Venture Track

Venture Track is creating a pathway for high growth start-ups in Southeast Wisconsin to facilitate and accelerate the launch of their business, including preparation for and access to investors.

Do You Qualify for Venture Track?

• Are you starting a high-growth, innovative business in information technology, financial services, water technology, medical devices, advanced manufacturing, life sciences or another technology field?
• Do you have a fast-growing, innovative business and want to take your business to the next stage?
• High growth companies typically:
  
  • have or will have customers located outside the immediate region.
  • have a sustainable competitive advantage such as a patent and/or a unique process, product or service that could be the intellectual basis for a high-growth business.
  • will grow at a scalable pace to provide a significant return on investment to investors.

If you fit the above criteria, we encourage you to apply.

Background on Venture Track

Venture Track is designed to support existing and future high-growth, innovative companies.  Interested entrepreneurs are encouraged to apply to be accepted and get more information. 

Venture Track provides strategic connections and information for fast growth companies to help them grow and prepare to raise capital.  Venture Track does not make financial investments in companies.

The Venture Track program consists of a suite of hands-on mentoring, training programs, and events that assist entrepreneurs at different stages of their company, from the idea stage through early stages of funding, by providing mentors and instruction.  The programs provide entrepreneurs with tools to evaluate their ideas, refine their business concepts, develop business plans, make strategic connections, and raise capital.  BizStarts Milwaukee helps each entrepreneur identify those elements of the program that will uniquely suit their business needs.

Components of the Venture Track Program

1.  Innovative Programming

• Innovative Workshops are open to entrepreneurs and prospective entrepreneurs who meet the Venture Track criteria and are recommended by BizStarts Milwaukee. The workshops are designed to help entrepreneurs and innovators evaluate the business feasibility of their ideas.  Workshops are lead by accomplished entrepreneurs, service providers and investors through panels, discussions and small break-out workshops that provide introductions to key players in the entrepreneurial network.
• Tech Venture is a comprehensive entrepreneurial training program run by successful entrepreneurs and service providers for entrepreneurs starting or growing innovation-based businesses. FastTrac TechVenture develops critical entrepreneurial skills and networks for innovators whose ideas and market opportunities will demand significant external financing from investors, strategic partners and/or other external sources. In Tech Venture, entrepreneurs will create and/or refine their business plans in a peer to peer, experiential learning environment.
  • TechVenture Spring Schedule

Interested in either of these programming options - check out our Calendar of Events  

2.  Human Capital Connections

• BizStarts Mentors. Entrepreneurs who qualify for this program will be assigned a mentor team and showcased to investors from the angel and venture capital communities. Once BizStarts Milwaukee refers a company to the Mentor Program, a team consisting of entrepreneurs and professionals experienced in business formation and funding is formed to mentor the company. The mentoring program is educational in nature. Entrepreneurs are responsible for making all final decisions. For more information see the Guide for Entrepreneurs and Mentors.
  • Who are mentors?  Mentors are volunteers who want to share their skills and knowledge they have gained in creating and guiding successful new ventures.  Mentors typically are serial entrepreneurs or senior level leaders of successful corporations or partnerships.
    • Interested in becoming a mentor?  Please review the Statement of Principles and then complete and return the following forms:
      
      • Mentor Contact Form
      • Mentor Area of Interest Form
      • Mentor Acknowledgement Form
• Who are mentees?  Do you meet the venture track criteria?  Do you have a business plan? Do you have an open mind?  Are you committed to making your business successful?  If so, review the Rules for the Program and apply today for consideration.
  • BizStarts Milwaukee Mentoring Service Acknowledgement and Release Form
• Social Networking Site.  Evolving online community myBizStarts which connects entrepreneurs together to facilitate connections and exchange information useful for accelerating your business concepts.

Your Venture Track Application - Don't know where you fit?  Fill out the following form and we'll get you connected to the right place.

This application will be reviewed by the BizStarts VentureTrack Team to best determine which Venture Track programs are most appropriate for you based on experience and stage of company development.  All submitted materials will be kept absolutely confidential.  Send an email with the following information, and someone will contact you.

• Company Name
• Address
• City
• State
• Zip
• Contact name
• Phone Number
• Email address
• Provide a brief description of your business, including the stage of development, and your current needs or planned next steps.  Please limit to 250 words.
• Please attach an executive summary if you have one.

Contact us today!