Among the 24 finalists in the 12th annual Wisconsin Governor’s Business Plan Contest are several Milwaukee-area companies representing a variety of industries.
Milwaukee-based Pixologie, Mequon-based 65 Inc., Milwaukee-based The RiverHouse Group, Milwaukee-based Pellucid Water, Oak Creek-based Forsythe & Storms Technologies LLC, and Waukesha-based FloraSeq are in the group of finalists.
The finalists in the Wisconsin Technology Council’s contest were chosen from among 238 entries. To be eligible, the participants must not have raised more than $25,000 in private equity before the contest started in January.
Each company submitted a 15- to 20-page business plan, which was reviewed by a panel of more than 85 judges. Finalists are currently undergoing round three of judging, and the “Diligent Dozen” will be announced in late May.
The final 12 will present their plans in front of judges and attendees at the Wisconsin Entrepreneurs Conference on June 2 at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison. Category winners and a grand prize winner will be announced at the BPC Awards Luncheon on June 3.
Sponsors of the contest plan to award winners cash, office space, legal assistance, accounting, information technology consulting, marketing and other business services. Among the sponsors are the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp., the Wisconsin Technical College System, Quarles & Brady, Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren, Michael Best & Friedrich, AT&T and the State of Wisconsin Investment Board.
“This is an exciting range of finalists that are emblematic of Wisconsin’s vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem,” said Toni Sikes, WTC chairwoman. “Few contests can blend together industries as varied as life sciences, gaming and hunting.”
