Jan. 31 is the deadline for the Governor’s Business Plan Contest, a statewide competition led by the Wisconsin Technology Council aimed at boosting startups across all industries.
Tech Council Communication Director Laura Kaiser said the contest is an opportunity to take away money, resources and mentoring. Kaiser was this week’s guest on the latest “WisBusiness: The Podcast” episode.
Entrants from over 300 communities over time have raised over $220 million in angel and venture capital and grants, she said.
The contest is open to anybody age 18 and older with an entry business plan. Applicants are assigned to a group of judges who decide who is going on to the next of four phases of judging. Entrepreneurs will be put into one of four categories during the process: advanced manufacturing, business services, information technology and life sciences.
“We’ve had a lot of entrants from all across the state,” Kaiser said. “The wider our reach is, and the more that we can touch all the different smaller communities, the more we can all win together as a state.”
In addition to preparing to judge contest applicants, the Tech Council plans on releasing its policy plan earlier than normal this year in mid-February, Kaiser said. The whitepapers, as they’re called, contain the council’s overarching policy. It will also compare economic results compared to goals set two decades ago.
Listen to the podcast below, sponsored by UW-Madison:
