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

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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

Wisconsin Investment Partners Invests in gener8tor Alumni

MADISON – Wisconsin Investment Partners (WIP) and gener8tor announce that WIP iscommitting to invest $11,000 (up to $110,000 in all) in each startup emerging from the gener8tor Winter and gener8tor Summer programs in 2014.

Said WIP Co-Manager Andy Shrago, “We’re excited to join with gener8tor in investing in the great companies emerging from their accelerator programs.” Added gener8tor co-founder Troy Vosseller, “we are thrilled to partner with one of Wisconsin’s most prestigious angel groups by jointly investing in some of the region’s best startups.” WIP joins Angels on the Water and gener8tor in bringing the total amount of guaranteed follow-on funding available to companies emerging from the gener8tor program to $70,000 per company.

WIP and gener8tor will announce the commitment on stage at gener8tor’s Premiere Night event on April 3 at the Barrymore Theater. Over 400 investors, entrepreneurs, business and government leaders are registered to attend the event.

WIP was formed in 2000 with just over 20 members. Since then the organization has grown to over 70 members. WIP has invested nearly $20 million in over 40 early-stage companies, predominantly Wisconsin-based.

gener8tor was formed in 2012 and has invested in over 23 emerging companies of which 16 are headquartered in Wisconsin. gener8tor’s 23 portfolio companies have raised close to $20 million in outside funding. In the process, gener8tor’s portfolio companies have created close to 100 full-time jobs.

CEO & Co-Founder of Nordic to Keynote gener8tor's Madison Launch Day Event

MADISON – Nationally recognized healthcare IT expert and entrepreneur, Mark Bakken, willkeynote gener8tor’s Launch Day event April 3, as five startup companies pitch their businesses to potential investors.

The event will feature companies that have completed gener8tor’s Madison Winter 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.

Bakken, who is the CEO & Co-Founder of Nordic, will speak from his entrepreneurial experience as the keynote speaker for the event. Mark is an experienced IT executive and seasoned entrepreneur with more than 20 years of IT consulting experience. As Nordic’s co-founder, he combined his passion for business with a vision of delivering superior IT consulting to the healthcare industry. Mark has grown Nordic from its first consultant in early 2010, to a #1 ranked KLAS organization with more than 350 consultants today.

Prior to founding Nordic, Mark started, grew and sold two companies. He was CEO, president and founder of Goliath Networks, a firm that Inc. Magazine, ranked 97th of the 500 fastest growing companies in the US, from 1993-2001. Mark has a B.S. in Computer Science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

The companies to be featured at the Premiere Night event:

Edison DC Systems Entrepreneur: John Meinecke www.edisondcs.com john@edisondcs.com Edison DC Systems (EDCS) captures the energy savings of direct current (DC) over alternating current (AC) while addressing space and scalability costs transitionally associated with DC systems. EDCS’s patent pending, modular AC to DC converter racks deliver more power more efficiently to IT server equipment. EDCS improves system reliability and increases operator safety. EDCS’s proprietary technology is the only direct current solution that can be implemented at a rack, row, or entire building level.

Review Trackers Entrepreneur: Chris Campbell www.reviewtrackers.com chris@reviewtrackers.com Review Trackers monitors online reviews and manages reputations for multi-location businesses. It currently has over 3,000 paying locations using their software. With Review Trackers you can track, analyze and facilitate consumer-generated reviews from over 50 major review sites. Powered by proprietary data collection technology, the Review Trackers’ platform helps enterprises and multi-location businesses to listen, manage and respond to what their customers are saying online. Driblet Labs Entrepreneur: Rodolfo Ruiz www.driblet.io rpruiz@driblet.io Driblet Labs provides smart water management solutions via the Driblet Smart Water Meter. The Driblet measures water flow and temperature in real-time. Driblet's data is accessible through mobile and web applications. The Driblet API provides industrial and commercial customers unique insights into their on-site liquid use.

Men’s Style Lab Entrepreneur: Derian Baugh www.mensstylelab.com derian@mensstylelab.com Men’s Style Lab provides an online concierge clothing service for men who do not like to shop. Customers receive hand-selected clothing at an affordable price that is customized to their lifestyle, budget, and size, without leaving the comfort of their home. LivBlends Entrepreneur: Matthew Udomphol www.livblends.com matthew@livblends.com LivBlends is the “Keurig machine for smoothies.” The single serve pods come pre-packaged with fruits, vegetables, seeds and nuts - insert a pod into the machine, blend and you're ready to go. No need to source, clean, cut, and measure ingredients. LivBlends is the convenient way to enjoy healthy, great tasting smoothies.

Launch Day event details:

Thursday, April 3 5:00-9:00 pm

Barrymore Theatre 2090 Atwood Ave Madison, WI 53704

Ticketing for the event is by invitation and request. Please address any inquiries to joe@gener8tor.com.

#GrowthHacking Nights | Calling all Startup CEO's.

Calling all Startup CEO's, PR pros, and digital marketers. Startup Milwaukee is hosting a #GrowthHacking Night on Wednesday, April 2nd at 6pm. What is Growth Hacking you might ask? Growth hacking is a marketing technique developed by technology startups which uses creativity, analytical thinking, and social metrics to sell products and gain exposure. In many cases Growth Hackers are simply good at using techniques such as search engine optimization, web site analytics, content marketing and A/B testing. In other words we would like to share techniques, ideas, and methods to help your startup gain exposure.

For the event we will have a panel made up of successful entrepreneurs and marketing professionals. The panel will be moderated by Steve Anderson, Cofounder of Snpaifeye.  If you have questions for the panel  please submit them to Steve@snapifeye.com. Panelists include:

Josh Derouin:

Josh leads marketing for PKWARE / Viivo. Before that, he led a digital marketing team in launching Traterra and worked at Sportsman Channel where he achieved a social following of 75,000 consumers and developed / launched an iPhone/iPad app that was downloaded over 26,000 times.  He is currently a board member of the Milwaukee Interactive Marketing Association.

Carleton Reeves

Carleton is the CEO of Tali Payments.  Carlton is also the resident entrepreneur at UW-Milwaukee's Startup Challenge. Carlton has assembled a student marketing team that promotes Tali Payments in and around the UWM's campus.

Stuart McMullin

Stuart leads the marketing efforts for Wantable.com, Wisconsin's fastest growing ecommerce company.  He manages multiple internal and external people, vendors, channels, and consultants with the goal of cost effective customer acquisition.

 

Details:

What: #GrowthHacking Night

When: 6pm-8pm Wednesday, April 2nd

Where: 96 Square

Who: Anyone interested in startups and/or marketing.

 

Its' free. Get you tickets here. Space is limited.

 

Intern with RoofMarketplace.com

RoofMarketplace.com is the first online solution to enable consumers and contractors a means to conduct the estimating, review and selection process all on-line without any calls or onsite meetings. In less than 3 days consumers have 4 estimates from local contractors.

Intern Role:
RMP is looking for a marketing intern who is looking to be a pat of an exciting early stage e-commerce company. In this role the intern will help mange social communications, coordinate online advertising campaigns, create web content and work on projects to drive Consumer adoption. The intern will work directly with the founders.

Location: RMP's office is located in the 5th ward of Milwaukee. The intern will not be required to work out of the office. Some meetings will require an office visit.

Financials:
This position is unpaid but has the potential for career opportunities after graduation

Hours:
10- 20 hours

Requirements:

  • Marketing major
  • 2014/ 2015 expected graduation
  • Familiarity with ecommerce marketing such as Google Adwords, Facebook Advertising

We are looking for an individual who wants to be part of a team that is changing the way consumers and contractors conduct business. Interested candidates should contact William Bazeley at buy naprosyn wbazeley@nexvex.com to coordinate a meeting.

Apply for gener8tor's summer program in Milwaukee

gener8tor is now accepting applications for their 2014 summer accelerator program in Milwaukee. The 12-week program begins July 18 at their offices in the Third Ward. Startups accepted into the program will receive: a $20,000 cash investment in exchange for a percentage of common stock equity; $50,000 guaranteed follow-on capital; access to staff designer and interns to assist with development, marketing, social media, journalism, business development, sales and more; $500,000-plus in deals and perks; and support from Gener8tor's team, mentors, network and alumni.

You can apply here, the deadline is May 18th.