More Articles

Search website:

Resources

When 'Friending' Becomes a Source of Start-Up Funds

Social networking is pretty good for keeping abreast of far-flung friends. Could it work for entrepreneurs looking for investors?

CAPCOs resurface in proposal by 3 GOP Assemblymen

Three Assembly Republicans have unveiled a new venture capital plan that would once again welcome participation from certified capital companies, or CAPCOs - the controversial out-of-state firms previously entrusted with investing millions of taxpayer dollars in a poorly drafted, weakly monitored program to boost young companies and create jobs

America Invents Act: Patent Overhaul Becomes Law

The United States Senate voted 89-9 in September to pass legislation to make sweeping changes to the U.S. patent system, culminating a six-year effort on patent reform. President Obama quickly signed the bill into law on September 16th.

Innovations: More efficient motion

The earliest accounts of the manual wheelchair exist in documents from the sixth century. Surprisingly, the model used back then doesn’t look too much different than the one that wheelchair-bound individuals use today. For Jim Maerzke, president of Kenosha-based Procubed LLC, that is a concern and one he hopes to correct with the company’s Linear to Rotary Motion (LRM) conversion mechanism.

Author, Joan Lloyd

Articles written by Joan Lloyd, Joan Lloyd & Associates

Our No. 1 problem: Our region continues to lose private-sector jobs at an alarming rate.

Our region continues to lose private-sector jobs at an alarming rate. There is no greater solution to poverty than job creation

Nothing ventured, nothing gained? New state-backed venture capital fund pushed

Giacomo Fallucca latest BizStarts "George Dalton Inspirational Entrepreneur Award" recipient

Joe Tate honored with the first George Dalton Inspirational Entrepreneur Award

Bright prospects for a Midwest Entrepreneurial Economy

Things are looking up. We have the beginnings of what one could arguably say is “not your father's Midwest.” Whether those of us in the region know, or care to admit, the Midwest has long been viewed as late in the game with respect to emergence of a culture of innovation and entrepreneurial energy.

Michael Best, Michael Best & Friedrich Venture Best

Stanford University's Entrepreneurship Corner

Innovate or die

Innovation and entrepreneurship drive the U.S. economy. Businesses rise and fall on their ability to adapt to market forces through innovation. Innovation drives top line revenue growth.

The Status of Entrepreneurship Education at Institutions of Higher Learning in Southeast Wisconsin

Ditch the Biz Plan, Buy a Lottery Ticket

The reality is that the vast majority of startups don’t receive any VC or angel funding.

Top five legal mistakes entrepreneurs make

Many new entrepreneurs are very knowledgeable about their technology and their markets, but not so much about legal matters. Unfortunately, that means they may receive bad advice and take actions that will come back to haunt them months or years down the road and could potentially be fatal to their company. What follows is a list of five of the top mistakes entrepreneurs make, and how best to avoid them.

Cleveland's jobs commitment is an enviable model

Knowing that almost all new jobs are created by young companies and that northeastern Ohio desperately needed more jobs, Ray Leach set out to create an entrepreneurial ecosystem, a rich soil that would be hospitable to new ventures.

Startups: Poverty is Underrated. Be Glad That You’re Not Rich

Entrepreneurs believe that a hoard of cash in the bank will give them the luxury of developing better products, marketing the heck out of them, and reaping the rewards with big sales and an eventual IPO. But more often than not, the money is a curse.

You bet; Milwaukee is innovative

The most important piece of perspective that needs to be considered in the Madison-Milwaukee comparison is the benefits Madison has reaped from decades of sustained investment by Wisconsin taxpayers. This has helped shape not only the state's flagship university but also the surrounding economy. Comparable investments have not been made elsewhere in Wisconsin.

Business planning in tough times - three imperatives

With help virtually everywhere these days, why do so many business plans still miss the mark? I think it is because they fail to clearly and convincingly communicate three key messages.

ACT 255 - Early Stage Investment Tax Credits

ACT255, Angel Investment and Venture Capital Tax Credit, angel investment networks, Angel investors, Qualified New Business Ventures, TAG, Technology Assistance Grants, Technology Bridge Grants, Technology Development Fund, Technology Development Loans, Technology Matching Grants, Technology Venture Fund Loans, venture capital seed funds

Advice you must know

An article addressing some of the problems start-up companies and young entrepreneurs have. So we asked!

Business Structure

One of the first decisions that you will have to make as a business owner is how the company should be structured. This decision will have long-term implications, so consult with an accountant and attorney to help you select the form of ownership that is right for you. In making a choice, you will want to take into account the following:

Business Lease Checklist

After you've chosen a site and before you sign on the dotted line, make sure you are aware of all aspects of your new location. This checklist will help.

Milwaukee area's entrepreneurial culture changing for better

The Public Policy Forum last week assessed the Milwaukee region's embrace of the innovation economy as a "work in progress," but stopped short of prognosis or proscription. Its snapshot, which it distilled into an Innovative Index, gave the four-county metro area what amounted to an incomplete grade, but almost none of its metrics put Milwaukee at or near the top of the pack of six comparable areas.

Starting a Business

For many, the biggest problem with getting a good business idea off the ground is the cost. From administrative and legal costs, to product development and marketing, office space and employees, starting a business can be incredibly expensive. However, with the right set of resources, many of these costs can be pinched down without risking your venture.