Wisconsin
State Resources
The state’s lead economic development organization is the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC), a semi-public corporate entity created by the state legislature in 2011. WEDC’s mission is “to strategically invest in Wisconsin to enhance the economic well-being of people and their businesses and communities.” Highlighted below is a sample of what WEDC and other organizations are doing in the state to support new ventures. For more Wisconsin resources, including listings of venture capital and angel investors, see WEDC’s entrepreneurial resource ecosystem platform, Start in Wisconsin.
Isthmus Project (UW Health)
Through the Isthmus Project, the UW Health system and UW School of Medicine and Public Health make equity investments in and provide product development support for healthcare start-ups that have a UW-affiliated champion involved. Investments typically range from $100,000 to $500,000.
SBIR Advance Matching Grant
The SBIR Advance state matching grant program, a collaboration between WEDC and Center for Technology Commercialization (Universities of Wisconsin), began in 2014. Companies that have received no more than 3 SBIR/STTR Phase II awards are eligible to apply for a 50% match up to $75,000 for Phase I SBIR/STTR awards and a 100% match up to $100,000 a year for 2 years for Phase II SBIR/STTR awards.
Wisconsin Center for Manufacturing & Productivity (WCMP)
Wisconsin has 2 NIST Manufacturing Extension Program (MEP)-affiliated support centers under the Wisconsin Center for Manufacturing & Productivity (WCMP) that help small- and medium-sized manufacturers grow, develop new products, streamline processes, and expand exports. WEDC is one of WCMP’s partner entities. The non-profit organization WMEP, with offices in Madison and Green Bay, supports manufacturers in the south and east of the state, while UW-Stout’s Manufacturing Outreach Center (MOC) provides support to the northern and western parts of the state. Services focus on 6 areas: continuous improvement, growth and exporting, sustainability, supplier development, technology acceleration, and workforce.
Wisconsin Investment Fund
A program of WEDC launched in 2024, the Wisconsin Investment Fund is a public-private venture capital initiative seeded with $50 million from the U.S. Treasury’s State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI), matched by private funds from 5 venture capital firm partners. To apply, small businesses contact one of the 5 VC fund managers directly.
