THU AM News: Six startups to compete later this month in Pressure Chamber competition; WEDC taking applications Monday for Entrepreneurship Partner Grants

August 8, 2024

— Six Madison-area startup companies will compete later this month for the chance to meet with Silicon Valley venture capital firms in the fall.

This year’s Pressure Chamber competition, hosted by the Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce, is taking place Aug. 20 as part of Forward Festival. This annual celebration of technology and entrepreneurship takes place Aug. 19-23 with dozens of events in and around Madison.

Pressure Chamber, now in its 11th year, gives participating early-stage business leaders an opportunity to pitch to a live audience and national investors — but only the winning company will receive the “golden suitcase” award that secures them a spot on the chamber’s trip to California in late September and early October.

Participating companies have gone on to collectively raise more than $500 million in investment capital, according to the chamber.

Chamber President Zach Brandon says the competition “continues to be a prime opportunity to enhance connectivity with coastal investors” while elevating innovation happening in the region.

“We look forward to hearing from this exciting new group of emerging companies that will help write the next chapter in Greater Madison’s story,” he said in a statement.

Presenting finalists include:

*CranioSure, based in Madison. This company has a mobile app that can identify cranial malformation in infants early enough to avoid more complex surgeries. CranioSure won this year’s Wisconsin Governor’s Business Plan Contest, and CEO Dr. Daniel Cho appeared on a recent episode of “WisBusiness.com: the Show.”

*Cubby, also in Madison, which has a “family productivity” software tool that can help parents keep track of events, message their kids, leave notes and more. The chamber’s release notes the company uses AI in its platform, which is currently available for download.

*Maize, a Verona-based company that maps the local food system to give users insights on where products come from. It also offers small food companies a community-building platform centered around sustainable business practices.

*SideShift, a Madison startup that aims to improve the job seeking process for young people while giving local businesses access to more potential workers. Its application allows students to apply to multiple jobs at once.

*SixLine Semiconductor, a Madison business that’s developing advanced materials with “carbon nanotubes,” seeking to create the next generation of semiconductor devices. Another prior winner of the Wisconsin Governor’s Business Plan Contest, the company aims to enable new electronic devices powered by this emerging technology.

*Terra Bioforge, based in Middleton. The company is developing genetic engineering tools to discover and produce valuable biological compounds and new drugs, “improving product yield, decreasing costs, and increasing revenues” for customers in the agrichemical and pharmaceutical industries.

See more at Madison Startups.

— WEDC will begin taking applications Monday for the next round of Entrepreneurship Partner Grants, which funds organizations that support startups.

The Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. yesterday announced the funding availability, with grants likely ranging from $50,000 to $200,000. Recipients will need to match the WEDC grants with cash funds or eligible expenses, the release shows.

Selections will be made based on the number of entrepreneurs the applying program serves, cost effectiveness and impact in the state.

Applicants can include nonprofits, communities and other organizations working in this space, and grant funding can be used to pay for training, mentorships, seed accelerators, technical help and more. The application deadline is Sept. 6.

“Entrepreneurs often need help to be able to thrive and succeed,” WEDC Secretary and CEO Missy Hughes said in a statement. “These grants allow organizations to provide the support entrepreneurs need and remove the barriers they often face.”

See the release and more grant details.

— The Sheboygan County Economic Development Corporation is proposing a 32-acre housing development in Plymouth as part of an effort to create more homes for local residents.

The SCEDC yesterday announced it has submitted a rezoning request for the site, envisioned to include a variety of single-family homes and a lot designated for other housing options that would be built by third-party developers. County officials plan to start the project in late 2025 or early 2026.

This would be the third subdivision created under the SCEDC Housing Initiative, which is funded by the private industry-backed Forward Fund. The fund can only be used to develop entry-level single-family homes.

SCEDC Executive Director Brian Doudna says the fund is meant to “address some of the barriers” in the housing market that began during the Great Recession of 2008.

“Sheboygan County simply needs more single-family housing units that are available and affordable to area residents seeking to purchase a home and also to attract new working families who want to work and live here,” Doudna said in a statement.

Johnsonville, Kohler Co., Masters Gallery Foods, Inc., and Sargento each donated $2 million to this fund, which aims to address workforce development challenge of too few affordable entry-level homes. The county also pitched in $2 million in ARPA funds, the release shows.

The first project funded by the Forward Fund was a 54-home subdivision in Sheboygan Falls called Founders’ Pointe, while construction will begin this fall on the second, the Founders’ Pointe Neighborhood.

See the release.

— Eau Claire and some area businesses got a bipartisan boost from yesterday’s political visits.

Vice President Kamala Harris and her new running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, rallied an estimated 12,000 supporters at the Eau Claire Event District, which is home to the Country Jam USA Festival Grounds.

Later, after the rally the new Dem ticket stopped at The Local Store in downtown Eau Claire along with Justin Vernon of Bon Iver and Walz’ daughter Hope — both wearing a Harris-Walz camo hat. The Local Store is a record store that sells a lot of local merchandise. And it’s owned by Nick Meyer who publishes Volume One, a magazine and website. Vernon is a business partner and friend of Meyer.

According to a pool press report, Harris bought raw honey and cheese curds, while Walz bought a reusable water bottle and a record by the drummer for Bon Iver, S. Carey. Bon Iver appeared at the rally.

During Harris’ visit, GOP VP candidate JD Vance spoke with reporters at Wollard International in Eau Claire alongside employees of the aviation equipment manufacturer.

And given the location, a nod to agriculture was in order.

Harris highlighted the importance of agriculture by having Cadott’s Les Danielson introduce her. Danielson talked about the multiple generations involved in the family’s farm and the importance of keeping agriculture healthy in Wisconsin.

Danielson is the chairman of the board of the Eagle Point Mutual Insurance Company, is on the Goetz Town Board, is a director on the River Country Co-op board and is involved with the Equity Livestock board. He attended the 2020 State of the Union Address at the invitation of Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Madison.

Harris thanked Danielson for “your words, your leadership, your voice.”

See more on yesterday’s political events in Eau Claire at WisPolitics.

— The State Building Commission has approved $262 million in new projects across the state, including improvements to the Milwaukee Mile Speedway ahead of next year’s IndyCar races.

Gov. Tony Evers yesterday announced the commission met at the Wisconsin State Fair and approved dozens of projects, ranging from the racetrack upgrades to new technology facilities at UW-Green Bay and maintenance and repair projects across state agencies.

Evers highlighted facility updates at Lincoln Hills School in Irma as “critically important.”

“These updates will bolster our efforts to help keep staff and youth in our care safe while making necessary changes aimed at ultimately transitioning the facility to an adult institution as we work to close Lincoln Hills and Copper Lake and move our kids closer to home as soon as safely and responsibly can,” he said in the release.

See the full list of funded projects here.

Top headlines from the Health Care Report…

— A recent study involving UW-Madison researchers found giving oxygen to patients before a procedure with a noninvasive ventilation method had better outcomes than using an oxygen mask.

For more of the most relevant health care news, reports on groundbreaking research in Wisconsin, links to top stories and more, sign up today for the free daily Health Care Report from WisPolitics and WisBusiness.com.

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