When the Ignite Wisconsin program was created, the goal was to bring organizations together to strengthen regional entrepreneurial ecosystems and increase Wisconsin’s startup density. Less than a year later, the four inaugural Ignite Wisconsin consortia are already demonstrating what can happen when organizations collaborate around shared opportunities.
Representatives from the Cheese Wedge Consortium, Founder Factory, Wisconsin Frontier Technology Consortium, and Wisconsin Fusion Energy Coalition recently gathered to celebrate the progress made during the first Ignite cycle and look ahead to the next phase of work.
Launched in 2025, Ignite Wisconsin provides strategic investments to regional consortia working to increase the density of startups in either specific locations or specific sectors. The program is designed to increase collaboration; catalyze innovation and expand access to talent, capital, and opportunity across Wisconsin.
Connection leads to collaboration
For the awardees, one of the most immediate outcomes has been connection.
“Ignite has really encouraged just connecting,” said Margaret Ramey, director of the Center for Technology Commercialization and one of the leaders of Founder Factory, “they encourage collaboration across all partners, across the state.”
That collaboration is translating into tangible opportunities for entrepreneurs.
In Southeastern Wisconsin, Founder Factory launched a matchmaking initiative connecting university intellectual property with interdisciplinary teams interested in creating new ventures. The initiative has already matched nine teams with mentors and connected four teams with university technologies, creating a pipeline for ideas to move from research toward commercialization.
“We want to make a seamless pipeline for startups in Southeastern Wisconsin,” Ramey said.
The program is also helping organizations identify and address gaps in the existing entrepreneurial ecosystem. Founder Factory has added programming focused on everything from business formation to founder development and pre-accelerator support, creating a pathway for entrepreneurs who may not yet be ready for traditional accelerator or investment programs.
From starting block to forward sprint
In Northeast Wisconsin, the Cheese Wedge Consortium is building connections across food, agriculture, and technology. Led by the New North, the consortium is bringing partners together around opportunities in food and beverage, agricultural technology, and healthcare technology while creating a single-entry point to resources for entrepreneurs.
For Juan Corpus, vice president of strategic initiatives at New North, one of the biggest needs he hears from entrepreneurs is simply not knowing what they do not know, nor what actions to take.
“We have folks that have ideas on a napkin. We have folks that are ready, you know? They have a team already,” Corpus said. “So how do we close that gap in knowledge and resources?”
Emerging technologies get a boost
The Wisconsin Frontier Technology Consortium is developing specialized programming for companies working in areas such as quantum technology, sustainable battery development, and artificial intelligence. Maggie Brickerman, president of the Wisconsin Technology Council, said the Ignite investment has enabled the group to build programming tailored to the unique needs of these companies.
“This funding has allowed us to build some really bespoke programming to wrap an ecosystem of support around them and also connect them with one another.” Brickerman said.
In fusion energy, the Wisconsin Fusion Energy Coalition is working to connect Wisconsin’s research strengths with entrepreneurs, manufacturers, and the broader supply chain. Kathleen Gallagher, executive director of 5 Lakes Institute, said Ignite has played an important role in bringing that coalition together.
“Ignite Wisconsin has been critical to pulling together an amazing coalition that we just wouldn’t have pulled together without the impetus from the Ignite grant,” Gallagher said. “It’s also funding a lot of activities that just wouldn’t happen without the Ignite grant.”
That emphasis on collaboration is central to Ignite Wisconsin’s broader impact. Rather than creating isolated programs, the initiative is helping organizations connect existing resources, identify gaps, and build new pathways for entrepreneurs.
Momentum gathers speed
As the inaugural cohort moves into the next phase of its work and WEDC reviews the next round of applications, these connections provide a foundation for continued growth.
For the awardees, success will mean more than individual startups or programs. It will mean a Wisconsin entrepreneurial ecosystem where researchers can find commercialization pathways, founders can more easily access mentors and resources, and businesses and investors can connect with emerging opportunities.
“It is just a really exciting time,” Ramey said. “We’re excited to see the impact that this program will do in the future.”
Ignite Wisconsin’s first year has shown what can happen when organizations across regions and industries have the resources and shared purpose to work together. As the program enters its next cycle, those relationships and the opportunities they create will continue to strengthen Wisconsin’s culture of entrepreneurship and innovation.
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