From Breakthrough Technology to Startup Teams: How Founder Factory Is Building What’s Next in SE Wisconsin

In Southeast Wisconsin, Founder Factory is launching startups around validated technologies, not just ideas. It connects start-up savvy entrepreneurs, technical operators, technology experts, and business/commercialization experts with 12 market-ready technologies from leading SE Wisconsin research institutions.

Starting With Technology That’s Ready to Go

Most startups begin with an idea. Founder Factory starts with vetted innovation.

Featured technologies come from partners including UWM, MCW, Versiti, and Marquette University.

These innovations are backed by research, protected by IP, and ready for commercialization with the right team.

The twelve featured technologies span high-growth sectors including:

• AI and data science
• Biohealth, and medical device
• Advanced software systems for real-world applications

These technologies are already built on strong technical foundations and now need founders, operators, and teams to bring them to life.

You can explore the available technologies and learn more here:
View Founder Factory Featured Innovations

Building Teams Around Opportunity

The May 28 Event: Where Teams Form. The front door to this model is happening on May 28. Founder Factory is intentionally matching teams with featured technologies that are ready for commercialization.

At the Idea to Enterprise Pitch Night in Milwaukee, attendees will experience a different type of startup event. Instead of entrepreneurs pitching ideas, leading research institutions will present real technologies that are ready for commercialization and seeking a team.

This is a working session where:

• Entrepreneurs can identify a technology to build around
• Operators can join founding teams
• Researchers can find the right partners to bring their innovations to market
• Mentors and investors can engage early in venture formation

For many participants, this is the moment a company actually begins.

Register for the event today

Once connected, teams work through Founder Factory’s structured process:

• Evaluate and validate a selected technology
• Build a commercialization and funding strategy
• Develop an investor-ready venture and pitch This model reduces one of the biggest risks in early-stage startups: starting from scratch without validation. Instead, teams begin with something real, something tested, and something meaningful.

Powered by a Regional Consortium

Founder Factory is designed as a coordinated, ecosystem-driven initiative, funded by the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation.

The powerful structure of the Factory’s 20 organization consortium ensures founders are not building in isolation. Instead, they have access to mentorship, programming, capital pathways, and a network designed to accelerate progress.

How to Get Involved

There are two clear ways to engage:

1. Request more information about the technologies View Founder Factory Featured Innovations
   Explore the available innovations and identify where your experience fits.
2. Attend the May 28 Pitch Event Register for the event today
   Meet partners, discover technologies, and connect with potential co-founders.

Building Startups Differently

Founder Factory represents a shift in how startups are formed.

Instead of asking founders to start from zero, it gives them a head start with real innovation, real partners, and a clear path forward.

The result is faster formation, stronger teams, and ventures built on technologies that already have the potential to make an impact.