According to PitchBook, Wisconsin startups raised at least $7.3 million in disclosed startup funding in July. The month’s biggest deal went to Milwaukee newcomer Hypernatural AI, an AI video creation platform led by Silicon Valley veterans Rebecca Kossnick and Taylor Hughes. The company raised $6.8 million in seed funding in a round led by AIX … Wisconsin VC funding for July 2025
For many startups, securing growth capital is the biggest hurdle. The Kauffman Foundation reports that most entrepreneurs rely on personal and family savings because bank loans and venture capital are hard to obtain, with only 16.5% securing loans from financial institutions at startup. Hill Capital Corporation aims to bridge that gap, offering funding to revenue-generating … Hill Capital offers alternative path to funding
Wisconsin’s manufacturing industry is set to celebrate a milestone this fall with the launch of the 10th annual Coolest Thing Made in Wisconsin contest on Aug. 25. Organized by Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce (WMC) and Johnson Financial Group, the statewide competition recognizes standout products while drawing attention to the economic importance of manufacturing. Manufacturing employs … Coolest Thing Made in Wisconsin marks 10 years of celebrating state’s manufacturers
The 12th annual Pressure Chamber pitch competition took center stage Aug. 19 at The Sylvee in Madison, hosted by the Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce. The event, presented in partnership with Michael Best and The Forward Festival, offers startups the chance to pitch before a live audience and national investors. At stake was the coveted … Strudel seizes the golden suitcase at GMCC’s Pressure Chamber
The WiSys VentureHome network is a statewide initiative supported by the Universities of Wisconsin to foster local entrepreneurship. By connecting regional startup hubs with university resources and community partners, VentureHome helps early-stage companies grow from concept to commercialization. With locations in Eau Claire, Green Bay, Madison, Oshkosh, Platteville, Stout, and Superior, these hubs serve as … WiSys VentureHome Pitches at Forward Fest
Madison-based Strudel is tackling a problem familiar to nearly every software company: the time-consuming and costly process of resolving technical support issues. Founded in January 2025 by CEO Kristin Isaac and CTO Shai Rubin, Ph.D., Strudel pivoted early from its original product, which automated the creation of logging code, to focus on a larger and … Strudel streamlines technical support for faster resolutions
Wisconsin companies are making their mark on the national stage, with 49 businesses earning a spot on the newly released 2025 Inc. 5000 list of the fastest-growing private companies in America. Leading the state is Milwaukee-based Atomix Logistics, which ranked ninth nationwide thanks to an astounding 11,687% revenue growth over the past three years. Also … Atomix Logistics ranks ninth nationally as WI shines on 2025 Inc. 5000 list
Last week, the Wisconsin Technology Council released the Wisconsin Portfolio, its “annual snapshot of early stage investment activity.” MKEStartup.News reviewed the 2024 Deal List published in the report to gain a clearer picture of which Wisconsin companies attracted investments last year and where those investments originated. Because early-stage investing is often private, no single source … A second look at the Wisconsin Portfolio
Wisconsin’s early stage companies raised a combined $374.1 million in 2024 across 92 deals, according to the Wisconsin Technology Council’s newly released Wisconsin Portfolio. While the total marked the state’s lowest since 2018, the median deal size reached $1 million, the highest in more than a decade. The average deal size was just over $4 … Wisconsin startup funding dips in 2024 but deal size hits decade high
When Jaden Brozynski, Chris Miklosy and Logan May moved off campus and off Marquette University’s meal plan, they found themselves staring into refrigerators filled with half-used ingredients and little inspiration. Between busy class schedules, limited budgets and the frustration of wasted food, they began imagining a smarter way to plan meals. That idea became Fresh, an AI-powered meal … Fresh uses AI to cut food waste and simplify meal planning