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 Resources: Start In UW–Madison is a directory of university entrepreneurial resources for UW faculty, staff, students and alumni. Start In Madison Region is a directory for local businesses, owners and startups that will power connections to start, scale and accelerate the work of Madison area entrepreneurs.
- The Business and Entrepreneurship Clinic, in collaboration with the UW-Madison Law & 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 corps 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.
- Established in 1984, University Research Park (URP) is an internationally recognized research and technology park that supports early-stage, and growth-oriented businesses. URP is creating a neighborhood of ideas, entrepreneurship, and opportunity with its cutting edge facilities and strong ties to the ingenuity and entrepreneurial spirit of UW–Madison, the City of Madison, and the State of Wisconsin. Resources from URP include:
- 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 (L&E) — Provides free legal services to entrepreneurs and early stage companies
- More URP resources
- 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 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.
- 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.
- 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.