The Tech Council Current - July 30, 2020 edition

July 30, 2020

Dear readers:

As Wisconsin continues to see an uptick in virus cases, it’s important to note that not all is gloom and doom when it comes to society’s effort to combat the ravage of COVID-19. The Tech Council and the Wisconsin Healthcare Business Forum hosted a July 28 webinar that featured three of Wisconsin’s leading healthtech companies -- Epic, Exact Sciences and Promega -- during which a collaborative effort related to testing was described. Please read my column on the webinar here and related news stories here and here.

The Tech Council is part of a statewide group that is tracking the progress of “The Endless Frontier Act,” which is a bipartisan federal bill aimed at dramatically boosting research and development assets in the United States.

Related to the federal proposal is a two-part webinar series on how Midwest assets can help to drive a national recovery. Learn more below about “Shaping the Endless Frontier: How the Midwest Can Spark the U.S. Economy.”

“Shaping the Endless Frontier: How the Midwest Can Spark the U.S. Economy” begins 11 a.m. Aug. 11. It is hosted by the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation, the Wisconsin Technology Council, Michael Best Strategies and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

Part One: Why Midwest Assets Are Vital for Growth / 11 a.m. Central, Tuesday, Aug. 11.

Join us for a 60-minute discussion with regional thought leaders on why Midwest states are uniquely equipped to spark the nation’s economy and drive meaningful innovation. The session will explore recent research on how place-based investments in emerging growth centers across the country can remedy regional gaps in capital investment, maintain U.S. leadership in innovation, and attract the tech stars of the future to the nation’s heartland.

John Austin, Senior Fellow Metropolitan Policy Program, Brookings Institution
Ruben Anthony, CEO and President, Urban League of Greater Madison
Erik Iverson, CEO, Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF)
Tom Still (moderator), president, Wisconsin Technology Council

Part Two: What will The Endless Frontier Act do? / 11 a.m. Central, Wednesday, Sept. 16.

This will feature two of the bill’s lead sponsors, U.S. Rep. Mike Gallagher, R-Wis., and U.S. Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., among others.

Register here!

Make sure to check out our newsroom below for fast-changing information about Wisconsin's reopening process.
Stay tuned for announcements about virtual Tech Council webinars on COVID-19 issues of interest to our members and others.

Do you have news or best practices to contribute to a future edition of Tech Council Current?
Contact Laura@wisconsintechnologycouncil.com

Thanks for reading and please find more timely information below.

Tom Still, president

COVID-19

AP News: Misinformation on the virus is proving highly contagious
Inc.: This biotech business won't let cost get in the way of a COVID cure
NPR: Irregularities in COVID reporting contract award process raises new questions
AHC Healthcare: In order to care for others, you need to care for yourself
Medium: A game-changing coronavirus treatment that no one’s talking about
Business Insider: Coronavirus vaccine: problems that could hamper rollout before 2021
USA Today: A quick, cheap test would help stop COVID-19. So why don't we have one?
WisBusiness:COVID-19 isolation facilities served 99 people at cost of more than $1 million
Wisconsin Health News: Companies detail rapid rollout of COVID-19 testing initiative
Today: FDA authorizes first COVID-19 test for people without symptoms
NBC:These women's coronavirus symptoms never went away. Their doctors' willingness to help did.
WisBusiness: Wisconsin health tech companies build better COVID-19 testing infrastructure
AP News: Experimental COVID-19 vaccine is put to its biggest test
EHR Intelligence: Epic Systems, Cerner exceeds EHR client expectations during COVID-19

ECONOMY

The Guardian: US economy suffers worst quarter since the second world war as GDP shrinks by 32.9%
Business Insider: Markets will have 'severe problems' if Congress can't reach stimulus deal by mid next week, says Guggenheim's Minerd
UWHC: University of Wisconsin Hospitals again ranked No. 1 in Wisconsin
Fox11: Defense Department awards Green Bay company NPS Corporation a $2.75 million PPE contract
NPR: Pending USPS changes could delay mail and deliveries, advocates say
Milwaukee Business Journal: Packers, Microsoft building steady economic pipeline from Green Bay with TitletownTech
Marketing Dive: 45% of consumers have changed brand preferences during pandemic, study finds
Axios: America's two coronavirus realities
The New York Times: With COVID-19, broadband internet access is a civil rights issue
Art19: MKE Health & Economy Briefing 7/28/20: Tim Sheehy & Dr. John Raymond
Bloomberg: The economics of remote Work
Axios: Tech CEOs' task when testifying before Congress: Stay cool, wave flag
The Wall Street Journal: Walmart, Kroger bottle their own milk and shake up American dairy industry
WisBusiness: Early soybean planting this spring could mean record yields come fall
Milwaukee Business Journal: Northwestern Mutual cites low interest rates in implementing employee cost cuts
BizTimes: Greater Milwaukee Foundation to direct $30 million for equitable economic recovery in the community
The Wall Street Journal: Do you dare switch jobs in the coronavirus economy?
Journal Sentinel: Waitstaff, bartenders serve tales of navigating coronavirus pandemic
Axios: The unemployment situation is really, really bad
CNBC: Remote work will be a legacy of pandemic; job losses may not be over, survey finds

ENTREPRENEURS + INNOVATION

Wisconsin SBDC: Michelle Somes-Booher, Director of the SBDC at UW-Madison, was named "2020 State Star"
Release: ChemDirect moves from L.A. to Green Bay, secures funding and a new HQ at TitletownTech
WLUK: Green Bay start-up hopes to help schools, businesses cut PPE, sanitation costs
Business Insider: CES 2021 to be held online only because of COVID-19 pandemic
Sleep Review: EnsoData made 12 pivots to arrive at EnsoSleep
LinkedIn: No matter the platform, we can still be better communicators
Forbes: A big startup mistake: Hiring the wrong head of marketing
First Round: Struggling to thrive as a large team working remotely: A field guide
Venture Beat: The nimble enterprise: How to balance innovation and execution
Madison Startups: Promega surpasses CSR goals

INVESTING

J.P. Morgan: 5 things to know about startup fundraising through 2020
WisconsinINNO: Here are the social impact startups AmFam backed in the last year

EDUCATION

Madison.com: 'A bad plan made poorly': UW staff, students criticize 'vague' reopening plan
UW-Eau Claire: Chemistry faculty publish research findings about COVID-19
Madison.com: Majority of surveyed rural Wisconsin schools say masks not mandated, lean to reopening in fall
Release: UW–Madison named member of new $25 million Midwest quantum science institute
Axios: The pandemic is making schools even more unequal
NYTimes: MacKenzie Scott gives $1.7 billion to historically black colleges and other groups
Inc.: When school goes virtual, startups step into the breach

Please send your upcoming virtual events for consideration to laura@wisconsintechnologycouncil.com

STAT presents CRISPR: A Forward March on Wednesday, August 5

SBDC presents Food Finance Institute Boot Camp with Tera Johnson on August 5, 6 and August 26, 27

Wisconsin Health News feature: Exact Sciences’ Kevin Conroy discusses what missed screenings and delayed care throughout the pandemic could mean for the future of cancer care on Thursday, August 13

STAT presents AI: Cracking COVID-19's Code on Tuesday, August 18

· Gov. Evers’ office regularly updates a statewide COVID-19 website that aggregates information and resources throughout state government, including the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. and the departments of Financial Institutions, Revenue and Workforce Development. Some specific sites:

· The Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development produced this F AQ document.

· The Wisconsin Department of Revenue offers these information sources:

· The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has guidance for businesses.

· Wisconsin Department of Health Services: COVID-19 Outbreaks in Wisconsin

· NIST Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) centers are providing services to small- and medium-sized manufacturers such as connecting businesses that are pivoting their production in response to the coronavirus to new supply chains, connecting firms with state resources, advising companies on new operational issues, and providing workforce support.

· “Wisconsin COVID-19 Startup Talent” is a new project to help those displaced from jobs and employers now hiring

· Wisconsin Hospital Association releases a COVID-19 dynamic Situational Awareness Update

· View an interactive map of public wi-fi “hot spots” in Wisconsin

NEWSLETTER SPONSORS:

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WI Health Connect: Think you may have COVID-19? Free, confidential over-the-phone screening now available.
Live dashboard with QUICK NUMBERS and FACTS on the IMPACT of COVID-19
Michael Best has formed a COVID-19 Task Force to address business and legal implications.
Reinhart’s Coronavirus Resource Center includes the impact of HR 6201 on employees.
BDO monitors the latest COVID-19 business impacts and regulatory updates.
Learn more about Epic tools that can help you and your organization treat and prevent the spread of COVID-19.
WIPLFi: Information to help businesses and individuals weather the coronavirus.
Quarles & Brady has created a resource of COVID-19 articles that impact clients and businesses.
Wisconsin Department of Tourism is actively planning for Wisconsin’s economic COVID-19 recovery.
Click here to sign up for the WisPolitics/WisBusiness daily healthcare report.
Husch Blackwell explores issues at the intersection of law and public health emergencies.
TASC is making its expertise and emergency benefit accounts available for free to Dane County employers in 2020.
Neider & Boucher provides their clients with the necessary focus to help define and reach their goals during COVID-19.
UW-Madison’s CROWE researchers track and analyze the economic impact of COVID-19 in Wisconsin and beyond.
WMC launched a Coronavirus (COVID-19) Business Resource Center and Employer Toolkit.
Godfrey & Kahn’s COVID-19 Resource Center provides timely insights on the unique legal challenges and business implications created by the pandemic
Baker Tilly’s Coronavirus Resource Center: how an unplanned event such as the COVID-19 outbreak can affect your organization, employees, customers and suppliers.
The Burish Group: UBS Business Owner Resiliency Center
The Creative Company is offering a free crisis white paper download: How to communicate with clarity during COVID-19
Aberdean Consulting has an updated Remote Office/Home Office Security Survey
MKE Tech Hub has a new outgoing newsletter for the tech community to stay informed and engaged. Click here to subscribe.

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Tech Council Innovation Network membership:
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Need help finding the membership level right for you?
Please contact Angela Schlobohm, development & member relations director:
angela@wisconsintechnologycouncil.com or 608-442-7557.

Tech Council Investor Networks membership:
Your $750 Investor Networks membership entitles you to one free pass to our two major conferences (Entrepreneurs' Conference and Early Stage Symposium), as well as regular Tech Council Innovation Network events.

THANK YOU TO OUR MAJOR SPONSORS

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