Milwaukee’s annual celebration of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Startup Week Milwaukee, kicks off on November 11th, and continues through November 17th. Startup Week Milwaukee is part of the larger statewide celebration, Startup Wisconsin. Events, resources, and networking for entrepreneurs is hosted across Wisconsin. The Lubar Entrepreneurship Center is proud to participate in a few events this week, as well as host and co-host a few events of it’s own.
Startup Wisconsin is committed to advancing and developing Wisconsin’s startup ecosystems through unique programming, collaborative partnerships, and networking.
Driven by entrepreneurs and leaders throughout Wisconsin who are passionate about making a difference, and creating a positive and lasting impact that will advance the state’s economy forward. Read below about UWM’s involvement in Startup Week Milwaukee.
MKE Space Tech
When: November 11th, 7:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Cost: Free
Read more and to RSVP: Click here
Join a virtual panel discussion focused on space technologies being developed in Milwaukee, hosted by the UWM Planetarium and UWM Lubar Entrepreneurship Center. UWM researchers will share their latest technologies and ideas around space tech and innovation. The panel will be moderated by Planetarium Director Jean Creighton. Panelists include Rani Elhajjar, Ph.D., P.E., Associate Professor in Civil and Environmental Engineering and Nathan Salowitz, Ph.D., Assistant Professor in Mechanical Engineering.
The main focus in Dr. Elhajjar’s lab includes testing composite structures for safety, developing composite materials for zero greenhouse emissions, and developing on-site non-destructive testing methods. Dr Salowitz’s research has addressed failure mechanisms, damage detection, and structural health monitoring in composite and advanced fiber metal laminate materials.
UWM LEC Virtual Social Good Morning: Sharlen Moore
When: November 13th, 9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
Read more and to RSVP: Click here
Join us for a virtual discussion with Sharlen Moore, Executive Director at Urban Underground. Sharlen will share her experience co-founding a youth led organization that empowers their voices to make a change. Join us, and be inspired.
Social Good Morning is a talk series hosted by our very own Entrepreneur-in-Residence of Social Innovation, Mark Fairbanks. LEC invites one local social innovator per month to have a short interview with Mark and then an open-format discussion, fielding questions from the audience about their strategies and passions. Topics of conversation range from poverty to sustainability to inclusivity and beyond. Join us for this fantastic opportunity to hear from and chat with a Milwaukee community professional and forge meaningful connections with a multidisciplinary audience of faculty, community members, and students alike. Join us and learn more about what it takes to become a social innovator in Milwaukee.
UWM LEC Startup Challenge Business Model Canvas Mixer
When: November 14th, 9:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Read more and RSVP: Click here
Mentors/Community: Click here
The UWM Lubar Entrepreneurship Center Business Model Canvas Mixer presented by US Bank is an exciting virtual event that brings students together with local community entrepreneurs and mentors to collaborate, display, and build canvases in one virtual co-working space. Any Milwaukee student is invited to participate. Students can expect to meet community mentors and get individualized attention on their idea. This event is proudly part of the Milwaukee Startup week. Mentors can expect to be in a small breakout room with students and be provided guiding questions to stoke the student’s thinking.
Startup Challenge Kickoff Event Hits the Ground Running
The 2020-2021 Startup Challenge program started on October 24th with a booster session on product market fit, with the goal of introducing participants to relevant content, and give them time to prepare for the Business Model Canvas (BMC) Mixer on November 14th. Over 40 participants and 12 mentors joined the kick off of the new Startup Challenge program season.
Here are some of the participants take away’s:
“I used to think that my ideas had to be set in stone and just work towards that, now I think there is more exploring that must be done and changing ideas is ok.”
“I used to think this was going to be something I can’t do, and now I think I can manage to meet the goals I have set.”
“I used to only think about business ideas, and now I think I can bring them into reality.”
“I used to think a startup was something impossible to do, and now I think it is hard, but doable.”
“I used to think a person has to be an expert in their field to change something. Now I think that anyone with a big enough vision can learn and change the world.”
Participants will conduct customer interviews and further develop their startups or ideas, then work with mentors at the BMC Mixer to get feedback and guidance based on their work. The Lubar Entrepreneurship Center wishes all the participants luck during this year’s program of the Startup Challenge.
Want to get in on the action? You can join the Business Model Canvas Mixer event by RSVP’ing here.