"We’re proud to take part in this cross-industry collaboration to advance the work that’s been done to date to transform Milwaukee into a tech hub,” said John Schlifske, chairman, president and CEO of Northwestern Mutual. “Increasing tech talent in Milwaukee is critical for our region to remain vibrant and compete on a national scale.”
In 2017, Northwestern Mutual and Advocate Aurora simultaneously launched $5 million venture capital funds, Cream City Venture Capital and InvestMKE, which are investing solely in Milwaukee startup companies. Advocate Aurora also joined Northwestern Mutual in organizing the second iteration of its Tech Hub Summit in 2018.“Our investment in this coalition underscores our commitment to the innovation and transformation foundational to a strong technology economy and critical to the future of health care delivery,” Advocate Aurora Health President and CEO Jim Skogsbergh said. “We’re proud to collaborate with other Milwaukee leaders as part of our unwavering commitment to help the people of southeastern Wisconsin live well.”
The coalition's appointed board members and CEO will be announced at a later date. The organization is also working to enlist new members while involving the local business community, academic institutions, local and state governments, organizations and individuals who are interested in supporting tech initiatives. A recent BizTimes Milwaukee cover story, "Clicking with Milwaukee," explores the challenges of building the region of Milwaukee's tech talent and ongoing efforts to address those issues.