— The first cohort of the UW-Green Bay Pre-Accelerator program includes Wisconsin startups developing advanced wound dressings, data analysis platforms, anti-fraud programs and more.
The university and startup accelerator gener8tor yesterday announced the inaugural cohort for the free, seven-week program. It’s meant to help entrepreneurs develop their early-stage companies through “intensive concierge coaching” and connections to investors and others through gener8tor’s network.
Ultimately, the non-equity program aims to “set a path for startups” to participate in equity-based accelerator programs and seek investment capital, organizers say.
“Through this partnership, local founders will receive tailored mentoring and coaching to sharpen their ideas, strengthen their business models, and accelerate their growth,” said Vanessa Huerta, a partner at gener8tor.
Participants include:
*Copacati, led by Michael Moran. The company has a data analysis platform for mid-sized businesses that can pull together information from various systems. Its website describes the service as an “AI-powered deep research tool” that can provide concrete answers on enterprise data.
*MyVendue, led by Rich Thomson Jr. The startup is developing a business-to-business marketplace that aims to help buyers and sellers both save time and money, according to an overview from the program. It’s currently bringing on “early adopters” to validate the platform and spark activity there.
*Phoenix-Aid, which has created a specialized wound dressing material for patients with chronic wounds such as diabetic ulcers, designed to improve healing and reduce infections. Led by founder Ashwin Karthikeyan, the company is doing animal studies in Madison and gearing up for a clinical trial in India. Listen to an earlier podcast with Karthikeyan, who won the latest Wisconsin Governor’s Business Plan Contest.
*SecAsset, a startup led by Malcolm Broadnax with a platform meant to help small and mid-sized companies fight fraud. It keeps company funds from being moved without approval to “prevent financial misuse” early, with automated alerts for irregular transactions and more.
*TEST MEKA, led by Kenneth Webb. The company has an automated system for software testing, which it says can “eliminate maintenance overhead” without having to write any code. Startup leaders say they’ve completed a beta version of the platform and are working to secure IP protection.
The program kicked off last month. Participants will pitch their companies to the public in January during a showcase event following the program. Organizers note event details are coming soon.
See the release.
— Midwest Environmental Advocates has filed a lawsuit seeking unredacted records from the state Public Service Commission related to Meta’s planned data center in Beaver Dam.
The Madison-based nonprofit law firm yesterday announced the suit filed in Dane County Circuit Court, noting it comes after the PSC denied a records request for electrical load projections for two large data center projects in Wisconsin.
After MEA requested documents on the Meta project in Beaver Dam and the Port Washington data center project — owned by Oracle, Open AI and Vantage Data Centers — the PSC released the unredacted record for the latter but denied the request for the Meta site, the firm says. The agency said the unredacted document for this project included trade secrets, according to yesterday’s release.
Michael Greif, legal fellow with MEA, says the PSC is “unlawfully withholding this information” because either Meta or a public utility is claiming the project’s electricity demand is a trade secret.
“We call on Alliant Energy, American Transmission Company and Meta to be forthright with the public about their plans,” Greif said in a statement. “These companies are asking a lot of the public and the public deserves, at least the very least, basic information about the data center’s massive energy needs.”
When asked for comment on the suit, a PSC spokesperson said the agency’s policy is to not comment on pending litigation. An Alliant Energy spokesperson said the utility company “is not legally permitted to share customer energy usage.”
ATC and Meta did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
See the release.
— Gov. Tony Evers is urging Republicans in Congress to extend Affordable Care Act tax credits as thousands of state residents are selecting ACA plans during the ongoing open enrollment period.
“For God’s sakes, Congress has got to do something,” the Dem guv said yesterday during an online news conference hosted by Protect Our Care Wisconsin. “They just cannot decide, ‘Well we don’t care about these people,’ I mean it’s just a ridiculous position to take. So we’ll continue to fight for it.”
He argued the recent government shutdown, the longest in U.S. history, was “all because Republicans refused to work with Democrats” to extend the ACA enhanced tax credits that are expiring at the end of the year.
Evers added 88% of state residents who enrolled in ACA plans for 2025 qualified for these tax credits, saving $664 on average per month.
“Folks, these tax credits are not luxuries, they are lifelines that make the difference between kids and families and communities getting care, or going without it … Without these enhanced tax credits, health care premiums for Wisconsinites are going to skyrocket, period,” he said. “Many Wisconsinites will see their premiums double, and some will see staggering increases of over $30,000 a year.”
Despite the higher premiums many enrollees are expected to pay without the tax credit extension, ACA open enrollment in Wisconsin is proceeding in line with last year’s pace, though slower than the year before that.
As of Dec. 5, state residents had made 84,398 ACA plan selections through the HealthCare.gov individual market, according to the latest figures from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. At the same time last year, that number was slightly higher at 88,189. In the prior year, the state had 99,950 sign-ups by this point.
Protect Our Care Wisconsin Director Joe Zepecki noted ACA plans must be selected by Dec. 15 to obtain coverage starting Jan. 1, though the open enrollment period runs through Jan. 15. He also echoed Evers’ call to action on extending the tax credits.
“This is among the easiest, most straightforward things that Congress could do,” he said yesterday. “They could do it within 48 hours, put the bill on the floor, clean extension, vote it, get it to the president’s desk. And one of the economic calamities that this country is facing next year will be addressed.”
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— The state’s unemployment rate held at 3.1% in September even as Wisconsin’s labor force shrank over the month and year, according to the state Department of Workforce Development.
The agency yesterday released the latest preliminary figures from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, showing state unemployment remained 1.3 percentage points below the national rate of 4.4% for the month.
Wisconsin’s labor force participation rate dipped from 64.8% in August to 64.5% in September, but stayed 2.1 percentage points above the national rate of 62.4%.
Meanwhile, the state labor force decreased by 11,400 over the month and 51,500 over the year.
See the release.
— The Natural Resources Board unanimously adopted a rule to update the state’s lead and copper drinking water regulations to reflect federal requirements, including for public water systems to replace lead service lines within 10 years.
Meanwhile, Gov. Tony Evers yesterday announced more than $159 million has been allocated to help replace lead pipes in 29 Wisconsin municipalities, including more than $50 million for the city of Milwaukee and $40 million for the city of Racine.
The rule approved yesterday includes stricter limits for when public water systems must respond to lead contamination. It also requires that public water systems conduct additional outreach and provide filters designed to reduce lead contamination to communities that face continually high lead levels.
Board member Robin Schmidt, a licensed hydrologist, said she believes the policy is “one of the single most important things we’re voting on this whole year.”
DNR Lead and Copper Section Manager Ann Hirekatur said in addition to comments in support of the rule, the agency also heard concerns related to the financial burden and an ongoing lawsuit by the American Water Works Association challenging the federal requirements.
DNR estimated compliance and implementation costs of $37,138 annually for aspects of the rule that are more stringent than the federal rules, such as requiring additional attempts to contact schools and child care facilities to schedule lead monitoring.
There is no safe level of lead in drinking water. According to Mayo Clinic, even small amounts of lead exposure can cause serious health problems, particularly for children under six years old as they grow and their brain develops.
In children, symptoms can include developmental delay, learning difficulties, weight loss, vomiting, abdominal pain, seizures, and hearing loss, among other things. Some symptoms in adults include high blood pressure, miscarriage, stillbirth or premature birth, and difficulties with memory or concentration.
Dan Gustafson, a senior staff attorney at Midwest Environmental Advocates, testified on behalf of the Coalition on Lead Emergency, a group dedicated to fighting lead poisoning in Milwaukee.
Gustafson said the update will reduce adverse health impacts related to lead exposure in drinking water. He noted Milwaukee County has faced disproportionate levels of lead contamination compared to the rest of the state.
“We applaud the DNR and the Natural Resources Board for undertaking this rulemaking process and strongly support the enactment of these rules as soon as possible,” Gustafson said.
— The Wisconsin Technology Council is moving the Wisconsin Governor’s Business Plan Contest application window from winter to spring as it revamps elements of the competition.
“This shift gives us the opportunity to roll out new offerings that will make the contest even more engaging, valuable and accessible,” Tech Council President Maggie Brickerman said in a statement on the change.
Instead of taking entries in mid-December with a Jan. 31 deadline, the next contest will launch in the spring of 2026 to allow for “a slate of updates” aimed at boosting participation and more, according to yesterday’s announcement.
These include more prizes, new educational programming, a “refreshed contest structure” to streamline the experience for participating entrepreneurs, as well as changes to the event location and format, the release shows.
See the release and get more contest details here.
TOP STORIES
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TOPICS
AGRIBUSINESS
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CONSTRUCTION
– Study on Waukesha County I-94 widening project gets go-ahead
– Madison delays decision on developer for Downtown block
HEALTH CARE
– In Wisconsin, health care costs are overwhelming teacher salaries
LEGAL
– Group sues PSC to get projected energy use at Beaver Dam data center
MANAGEMENT
– Head of Modine’s Climate Solutions segment to retire
MANUFACTURING
– How Rev Group’s failed acquisition hunt led to Terex deal
REAL ESTATE
– Academy of Excellence purchases former St. Rita school building in West Allis
REGULATION
– Green Bay adjusts zoning code to address ‘housing affordability crisis’
RETAIL
– Southridge Mall sale deadline postponed again. Here’s why.
– Green Bay, WPS alter downtown street closure plans to help businesses
TOURISM
– Behind Kohler Hospitality’s ‘multi-year evolution’
PRESS RELEASES
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