staying local. First, you can grow and cultivate a strong personal network of both business and social referrals that will stay with you for the duration of your career and life. These relationships are crucial for both success and happiness. I’ll have future posts on where and how we found most of our trusted advisors for WhyHigh. Hint - it wasn’t via google-driven searching or because we were blasted by email campaigns or telemarketers! Second and perhaps more importantly, your children will have a more consistent education and social experience as they grow up by staying in one place. Promoting a local-first mentality in words and actions can influence even the very young.

So yes, Milwaukee is a great place to start our new business! We are only yet beginning our business - ultimately, the market will judge our ability to solve problems and create opportunity for our customers - execution will determine our success more than anything. Thus, I see zero downside in planting roots and learning how to fly in the city you grew up in. The soil here is just fine, thanks.

this article was originally posted to: http://whyhigh.com/2014/07/grow-where-planted/

A Progress Report from Startup Milwaukee

The first six months of 2014 have flown by here at Startup Milwaukee. Here is a quick recap of what we have been up to:

  • We made 67 connections between investors and entrepreneurs. We have helped 29 companies connect with local investor groups: American Family Ventures, CSA Partners, gener8tor, Golden Angels Investors and Wisconsin Super Angel Fund.

  • 18 companies employing over 41 FTEs are based at 96square, our coworking space located in the heart of Milwaukee.

  • We have connected 43 companies to the talent (mentors, employees, contractors) they need to launch and scale their companies in Milwaukee.

  • Over 1,150 people attended one of our events. Highlights from our event calendar include a bus trip to visit Madison’s startup community, a panel on Wisconsin’s new equity crowdfunding legislation and an information session on Techstars accelerator program.

Thanks to all of the great partners and entrepreneurs who continue to support our programs. If you are interested in sponsoring an event please email Matt Cordio, matt@startupmke.org.

We have a lot planned for the second half of 2014 - stay tuned!

Happy Fourth of July, The Startup Milwaukee Team

, ,

Lieutenant Governor Kleefisch visits 96square

, ,

Startup Milwaukee Crowdfunding Event Matt Cordio Rebecca Kleefisch StartupMKE On June 12th Wisconsin's Lieutenant Governor Rebecca Kleefisch visited 96square to celebrate the launch of Wisconsin's new equity crowdfunding law. The event featured MobCraft Beer from Madison the first company to use the equity crowdfunding laws to raise capital for their company and CraftFund a company based at 96square that is the first equity crowdfunding platform in the state.  For more pictures from the event, click here.

gener8tor prepares for their summer accelerator program in Milwaukee

As gener8tor prepares for their summer accelerator program in Milwaukee there are several opportunities to engage and learn more about them here are upcoming events and deadlines:

gener8tor Milwaukee Office Hours:
Date: Tuesday, May 27th
Time: 10am-1pm
Location: 309 N Water St, Suite 615
Meet with the gener8tor team as they hold office hours at their Milwaukee office on Tuesday, May 27th. Learn more about their Milwaukee 2014 accelerator program, pitch your startup, get feedback and ask questions.
What is gener8tor?
gener8tor is a startup accelerator that invests its community, capital, expertise, mentors and network in capable, early-stage entrepreneurs with innovative business models. gener8tor works with the startups in its portfolio to create successful, scalable companies.
gener8tor is seeking to invest in technology-enabled businesses, including software, IT, web, SaaS and hardware. Accepted companies receive $70,000 and 12-weeks of mentorship-driven programming. gener8tor is a proud member of the Global Accelerator Network (GAN) and is sponsored by American Family Insurance.
gener8tor Milwaukee Meetup:
 
Date: Tuesday, May 27th
Time: 5:30pm
Location: 309 N Water St, Suite 615
Come meet the gener8tor founders and alums as we discuss the program's plans for the gener8tor 2014 Milwaukee program. We'll also have a short Q&A for potential applicants. Pizza and beer will be served!
gener8tor Milwaukee 2014 Application Deadline - June 1!
Apply to gener8tor for your chance at up to $70,000 in startup funding and 12-weeks of intense, mentorship-driven programming. The application deadline for the Milwaukee 2014 program is June 1!

 

Real Estate Startup OpenHomes raises seed round, gains traction with customers

Madison, WI – OpenHomes, Inc., a real estate startup aiming to make it easier and more affordable for people to sell and buy homes, has raised over $180,000 in investment capital. The company’s CEO & Founder, Kelda Roys, said, “We’re gratified that investors recognize the value of our platform, and our potential for growth in an industry that is ripe for disruption.”

OpenHomes is a simple, affordable, and convenient way to sell or buy a home, saving homeowners thousands of dollars by charging only a 1% commission. Our innovative platform empowers home sellers and buyers to do most tasks online, including creating listings, scheduling showings, and making offers, without the need for a traditional agent. OpenHomes’ modern, mobile technology is combined with best-in-class professional support – our clients have access to unlimited help from real estate attorneys. The commission, paid at closing, includes:

  • Listing on the MLS and other websites
  • A yard sign and key lockbox for showings
  • Access to real estate attorneys anytime you need help
  • Innovative online tools to showcase your home and simplify the process
  • Advice on pricing, staging, and negotiation, if you want it

The company is currently serving clients in southern Wisconsin, including Madison and Milwaukee metro areas, and Door County.

The seed round will provide capital for marketing and software development. Investors include CSA Partners, Angels ephedraxin on the Water, Mark Bakken, gener8tor, and several other angel investors. OpenHomes is a graduate of gener8tor’s Summer 2013 accelerator program, named one of the 9 hottest accelerators in the country by CNNMoney.

“We love serving our customers throughout Southern Wisconsin and Door County,” said Roys. “This round will enable us to delight even more homebuyers and sellers with cutting edge technology and incredible service.”

Pitch your Startup to Corporations at OnRamp

Pitch your startup to Wisconsin corporations at OnRamp Wisconsin's second event - May 30th @ Lambeau Field. Application deadline is Monday, May 19th - FREE for startups).
OnRamp is designed to offer startup companies the opportunity to open communications and sales channels with corporations to foster mutual success.
OnRamp will be held Friday, May 30, 2014 at Lambeau Field in Green Bay. The event is intended to help startups in the critical effort to find sales channels and to provide a way for established companies to engage with the entrepreneurial community. It highlights the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and gener8tor’s commitment to helping Wisconsin’s emerging entrepreneurs succeed.
Participating corporations include the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, American Family Insurance, Harley-Davidson, Assurant Health, and more to be announced soon!
Startups Apply Now (Deadline May 19th): http://www.f6s.com/onrampwisconsin

American Family Ventures @ 96square on Wednesday

Startup Milwaukee would like to extend the opportunity get your startup in front of American Family Insurance's Venture Capital group on Wednesday, April 9 from 10am to 4pm at 96square. Apply for office hours, click here. If your startup is selected for office hours you will be able to reserve a slot Tuesday, April 8.

About American Family Ventures: Since 1927, American Family Insurance has given its customers peace of mind by making their insurance experience easy and convenient. Our caring agents strive hard to meet customers' unique needs by offering just the right mix of American Family's auto, home, life, umbrella, business, health, and farm & ranch insurance, as well as retirement products.

As the direct venture capital arm of American Family Insurance, we are focused on supporting American Family’s present and future through early stage investments in emerging technology companies. We’ve made investments in a variety of industries and stages of company development, and look for opportunities to add value as an investor and partner in every transaction.

Other Upcoming Startup Milwaukee Events:  YPWEEK Panel: Starting Up in Milwaukee - April 14 - Register Here Disciplined Entrepreneurship w/ MIT's Bill Aulet - April 17 - Register Here