Proceed.app is one of 52 Semi-Finalists for the 2020 WI Governor’s Business Plan Contest! We are excited to participate in PHASE 2 of the contest! Check out the press release from the Wisconsin Technology Council:

From Hartland to Holmen, 52 entries advance in 2020 Wisconsin Governor’s Business Plan Contest

 

MADISON – Fifty-two entries from 22 communities have advanced to the semi-final round of the 17th annual Wisconsin Governor’s Business Plan Contest, contest producers announced.

The contestants were selected from a field of more than 200 qualified first-round entries by an independent panel of 95 judges organized through the Wisconsin Technology Council and its programs, the Tech Council Innovation Network and the Tech Council Investor Networks.

The semi-finalists are spread among four broad categories: advanced manufacturing (13), business services (10), information technology (15) and life sciences (14).

Those 52 plans also represent the geographic diversity of Wisconsin, with 30 of 52 plans originating outside Dane County. Fourteen of 52 entrants are women.

Plans cover a mix of market sectors. The Advanced Manufacturing group includes systems for producing hydrogen and methane, a 3-D printed violin, a modular hunting blind system, a do-it-yourself airplane kit and a long-lasting household disinfectant.

The Business Services category includes plans tied to educational toys, safety clothing for women, maritime training and an online system for selecting and scheduling court reporters.

Information Technology plans feature systems to improve a mix of businesses and endeavors, from skiing to audio-visual systems, and from construction equipment management to voice-activated retail store searches.

Also moving on to the next round were plans tied to Life Sciences breakthroughs, such as diagnostics or therapeutics for conditions such as intestinal ailments, heart disease, cancer, sickle cell, wound healing and hearing. There are also systems for organizing hospital and surgical room tubes, an ergonomic syringe and a way to better manage insulin injections.

“Trends reflected in the top 52 entries match up well with Wisconsin’s traditional and emerging strengths,” said Greg Lynch, chairman of the Tech Council. “Good ideas come from all high-growth sectors of the economy.”

The 52 entries competing in Phase 2 of the contest will write 1,000-word executive summaries. Each summary describes the core product or service, defines the customer base, estimates the size of the market, identifies competition, lists members of the management team and provides key financial data.

Once Phase 2 judging is complete in early April, the 52 entries may be made available for inspection by accredited investors through the Tech Council Investor Networks, which has about two-dozen angel networks, early stage funds or corp. strategic partners. About two-dozen plans will write a full 15-to-20 page business plan in Phase 3.

The top dozen contestants will give live presentations at the annual Wisconsin Entrepreneurs’ Conference on June 4 at Northwestern Mutual in Milwaukee. Category winners, as well as the 2020 Grand Prize Winner, will be announced June 4 during the conference.

Sponsors are contributing cash, office space, legal assistance, accounting, marketing, social media management and more. About $2 million in cash and in-kind prizes have been awarded over time. The Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. is a major sponsor.

Additional lead sponsors of the 2020 contest thus far include:  3Rhino Media; American Transmission Company; AT&TEppstein Uhen ArchitectsPieper PropertiesQuarles & BradyReinhart Boerner Van DeurenSCOREUniversity Research Park; Ward46 AM Marketing; Associate sponsors include  Aberdean ConsultingWhitewater University Technology ParkMurphy DesmondSpencer X Smith and AmpliPhi. Additional sponsors are Applied Management; Versiti; IrontekMadison Gas & Electric; Marshfield Clinic Health SystemReverbal Communications; State of Wisconsin Investment Board; and Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation.  

Here are the 2020 semi-finalists.  Reporters wishing to contact individual contestants may do so through the Wisconsin Technology Council by calling 608-442-7557. 

RealityBLU

Stefan

Agustsson

Beloit

Replace-A-Lace 

Nancy

Brekke-Jones

Rhinelander

Von Buck

Bob

Buck

Holmen

Explorer’s Guide Online

Rebekah

Carsey

Franklin

Impact Sports

Joshua

Cleveland

River Falls

Drift + Row

Brenna

Davis

Wauwatosa

UCHardChip 

Ulysses

Dinkins

Marshall

SpayVac for Wildlife 

Thomas

D’Orazio

Fitchburg

FixdPicks

Caleb

Dykema

Appleton

Safety4her 

Melissa

Gaglione

Milwaukee

MyGenomeRx

Annette

Gilchrist

Wis Dells

Thermonator Holdings 

Paul

Gromowski

Hales Corners

Spendstory

Benjamin

Hansen

Madison

Pedal-motive

Nickolas

Hein

Madison

Plumb Pharmaceuticals

Jacqueline

Hind

Madison

NeoCortechs

Brian

Jenkins

Appleton

Energy Tech Innovations

Bryan

Johnson

Milwaukee

Angiogenon

Satvir

Kalsi

Brookfield

Citrus Innovations

Naveen

Kankate

Milwaukee

DarkAero

River

Karl

Monona

GoDx

Chang Hee

Kim

Madison

Vivid Microscopy 

Jayson

Kurfis

Hartland

Colorful Connections

Manny

Lara

Glendale

FoodChain

Jake

Levitt

Madison

IVO Systems 

Howard

Lien

Madison

AGent Plus Solutions 

Jeffrey

Lord

New Berlin

Nudge Therapeutics

Robert

Lowery

Madison

Advanced Ionics

Chad

Mason

Milwaukee

UpStream AV

Jim

McDougall

Eau Claire

Loc8

Peter

Menet

Milwaukee

Alpen Life / Inland Alpine

Olivia

Merithew

Madison

Steady Shot 

Shawn

Michels

Milwaukee

RedFox AI/Maz

Nick

Myers

Sun Prairie

ReNeuroGen 

Stephen

Naylor

Elm Grove

Entremere, 

Thomas

Olscheske

Madison

Bizzy Bizzy

Candy

Phelps

Madison

eCourt Reporters

Karen

Renee

Burlington

Vehroot

Thomas

Robillard

Waunakee

RoddyMedical 

Lindsey

Roddy

Wauwatosa

SlingshotVR

Cody

Ross

Sun Prairie

Ascending Hearing Technologies

Christina

Runge

New Berlin

Last Lock

John

Ryan

Milwaukee

ModuTree

Trevor

Santarius

Milwaukee

Proceed.app

Andrew

Schmitz

Appleton

YDY, Sweets

Jaimie

Sherling

Madison

Gyld

Kahloong

Teh

Madison

AppEase 

Nicole

Tilot

Denmark

Gud Medical

Joseph

Ulbrich

Madison

Da Vinci Industries

Anthony

Valiulis

Janesville

Atrility Medical 

Nicholas

Von Bergen

Madison

Partita