Thu, August 19, 2021
1:00 PM – 2:30 PM

Hear from innovative startup founders with unique business models and stories.

About this event
Every startup has a story, from creating the product or service to finding product-market fit, launching the business, and learning and pivoting along the way. Hear from founders of innovative Madison startups, each with a unique business model, including

• Georgia Allen, Co-Founder & CEO, Soaring Independent Cooperative,
• Kit Chow, co-founder and CEO at Boosted Chews,
• Ian Oestreich, founder at Curbside Bicycles, and
• Erin Vranas, founder, Yips Yogurt Chips and co-owner, Parthenon Gyros restaurant.

Each founder utilized UW–Madison and community resources such as the Small Business Development Center, WARF Upstart program, UW-Madison Law & Entrepreneurship Clinic, or Merlin Mentors to support their entrepreneurial journey. This panel is for anyone interested in entrepreneur stories, starting a business, and learning about organizations and programs that can help. Presented by the UW–Madison Innovate Network.

Moderator: Cecily Brose, UW-Madison Discovery to Product (D2P)
Host: Heather Ferguson, Wisconsin Small Business Development Center at the UW-Madison School of Business

The Forward Festival is Wisconsin’s largest technology and entrepreneurship festival, attracting more than 5,000 attendees and serving as host for more than 40 events over 8 days every August.

Several UW–Madison leaders, innovators and key partners will join the slate of entrepreneurial events presented during the annual, 8-day Forward Fest, Wisconsin’s largest celebration of innovation and entrepreneurship.

Registration is now open for five events to be presented by, or in partnership with, UW-Madison’s Innovate Network, a collective of campus-affiliated organizations that provide entrepreneurial resources to innovators at UW–Madison and statewide.

The five virtual events include a three-event Biotech Spotlight series, which will focus on aspects of startups, tech and innovation within the biotech space. The final event, Launch, Learn and Pivot: Startup Stories will present opportunities, challenges and lessons learned from several local entrepreneurs at various stages of growth in their respective businesses.