Every day at our university, we acquire and impart knowledge, gain inspiration, and form ideas—ideas that could change lives. What if we could do more to foster the pursuit of these ideas?
Nurturing ideas across our campus and bringing them to life is at the heart of the Wisconsin Idea
Entrepreneurship involves improving our world outside the boundaries of the classroom. It goes beyond discovery, beyond publication, beyond a patent, and transforms ideas into action.
Our 21st century economy is fast-moving, fueled by innovation and investment. Our vision is to be the premier university for students, staff, faculty, and alumni to pursue entrepreneurial endeavors and creatively solve problems to create a better world.
Tap into the potential. Strengthen the infrastructure. Chart a map. Empower the changemakers.
Chancellor Mnookin has made entrepreneurship a key priority for the university and charged an ad hoc working group comprised of entrepreneurial and innovation leaders from campus and industry to determine how UW–Madison can better support entrepreneurs and what more we can do to improve entrepreneurial outcomes.
The findings and recommendations outlined in this report, released in October of 2024, aim to transform UW–Madison into a premier university in which to pursue entrepreneurial endeavors and creatively solve problems to create a better world.
UW already is a thriving hub of innovation and entrepreneurial excellence, and we have an opportunity to make it even stronger. This report and its recommendations provide a roadmap to chart a new direction to further empower our entrepreneurial community to lead in ways that truly differentiate us on a national and global scale.
—Jennifer L. Mnookin, Chancellor
Harnessing the power of Wisconsin innovation
Entrepreneurs revolutionize, solve problems, and serve needs across all aspects of society. Supporting and enabling all campus entrepreneurs—faculty, staff, and students—fosters a culture of innovation and facilitates services that empower individuals to transform ideas into impactful ventures, thereby driving economic growth and social change. The potential for growth is enormous.
The entrepreneurship initiative intends to serve the entire campus by fulfilling the recommendations laid out in the report:
- Commit to excellence in entrepreneurship with a focus on founders
- Establish campus leadership and structure to bolster entrepreneurship
- Create a culture to promote and celebrate entrepreneurship
- Expand access to capital
