By Wisconsin Ambassador Cordero Barkley, Partner, TitletownTech
When the NFL Draft came to Green Bay, it brought national attention, more than 600,000 fans, and an undeniable buzz to the city. For us at TitletownTech , it created a unique opportunity to elevate entrepreneurs and startups on a national stage. That is what led us to launch the Startup Draft.
I had the opportunity to host the live TitletownTech Startup Draft broadcast alongside my colleagues, with our team fully embedded in the energy and activity of Draft Week from our office in Titletown. Nearly 1,000 companies from across the U.S. and Canada applied. From that group, we selected seven to come to Green Bay for the first-ever TitletownTech Startup Combine. We kicked things off with field goal attempts on the turf, then got down to business. More than 30 corporate partners and potential customers joined us for one-on-one meetings with the companies, leading to more than 30 direct conversations that opened doors for future collaboration.
Two companies were ultimately drafted. Ateios Systems is advancing novel electrode manufacturing. Ubicept —based in Madison, WI, and Cambridge, MA—is building photonic vision systems that allow machines to perceive motion and objects more effectively than traditional sensors.
We awarded a total of $2.7 million in funding, including $350,000 in Azure credits from Microsoft, which Microsoft doubled to $700,000. That combination of funding and support gives these companies the tools they need to move faster.
Throughout the Startup Draft broadcast, we were joined by several leaders who brought unique perspectives to the conversation. Green Bay Packers President and CEO Mark Murphy spoke about the team’s role in shaping the entrepreneurial ecosystem. Microsoft Vice Chair and President Brad Smith shared his insights on scaling innovation and Microsoft’s partnership with TitletownTech. Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers and U.S. Congressman Tony Wied offered their perspectives on the broader vision for economic development in the region. Palantir Head of Defense Mike Gallagher and Microsoft Executive Vice President of Strategic Missions and Technologies Jason Zander highlighted their Midwest roots. We also heard from founders across our portfolio who shared their own experiences building companies in partnership with TitletownTech.
The week concluded on the NFL Draft stage. Our two Startup Draft winners joined TitletownTech’s managing partners to share their stories in front of 220,000 people. That moment brought everything full circle, celebrating not just the startups selected but the broader momentum that is building around innovation in Wisconsin.
We believe innovation happens everywhere, especially when visionary entrepreneurs are given the capital, resources, and industry connections to thrive. The Startup Draft brought that mission to life in a way that introduced our work to thousands of new people and sparked new energy across the ecosystem.
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