The UWM Startup Challenge
The UWM Startup Challenge fosters an innovative and entrepreneurial culture at UWM. The 2024 – 2025 academic year will feature our 13th Startup Challenge cohort.
What does it mean to “start up”?
Launching a business? Bringing an idea to life? Kickstarting a new career, or reimagining your life beyond university?
At the Lubar Entrepreneurship Center (LEC), we believe ‘starting up’ means designing your own path, shaping your career, and creating the world you want to live in. Through the UWM Startup Challenge, we foster an innovative culture that goes beyond traditional entrepreneurship. We’re here to help you unlock your potential and discover paths to joyful, impactful work.
The Student Startup Challenge helped me create a team and a solid business plan that was instrumental in starting Untangle. When you surround yourself with like-minded people who have the same goals and ambitions as you, I feel like anything is possible.
Becoming aware of the Student Startup Challenge was the most exciting moment I’ve had since returning to school. Going through Customer Discovery was an eye-opening experience that taught me that you never truly know how good your product is until you hear honest feedback from potential customers.
The Startup Challenge: Your Launchpad for Innovation
Join our exclusive community of over 300 driven and passionate alumni who’ve already benefited from our longest-running LEC program. In the Startup Challenge, you’ll:
- Research and develop your ideas
- Prototype products, services, or social ventures
- Launch new businesses
- Gain invaluable entrepreneurial skills
Dive into an academic year of hands-on ‘starting up,’ complemented by our Launch & Lunches and LEC Talk Series.
Expand Your Network, Amplify Your Impact
At the LEC, we believe our greatest asset is you and the community we build together. Through the Startup Challenge, you’ll connect with:
- Fellow innovators and entrepreneurs
- Esteemed UWM professors and staff
- Experienced mentors
- Milwaukee business leaders
Your Journey With Us: Commitment & Timeline
The Startup Challenge is designed for those ready to fully immerse themselves in entrepreneurship. Here’s what we offer to dedicated innovators:
- Booster Sessions: Intensive workshops that form the backbone of your experience
- LEC Launch & Lunches: Weekly community building and mentorship every Wednesday at noon
- Exclusive conversations with industry leaders
To get the most out of this transformative experience, we expect you to attend all Booster Sessions and actively participate in our other events. This program is for those who are passionate about innovation, committed to personal and professional growth, and ready to engage fully with our entrepreneurial community.
Eligibility
We welcome:
- All current UWM students, regardless of school or college
- Recent UWM alumni
- Non-UWM community members
Come with a team or dive in solo – both options are encouraged. Our past participants have launched diverse ventures, including:
- Engineered products and biomedical innovations
- Computer hardware and software
- Food trucks and music labels
- Yoga studios and coloring books
- Non-profits and social ventures
Your idea has a place here, no matter how unconventional.
Your Ideas, Your Rights: Confidentiality & Intellectual Property Protection
At the LEC, we believe in empowering you. You will own everything you create!
We encourage collaboration to enhance decision-making by involving a variety of players. You can request confidentiality for initial submissions; however, the LEC reserves the right to share non-confidential summaries to showcase our community’s innovation. Intellectual Property remains the property of the disclosing party unless otherwise agreed to separately.
Timeline 2024 – 2025
So You Want To Be An Entrepreneur: Featuring Tiffany Yvonne
Date/time: September 11 @ noon – 1:00 p.m. CDT
Location: LECWC 203A – Touchdown & Launch Space
So You Want To Be An Entrepreneur: Featuring Loren Peterson
Date/time: September 19 @ 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. CDT
Location: LECWC 211 – Manpower Conference Room
So You Want To Be An Entrepreneur: Featuring Ian Wiese
Date/time: September 24 @ 5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. CDT
Location: LECWC 107 – AmFam Dream Studio
Booster: Customer Discovery
Date/time: October 5 @ 10:00 a.m. – noon CDT
Location: LECWC 107 – AmFam Dream Studio
Booster: Business Model Canvas
Date/time: November 9 @ 10:00 a.m. – noon CDT
Location: LECWC 105 – Innovation Commons
Booster: Prototyping
Date/time: December 7 @ 10:00 a.m. – noon CDT
Location: LECWC 107 – AmFam Dream Studio
Dinner & Mentor Mixer
Date/time: January 24 @ 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. CDT
Location: LECWC 105 – Innovation Commons
Booster: Iterating & Presenting
Date/time: February 8 @ 10:00 a.m. – noon CDT
Location: LECWC 107 – AmFam Dream Studio
Booster: TBD
Date/time: March 8 @ 10:00 a.m. – noon CDT
Location: LECWC 107 – AmFam Dream Studio
Booster: Storytelling
Date/time: April 12 @ 10:00 a.m. – noon CDT
Location: LECWC 107 – AmFam Dream Studio
Design Open/Innovators Expo
Date/time: May 2 @ 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. CDT
Location: LECWC 107 – AmFam Dream Studio
UWM Innovators
Teaching Team & Advisors
- Director, Lubar Enterpreneurship Center
- avdeev@uwm.edu
- (414) 510-3631
- Lubar Enterpreneurship Center 206 | Engineering & Math Sciences 1181
- Entrepreneur-In-Residence, Lubar Entrepreneurship Center
- lgp@eas-mke.com
- Lubar Entrepreneurship Center 201
- Chief Innovation & Partnership Officer, UWM Office of Strategic Partnerships
- briant@uwm.edu
- Lubar Entrepreneurship Center 210