This week’s episode of “WisBusiness: the Podcast” is with returning guest Tom Still, president of the Wisconsin Technology Council.
Still discusses this year’s Wisconsin Governor’s Business Plan Contest, an annual competition hosted by the Tech Council for entrepreneurs in the state.
The contest aims to support early-stage tech startups in Wisconsin, helping founders get connected to a statewide network of mentors, potential investors and peers.
“It’s been something that has really grown or evolved over time,” he said. “Just as the name suggests, it’s about having a good business plan — being able to write one, and present it in a way that makes some sense.”
The Tech Council is calling on entrepreneurs to submit their initial 250-word plans by the end of January. It’s free to apply, and those selected will build on those plans over a five-month period.
Still also weighs in on the trend of more women making it to the later stages of the competition. Over the past nine years, 30 percent of contest entries have come from women, while 132 of the 455 semi-finalists and 73 of the 210 finalists in that period were women.
“I think it’s encouraging, and we’d always like to see it be better than that,” he said. “Just generally, in tech startups, you don’t always see that many women. So it’s good to see we’re seeing more in Wisconsin.”
The podcast also highlights several prior winners and finalists in manufacturing, health technology, wastewater treatment and other industries.
Listen to the podcast below, sponsored by UW-Madison:
