An Inside Look into the Madison, WI Entrepreneurial Hub

Madison, Wisconsin is the home to Badger football and some of the best ice cream and cheese in the country. It's also has a booming entrepreneurial ecosystem that is seeing some significant growth in the last few years.

Scott Resnick, Entrepreneur-in-Residence at StartingBlock, and Sara Woldt, Director of Business Development at gener8tor are making moves in the tech scene to bring more startups and businesses to the cheesehead state.

This time for the #StartupsEverywhere, series, they talk with me about running an accelerator, the new entrepreneurial hub with a 50,000 square-foot building and local startups.

 

Sara Woldt (L) is the Director of Business Development at gener8tor and the co-founder of the OnRamp Conference Series. Scott Resnick (R) is the Resident-in-Entrepreneur for StartingBlock and the co-founder of the startup Hardin Design & Development.

Talk about your roles in the Madison ecosystem?

Scott Resnick: Ten years ago, I cofounded Hardin Design & Development, an enterprise web application shop, in Madison. The startup now has a nationwide presence with offices in Madison and Dallas and clients such as FedEx, IBM, and Coleman Campers. Over that same period, I’ve also been involved in a number of endeavors to help grow the Madison startup ecosystem. I helped to found Capital Entrepreneurs, a 200 member association of startups, and most recently was named the Resident-in-Entrepreneur for StartingBlock, a soon-to-open entrepreneurial hub in downtown Madison.

Sara Woldt: I currently serve as the Director of Business Development at gener8tor, a “Top 15” U.S. accelerator with offices in Madison, Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and Minneapolis, Minnesota. I execute the accelerator’s corporate and industry partnership strategy, as well as manage relationships with our sponsors, investors, key stakeholders and the media. I am also the cofounder of the OnRamp Conference Series, a series that brings together industry leaders, top venture capitalists, and entrepreneurs transforming different verticals. OnRamp benefits startups at all stages of growth, regardless of their connection to gener8tor.

StartingBlock, scheduled to open in 2018, will be a 50,000 square-foot entrepreneurial hub in Madison.

StartingBlock, scheduled to open in 2018, will be a 50,000 square-foot entrepreneurial hub in Madison

Talk about gener8tor and StartingBlock

Sara: gener8tor is a nationally ranked accelerator that invests in high-growth startups. Three times per year, we invest up to $140,000 in each of five startups who participate in our 12-week program. gener8tor supports the growth of these startups through our network of experienced mentors, technologists, corporate partners, angel investors and venture capitalists.

Scott: StartingBlock Madison will be a 50,000 square-foot entrepreneurial hub where entrepreneurs, investors, advisors and community members can connect, share innovative ideas, and create next-generation businesses. Through the leadership of partners like gener8tor, Bunker Labs, and the Doyenne Group, StartingBlock will provide an affordable and flexible workspace, access to professional advisors/mentors, accelerator programs, and education and community programming.

Sara: We’re excited that gener8tor will be one of the core members of StartingBlock once it opens in 2018!

What are some exciting things happening in the Madison tech ecosystem?

Sara: For me, it would actually be StartingBlock breaking ground. I think the hub is going to serve as a catalyst for new startups and investments, as well as help to brand Madison as a vibrant technology hub. One of our local startups, EatStreet, also raised $40M and has grown to more than 1,500 employees. EatStreet has been an anchor startup for Madison with a national footprint and venture capital investors from Silicon Valley and beyond, so seeing them grow here in Madison has been incredibly encouraging.

Scott: Beyond EatStreet, the past year has been record setting in terms of venture capital activity in Madison. Thirty-two startups raised a record $114M in funding, a 70% increase over the previous year. In fact, Madison's venture capital per capita, which holds for our small metro size, ranks in the top 15 worldwide.

What’s the biggest challenge you face in Madison?

Scott: Our small metropolitan population limits our exposure. Madison is the 97th largest metro population, so many times our city isn’t included in relevant lists or rankings. This causes us to be grouped into “flyover country” regardless of our accolades.

Sara: I’d also add that while Madison has had a good run for new startup activity, we need to sustain it and create more organic startup activity.

What are some of the inputs that have helped your ecosystem grow?

Scott: Without a doubt, our startup catalyst is the University of Wisconsin (UW). This world-class research university brings some of the best minds to Madison for undergraduate and graduate studies. The school boasts an impressive alumni including renowned scholars, engineers and CEOs. Our city’s low cost of living and quality of life provides living opportunities unavailable on the coasts or other comparable markets.

Sara: There are a number of other important players in our ecosystem, including Madworks and 100state coworking spaces, Doyenne Group (a non-profit devoted to helping female entrepreneurs), the gBETA Accelerator Program, and the UW Law & Entrepreneurship Clinic.

What are the most unique features of your startup community?

Sara: Madison is home to a number of innovative companies like Epic and ZenDesk, and our corporate community has been very supportive of the local startup ecosystem. Generous corporate leaders from companies like American Family Insurance, CUNA Mutual Group, Northwestern Mutual, and QBE Insurance Group have made significant investments in entrepreneurship and fostered robust corporate venture capital and innovation departments of their own.

Scott: I completely agree. Also, what Madison lacks in population, we compensate for in density. In 2016, eleven companies raised over $4 million within three square miles. On any given day, you can run into startup, finance, and government leaders at a small coffee shop across the street from the Capitol Building. Not many other communities can say that.

Have you had interactions with local or national policymakers?

Scott: Because I am a former member of the City Council, I regularly interact with local, state and federal policymakers. Last year during our ForwardFest, we held a roundtable conversation with Senator Tammy Baldwin on entrepreneurship, and Congressman Mark Pocan is always eager to tour new startup companies.

We’ve had an impressive list of government backers who have provided monetary support for the project. The City of Madison, State of Wisconsin, and Economic Development Administration are all major champions behind the StartingBlock building project.

What are some startups to watch coming out of Madison?

Scott: We have a long and growing list of companies to watch, including Propeller Health, EatStreet, Ionic, Understory, Redox, Datica, PerBlue, and ABODO.

Sara: I’d add AkitaBox, EnsoData, Allergy Amulet, GrocerKey, Pinpoint Software, and Quietyme.

Read more about the Wisconsin ecosystem at TechCo

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Written by:
Emma Peck is a policy analyst at Engine, a nonprofit that supports the growth of technology entrepreneurship through economic research, policy analysis and advocacy on local and national issues.
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