Entrepreneurs' Resource Clinic
The Entrepreneurs’ Resource Clinic in the Wisconsin Institutes of Discovery Town Center is a “one-stop shop” where entrepreneurs and potential entrepreneurs can find assistance in a single space. UW–Madison entities staff the clinic on a regular basis to coordinate services and resources such as: legal advice, technology licensing, business development ideas, financial and budgeting advice, and leadership mentoring.

First Look Investor Forums
Equity investment opportunities based on UW research. A bimonthly invitational meeting for those venture capital and angel investors specifically focused on early-stage private-equity opportunities. This forum serves as a venue for early-stage and concept-stage UW entrepreneurs to discuss their research and preliminary business concepts with representatives from the venture-capital community to gain feedback on how to convert technology innovations into fundable business value propositions. Qualified investors and faculty researchers should contact Allen Dines to inquire about an invitation to one of these forums.

Law and Entrepreneurship Clinic
The Law and Entrepreneurship Clinic, located in the Entrepreneurs’ Resource Clinic on the first floor of the Wisconsin Institutes for Discovery, provides free and essential legal services to start-up entrepreneurs on campus. These services, provided by UW law students, include counsel in diverse matters including corporate structure, finance, intellectual property, tax, insurance and other legal issues confronting new businesses.

Licensing Assistance
WARF, the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation, is an independent, nonprofit foundation chartered to support research at the UW-Madison and the designated technology transfer organization for the university. Since 1925, WARF has served the University of Wisconsin-Madison scientific community by patenting the discoveries of UW-Madison researchers and licensing these technologies to leading companies in Wisconsin, the United States and worldwide. WARF licensing managers can assist those considering startup businesses with information about and guidance on procedures for acquiring a license to WARF technology.

MERLIN Mentors
The Madison Entrepreneur Resource, Learning and Innovation Network (MERLIN) is a Madison-based corp of volunteers who have masterfully started and managed new ventures. These mentors use their skills, experience and enthusiasm to guide emerging entrepreneurs in early stage ventures to boost the potential of business success. MERLIN provides potential entrepreneurs information and guidance to launch, sustain and grow their venture, particularly in the areas of biotechnology, information technology, agriculture, medicine, food science and manufacturing.

OCR Consultations and Referrals
OCR provides one-on-one assistance to faculty, staff and students considering a startup business. Consultation topics range from issues related to mixing a university position with time commitments to a new business, identifying the key steps in starting a business, finding business services firms that can assist, and identifying sources of capital and management talent. Contact Allen Dines at OCR for more information or to schedule a meeting.

OCR Early Stage CEO Breakfast Series
This invitational event for chief executives of emerging UW-Madison-affiliated companies is held every two months. This venue provides peer-level networking and support for CEOs whose companies are in early stages of establishing their business operations. Participating CEOs typically represent recently formed companies and companies with fewer than 15 employees that are working to develop and launch their products. CEOs of early-stage companies that have employees and business operations should contact Allen Dines, to inquire about participation in this breakfast series.

Short Courses
The School of Business Technology Business Development Institute (TBDI) provides seminars, counseling and networking focused on the special needs of high-technology companies. The TBDI offers new innovative courses in “Leadership in Technology Companies.” Additionally, the UW-Madison Small Business Development Center offers a broader line of management education, training, counseling and networking opportunities for small-business owners and managers.

UW Student Business Incubator
If you are a student looking for space to start or launch your business idea, or if you seek dedicated office space for a current business you founded as a student, the UW Student Business Incubator can help.   UWSBI provides free office space, supplies, networking, and business expertise to student businesses on campus. For more information or to apply for space, please see the link above.

Business Planning and Analysis

Weinert Center for Entrepreneurship
The School of Business’s Weinert Applied Ventures in Entrepreneurship (WAVE) Program and the Weinert Center for Entrepreneurship are dedicated to teaching, research and services related to entrepreneurial management, and enterprise development. In the WAVE program, students focus on selected companies through a year-long business planning practicum. WAVE invests in early-stage companies where students have been involved.

Business Incubation

G. Steven Burrill Technology Business Plan Competition
The G. Steven Burrill Business Plan Competition is an exciting opportunity for students to develop and present business plans for new ventures! Students may take advantage of nearly one dozen workshops, seminars and skill-building sessions in the months leading up to the contest, each led by top faculty or Wisconsin business leaders that can help them to cultivate their ideas and prepare for the competition day. Top prize is a $10,000 cash award.

Initiative for Studies in Technology and Entrepreneurship (INSITE)
The Initiative for Studies in Technology Entrepreneurship (INSITE) seeks to enhance the University of Wisconsin’s impact on technology entrepreneurship by facilitating, creating and transmitting fundamental research related to technology entrepreneurship, as well as facilitating and encouraging leveraged curriculum and program development related to technology entrepreneurship. INSITE provides many resources to students, most importantly the INSITE Decision Guide, a tool to help students find and utilize entrepreneurial resources.

Metro Innovation Center
An innovative “urban park” targeting technology entrepreneurs, the Metro Innovation Center, located in 6,000 square feet at the historic Gisholt Machine Co. building, is fertile ground for nurturing companies in fields such as information technology, engineering, medical devices and computer sciences. For more information or to lease space in this building please follow the link above.

School of Business Library: How to Research a Company
Fee-based information services for business and industry focused on company research. http://business.

University Research Park
URP is a unique research and technology park, whose primary mission is to encourage partnerships between businesses and university researchers. Located three miles west of the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus, the Research Park is home to 107 companies, employing nearly 4,000 people. At the MG&E Innovation Center within the park, more than 30 companies are currently housed in a facility designed especially for startup businesses.

UW-Madison Entrepreneurship Association
The Entrepreneurship Association (EA) is a student organization open to graduate and undergraduate students from all the schools in the University who are interested in entrepreneurship. The EA arranges interactive lunches, dinners and seminars with practicing entrepreneurs, and provides assistance with finding internships and mentors.

UW-Technology Enterprise Cooperative
Brings students, faculty and staff together with industry and entrepreneurs to foster growth and development of high-technology businesses.

Wisconsin TechSearch
The fee-based information outreach program is part of the Kurt F. Wendt Library. WTS offers document delivery and research services to business and industry, including online literature, patent and trademark searches. WTS provides access to the information resources of all 40+ libraries at the UW–Madison, including Wendt Library, which contains outstanding collections in science and engineering, and is a U.S. Patent and Trademark Depository Library.