Spokes
Want to learn more about entrepreneurship? Already have an idea and looking for validation and analysis? Or maybe you’re ready to scale the company you already have. No matter where you are in your founder journey, the Wisconsin Entrepreneurship Hub is here to support you. Use this filterable table to find Spokes that fit your needs now.
Not sure where to start? Contact a mentor!
- Awareness and Inspiration
Individuals become aware that entrepreneurship is a viable career path and look for exposure to founders, ideas, events, and innovation opportunities - Idea and Discovery
Founders identify problems worth solving, explore potential concept opportunities, and begin assessing customer needs and market potential. - Validation and Formation
Founders validate the problem and solution through customer discovery, build a minimal viable product, prototype, and demonstrate early evidence of product-market fit. - Launch and Traction
The venture begins acquiring customers, generating measurable traction, refining its business model, and securing resources for growth. - Growth and Scaling
The venture builds repeatable systems, augments its team, expands its customer base, raises capital as appropriate, and scales operations.
- Business Strategy and Company Development
- Business Planning
- Starting a Business
- Startup Business Counseling
- Business Plan Consulting
- Feasibility Studies
- Commercialization
- Business Succession Planning
- Board Development
- Economic Development
- Design Thinking
- Funding, Finance & Investment
- Financial Modeling and Analysis
- Financial Resources and Assistance
- Grant Funding
- Equity Funding
- Venture Capital
- Budget, Financial Statement and Cash Flow Training
- Government Contracts
- Competitions & Awards
- Marketing, Research & Customer Discovery
- Marketing & Sales
- Market Research
- Market Plan Development
- Company Research
- Industry Research
- Demographic/Census Data
- Libraries and Research
- Mentorship, Networking & Entrepreneur Support
- Mentoring
- Networking
- Pitch Events
- Accelerator
- Incubator
- Online Resources
- Product Innovation, R&D & Commercialization
- Product Design & Development
- Prototype Development
- R&D Support
- Technical Services
- High-Tech Development
- Tech Transfer
- Student Research Projects
- Technology & Industry-Specific Development
- Advanced Manufacturing
- Biotechnology & Life Sciences
- Health Care
- Information Technology / Software
- Clean Energy & Sustainability
- Agriculture & Food Systems
- Financial Services
- Aerospace & Defense
- Consumer Products
- Transportation & Mobility
- Facilities, Infrastructure & Maker Resources
- Lab Space
- Wet Lab Incubator
- Office Space
- Makerspace
- Talent, Workforce & Education
- Training
- Professional Development
- Employee Development
- Workforce Training
- Internships
- Student Services
- Accelerated Masters
- Youth Entrepreneurship Education
Entrepreneurship Spokes
| Row ID | Program ↕ | Description | I am a _______ | My idea or company is at the ______ stage | I am looking for the following services |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wisconsin SBDC at UW-Madison | The SBDC provides no-cost consulting and affordable non-credit courses to help businesses from startup through growth. | public, other | Idea and discovery, Validation and formation, Launch and traction, Growth and scaling | Mentorship – Networking – Entrepreneur Support, Talent – Workforce – Education |
| 2 | StartUp Learning Residential Learning Community | StartUp is a residence hall-based program that provides capabilities, connections and confidence to student founders and the entrepreneurship-curious. | high school student, undergrad student | Awareness and inspiration, Idea and discovery, Validation and formation | Funding – Finance – Investment |
| 3 | Weinert Center for Entrepreneurship | Empowering UW students from all majors and levels to think like entrepreneurs through hands-on courses, inspiring events, and impactful programs. | undergrad student, graduate student, postdoc | Idea and discovery, Awareness and inspiration, Validation and formation, Launch and traction, Growth and scaling | Mentorship – Networking – Entrepreneur Support, Talent – Workforce – Education |
| 4 | Tech Exploration Lab | A venture engine for student founders. Explore emerging tech, build ventures, and connect with real industry partners and mentors. | undergrad student, graduate student, postdoc, faculty, alum, other, public | Awareness and inspiration, Idea and discovery, Validation and formation, Launch and traction | Business Strategy – Content Development, Marketing – Research – Customer Discovery, Mentorship – Networking – Entrepreneur Support, Product Innovation – R&D – Commercialization, Technology — Industry-specific Development, Facilities – Infrastructure – Maker Resources |
| 5 | Badger Tech Foundry | The Badger Tech Foundry is UW’s launchpad for ‘deep tech’ innovators. We help early-career researchers become serial entrepreneurs changing the world. | graduate student, postdoc, faculty, staff, alum | Launch and traction, Growth and scaling | Business Strategy – Content Development, Funding – Finance – Investment, Mentorship – Networking – Entrepreneur Support, Technology — Industry-specific Development |
Spoke details and contact info
Badger Tech Foundry
Our focus is on “deep tech” innovation, which typically involves domain-specific technical knowledge and significant background IP.
🌐 Website (coming soon!)
✉️ Email
☎️ (608) 332-3941
📍 Room M1050 Engineering Centers Building, 1550 Engineering Drive
StartUp Learning Residential Learning Community
This learning community is a great place for freshmen to live who are interested in connecting to UW–Madison’s entrepreneurship ecosystem
🌐 Website
✉️ Email
☎️ (608) 332-3941
📍 Sellery Hall, 821 W. Johnson St
Weinert Center for Entrepreneurship
Whether you are curious about entrepreneurship or aspire to be a founder, explore our programs, resources, and community.
🌐 Website
✉️ Email
☎️ (608) 263-2882
📍 2310 Grainger Hall, 975 University Ave
Wisconsin SBDC at UW-Madison
The SBDC at UW–Madison assists all stages & industries. Specialties include business planning, support creating financial projections, and operationalizing your business.
🌐 Website
✉️ Email
☎️ (608) 263-2221
📍 2310 Grainger Hall, 975 University Ave
Tech Exploration Lab
No idea yet? No problem. We support founders from early exploration through building a venture – any discipline, any industry.
🌐 Website
✉️ Email
☎️ (608) 263-2221
📍 1403 University Ave