When Dr. Gary Mouradian, an assistant professor at the Medical College of Wisconsin, began his own career in the life sciences, he had one certainty: he loved science. What he didn’t have was clarity about what to do with his PhD. “I really wasn’t sure what I wanted to do,” he said. “I was still … Startup helps life science PhDs navigate career paths
Five startups have been awarded a total of $50,000 in non-dilutive grants through the FOR-M program, presented by the MKE Tech Hub Coalition. Each company will receive $10,000 in funding to accelerate early-stage growth. This latest funding round brings FOR-M’s cumulative total to $570,000 in grants awarded since the program’s launch in 2021. The initiative … FOR-M awards $50,000 in new founder grants
Co-founders Jack Savage and Ali Mortada met while attending University School of Milwaukee. The pair reconnected in early 2024 when both were looking for ways to pursue entrepreneurship. They first launched a small marketing and web development business together, which introduced them to the wholesale real estate market. After working with clients in that space, … Property Deals aims to bring clarity and trust to wholesale real estate
The MKE Tech Hub Coalition will host its FOR-M Founder Showcase on Nov. 12 at the Wantable Cafe in Milwaukee. The event will highlight participants from the program’s summer and fall cohorts, Cycles 13 and 14, and give attendees the opportunity to vote for which founders will deliver live pitches. Launched in 2019 and co-founded … FOR-M Founder Showcase highlights emerging startups
Jesus Gonzalez knows the challenges of planning events from both sides of the table. As the cofounder of Zócalo Food Truck Park, he’s fielded countless calls from hosts scrambling to book food vendors, musicians, or other services. He’s also seen small businesses miss out on opportunities because they didn’t respond to inquiries quickly enough. That … Eventini app connects event planners with vendors
The FOR-M startup incubator has now awarded more than half a million dollars to Wisconsin startup founders. To assess the outcomes of this milestone, MKEStartup.News conducted an analysis of recipient companies. Launched in 2019 and now operated by the MKE Tech Hub Coalition, the FOR-M program, co-founded by Joe Poeschl and Maggie Fernandes, provides structure, … Beyond the grants: early data from FOR-M program
Milwaukee-based legal tech startup Law LM is building a tool to help litigators make better use of their evidence. Founded in late 2024 by trial attorney Michael D. Aiken, MSOE professor Derek Riley, and a third silent partner, Law LM is focused on one thing: helping lawyers securely analyze testimonial evidence using large language model … FOR-M alum Law LM builds legal AI platform
At the July 9 FOR-M Founder Showcase, held at Wantable Café in Milwaukee, six early-stage entrepreneurs received a boost to grow their emerging tech businesses. The MKE Tech Hub awarded $10,000 grants to six graduates of the FOR-M program, a free, community-driven initiative designed to help new founders develop and launch their startup ideas. The … Emerging businesses shine at the FOR-M Founder Showcase
Peter Smith, founder of Milwaukee-based Neon Labs, is making waves in the live events industry with his innovative product, HypeUp. Designed to elevate the attendee experience, HypeUp transforms crowds into synchronized light displays using only their smartphones—no apps or wristbands required. Inspired by popular LED wristbands seen at concerts and sporting events, Smith sought to … HypeUp makes attendees part of the show
Jit Sihra believes character education is an essential part of the educational experience. When she started exploring how key character traits like honesty and patience were taught in schools, she discovered there was no standard curriculum or programming to teach these critical skills. So, she decided to change that. Sihra founded UNYTUS, a company that … UNYTUS launches MVP