WisBusiness Staff
MILWAUKEE – The third time was a charm for Oconomowoc-based Vector Surgical, which won the life science award and the grand prize at the Governor’s Business Plan contest after finishes near the top the previous two years.
The winner in the information technology category was Extract Systems of Madison, which makes identity theft software, while Fahlgreen Solutions of Montello won first place in the business service category. It makes a biometric information product that uses fingerprint images to identify employees or job applicants with criminal records.
Dossette Package Filling System of Pleasant Prairie bagged the advanced manufacturing division. It makes a device that packages pills of any shape or size with requiring a tooling changeover.
Tom Still, president of the Wisconsin Technology Council, said Vector persisted and improved every year. The award, announced Tuesday night at the Wisconsin Entrepreneurs’ Conference at the Hyatt Hotel in Milwaukee, was worth $50,000 in cash and in-kind services. The conference continues today and has attracted more than 400 attendees for panels, networking and speakers. The company is developing four devices that would aid breast cancer surgeons operate faster and more accurately. Vector hopes to unveil two of its products by fall, said Janet Phillips, a co-founder and chief executive officer. Still said this year’s competition drew almost 300 entries. They were pared down to 26 plans for the final round. Still said the top finishers will received more than $200,000 in money and services, which include free rent, plus accounting and legal aid.
