| Welcome to the September 2015 WIN eNewsletter |
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Dear readers-
There are many ways to intersect with the work of the Wisconsin Technology Council. Our upcoming events spotlight innovation, investment and technology trends. Our policy initiatives are front-and-center in the State Capitol and beyond. Our September WIN eNewsletter offers examples of both. Please read on to learn more – and to take part in growing Wisconsin’s economy!
Sincerely,
Tom Still, president
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Apply to present at 2015 Wisconsin Early Stage Symposium
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Apply to pitch your company to the most active investors in the Midwest at the annual Wisconsin Early Stage Symposium, being held Nov. 4-5 at Madison’s Monona Terrace. Many companies have cited their presentations at the conference as a key factor for getting funding and growing their business. Companies selected for the Wisconsin Angel Network track presentations will receive a complimentary individual Wisconsin Innovation Network membership for one year (a $100 value), as well as discounted registration for the conference. Applications are due no later than 5 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 23. Learn more and get started here.
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Marquette's Lovell on regional innovation at Sept. 10 WIN-MKE
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President Lovell, Marquette University |
Marquette University President Michael R. Lovell will discuss the university’s initiatives aimed at propelling the Milwaukee region forward as an innovation hub at the Thursday, Sept. 10 meeting of the Wisconsin Innovation Network’s Milwaukee chapter in Wauwatosa.
The
evening event will take place at UW-Milwaukee’s Innovation Accelerator,
1225 Discovery Parkway. Registration, networking and hors d’oeuvres
will begin at 4:30 p.m, with the presentations starting at 5:15 p.m. Learn more and register here.
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Launch of the Badger Fund of Funds at Sept. 22 WIN-MSN
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The launch of Wisconsin’s new venture capital fund called Badger Fund of Funds will be unveiled at the Tuesday, Sept. 22 meeting of the Wisconsin Innovation Network’s in Madison. The Badger Fund of Funds will leverage $25 million in state of Wisconsin investment dollars with dollars from private limited partners as well as the fund’s general partners. The luncheon will be held at the Sheraton Hotel
on Madison’s John Nolen Drive. Registration and networking begin at
11:30 a.m., lunch at noon and the presentation at 12:30 p.m. Learn more
and register here. |
Investors' Edge: Beloit Club hosts Stateline Angel reception Sept. 15
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Accredited Investors are invited to the foremost angel investing event in Rock County, The Beloit Club. Learn about angel investing, angel networks and how other regions of Wisconsin utilize angel investing for growth. Speakers include: Tom Still, president, Wisconsin Technology Council; George Messina, president and chief executive officer, NorthStar Medical Technologies; and Rob Gerbitz, Hendricks Commercial Properties. Click here to learn more.
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Investors' Edge: Wisconsin River Business Angels to meet Sept. 24
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Join us to learn more about angel investing and the Wisconsin River Business Angels on Sept. 24 at the Central Wisconsin Airport, Mosinee. Accredited angel investors, regional economic development organizations, interested potential angel investors, potential sponsors and supporters are welcome to attend. There will be networking, refreshments, an Investor's Edge presentation by Bram Daelemans and a presentation debut of the Wisconsin River Business Angels by Leon Ostrowski and Jeff Ebel. Click here to learn more.
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Experts to discuss fed ‘Clean Power Plan’ at Oct. 1 Cleantech forum
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The Oct. 1 meeting of the Wisconsin Cleantech Network will focus on the pros and cons of the Obama administration’s “Clean Power Plan,” which is a major initiative designed to curb carbon dioxide emissions by energy producers. It is expected the CPP will directly affect industry and individuals because the cost of achieving carbon dioxide reductions will likely be passed on to energy consumers. The forum will be held from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the Wisconsin Energy Institute, 1552 University Ave., on the UW-Madison campus. Learn more and register here.
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Portfolio shows sharp increase in 2014 angel, venture activity
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The
latest edition of “The Wisconsin Portfolio,” an annual publication of
the Tech Council’s Wisconsin Angel Network, shows a sharp increase in
angel and venture investment activity for the 2014 calendar year.
At least 113 Wisconsin early stage companies
raised investment capital in 2014, a 31 percent jump from the prior
year, when the total was 86 companies. More than $346 million was raised
by those 113 companies, nearly three times more than the 2013 total of
about $128 million. Click here to read more.
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| Tech Council guides constructive debate on future of higher ed |
The Wisconsin Technology Council has offered five broad principles to help guide a continued public debate over the future of higher education in Wisconsin. Contained in a resolution passed by the Tech Council’s executive committee, and based on a discussion by its full board of directors, the principles are founded on a belief that Wisconsin’s economic future will be driven by its innovation economy. Click here to learn more.
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Tech Council opposes proposed ban on legal fetal tissue research
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The Wisconsin Technology Council has been on record since 2002 as supporting legislation that encourages high-tech research and company creation, and as opposing restrictions on research that place Wisconsin at a competitive disadvantage. The current debate over fetal tissue research in Wisconsin compels us to reiterate the factors behind our 2002 resolution. Click here to read full resolution.
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Bills to limit employee mobility opposed by Tech Council
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The
board of directors for the Wisconsin Technology Council has voted to
oppose two bills that would place new limits on the ability of employees
to take new jobs or start their own businesses. The board voted unanimously among members
present to oppose Senate Bill 69 and its companion bill, Assembly Bill
91, which were introduced in the spring to tighten existing law related
to employee “non-compete” contracts and similar restrictive employment
covenants.Click here to learn more. |
Still named to Governor's Council on Workforce Investment
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Tech Council President Tom Still has been appointed to the Governor's Council on Workforce Investment. Reconstituted earlier this year, the Council on Workforce Investment has been asked to recommend strategies for aligning workforce development resources to support economic growth. That will include building career pathways to support high-demand industries, identifying best practices around training and apprenticeships and making every worker – young, old, disabled or otherwise – count for Wisconsin. Click here to read more
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Put ‘Wisconsin YES!’ biz plan contest on your back-to-school list
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With the school year beginning in earnest across Wisconsin, it’s not too early for students, teachers, parents and administrators to plan to enter the 2016 version of Wisconsin Youth Entrepreneurs in Science. Wisconsin YES! is a statewide youth business plan contest modeled after the successful Governor’s Business Plan Contest. It will open for online entries from Wisconsin middle- and high-school students later this month at wisconsinyes.com. The initial deadline of 250 words will be March 14, 2016.
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| Tech Council partners with 1 Million Cups Madison |
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Wisconsin Technology Council is pleased to support 1 Million Cups
Madison, which is a free, weekly program to help startups pitch their
businesses to an audience over coffee. Madison meetings of 1 Million
Cups are held 9:15 a.m. Wednesdays at the Madison Central Library. Click here to learn more. |
| 'WisBusiness: The Show' covers news, commentary |
Please watch these latest editions of "WisBusiness: The Show," the twice-a-month Web show covering state business news and issues.
This episode of “WisBusiness.com: The Show” features an interview with Scott Vander Sanden, president of AT&T in Wisconsin, on the impact of the Direct TV merger and other investments in the state’s telecom grid. Tom Still discusses Wisconsin’s workforce crunch and Liz Schrum presents this week's Tech Metrics, a look at key indicators in the Wisconsin economy.
Vander Sanden, AT&T
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Click here to view the biweekly show, produced by Red Arrow Production for the Tech Council and WisBusiness.com, as well as archives of past shows. The show is sponsored by UW-Milwaukee and Exact Sciences.
Guests on recent shows:
Bram Daelemans, Wisconsin Angel Network
Brian Schupper, Scale Up Milwaukee
Shelley Jurewicz, FaB Wisconsin
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| Inside Wisconsin columns tackle state, tech issues |
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Still in JSOnline: Survey seeks to clarify how people perceive Wisconsin
Called "Wisconsin state of mind: A national perception survey," the online poll is admittedly unscientific because of its open-ended, all-comers nature. Then again, its results may be instructive as policy-makers, business leaders and others grapple with how to position Wisconsin in a world where image often counts more than fact.
Inside Wis: Walling Wisconsin: How a few strategic barriers might help the Badger state
Presidential candidate Donald Trump wants to build a wall separating Mexico from America’s southern border. Gov. Scott Walker, also running for president, mused briefly about building a wall between the United States and Canada. Before the nation spends billions of dollars on walls to protect us from people outside the United States, let’s consider the need for tighter interstate and intrastate security. Here are a few Wisconsin walls to be considered in these dangerous times:
Inside Wis: Higher ed in Wisconsin merits complete look, not piecemeal ideas.
Rethinking higher education in Wisconsin – its many “flavors,” its competitive pressures, its costs, its economic value and its role in meeting the state’s needs for skilled workers – is best done comprehensively. That’s why the Wisconsin Technology Council issued a set of recommendations to help policymakers go about the critical process of assessing the role of higher education – the UW System, the tech colleges and the valuable role of private colleges – in our modern Innovation and Knowledge Economy.
Still in JSOnline: State must be proactive to replenish tomorrow's workforce
How Wisconsin responds to one of the most serious demographic challenges in its history is vital to the state's economy, which must add or replace 1 million workers in the next 10 years as the current workforce ages and businesses seek to grow or, in some cases, simply survive.
Inside Wis: Cool cities are hot cities: Smaller communities can compete for talent
How Wisconsin responds to one of the most serious demographic challenges in its history is vital to the state’s economy, which must add or replace 1 million workers in the next 10 years as the current workforce ages and businesses of all types seek to grow or, in some cases, simply survive.
Inside Wis: Fetal tissue bill can be amended to satisfy science and ethics
The political reflex to the creepy possibility that people are illegally selling organs and tissue from aborted fetuses is understandable. The rush to pass overly broad legislation that would outlaw and even criminalize legitimate, longstanding medical research is not.
Inside Wis: Technology helps private landowners become better stewards of land – and make money
Of course, technology is nothing new in farming in Wisconsin or elsewhere. The harvesting machine, the twine binder, malted milk, the milk butterfat test, the round silo, safe canning methods for peas and tuberculin tests for cattle were all Wisconsin inventions in the 1800s alone. The pace of innovation hasn’t slowed in the last century-plus.
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| Get WIN-volved! Membership has its privileges |
Thank you to the following individuals and organizations that have recently joined or renewed their WIN memberships:
Click here to fill out an online application to become a new member or renew your current membership!
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| Innovation news round-up |
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Channel3000.com: Researchers oppose bill banning fetal tissue use
UW-MadisonNews: Flu study, on hold, yields new vaccine technology
MCW: Chemokine immune molecule inhibits growth and spread of pancreatic cancer
State Journal: GOP should drop fetal tissue bill
WisBusiness: Visit from Belgium hooked new angel network director on Wisconsin
JSOnline: Pharma products firm Invenra raises $2 million from 28 investors
Madison.com: HealthMyne's tumor imaging software gets FDA OK
JSOnline: Verona health care software company's annual gathering is epic
League of Wisconsin Municipalities director: Time for a people policy
JSOnline: UW-Madison nanotech center receives $20 million
State Journal: Keeping the tech transfer engine humming at University Research Park
MadREP: Video Game Industry Meet-UP fuels momentum around Madison's gaming cluser
State Journal: Saliva-based fertility test wins Madison pitch contest
JSOnline: Early-stage companies graduate from Milwaukee training program
JSOnline: Exact Science shares rise 6.8% after Medicare reimbursement ruling
UW System President Cross applauds Tech Council statement on higher ed
State Journal: Alliant to study solar-energy generation with a multi-year project
JSOnline: FluGen raises $12 million in new investments for flu vaccines
State Journal: Madison startup BluDiagnostics wins trip to woo Silicon Valley investors
Tech Council congratulates Reed Hall on his service to WEDC, state
Madison Startups: Panel: Madison's Ecosystem Has Grown
BizTimes: Scale Up Milwaukee plans move to Lubar Center for Entrepreneurship
JSOnline: Wisconsin giving millions to beef up rural Internet service
JSOnline: Susan Healy enjoys role as start-up CFO for hire
WisBusiness: Venture capitalist Goff shares secrets of success
BizJournal: New funding, expanded programming for Global Water Center
State Journal: Fitchburg officials push option for Exact Sciences if talks with Madison fail
BizJournal: GE Healthcare wins FDA approval for lung cancer screening software
WisBusiness: Panel: Wisconsin could be health-tech app hotbed
JSOnline: Online wine retailer raises $2 million in new investments
BizTimes: Milwaukee ranks highest in manufacturing job growth
State Journal: Raven has helped create a video game cluster here
Green Bay Gazette: Green Bay one of top 10 places to start a business
Ashland Daily Press: 2015 Business and Technology Conference aims to shape success
State Journal: Raven Software: Still alive and thriving, at 25
BizJournal: Tricast raises $3.3 million for marketing software, will double employment to 70
State Journal: Local companies make Inc. 5000 list
State Journal: Tech and Biotech: New investments, accelerator attendees, and Epic's Judy Faulkner gets Forbes' attention
La CrosseTribune: Science building expected to generate 1,400 jobs, $$157 million economic impact
WisBusiness: A bill that would prohibit transferring or experimenting on fetal tissue from abortions is getting a robust debate at the Capitol
BizTimes: BrightStar announces five new investment commitments
gener8tor: Five Startups Begin gener8tor’s Milwaukee 2015 Program
JSOnline: Start-ups receive Madworks Seed Accelerator grants
State Journal: Madison start-up to present at the White House
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Snapshot events calendar
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| Sponsor your next regional meeting |
Sponsoring your chapter's next WIN meeting will give you and your company immediate exposure to Wisconsin's best and brightest people. WIN is a network dedicated to giving a voice to the technology community as a whole - from the bottom up! Sponsorship opportunities are available on a monthly or annual basis. Contact Maurice Cheeks for more information.
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| Post events in our community events section |
Click here to add your event to the Tech Council Community Events section that is designed to assist in the development, growth and success of science- and technology-based businesses in Wisconsin.
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