MON AM News: UW-Madison launches Wisconsin Entrepreneurship Hub; DoorDash spent $1.4 million to lobby Capitol in first half of year

August 4, 2025

— UW-Madison has launched the Wisconsin Entrepreneurship Hub, which will take a new “founder-focused” approach to supporting startup growth at the university.

That’s according to Jon Eckhardt, a professor at the Wisconsin School of Business who was appointed as a special advisor to the entrepreneurship initiative. It was launched recently after being approved by campus governance in May.

“By implementing a founder-focused approach, we can more fully embrace all forms of entrepreneurship that occur on our campus and in our economy and provide entrepreneurs with the support and infrastructure they need to strengthen the state’s economy and improve the world,” Eckhardt said in a statement.

The concept for the hub was outlined in a study commissioned by UW-Madison Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin and released in October 2024. Study authors called for putting a new focus on the individual company leaders, rather than the technology-focused strategy that they say dominates academic startup efforts.

This new approach involves three main activities: recruiting entrepreneurial people, developing startup talent and launching related careers and companies.

“This strategy will enable UW to get more companies to the starting line and then get them from the starting line to impact,” study authors wrote. “A central aspect of the strategy is the increase in the volume of entrepreneurial activity at all stages of the process.”

To lead these efforts under the newly formed hub, the university has begun the search for an executive director under a search committee chaired by Eckhardt. That committee includes company leaders who also have appointments with the university, other professors and deans, at least one student and representatives of the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation.

In a statement on the hub’s formation, Mnookin references the university’s history of innovation. That includes its role in developing and patenting the blood thinner warfarin — where WARF got its name — as well as newer startups developing technologies such as fusion energy systems.

“The university is a home for founders, the people who drive entrepreneurship, and by providing them with the right support and infrastructure, we can create even greater economic growth throughout the state,” she said.

— DoorDash Inc. dropped nearly $1.4 million to lobby the Capitol during the first six months of the year, a nearly 10-fold increase over what it spent during the entire 2023-24 session, new filings show.

That made the company the biggest spender among lobbying groups between Jan. 1 and June 30 as organizations overall spent almost 19% more during the period seeking to influence the Capitol compared to the same period two years earlier when the budget was in play.

DoorDash significantly ramped up its spending compared to the 2023-24 session, when it spent $147,052 over the two-year period and $30,000 during the first six months of 2023 as the budget was hammered out.

The company reported spending more than half of its time on a pilot portable benefits program. It put 42% of its effort into companion bills that would create portable benefit accounts for contract employees of companies like DoorDash and Uber.

The Assembly version cleared that chamber 56-36 and the Senate 17-15 in June with bipartisan support and opposition. It’s now before Gov. Tony Evers.

The only group to register against the bill was the AFL-CIO, which raised concerns about a provision stating gig workers aren’t considered employees. Opponents have argued that provision will shield companies from having to provide certain protections for employees and pay them fairly.

“We’re grateful to have the support of individuals and groups from all across the political spectrum,” said GOP state Sen. Julian Bradley, one of the co-sponsors. “And despite some union bosses having opposition, union households overwhelmingly support this legislation. We’re so close to meaningful reform; we’re just one pen stroke away.”

The guv’s office last week didn’t return a call seeking comment on his plans for the bill.

Lobbying reports covering the first half of the year were due Thursday. The filings posted at the Ethics Commission’s website as of Friday afternoon showed groups had reported $24.2 million spent in seeking to influence the Capitol over the first six months of 2025. That’s up significantly from the $20.4 million spent in the first half of 2023 as groups eventually dropped $74.8 million lobbying that session.

The efforts by the other top groups include:

$868,054 by Wisconsin Infrastructure Investment Now Inc. The group didn’t report any hours lobbying the Capitol, as it has in years past. The group, headed by former GOP Assembly Speaker John Gard, typically focuses on communications backing its top issues. Such expenditures are reportable. During the first six months of 2025, the group dedicated 75% of its effort to workforce development, while the rest was on state highway facilities.
$533,982 by the Wisconsin Hospital Association, which took a position on 14 bills, five different budget bill subjects and 14 topics not yet assigned a bill or rule number. The organization spent 60% of its time lobbying on Medicaid services in the state budget, 25% on minor efforts and 15% on Medicaid funding, coverage and reimbursement-related issues. The budget Evers signed last month includes a provision the association backed to increase the state assessment on hospital revenues as part of an effort to generate additional federal matching dollars.
$496,501 by Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce, which took a position on 108 bills, and engaged on 43 different budget bill subjects, 21 different administrative rulemaking topics and 148 topics not yet assigned a bill or rule number. WMC spent 80% of its lobbying on minor efforts — which are defined as less than 10% of a group’s work. It also reported 10% each on workers compensation and health care reform. The group has pushed for a fee schedule in the workers compensation program for years. The budget included such a plan, though it was not as extensive as the version WMC has pushed for.
$426,668 by the Wisconsin Realtors Association in support of 44 bills and against 10 bills. The association spent 17% of its effort on shared revenue and tax relief, 13% on issues related to property taxes and assessments and 10% on workforce housing and affordability. The other 60% of WRA spending on lobbying was on minor efforts.

The rest of the top 10 for the first half of the year were: the Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation ($300,075); Wisconsin Insurance Alliance ($285,938); Wisconsin Property Taxpayers Inc. ($252,619); Wisconsin Counties Association ($252,242); and ATC Management Inc. ($245,333).

— Circulating legislation would allow farm owners to operate a small campground on their land without needing a license.

Sen. Rob Stafsholt, R-New Richmond, and Rep. Duke Tucker, R-Grantsburg, recently sent a cosponsorship memo to other lawmakers seeking support for the legislation. In it, they reference the “growing public demand” for farm experiences and education, as well as rising financial challenges for family farms.

“Farm stays can provide an additional opportunity for small farms to diversify their income, helping make family farms solvent, and supporting future generations of farmers in Wisconsin,” bill authors wrote. “This has often been referred to as agritourism which can boost tourism, bring economic growth to rural areas, and educate the public on the importance of agriculture.”

Under current law, DATCP regulates campgrounds and issues the licenses needed for operating them. The bill would allow someone to operate a campground without such a license if it’s located on their farm, as long as there’s only one campground and it has three or fewer campsites, according to the Legislative Reference Bureau.

The lawmakers say the proposed change is “for the purpose of educating the public through on-farm experiences and providing opportunities to diversify farm income.”

The cosponsorship deadline is Aug. 15 at noon.

See the bill text.

— ThedaCare has acquired the Wisconsin Institute of Urology, the state’s largest independent urology practice.

The acquisition, effective Friday, comes as the aging population drives up future expected demand for urology services. Dale Gisi, senior vice president of ThedaCare’s north region, notes people aged 65 years and older rely on urology services more often than the general population.

“In Wisconsin, people 65+ are projected to nearly double between 2010 and 2040, with nearly 50% of people expecting to be diagnosed with a urology condition in their lifetime,” Gisi said in the release.

At the same time, the rate of urologists retiring will “likely outpace” the field’s growth as the median age of urologists is 55 and almost a third are over 65, the health system notes.

ThedaCare is also becoming a majority member of an ambulatory surgery center, the Wisconsin Institute of Surgical Excellence, as part of the agreement.

See the release.

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