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November 14, 2022
WISCONSIN – Organizers of Startup Week Wisconsin said the goal of the event-filled week – Nov. 14-18 – is to provide opportunities for the state’s startup community to come together, learn, share experiences and showcase its accomplishments.
“I think it helps shine a light on (the state’s startup community – which is defined as a company that’s in the initial stages of business),” Organizer Brehanna Skaletski said. “It doesn’t matter what city you’re in, there’s opportunity.”
Though the week-long event is being spearheaded by Headway, a digital product growth studio located in Green Bay, Skaletski, studio experience manager at Headway, said the focus is statewide.
“We’re bringing everyone together to collaborate between the cities, which is hopefully a strong foundation to move forward,” she said.
Skaletski also said the events aren’t just for startups, or those in the startup community – and the general public is encouraged to take part.
Though this is the sixth year of Startup Week, it’s the first Headway organized collaborative event.
“It has passed hands a couple of times, as far as who’s in charge,” Skaletski said. “And then there was a COVID-19 hiatus. This is kind of the first year back in person. We’re hoping to build a backbone for the state, so we can have that foundation to move forward in collaboration with all the cities for the future.”
Various communities throughout the Badger State will hold numerous Startup Week events, including hosting panel discussions, speakers, networking opportunities, informational meetings and pitch events – all focused on raising awareness of the startup community that calls Wisconsin home.
From Green Bay and Appleton to Oshkosh and Door County, events – both in-person and virtual – are sprinkled throughout Northeast Wisconsin.
Skaletski said one of the reasons a statewide charge is important is to help highlight Wisconsin as a great place to live and work.
“We’ve all seen the studies – Wisconsin is a great place to live and work and play and people do enjoy it,” she said. “But how do we become a place where people want to grow their companies within that space?”
Skaletski said it’s important to make sure Wisconsin doesn’t fall behind in the realm of technology.
She said Startup Week Wisconsin is a part of that puzzle.
“Also making sure we are providing and connecting opportunities to the people that are here and sharing resources – as well as highlighting what is here, because I think there’s a lot more than what is known,” she said.
Skaletski said the series of events is important because it is an opportunity to showcase all the resources and support that exists in Wisconsin to help startups become successful.
“Networking is a huge part – that meeting of like-minded people,” she said. “Purging those conversations beyond the events, and then hoping to not just make this a one-week conversation, but to continue that conversation year round.”
From an elevator pitch contest at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation to a high-tech happy hour at LIVE X Studios in Green Bay’s Broadway District – the list of events focus on a variety of topics.
Skaletski said events cover one of seven different categories:
Design – UX/UI design, design systems and design thinkingFounders – talent, legal, creative entrepreneurship and all things startupFunding, finance and venture capital – advice to find and acquire funding, discussions on venture capital and business financeLeadership and people – coaching, mentoring, building a personal brand, equity, diversity and inclusivityMarketing – content strategy, social media and building a brandProduct Strategy – how to develop a product roadmap and build your go-to-market strategySocial events and networking – reverse pitches, networking and building a communitySoftware development – including writing code, bringing apps and new features to market and no code frameworksTechnology and innovation – innovation labs and ways to implement technology to innovate fast
“People can sign up ahead of time, so you have your spot – they’re either virtual or in person,” Skaletski said. “Some cities are doing a little bit of both to open up those opportunities.”
Specific event details can be found at startupwi.org.
