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:

MADISON – Fifty-two entries from 22 communities have advanced to the semi-final round of the 17^th 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&T; Eppstein Uhen Architects; Pieper Properties; Quarles & Brady; Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren; SCORE; University Research Park; Ward4; 6 AM Marketing; Associate sponsors include  Aberdean Consulting; Whitewater University Technology Park; Murphy Desmond; Spencer X Smith and AmpliPhi. Additional sponsors are Applied Management; Versiti; Irontek; Madison Gas & Electric; Marshfield Clinic Health System; Reverbal 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
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