The Badger Startup Summit has become one of the signature events of Forward Fest, bringing together entrepreneurs, innovators, investors, students, mentors, and startup supporters from across Wisconsin to officially kick off a week dedicated to entrepreneurship and innovation.
More than just a conference, the Badger Startup Summit is designed to be an interactive experience where founders can learn from experienced entrepreneurs, participate in hands-on workshops, receive one-on-one mentorship, connect with investors, and build meaningful relationships within Wisconsin’s startup ecosystem.
Whether you’re exploring your first idea, launching your first company, or scaling an existing business, the summit provides practical insights, actionable advice, and connections that help entrepreneurs move forward.
This is where Wisconsin entrepreneurs come together to learn, build, connect — and where ideas begin to become companies.
Founded in 2011 by Matthew Younkle and Allen Dines, the summit has been coordinated since 2022 by 100State, and is produced in partnership with the Technology Entrepreneurship Office and the Center for Technology Commercialization, with programming co-developed alongside Transcend. Attendance is free — you just need to register.
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