Frontdesk
Series A in 2020
Founded in 2017, Frontdesk operates a digital platform for short-term rentals across the United States. It offers fully managed properties for business and vacation travelers, handling booking, cleaning, pricing, messaging, and guest screening through its proprietary technology stack.
Blue Line Battery
Angel Round in 2020
Founded in 2015, Blue Line Battery designs and manufactures lithium-ion power systems for diverse applications. Its products include portable power packs and universal batteries, serving industrial, stationary, small electric vehicle, and solar sectors.
Blue Line Battery
Seed Round in 2020
Founded in 2015, Blue Line Battery designs and manufactures lithium-ion power systems for diverse applications. Its products include portable power packs and universal batteries, serving industrial, stationary, small electric vehicle, and solar sectors.
Sprecher Brewing
Angel Round in 2020
Sprecher Brewing Company, Inc., founded in 1985, is the oldest craft brewery in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The company is renowned for its high-quality beer and unique specialty sodas, which are produced using a combination of traditional brewing techniques and innovative recipes. Over the years, Sprecher has built a strong reputation in the craft beverage industry, focusing on delivering distinctive flavors and experiences to its customers. By emphasizing local ingredients and craftsmanship, Sprecher Brewing plays a significant role in the Milwaukee community and continues to contribute to the growing craft beverage movement.
Fiveable
Seed Round in 2020
Fiveable, Inc. is an educational technology company based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, founded in 2018. It operates an interactive social learning platform designed for Advanced Placement (AP) students and teachers, aiming to foster educational equity. The platform combines content, community, and courses to enhance the learning experience. It features a comprehensive content library and interactive community spaces, allowing students to engage with peers studying similar subjects. Fiveable offers online instruction led by accredited teachers across various disciplines, including history, social sciences, STEM, and languages. The company's mission is to empower students by building their skills and confidence, enabling them to earn college credit through placement exams and succeed in their educational endeavors.
Intuitive Bio
Venture Round in 2019
Intuitive Bio, established in 2012 and headquartered in Madison, Wisconsin, specializes in biotechnology products and services. The company develops and manufactures custom assay development tools, including detection reagents, multiplexing systems, and image analysis software for protein microarrays. Additionally, Intuitive Bio offers veterinary diagnostic kits and testing services for non-human primates, focusing on tuberculosis and specific-pathogen-free testing. Their portfolio aims to enhance accuracy, efficiency, and animal welfare in research and colony management.
Phoenix
Venture Round in 2017
Phoenix, LLC, established in 2005 and headquartered in Madison, Wisconsin, specializes in designing and manufacturing high-yield neutron generators and other commercial nuclear technologies. These products cater to diverse applications across industries such as aerospace, defense, medical, and semiconductor, including neutron radiography, cargo screening, medical isotope production, and nuclear fuel scanning. The company's commitment to practical nuclear technologies has also set a long-term goal of contributing to clean, fusion energy production.
Bright Cellars
Funding Round in 2017
Bright Cellars Inc. is an online wine club that specializes in delivering personalized wine selections to its members through a monthly subscription model. Founded in 2014 and headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the company utilizes a machine-learning algorithm that analyzes user responses from a questionnaire to recommend wines tailored to individual tastes. This approach not only helps new wine drinkers explore and refine their preferences but also creates an educational experience around wine appreciation. Bright Cellars allows users to receive curated wine deliveries at their doorstep each month and offers options for gifting selections to others. The company aims to inspire a new generation of wine enthusiasts by providing a transformative and personalized experience.
Microscopy Innovations
Venture Round in 2016
Microscopy Innovations is a life science tools company focused on microscopy sample preparation and instrumentation. It develops the mPrep platform and related capsules for grid staining, immunolabeling, and specimen processing, along with the ASP-1000 Automated Specimen Processor that automates preparation, staining, and labeling for electron microscopy. Its products support scanning and transmission electron microscopy and materials research, and are distributed through a global network to pharmaceutical, clinical, academic, and industrial research customers. Founded in 2007 and based in Marshfield, Wisconsin, the company aims to streamline laboratory workflows, reduce manual labor, and extend its microscopy capabilities, with future development extending to light microscopy.
Wantable
Seed Round in 2013
Wantable operates as a subscription-based retailer that delivers monthly packages of makeup, accessories, and other items tailored for women. Founded in 2011 and headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Wantable also offers a personal shopping service for women’s clothing. The company uses a proprietary data-centric system and artificial intelligence to curate products, allowing customers to try items at home before purchasing. This unique approach combines elements of retail, personal styling, and machine learning, appealing to a broad and diverse market.
Blue Moon Learning Center
Debt Financing in 2013
Blue Moon Learning Center is a private educational center for American children. It offers classes in subjects such as language, crafts, and values formation.
Blue Moon Learning Center began operation in February 2012. Its headquarters was in Wisconsin before it moved to Alameda in California.
Flex Biomedical
Venture Round in 2012
Flex Biomedical, Inc. is a biomedical company based in Madison, Wisconsin, founded in 2007. The company focuses on developing innovative treatments and diagnostics for orthopedic injuries and diseases, with a particular emphasis on osteoarthritis, a debilitating joint condition that affects millions globally. Its flagship product, the Flex Polymer, is a synthetic and injectable polymer designed to alleviate the symptoms of osteoarthritis. By offering solutions that aim to enhance patient mobility and reduce pain, Flex Biomedical addresses a significant health challenge faced by many individuals. The company markets its products through online retailers, making its offerings accessible to a wider audience.
Lucigen
Venture Round in 2012
Lucigen Corporation specializes in providing products and services for DNA and RNA cloning, sequencing, amplification, and protein expression. Founded in 1998 and based in Middleton, Wisconsin, the company offers a comprehensive range of solutions including long mate pair library kits, DNA sample preparation kits, and various cloning and expression kits. Its portfolio encompasses PCR and amplification solutions, competent cells for cloning and phage display, and a variety of enzymes. Additionally, Lucigen provides cloning kits and vectors tailored for different applications, as well as accessory kits for DNA manipulation. The company also offers genome closure services and advanced genomic technologies to support life science researchers in their work. Lucigen Corporation was formerly known as Microgen Corporation and became a subsidiary of LGC Limited in 2018.
Enhancement Medical
Debt Financing in 2012
Enhancement Medical is a Wisconsin-based company that specializes in pharmaceutical and healthcare services. Headquartered in Wauwatosa, it focuses on developing innovative hyaluronic acid products aimed at redefining safety standards in the medical market. The company has introduced Expression, a hyaluronic acid derived from pathogen-free materials, ensuring that its offerings meet high safety and quality standards. Through its expertise in the development and commercialization of medical products, Enhancement Medical serves the healthcare needs of residents in Wisconsin and its surrounding areas.
SOLOMO Technology
Seed Round in 2012
SOLOMO Technology Inc. is a mobile software company based in Madison, Wisconsin, that specializes in indoor location intelligence and personalized marketing solutions for retailers. Founded in 2010, the company offers a cloud-based platform known as SOLOMO Exchange, which connects to retailers' mobile applications to facilitate the secure exchange of customer identity and location data for personalized offers. This platform includes various tools such as SOLOMO Geo, which provides location-based notifications for employees and customers, and SOLOMO Identity, allowing customers to manage their personal data. Additionally, SOLOMO offers branded mobile applications that enable retailers to enhance customer engagement through targeted notifications and improved service from sales associates. By leveraging location intelligence analytics, SOLOMO Technology aims to create seamless, customized experiences that strengthen customer trust both in-store and online.
HarQen, Inc. is a technology company based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, founded in 2007, that specializes in Software as a Service solutions aimed at enhancing recruitment processes. The company offers a comprehensive digital interview platform that facilitates various interviewing methods, including on-demand video, phone interviews, and live video interviews. It also provides tools for automated pre-screening, SMS candidate engagement, mock interviews, and language verification, all while supporting mobile applications for interviewing. HarQen’s platform, known as Recruitment Acceleration Management Process, harnesses voice-to-web technology to capture and analyze conversations, thereby transforming voice interactions into actionable insights. Its services cater to diverse sectors, including staffing and placement, healthcare, banking, higher education, and retail, among others. Additionally, HarQen is a founding member of the Hypervoice Consortium, promoting innovative ways to organize and navigate voice conversations for improved collaboration and productivity.
NeoClone
Angel Round in 2011
NeoClone is a research-oriented company established in 1999 by three scientists from the University of Wisconsin, focusing on the development of monoclonal antibodies for biotechnology and research applications. The company employs retroviral transformation technology to enhance the production process of monoclonal antibodies, which allows for quicker development times and reduced costs. This innovative approach enables NeoClone to deliver customized antibodies to researchers and scientists more efficiently, addressing the growing demand for advanced antibody solutions in various scientific fields.
HarQen, Inc. is a technology company based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, founded in 2007, that specializes in Software as a Service solutions aimed at enhancing recruitment processes. The company offers a comprehensive digital interview platform that facilitates various interviewing methods, including on-demand video, phone interviews, and live video interviews. It also provides tools for automated pre-screening, SMS candidate engagement, mock interviews, and language verification, all while supporting mobile applications for interviewing. HarQen’s platform, known as Recruitment Acceleration Management Process, harnesses voice-to-web technology to capture and analyze conversations, thereby transforming voice interactions into actionable insights. Its services cater to diverse sectors, including staffing and placement, healthcare, banking, higher education, and retail, among others. Additionally, HarQen is a founding member of the Hypervoice Consortium, promoting innovative ways to organize and navigate voice conversations for improved collaboration and productivity.