The sport of recreational fishing is on the rise. In 2023, 58 million Americans cast their line in a U.S. waterway hoping to reel in a big catch. And it turns out, the resurgence of fishing is big business. Anglers spend an estimated $7.65 billion annually on fishing equipment. Menomonee Falls-based Vulture Systems is on … Vulture Systems reels in anglers with Revo
Steve Schuyler knows coffee—after all, he worked as a barista for 30 years. When he says coffee and fruit juice pairs well, you have to believe him. “Coffee is very much like wine. It can be paired with so many different flavors,” he explained. If you are skeptical, you probably haven’t tried JavaTwist. Launched in … Meet ‘Coolest Thing’ nominee JavaTwist
In 2012, Matt and Katie Wessel were living in Munich. They fell in love with the city that felt so much like their home in Milwaukee. They also fell in love with brezeln, Bavarian-style soft pretzels. “They had these pretzels that were unlike anything we’d had at home. Pretzels weren’t a Milwaukee thing back in … Startup success story: Milwaukee Pretzel brings gemütlich to city
When Nate Collins was working with his engineers to devise a better way to ship the metal parts produced by the German branch of his company to the North American branch, he was looking for a solution that would provide the same cargo protection while saving money. He and his team succeeded so spectacularly that … Get to know SharkCrates, a ‘Coolest Thing’ nominee
The Milky Way Tech Hub announced it will host a pitch competition for early-stage tech and tech-enabled startups on Wednesday, October 2 at the i.c.stars Milwaukee headquarters as part of WI Tech Month. To be eligible to compete, at least one company founder must reside in Wisconsin, or be committed to relocating their business to … Tech Innovators Pitch Competition announced
Less than 1% of all U.S.-based startups receive venture capital funds. Despite the focus on raising venture funds in the startup ecosystem, most founders rely on other forms of financing or bootstrapping to launch their companies. MKE Tech Hub Coalition created the FOR-M Loan program to address the funding needs of the vast majority of … MKE Tech Hub supports startups with loan program
According to Pradeep Jain, the next gold rush won’t happen in the mines—it will happen online. Jain, founder of tech startup Ictect, a mashup of the words “intelligent content architectures,” is certain that the coming AI revolution will be wildly profitable for those who are prepared. And he is confident that Ictect will be at … Get to know Ictect
According to PitchBook, Wisconsin startups raised at least $6 million in August. Madison-based Amulet raised $6 million of venture funding in a deal led by HealthX Ventures, putting the company’s pre-money valuation at $13.5 million. Milwaukee-based The Pink Bakery raised an undisclosed amount of venture funding from Gateway Capital Partners. Both companies are led by … Wisconsin VC funding for August 2024
In 1986, Jeri Mesching was a retired elementary school teacher. Her children were grown, and she had no interest in joining her friends on the golf course or tennis court. So, what does one do when you’re an empty nester without time-consuming hobbies? For Mesching, a talented home cook, the answer was to start a … A startup success story: East Shore Specialty Foods
Ten high-growth, scalable startups have been selected to participate in the Northwestern Mutual Black Founder Accelerator. These U.S.-based companies are working on innovations in the data analytics, digital health, fintech and Insurtech industries. The 12-week program, supported by gener8tor, provides a $100,000 investment, in addition to mentorship and coaching. This partnership was created to address … NM’s Black Founder Accelerator cohort is underway