Local partners planning Startup Week events, leading up to December 3 regional event; Deadline for entry by uploading pitch ideas is October 31
NEW NORTH, October 2, 2025 – Continuing to support entrepreneurial activity in Northeast Wisconsin, New North Inc. is working with 14 of its local partners to hold pitch events during Startup Week in the state. The event winners will advance to a regional pitch event, scheduled for December 3 at TitletownTech in Green Bay.
Entrepreneurs within the New North who are interested in participating in the qualifying, local pitch events are asked to upload their pitch ideas at https://www.startupwi.org/new-north. Those registering will be asked to select the one local pitch event that is closest to them or where their business is/will be located.
The local and regional entrepreneurial pitch contests are supported by the NEW Launch Alliance of New North Inc., along with WBD Inc. The NEW Launch Alliance was formed to create a more robust and productive entrepreneurial ecosystem across the 18 counties of the New North region, connecting entrepreneurs, mentors, investors, educators, accelerators and other resources.
“New North believes that a strong entrepreneurial ecosystem is vital to the success of our regional economy,” says Barb LaMue, president and CEO of New North Inc., the economic development corporation fostering collaboration among the 18 counties of Northeast Wisconsin. “We appreciate the efforts of our partners who join us to provide an opportunity for creative business ideas to be shared through the local pitch competitions and their ongoing support for entrepreneurs. We thank WBD Inc. for its sponsorship of the local and regional events, Headway.io for hosting the application website and TitletownTech for being the host location of the regional pitch event.”
The local contests are open to all residents located in Northeast Wisconsin or those who will be launching their businesses in the region. Contestants must be at least 18 years of age and the business must have generated no more than $300,000 in annual revenue or capital raised. Winners from the last two years are not eligible to receive award money.
The six local pitch events, in order of their occurrence, are:
Envision This!, powered by Envision Greater Fond du Lac
Date/Time: Monday, November 10, at 5:30 p.m.
Location: Lakeside Park Pavilion, 71 Promen Dr., Fond du Lac
Main contact: Zach Beasom, zbeasom@envisiongreaterfdl.com
Accelerate Sheboygan County, powered by Sheboygan County Economic Development Corp., Lakeland University,
SBDC at UW-Green Bay
Date/Time: Tuesday, November 11, at 5:30 p.m.
Location: Jake’s Café – A Lakeland Community, 529 Ontario Ave., Sheboygan
Main contact: Ray York, york@sheboygancountyedc.com
Fast Pitch, powered by FVTC Venture Center, Oshkosh Chamber of Commerce, Fox Cities Chamber of Commerce, UW-
Oshkosh SBDC, UW-Madison Extension – Outagamie and Winnebago counties
Date/Time: Tuesday, November 11, at 5 p.m.
Location: Bordini Center at FVTC, 5 N. Systems Drive, Appleton
Main contact: Mia Ljung, mia.ljung@wisc.edu
Lighthouse Launch, powered by Door County Economic Development, Kewaunee County Economic Development, UW-Madison Extension Brown and Kewaunee counties
Date/Time: Wednesday, November 12, at 6 p.m.
Location: Robert Ray Gallery, 520 Parkway St., Algoma
Main contacts: Devin Vandertie, devin@doorcountybusiness.com, Ben Nelson, ben.nelson@kcedc.org and Patrick Nehring, patrick.nehring@wisc.edu
LevelUp, powered by Progress Lakeshore
Date/Time: Thursday, November 13, at 5 p.m.
Location: Farm Wisconsin Discovery Center, 7001 Gass Lake Road, Manitowoc
Main contact: Jada Haese, jada@progresslakeshore.org
Pitch Greater Green Bay, powered by the Greater Green Bay Chamber
Date/Time: Thursday, November 13, at 4 p.m.
Location: Urban Hub, 340 N. Broadway Ave., #200, Green Bay
Main contact: Shane Kanneberg, skanneberg@greatergbc.org
Pre-pitch workshops are available for applicants. The deadline to upload pitch ideas is October 31.
The top two winners from each of these local contests will receive prize money – $1,000 cash for first place, $500 for second place – with the top winners advancing to the NEW Launch Alliance Pitch Event on Wednesday, December 3, where they will compete for additional funding for their business ideas and broad investor attention. Prize money at the regional event is $2,000 for first place, $1,000 for second place and $500 for third place.
Regional winners also will be invited to give an update at the New North Summit on June 9, 2026, at Lambeau Field in Green Bay.
More information about the entrepreneurial pitch contest is available at the New North website, www.thenewnorth.com.
