Entrepreneurs

This collection features resources that are available to entrepreneurs at all stages, many from assets originating at UW–Madison as well as those available within the community.

Resources for All Entrepreneurs

Featured Resource: Explore the INSITE Entrepreneurship Guide, an interactive guide of UW–Madison and community entrepreneurship resources. Match resources to your stage of development.

• @1403 part of the world-class University Research Park, offers state-of-the-art facilities and can be the home you are looking for to turn big ideas into businesses.
  • Madworks Accelerator – Provides resources and mentorship to help select early-stage companies succeed
  • Madworks Coworking – Fully equipped workspace and social and networking opportunities
  • UW-Madison Law & Entrepreneurship Clinic – Provides free legal services to entrepreneurs and early stage companies
• The Business and Entrepreneurship Clinic, in collaboration with the Law and Entrepreneurship Clinic (L&E), the Wisconsin Institutes of Discovery, and WARF, will provide free business advice and services for Wisconsin based entrepreneurs. Under the direction of Michael Williams, MBA students and senior level undergraduates undertake various projects that the businesses require.
• UW–Madison Small Business Development Center provides no-cost consulting, low-cost entrepreneurial education, and strategic facilitation to start-ups and entrepreneurs.
• The Center for Technology Commercialization provides one-on-one assistance and expertise on the commercialization process to early-stage emerging technology businesses throughout Wisconsin.
• Capital Entrepreneurs is dedicated to fostering community among startups in Madison.

• The Madison Entrepreneur Resource, Learning and Innovation Network (MERLIN) is a Madison-based corp of volunteers who have started and managed new ventures. These mentors can help guide emerging entrepreneurs in early stage ventures to boost the potential of business success.
• University Research Park has a variety of flexible lease spaces, within the research and technology park and at their campus @1403 location.
• Wisconsin Governor’s Business Plan Contest links up-and-coming entrepreneurs with a statewide network of community resources, expert advice, high-quality education, management talent, and possible sources of capital.
• The WARF Innovation and Roadmap series brings together thought leaders from across the country, Madison and UW–Madison to exchange perspectives on topics ranging from identifying an opportunity to building a start-up team to financing.

Resources for UW–Madison Entrepreneurs

Featured Resource: UW‒Madison’s new Innovate Network compiles education, funding, news, and events for faculty, staff, and student innovators. Maintained by Discovery to Product, Innovate includes resources from a wide array of campus and affiliate partners who help UW–Madison inventors and entrepreneurs bring their innovations to the marketplace.

NEW! COVID-19 Support For Campus Entrepreneurs

• Discovery to Product (D2P):  UW–Madison program providing resources, connections, and mentoring to early stage commercialization and entrepreneurship projects conceived by UW faculty, staff, and students.
• Madworks Coworking@1403: Offers faculty and staff a centrally located co-working space on campus to conduct start-up and entrepreneurial business.  Affordable, flexible desk leases, great amenities, co-working and networking opportunities.
• Morgridge Entrepreneurial Bootcamp (MEB) is a one-week intensive training program in technology entrepreneurship for graduate students in the sciences, engineering, and math. MEB is co-sponsored by the Initiative for Studies in Transformational Entrepreneurship (INSITE) and the Weinert Center for Entrepreneurship.
• Innovation Roadmap series: The Office of Business Engagement is pleased to be a partner in this WARF created series bringing together thought leaders from across the country and our own backyard to exchange perspectives on core topics ranging from identifying an opportunity to building a startup team to financing and beyond.