An interactive, workshop-driven day: concurrent workshop tracks, one-on-one mentor sessions, a fireside chat, and an afternoon pitch competition. Come for the full day or just the sessions that interest you.
| 9:00 – 9:45 AM | Breakfast & Arrival | Atrium — check-in, entrepreneur posters, company tables. Complimentary continental breakfast and an all-day beverage station. |
| 9:45 – 10:00 AM | Welcome & Kickoff | Tong Auditorium — opening remarks and a welcome from Bonnie Bachman, Director of the Technology Entrepreneurship Office. |
| 10:00 – 10:45 AM | Fireside Chat | Tong Auditorium — a conversation, not a prepared keynote, with a Special Guest. To be announced → |
| 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM | Workshop Block 1 | “0 to .5” (Tong Auditorium) · From UX to AX (Room 1045) · SBIR: Beyond the Basics (Room 2180). Explore the tracks → |
| 12:00 – 1:00 PM | Lunch & Networking | Atrium buffet, dine in Tong — posters and company tables open throughout. |
| 1:00 – 2:00 PM | Workshop Block 2 | “.5 to 1” (Tong Auditorium) · SBIR: Reauthorization (Room 2188) · Mentor & Investor One-on-Ones (Room 1047). About the one-on-ones → |
| 2:15 – 3:00 PM | Pitch Sessions | Tong Auditorium — five startups pitch live with sticker-based People’s Choice voting. Mentor sessions continue in Room 1047. |
| 3:00 – 3:10 PM | Break & Open Networking | |
| 3:10 – 3:30 PM | Awards & Recognition | Tong Auditorium — pitch competition winners announced. |
| ~4:00 PM | Forward Fest Kickoff Celebration | Delta Beer Lab, 167 E Badger Rd, Fitchburg — keep the momentum going at the official Forward Fest Happy Hour Kickoff Party → |
A conversational session with a guest from the founder community — candid stories, no slides.
Up to three tracks run concurrently in each block. Pick the sessions that match where you are on the journey.
Led by Michael Szewczyk
Design-thinking and ideation, framed around Michael’s own founder story of going from idea to first customers. The first half of a connected arc that continues in “.5 to 1”.
Led by Jorge Reyna
Tracking the emergence of Agent Experience (AX) and how UX designers can expand their skill set for the new paradigm. Hands-on session building an agentic skill for a design system.
Led by Todd Strother, PhD & Rob Baranowski, MS, JD — Wisconsin CTC
Negotiating government grant funding through the National SBIR/STTR programs — grant-writing guidance and Lean Startup methods for customer discovery and hypothesis validation. SBIR-specific content; attendees should self-select.
Special Guest To be announced
Taking a startup from first customers to real scale — practical lessons on growth, revenue, and what it takes to reach the next stage.
Led by Anya Hanson — Wisconsin CTC
What SBIR reauthorization means for founders pursuing federal R&D funding, from the CTC’s Department of Defense liaison. SBIR-specific content; attendees should self-select.
Curated mentor pool · continues into the afternoon
Sit down individually with experienced operators and investors for direct, candid feedback on your venture.
How it worksSit down individually with experienced operators and investors for direct, candid feedback.
How it worksFive startups pitch live. Sticker-vote People’s Choice, with winners announced at 3:10 PM.
Learn moreEntrepreneur poster showcases placed throughout the venue — sign-ups open ahead of the event.
Get a spotWrap the day at the official Forward Fest Kickoff Celebration.
Delta Beer Lab · 167 E Badger Rd, Fitchburg, WI 53713