Engage & Ignite

Collide Collaborate

Connect Lambeau Field Atrium

October 7, 2015

Innovation • Expertise • Collaboration

2015LAUNCHWisconsin

Innovation and business startups are on the rise like never before. When you look at the speed and scale at which innovation and technology has changed our lives and the way we do business, it’s nothing short of amazing. In the last ten years alone, many of the innovations of today were born and have changed how

we live, share, create, and learn forever. We are nowhere near the end of great ideas and incredible opportunities lie ahead of us. Wisconsin has been a player on that stage from the beginning and will continue to be for years to come. How we do it is up to us. Our invitation to you is to engage with your ideas, passion, and resources to Launch Wisconsin to a new place on the stage of business innovation. Executive Producers Mike Killoren and Jill Enos of ZyQuest Ventures and Michael De Boer of RPM Strategies have been a driving force to make Launch Wisconsin a reality since the idea came into being not long ago. We have been extremely fortunate to have such talented and dedicated executives, volunteers, and thought leaders from all corners of

Wisconsin and beyond. Please take a moment to share your thoughts and feedback with myself and these brilliant people at or after the event.

John ErnstExecutive Director

John.ernst@zyquest.com

ZyQuest, ZyQuest Ventures Foundry, Gener8tor, Nicolet Bank, Zymo, Digital Fertilizer, Foth, and BayTek Games – companies who understand the need for a thriving entrepreneurial environment and a supportive business culture.

Allan is an experienced executive with a proven track record of leading technology-based entrepreneurial ventures from launch to acquisition. With 30 years of experience in IT and expertise in a wide range of technologies and industries, Mr.

Zeise has served the industry in a variety of capacities, as a developer, founder, CEO, partner, and angel investor for numerous companies. His vision was the impetus behind the creation of Launch Wisconsin.

Allan ZeisePresident and Founder of ZyQuest

WELCOME to Launch Wisconsin

KEY thought leaders in bringing this event together include:

LAUNCHWisconsin

Jill.enos@zyquest.comMike.killoren@zyquest.com

mdeboer@rpmstrategic.com

2015

Venue Map

Legends Club

A B C D

Networking Area

North Balco

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Atrium Floor

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Program SCHEDULE

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12:30 Registration and General Admission Networking Area

1:10 Welcome by Master of Ceremonies, Tom Atwell, Nicolet Bank Legends B-C-D Opening Remarks – Special Guests: Green Bay Packers, Gener8tor

Panel Discussion #1 Startup Ecosystems & Early Stage Investing Legends B-C-D Moderator: Jon Hopkins, Milwaukee Inst Cntr for Software Engineering Panelists: Joe Kirgues Gener8tor

Paul Jones Venture Best & Angels on the Water Ken Johnson Badger Fund of Funds

Panel Discussions (two concurrent sessions) 2:30 Panel Discussion #2 Real-life Entrepreneurship Legends A

Moderator: Allen Dines, WISC Partners Panelists: Matt Howard Eat Street Tom Dewane Jay Street Technologies Mark Hackl Lane Hub

2:30 Panel Discussion #3 Corporate Innovation Legends B-C-D Moderator: Manoli Kulutbanis, UpScalability Panelists: Dan Reed American Family Ventures Bob Paguio Appvion John Robertson Kimberly-Clark

3:30 Reverse Pitch Legends B-C-D Bay Tek Games Gaetan Philippon Jewelers Mutual Ben DeBoer Foth Steve Laszewski Appvion Mike Cove Assurant Adam Yaeger, Nate Werner American Family Ventures Dan Reed Harley-Davidson Ken Sarnstrom

5:00 Panel Discussion #4 Accelerating N.E.W. Startup Ecosystem Legends B-C-D Moderator: Rob Riordan, Nsight/Cellcom Panelists: Craig Dickman Breakthrough Fuel Paul Summerside Aurora BayCare Al Zeise ZyQuest

6:00 Keynote – Marlene Williamson, Watermark Legends B-C-D

Hors d’oeuvres, drinks, networking and live music

Collide Collaborate Connect

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Activities at the EventOnRampOnRamp, a program sponsored by Gener8tor and the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, gives young companies the opportunity to pitch their products and services, one-on-one, to established corporations. Startups apply to the participating corporations in the weeks prior to event, and then the corporations choose 4-6 startups to pitch them.

Panel DiscussionsThis series of four panel discussions is designed to allow attendees to hear from some of the area’s biggest and brightest business leaders.

The Startup Ecosystems and Early Stage Investing panel will provide an understanding of what it takes to create and sustain an environment that supports new ventures. Attendees will hear about the key factors to foster a thriving entrepreneurial support system, from accelerators to angel capital to corporate partnerships.

She is a thought leader in innovation and has been recognized for her many achievements in Silicon Valley and beyond. She will share her perspective on the power of collaborative environments and communities, and give her thoughts on the opportunity we have here in Wisconsin.

Longer Term GoalsLaunch Wisconsin will continue as an annual event that attracts the highest value individuals in the field of startup ventures and corporate innovation. When forward-thinkers come together, great things happen. Launch Wisconsin will grow as a premier destination in the Midwest for corporations, leaders, thinkers, and entrepreneurs to share and build meaningful and lasting connections that move the economy and region fast forward.

According to a recent report by the respected Kaufmann Foundation Index for “Startup Activity,” Wisconsin was ranked dead last – 50th in the country. The report further motivated a concerned group of area thought leaders and provided the lift-off for an innovation called Launch Wisconsin.The Launch Wisconsin concept was created as a premiere event for startups, innovative corporations, entrepreneurs, and investors looking for exciting new opportunities and talent. Its mission is to increase the connections between established businesses and entrepreneurial talent. Despite the Kaufmann ranking, Wisconsin does not lack ambitious entrepreneurs or innovative corporations. The state has launched countless business and product innovations in past decades. However, future success will demand greater collaboration among the innovators and leaders. Launch Wisconsin provides the platform and leadership to fuel new opportunities, ventures, and economic growth for Wisconsin. Rather than just a local/regional event, Launch Wisconsin will work to expose our great talent and resources to the global economy.

“To change the culture in Wisconsin and the Midwest, we submit that the real conversation is here. Change is now.”

The Real-life Entrepreneurship panel will bring the lessons learned from local entrepreneurs who are actively involved at various stages of building companies. They will share their experiences, challenges, surprises, and successes, and will undoubtedly inspire attendees.

The Corporate Innovation panel will provide the opportunity to hear from leading Wisconsin companies who have been successfully driving innovation with a collaborative approach. Creative product development, crowdsourcing, internal startups, and external investments have helped these companies stay ahead, and the panelists will describe what keeps them innovating.

The Accelerating N.E.W. Startup Ecosystem panel will share the experiences of local leaders who have built successful businesses and are now working together to foster more opportunities for new venture growth and success.

Our Keynote SpeakerMarlene Williamson is the Chief Executive Officer and Board Director of Watermark.

Ken Johnson is the founder and managing director of Kegonsa Capital Partners (KCP), and in partnership with Sun Mountain Capital, is the General Partner of the Badger Fund of Funds. Prior to founding KCP, Ken was both a Wisconsin-based entrepreneur and an angel investor in Wisconsin. As an angel investor, Mr. Johnson invested in 12 portfolio companies over a five year period. He was the founding entrepreneur of five companies and served as CEO of three companies. Six of his angel portfolio companies have been acquired. Mr. Johnson remains actively involved in early stage investing throughout the state.

Paul Jones co-chairs the Venture Capital and Emerging Company Practice Group, Venture Best, at Michael Best & Friedrich LLP, a top 200 corporate law firm with offices across Wisconsin as well as in Chicago, Austin, Salt Lake City, and Washington DC. Mr. Jones began his legal career in Silicon Valley in 1985, and between 1990 and his return to the Midwest in 2003, resided in the Research Triangle Park region of North Carolina where he was a serial venture backed entrepreneur, active angel investor, and managing partner of a $26 million seed/early stage life sciences venture fund. Mr. Jones is a member of the Investment Committee at Angels on the Water, a small seed/early stage venture capital fund based in Northeast Wisconsin.

Jon W. Hopkins - Moderator serves as the Director of the Milwaukee Institutes Center for Software Engineering. Previously, he founded Archiblox, a leading provider of software engineering tools. He has been a founder of several other startups that provided technical computing products, including Rational Rose, the leading object-oriented software modeling and design tool. Mr. Hopkins has served on the boards of numerous software startups and the Milwaukee Public Museum. He also serves as an adjunct faculty member and teaches classes in software engineering and software architecture. Mr. Hopkins holds both an MS and BS in Computer Science from the University of Wisconsin - Madison.

Panel 1Startup Ecosystems and Early Stage Investing

Three entrepreneurs share their experiences at various stages of building and growing their companies. When is the best time to start a company? How to grow fast without running out of funds? How to best meet customer needs? Hear about the challenges and the successes of early stage growth.

Panel 2Real-life Entrepreneurship

Tom Dewane - First-time entrepreneur Tom Dewane founded Jaystreet Technologies in response to a pain point he encountered while managing a high-volume orthopedic practice. Jaystreet’s software as a service platform is for high-demand healthcare providers that lose patient engagement and revenue due to last-minute cancellations. The patent-pending software uses text messaging to quickly and efficiently backfill cancellations while freeing office staff to focus on more pressing patient needs. Tom earned a Bachelors of Business Administration from Marquette University and later, a Masters of Business Administration from the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee. He has an extensive background in marketing and brand management having worked on the HUGGIES diapers brand as well as Kohler pluming products.

Mark Hackl is the founder and CEO of Lanehub Incorporated. Lanehub is a collaborative platform for shippers, carriers, and logistics providers. Mr. Hackl most recently directed Schreiber Food’s transportation team and participated on the board of directors for the Food Shippers of America. With over 20 years in the industry at Georgia Pacific, GENCO, Veriha, and Schreiber Foods working as a shipper, a carrier, and a third-party logistics provider, he has seen all sides of the logistics industry..

Matt Howard is the CEO and co-founder of EatStreet, an online ordering platform that connects restaurants with diners. EatStreet offers restaurants custom websites, mobile apps, Facebook ordering, and digital marketing services. Founded in 2009, EatStreet has expanded to over 150 cities and 15,000 restaurant accounts under Howard’s leadership. His primary responsibilities include driving the strategic vision of the company, spearheading business development initiatives, and overseeing all expansion efforts. To date, Howard has raised $12.7 million in three rounds of funding. He leads an ever-growing staff of over 100 employees out of EatStreet’s headquarters in Madison, WI. Howard received his undergraduate degree in Economics and Political Science from the University of Wisconsin (Class of 2011). He is active in the Wisconsin startup community and enjoys helping gener8tor as a mentor to its companies. Howard was named to Madison Magazine’s 2013 “M List” honoring entrepreneurial excellence.

Learn from experienced leaders about what is needed to boost a startup environment. From accelerators to angel investors, what support systems make ideas or ventures “thrive?” Learn what exists in Wisconsin today and how you can be a part of it.

Tom Atwell is a commercial lender at Nicolet Bank, working closely with businesses ranging from start-ups to well-established companies across all industries. Tom is a member of a Green Bay investment group, as well as a number of non-profit boards. Prior to banking, Tom was an analyst for a New York and Chicago based private equity firm focusing on US

middle market buyouts, with a healthy mix of venture capital and international investments. He has degrees in History, Geography, and Business from UW-Madison, where he also was involved in emerging market finance, SRI (socially responsible investing), sweet corn genetics, organic agricultural development, and the Governor’s Office.

Master of Ceremonies Keynote SpeakerMarlene Williamson is the Chief Executive Officer and Board Director of Watermark; an executive leadership organization focused on the value of gender diversity to drive economic growth in business. Previously, Marlene was Chief Marketing Officer of a number of technology companies including Alfresco,

BigMachines (sold to Oracle), and HGST (sold to Western Digital). She has also been named Innovator of the Year by Google, Outstanding Female Executive in Silicon Valley by the YWCA, and a Woman of Influence in Silicon Valley by the San Jose Business Journal.

Joe Kirgues is a co-founder of gener8tor and serves as its full time managing director along with Troy Vosseller. Gener8tor is a premier startup accelerator in Madison and Milwaukee. Joe has worked with startups for nearly five years with a focus on seed and Series A stage companies.Before choosing to have fun for a living, Joe worked at Quarles & Brady, where he focused his practice on private equity and venture capital. Joe received his law degree from the University of Wisconsin Law School where he graduated Magna Cum Laude and Order of the Coif. Joe received his BA from Marquette University where he graduated Summa Cum Laude. Joe worked as a federal law clerk in the Eastern District of Wisconsin for the Honorable William E. Callahan, Jr., after graduating from law school.

Allen J. Dines - Moderator has more than 30 years of experience at the executive level working at the interface of science and technology. He is currently an Executive Partner at WISC Partners, a strategic operating capital fund founded by a group of Silicon Valley-based UW-Madison alumni. His passion is creation and growth of new ventures. He is also active as a mentor and advisor with MERLIN mentors, 100State, Madworks Accelerator, and MadVentures. Allen holds emeritus status for service as Assistant Director, New Ventures at the UW-Madison Office of Corporate Relations, a position he left in Fall 2014. During his tenure at UW-Madison, he founded or provided original inspiration for many of the programs and events that today are mainstays in Madison’s startup scene. In 2003 he founded the Midwest Research University Network (MRUN), an alliance of Midwest university commercialization managers and others focused on fostering startup ventures. He is currently President Emeritus of that organization. Prior to joining UW- Madison, Allen was involved in three startup ventures, all in the biotechnology sector two of which he co-founded and all of which sold to leaders in their respective industries. Prior to these ventures, Allen was an Associate with Booz, Allen & Hamilton, Inc. in Bethesda, MD working with the Pharmaceuticals, Agrichemicals, and Food practice. Allen holds degrees from the University of Michigan including a B.S. a Masters in Natural Resources and an MBA. Allen lives and works in Madison WI..

About ReVerse PitchEstablished industry wants innovative solutions, and great ideas come from everywhere. In a Reverse Pitch, corporations pitch their needs and interests to the crowd, and attendees can follow up with ideas, proposals, or solutions.

Reverse Pitches will include: American Family Ventures – Dan ReedAmerican Family Ventures, the venture capital arm of American Family Insurance, is one of the most active early stage investment groups in the Midwest. We seek to invest in companies developing innovative solutions in the areas of home automation, data analytics, and financial services. We are open to hearing about your idea, discussing your pitch, or helping you take your high growth business to the next level.

Appvion – Mike CoveAppvion is looking for transformation. When a paper company realizes it produces more than just paper, its perspective on what it can give to the world changes. Help us see what thermal technology can do.

Assurant – Adam Yaeger & Nate WernerAssurant New Ventures is the innovation arm of a Fortune 500 specialty insurer looking for new business models and technology solutions to drive improvements in customer experience and sales for our protection products. Innovation challenges pitched will include mobile phone protection and automobile protection.

BayTek Games – Gaetan PhilipponBayTek Games has been designing and manufacturing amusement redemption games for 38 years right here in the heart of the Midwest, impacting families around the world as they engage each other in Family Entertainment Centers playing games and winning prizes while making

valuable memories. BayTek designs anywhere between three and eight new products a year while building and shipping thousands of units annually, but that task of coming up with great new game ideas year in and year out is a difficult task. BayTek wants to challenge you to channel your inner child and dream big. What is that next great redemption game we will find at Chuck E. Cheese or Dave and Busters?

Foth – Steve Laszewski Foth designs and implements large scale environmental cleanup projects, for both river and land based sites. These large scale projects, which range from the tens to hundreds of millions in total cost, have large environmental data sets that require data collection, storage, transformation, and sharing, so that ultimately a “conceptual model” of the contaminated river/land is understood with clients, government agencies, and the public. We are open to ideas on how to efficiently transform data into actionable ideas and solutions.

Harley-Davidson – Ken Sarnstrom

Harley-Davidson continues to be a leader in innovation while staying rooted in its ideals of fulfilling customer dreams of personal freedom and self-expression. Our customers are diverse, and we are always seeking new ways to support their interests and needs through Harley-Davidson motorcycles, events, community, and experiences. Learn about how we work with startups and entrepreneurs to advance new ideas and ventures.

Jewelers Mutual – Ben DeBoer

Secret Boards, International Jewelry Trade and Theft, Blockchain, Drones, Tracking Devices, Nano-Tech, Wearable Tech, Internet of Things, 3D Printed Products - They sound like things out of a James Bond or Kingsman movie, but Jewelers Mutual wants to hear and invest in your ideas to make them a viable business reality.

ReVerse Pitch Presenters

Gaetan Philippon serves as CEO for Bay Tek Games having recently celebrated six years with the organization. Prior to heading up the 115 staffers for the design and manufacturing firm, he relished his responsibility as Director of Product Development. Before joining Bay Tek, Gaetan spent time in the product development and sales and marketing departments at Dowco, Inc. and Simmons Juvenile Products. Gaetan is active in the Northeast Wisconsin TEC17 Executive Committee, and also serves on St. Peter’s Lutheran’s Board of Education. Leading with a servant’s heart, Gaetan’s greatest joy is his role as husband to Kris and father to Gabrielle and Gavin.

Ken Sarnstrom is the Global Information Systems Director of Innovation for Harley-Davidson. He leads a team focused on innovation in the digital space which provides a channel for employees to test new ideas. His team works with early stage companies as a customer, partner, or as an advisor, helping advance new ideas or technologies. He leads a company-wide Digital Innovation Council that oversees the application of leading edge market research, proof-of-concepts, and pilots to pursue emerging technologies to further Harley-Davidson’s business. Ken is an avid rider and has spent over 20 years at Harley-Davidson in various leadership roles including information technology, strategic planning, project management and innovation. Ken holds a Bachelors of Business Administration from University of Wisconsin – Whitewater and a Masters of Business Administration from Cardinal Stritch – Milwaukee.

Dan Reed is the Managing Director of American Family Ventures, the direct venture capital arm of American Family Insurance. American Family Ventures invests in early stage companies focused on insurance, connectivity, and analytics. Dan has worked as a strategy consultant with the Boston Consulting Group and in various strategic roles at American Family. Mr. Reed has experience as a principal in two start-up companies. Additionally, his work history includes hospital administration at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN, and a career as a professional baseball player with the Baltimore Orioles. Dan holds an M.B.A. with a concentration in Strategic Management from the University of Chicago and an undergraduate degree from Stanford University.

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Steve Laszewski has over 25 years of experience in directing large interdisciplinary teams that solve water resource problems for clients with multi-million dollar environmental and liability exposures. He was trained as a scientist, graduating from UW Madison with a Ph.D. in Environmental Toxicology. Over the past five years, he has led the environmental business within Foth and today focuses additional efforts on leadership development with technical and business teams.

Nate Werner is the Innovation Manager for Assurant New Ventures, a unit that drives growth and innovation for the Fortune 500 specialty insurer. Nate has worked in New Ventures for over 2 years and has prior positions with Assurant in Product Management and Marketing. Prior to Assurant, Nate was a Vice President of Product Management for U.S. Bank in Minneapolis, MN and Guaranty Bank in Milwaukee, WI. Nate holds a BBA from Marquette University with focuses in Marketing and Finance.

Adam Yaeger is the Director of Innovation for Assurant New Ventures, a unit that drives growth and innovation for the Fortune 500 specialty insurer. Assurant New Ventures organically builds and tests new businesses while also doing early stage investment and partnerships with the start-up community to accelerate development. Adam has worked in Growth and Innovation for over 5 years and prior to that had a background in Technology and Finance. Adam holds an MBA and BBA from the University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee with focuses in Strategic Management and Information Technology respectively.

Mike Cove is a veteran in the international specialty paper industry. He has spent over half of his career in his homeland England and the second half in the United States. He has over 35 years of experience as a prime mover in the thermal printing industry in a variety of technical, market, and strategic managing roles. In his current position as Strategic Portfolio Manager at Appvion, Inc, he is responsible for business growth through product and market development. Outside of the paper world, Mike is a musician, recording engineer, and producer.

Benjamin DeBoer is the Director of Corporate Development for Jewelers Mutual Insurance Company, and is passionate about cultivating disruptive innovation and entrepreneurship in Wisconsin. In his role, his primary focus is supporting Jewelers Mutual’s long-term goals by developing and executing Corporate Innovation and Corporate Venture growth strategies. To accomplish this, he is charged with identifying and executing new (startup) business development, third party partnerships, joint ventures, alliances, and/or mergers & acquisitions.Prior to joining Jewelers Mutual in 2008, Ben had provided fortune 500 companies with project/program management leadership, user experience design, delivery, and integration of core financial service solutions and e-commerce offerings. Ben is a graduate of Concordia University Wisconsin with a triple major in Finance, Managemen,t and Business. He also holds a minor in Aviation Science and is an active pilot.

Allan Zeise is the President and Founder of ZyQuest. He is an experienced executive with a proven track record of leading technology-based entrepreneurial ventures from launch to acquisition. With 30 years of experience in IT and expertise in a wide range of technologies and industries, Mr. Zeise has served the industry in a variety of capacities, from developer to CIO. His company, ZyQuest, was recognized by Inc. magazine as the 54th fastest growing privately held company in America. As an angel investor, he has funded, developed, and launched a number of successful technology based companies. His entrepreneurial endeavors have ranged from motor fuel tax compliance, supply chain management, GPS vehicle tracking, healthcare analytics, and gaming platforms.

Panel 3 Corporate Innovation

Bob Paguio is an experienced Strategy and Innovation Executive with a track record for driving new ideas to enable step function growth for global companies across multiple industries. His breadth of experience includes a technical role as a Lead R&D Engineer and Program Manager for the Department of Defense working with both large High Tech and small Startups on emerging technologies, also a Management Consultant for IBM’s Strategy and Change group advising clients from Small Businesses to Fortune 500 companies on ways to diversify revenues, a Global Marketing Director for Teradyne (a Semiconductor OEM), driving corporate entrepreneurship by establishing a Strategic Marketing and Business Development organization to launch a new business, and currently as the Executive Director of Enterprise Growth for Appvion where he leads a team charged with corporate wide growth developing new products, new markets, and new business models.

Dan Reed is the Managing Director of American Family Ventures, the direct venture capital arm of American Family Insurance. American Family Ventures invests in early stage companies focused on insurance, connectivity, and analytics. Dan has worked as a strategy consultant with the Boston Consulting Group and in various strategic roles at American Family. Mr. Reed has experience as a principal in two start-up companies. Additionally, his work history includes hospital administration at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN, and a career as a professional baseball player with the Baltimore Orioles. Dan holds an M.B.A. with a concentration in Strategic Management from the University of Chicago and an undergraduate degree from Stanford University.

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Local leaders who have built successful businesses are working together to ignite more opportunities for others. Learn about their experiences growing their own companies and how they are working to help create and support new ventures.

Panel 4 Accelerating N.E.W. Startup Ecosystem

Craig Dickman is the founder, CEO and Chief Innovation Officer of Breakthrough Fuel, a company that manages the energy and information shippers use to move products to market. In less than a decade, Breakthrough Fuel has grown to become a partner to some of American industry’s leading brands, including Procter & Gamble, Georgia-Pacific, and John Deere, among others. Mr. Dickman is the inventor responsible for two patents for energy management and has additional patents pending with the United States Patent Office. He is an experienced entrepreneur who is involved with more than 10 companies currently. He also serves on the Green Bay Packers Board of Directors, the Council of Trustees for UW-Green Bay, and the Board of Visitors for the St. Norbert College Schneider School of Business and Economics.

Paul R. Summerside, MD, MMM currently is the Chairperson of Aurora BayCare Medical Center, a joint venture hospital of Aurora Health Care and BayCare Clinic. He also served as Director of Sports Medicine and Wellness at Aurora BayCare Medical Center. Dr. Summerside currently serves as the President of BayCare Joint Ventures overseeing the company’s external partnerships and related strategies. Dr. Summerside is credited with guiding BayCare Clinic’s inception and growth while simultaneously serving as a key resource for the organization’s physician relations and recruiting as well as quality assurance and managed care contracting during his tenure as Chief Medical Officer. Dr. Summerside is a graduate of St. Olaf College, where he earned a Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry. He is also a graduate of the University of Iowa’s College of Medicine and completed his residency in Emergency Medicine at the University of Illinois. Dr. Summerside holds a Masters of Medical Management degree from the University of Southern California.

Strong companies find many ways to stay ahead of the market. From creating internal disruption to investing in new ventures, find out how these executives keep their companies innovating. When is it too risky to work with a startup? How to protect new ideas that do not produce an immediate ROI? Learn from their experiences.

John Robertson is a Senior Business Partner within Kimberly-Clark’s Information Technology Global Marketing organization. His focus is on the discovery and realization of technology solutions that empower the company’s Research & Development, Innovation Pilots, and Digital Innovation Lab to bring the next generation of products to life. During his twenty-two year tenure at Kimberly-Clark, he has been a first-hand witness to the continued evolution of Information Technology from back-office applications designed to last for a decade to the new lean startup world where an ever-changing ecosystem of partners and solutions is an essential ingredient to success. He’s had a wide range of experiences including eCommerce, social media policy development, architecture, innovation, crowdsourced development, and startup relationships. John is a Wisconsin native, holding a bachelor’s degree in Management Information Services from the University of Wisconsin La Crosse.

Manoli Kulutbanis - Moderator is the managing partner of UpScalability, an advisory and technology firm that works with executives to launch and scale venturing frameworks and transformative business models. He specializes in helping consumer brands discover technology-enabled innovations that can become a meaningful and key component of the brand proposition. Mr. Kulutbanis has extensive experience within the Consumer Packaged Goods industry having served senior management roles in corporate strategy, business development, acquisition integration, and lean manufacturing for MillerCoors, SABMiller, and Unilever. As an entrepreneur, he founded, built, and successfully exited his own business that customized HR development and assessment technologies for clients that included Coca-Cola, Unilever, Nestlé, and Cadbury.

Rob Riordan, Executive Vice President and member of the Nsight Board of Directors, has been a part of Nsight for 37 years. His wireless and telecommunications experience combined with his technical expertise have allowed Rob to speak on a number of topics all over the world. Rob is a member of the National Speakers Association, the leading organization for professional speakers. Rob lives in Green Bay with his wife Cathy and has four children and three grandchildren.

BayTek Games is a classic American success story that began 38 years ago in the basement of a modest home in Pulaski, Wisconsin. In 1977 Mel Treankler was approached by a carnival worker with a great idea for an electronic game, but no resources to produce a prototype to exhibit at a trade show in Texas. The Treankler family’s small design/manufacturing company, located in the basement of Mel’s home, agreed to produce the prototype in exchange for a share of the revenue generated at the show.

“The game did so well at that ten-day show, that the family immediately got its investment back,” said Gaetan Philippon, Bay Tek CEO. Word of the game’s success spread and orders began to roll in. Thus began Bay Tek’s entry into the coin operated game business.

That original game sustained the company’s success for nearly 16 years, eventually reaching a saturation point and virtual obsolescence in 1993. “We knew that if we wanted to be around for the long term, we’d have to innovate,” says Philippon. Bay Tek leveraged its experience to begin designing and developing different styles of ticket redemption games.

Today BayTek games are found in family entertainment centers nationwide, like Chuck E. Cheese’s, Dave & Busters, Wisconsin Dells water parks - anywhere you see ticket dispensing, ticket redemption games, you’ll most likely see the Bay Tek brand name.

Like many industries today, the family entertainment game business is being impacted by strong domestic and foreign competition. Once a product has been in the market for 18 months, it starts to decline. Saturation rates are so fast that Bay Tek’s continued success depends on its ability to innovate and move new games to market quickly. “That’s why we are so excited to be a part of LAUNCH WISCONSIN’s Reverse Pitch,” says Philippon. “It seems like so many people of all ages have ideas about new ways to entertain folks who go to family entertainment centers with games. One of the things we want to do is say, ‘If you have an idea, there’s a way for you to be paid for that idea,’ through royalties and other agreements.”

Innovating Family FUN

“Big Bass Wheel” is one of many BayTek games that can be found in family entertainment centers across the country.

Creating a Region Where Angels DON’T Fear to Tread

reinforces the idea that it’s okay to start a new venture here. It helps people realize, “There are others out there like me and people who want to support innovators like me.”

As Professor of Management and Human Resources at UW Oshkosh, Hartman says the school has been intimately involved with the start-up community for 25 years. “We created the Wisconsin Family Business Forum to support growing family businesses here and have the largest business school program in Northeast Wisconsin. We want to provide all the support, connection, and visibility we can to help new ventures. This LAUNCH WISCONSIN event is a good thing for our area and it’s a good thing for our state.”

“Wisconsin has long possessed the basic ingredients to compete in the innovation economy, with the most glaring exception being sufficient venture capital to help its best start-up companies prosper and grow close to home,” write the authors of the white paper, Building Companies & Jobs: The Case for a Venture Capital Program in Wisconsin.

Wisconsin attracts just 0.55% of the nation’s venture capital. Northeast Wisconsin is no exception. Despite being home to the state’s third-largest population center, Northeast Wisconsin has just one other angel fund. That fund invests in later stage companies. Changing the access to capital for seed and early-stage companies is an important ingredient in the region’s future economic success. And, that is exactly the gap Angels on the Water is targeting.

Angels on the Water fills that gap in the 18-county region of Northeast Wisconsin by providing seed and

early-stage funding and mentorship. Its purpose is to give New North businesses with high growth potential better access to investment capital, encouraging entrepreneurial activity and fostering new business growth. This high-impact fund strives to bring investors high-quality investment opportunities, create wealth, add jobs, strengthen the tax base, increase per capita income, and build an entrepreneurial climate that attracts more new businesses, here at home.

“Angels on the Water supports anything that can increase the entrepreneurial ecosystem here in Northeast Wisconsin.”

says Al Hartman, Angels on the Water Chair. “An event like LAUNCH WISCONSIN encourages people to get more engaged. It heightens visibility of the entrepreneurial ecosystem and

In an effort to increase connections between startups and established corporations, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and gener8tor are sponsoring OnRamp Green Bay at Launch Wisconsin.

OnRamp Green Bay gives young companies the opportunity to pitch their products and services, one-on-one, to established corporations. The event is intended to help startups in the critical effort to find sales channels and to provide a way for established companies to engage with the entrepreneurial community. It highlights our commitment to helping emerging

entrepreneurs succeed.

Startups apply, and the participating companies choose 4-6 startups to pitch them one-on-one at the event. After the pitches, corporations select at least one startup to either purchase from or mentor (at least two lunches/coffees).

Participating companies include:American Family Insurance, Assurant, Bellin Health, Harley-Davidson, Jewelers Mutual Insurance, Kohl’s, New Resources Companies, and Northwestern Mutual.

About

BANKING On Building Relationships for Start-Ups

When it comes to high-tech start-up ventures, most emerging companies don’t tend to look at traditional commercial banks as a financing solution. That’s because venture capitalists and angel investors have the ability and flexibility to wait for repayment that commercial banks oftentimes don’t have. However, that doesn’t mean banks can’t be a part of that start-up’s success says Tom Atwell, a commercial banker at Nicolet National Bank in Green Bay.

Opened in November 2000, Nicolet National Bank is one of Green Bay’s newest community banks. They enthusiastically support the growth and innovation of the industries present in Northeast Wisconsin. “We have a strong history of entrepreneurship here in NEW WI, particularly in paper and manufacturing,” says Atwell, “but there are also new advancements and opportunities in the technology sector coming down the pipeline that we need to be part of as well.”

LAUNCH WISCONSIN is providing just such an opportunity and Atwell, who will MC the event, is also participating in panel discussions. He says that for Nicolet National Bank and other banks to thrive they need to be part of the innovation and entrepreneurship conversations happening in Northeast Wisconsin. Too often, Atwell says, that’s just not the case. “I think the main reason for that is a misunderstanding, that people think about banks simply as a place to get a loan or be denied a loan, and while we may not be best fitted to provide start-up financing, we are in a perfect position to help that start-up with their business plan and connect the dots with other businesses and people in the community that can help jump-start their idea.” Accountants, attorneys, industry experts, and even investors and customers looking for investment opportunities are all part of the bankers “rolodex” and can be of value to entrepreneurs, says Atwell. “What we are and what we can provide these innovators is the sum total of all the relationships we have.”

Beside his duties at Nicolet National Bank, Atwell is part of ZyQuest Foundry and attends Green Bay’s Digital Fertilizer events. Both organizations are founders of LAUNCH WISCONSIN. Atwell is also heavily engaged in social, environmental, and community issues through non-profit and government involvement.

“It’s really great to see a group of successful people getting together to build back community. I’m looking forward to facilitating the discussion, providing a little energy, and helping move things along.”

Understanding What’s BEST for Entrepreneurs

“A lot of times for start-ups, getting the answer quickly is as or more important than getting it perfect and that’s not something you’re taught to do in law school. I have an MBA for example, and I am an entrepreneur, so I understand that environment and the spirit.” Jones offers a phrase from the Janis Joplin classic, Me & Bobby Mcgee, to sum up the entrepreneurial milieu: “Freedom’s just another word for nothing left to lose.”

Jones acknowledges Wisconsin may never replicate Silicon Valley. However, he says, “If you take a look at Raleigh-Durham, NC from 1990 to 2005, it went from a somewhat stagnant economy like we now have to a fairly high impact, self sustaining economy.

I think with efforts like LAUNCH WISCONSIN, that can happen here in the next few years too.”

Venture Best is a specialized practice group within leading law firm Michael Best, representing both investors and companies with their investment capital needs in high-growth enterprises. The group allows the Michael Best firm to introduce venture capital and private equity investors to early and mid-stage investment opportunities. Venture Best currently represents start-up and emerging companies in biotech, IT and software, medical device, electronics, and other high technology sectors.

The Venture Best group includes attorneys with substantial experience in handling corporate, securities, intellectual property, and tax challenges involved in equity-backed transactions.

Paul Jones, Co-Chair of the group and a panelist at LAUNCH WISCONSIN, says that raising money, building teams, growing businesses, and innovating in the Midwest differs from the major venture capital centers on the coasts such as New York or Silicon

Valley, where talent and other key resources are more plentiful. “People view NE Wisconsin as having a very conservative business environment and it does,” says Jones, “but people forget for example that the roots of the paper industry were incredibly entrepreneurial. There’s a lot of smart money and wealth here … it’s really important for the future of NE Wisconsin to get some of the wealth investing back into new innovation and start-ups.”

The group typically does not work with small local retail operations, nor with traditional big businesses. Venture Best focuses on small high-tech start-ups, emerging businesses with a promising upside which may be very stretched in terms of available resources. “They almost never have an in-house lawyer so they need their outside lawyer to understand their business and to understand their risk tolerance.” says Jones. He continued,

ZyQuest Ventures

Foundry is focused on

igniting new start-ups

based on the idea that

solving a business

problem can create

significant value

beyond the enterprise.

Founded in 1938 in Green Bay, Wisconsin, Foth offers a tradition of personalized, client-centered service and smart solutions to a variety of government, industrial, and commercial clients. Their financial strength and outstanding client and member retention rates are testaments to how successful Foth is at developing and maintaining relationships, both externally and internally. Professional publications consistently rank them among the nation’s top professional services consulting firms. Connecting and solving challenges through relationships is one of their values that motivated Foth to participate in LAUNCH WISCONSIN’S Reverse Pitch forum.

“We strongly believe in the power of partnerships, team collaboration, and the progress that can happen when groups come together.”

says Steve Laszewski, Foth Sr. VP Environment, “We’re very interested in seeing if this format can help us solve recurring problems for our customers.” One specific challenge, says Laszewski, is that on large scale environmental clean-up projects, Foth ends up with large data sets that need to be turned into information in order to be acted on. The company is very well known for its ability do this

analysis, but the challenge is to find ways to make the information gleaned from it understandable and accessible to the public. The company hopes that if they throw this out to the group present at the Reverse Pitch, they might discover new ways to solve the problem and ideas they have not previously considered.

In addition to the Reverse Pitch, Laszewski says that LAUNCH WISCONSIN provides a platform and a means to have conversations with different companies from different disciplines. Foth is looking forward to collaborative discussions that generate new ideas and innovate better ways to do things. “This is about efficiencies and being open to doing things differently.” he says.

The Foth company consists of three business units: Infrastructure, Industrial Design, and Packaging, and Environmental. Foth’s Environmental Business Unit is comprised of engineers and scientists who focus on Waterway Cleanups and Mine Permitting.

Engineering IDEAS Through Collaboration

Picture this. Germany, 2015. The venue: Interschutz, the largest Fire and Safety Trade Show in the world. And there, amidst the crowd of 150,000 attendees from 51 countries, is a small company with big ideas and big capabilities. The company? Cineviz, an experiential media company located in Green Bay, Wisconsin that lives by the mantra “Do the Impossible!” Cineviz wowed attendees and its client, The Amerex Group, at Interschutz by designing a branded environment for a 60x90 foot booth. In addition to mapping out and developing booth graphics, the company designed, programmed, and engineered interactive elements; wrote and produced five videos; created a microsite; and developed collateral marketing materials, for which Cineviz created a new brand identity. The trade show is but one example of how Cineviz uses its mastery of marketing, exhibition expertise, and audio/visual technology to create powerful experiences that engage, educate, and motivate. From trade shows and corporate events, to branded environments and gestural technology, the diverse team of creative and technology experts work seamlessly together to pull off unique and memorable experiences. “In order for interactive technologies like gestural motion detection, augmented reality, and virtual projection to be effective, the experience has to appear seamless to the user.” said Scott Koffarnus, Cineviz’s CEO and Creative Director, “Our creative team of innovators, producers, designers, engineers, gamers, artists, writers, programmers, editors, animators, and fabricators collectively collaborate to create a one-of-a-kind experience that captivates and educates an audience.” Clients

Cineviz Goes GLOBAL with Experiential Media

Interschutz Discovery TableAn interactive “Discovery Table” let Interschutz attendees move a puck over illuminated icons, which brought up onto a video screen various facts about the client—in English and German. Cineviz often works with copy translations, which have included 14 languages—including Mongolian.

from across the U.S. like Nike, Nickelodeon, Chase, Verizon, and Intel come to Cineviz for the really big ideas in interactive and experiential environments to promote or launch brands. “We provide branded experiences that physically, mentally, and emotionally engage the audience,” said Koffarnus,

“When you immerse someone in a space that allows them to discover and better understand a client’s brand, they become motivated believers in that brand. Applying a synergistic overlay of social media allows that belief to be easily shared.”

The company most recently developed an innovative digital networking system for the KI Convention Center that includes digital signage and video walls throughout the center. Cineviz currently is working on a 9,000 square foot immersive crop museum for Winfield, which is located in Indiana as well as an educational STEM experience for Brillion Elementary School.

Bellin Health has been a vital partner in the health and wellbeing of the people of Northeast Wisconsin for over 100 years. Innovation has been the key to this enduring success, from the day Dr. Julius Bellin opened the doors of his 15-bed General Hospital in 1907. From that modest beginning came Bellin College, training nurses in the community, culminating in today’s comprehensive array of services, and partnerships with communities spread over a broad service area.

Bellin’s vision today: The people in our region will be the healthiest in the nation, resulting in improved economic vitality in the communities we serve.

According to Randy Van Straten, VP of Business Health Solutions, this bold vision embodies Bellin’s embrace of innovation as the organization

expands on their foundation of excellent care for those afflicted by illness or injury, to embody a drive to well being for the entire population they serve. Bellin works with employer and community groups using the Triple Aim model to help them improve health, lower costs, and improve the experience of care.

Van Straten says, “We have an innovative approach to population health.” He goes on to say that LAUNCH WISCONSIN is a great opportunity to get together with a group that likes big challenges. When asked what role a focus on population health plays in retaining dynamic innovators in our communities, he replied, “We need brain gain, not brain drain. How do we create that great environment to attract people here? It’s not just great health care; health care is only a component of the social determinants of health - only about 10% of the big picture. We’re not going to get where we need to go

if we focus solely on … hospitals and clinics. Improving people’s well being is the ultimate goal.”

To this end, Van Straten points to some important initiatives such as the Bellin Run, a respected internationally attended 10K race with over 20,000 participants, and the Women’s Half Marathon. He identifies these as two prominent community activation models that get people engaged with health and fitness. “We have to look beyond health care and work with innovation to help improve the health of a population.”

Bellin is consistently rated a top hospital in America, while executing strategic initiatives that have significantly reduced costs of care for the communities served, thanks to the innovations of literally thousands of employees and partners over the 100+ years of Bellin Health’s history.

Energizing and ENGAGING the Community

NEW Ideas About Competing in New North

believes the region and the state must build a stronger reputation for being risk tolerant, as well as better systems to support and facilitate investment in new ideas and businesses. He added,

“We’re going in the right direction, but we’ve still got a way to go if we are going to be competitive in attracting and retaining innovators.”Murphy hopes the event will become a nexus of connections for both entrepreneurs and investors in the region, and that after the close of this first LAUNCH WISCONSIN event, people will be already anticipating next year’s event.

New North, Inc. is a nonprofit, regional marketing, and economic development organization fostering collaboration among private and public sector leaders throughout the 18 counties of Northeast Wisconsin, known as the New North region. Their mission, “to harness and promote the region’s resources, talents, and creativity for the purposes of sustaining and growing our regional economy,” is why they have chosen to support the efforts of LAUNCH WISCONSIN.

“This event has the unique approach of bringing entrepreneurs and investors together around the central themes of capitalization, innovation, and problem solving,” says Jerry Murphy, New North Executive Director. “While the traditional approach has been entrepreneurs pitching to investors, what is different about their platform is that businesses can pitch their needs to innovators in the hope of identifying problem solvers.” While this Reverse Pitch format is growing across the country,

LAUNCH WISCONSIN is the first to bring it to the New North region.

From its inception, New North has had a strong commitment to improving the entrepreneurial climate in the region. Their most recent activity in that area has been to introduce a mentoring program called Fast Forward 3.0. The program has two main elements. The first is to identify and leverage a really strong stable of seasoned C-suite business leaders and dedicate them to helping fast growth firms overcome the obstacles that are inherently part of the start-up process. Murphy says these individuals can provide advice on a wide array of topics, including building out the appropriate team, identifying appropriate market channels, and helping build a strong business case to pitch to potential investors. “Some entrepreneurs are just too close to the opportunity to recognize some basic improvements that can be made to their business model that an objective third party can see relativelyquickly,” says Murphy. He also

Journal Sentinel

Spurring Enterprise in NORTHEAST WisconsinIn the same way, he hopes that the connections made at this event will help spur new enterprises to support existing businesses. “The hardest thing is getting folks the capital they need.” he says. Stewart also sees the potential for a new entrepreneurial network to be spawned from this event and hopes making it annual will increase the region’s number of visible angel investors.

NWTC’s Corporate Training and Economic Development department helps businesses in Northeast Wisconsin face their challenges through customized instruction to ensure a successful future. Startup organizations, growing businesses, and firmly-established companies can all benefit from a variety of resources available. The alignment of that mission with the goals of LAUNCH WISCONSIN made them a fitting partner for the event.

“What jumped out at us about the LAUNCH WISCONSIN event was how involved this event was with the entire community. I think they will help take entrepreneurship and small business support to a next level within the region. It is something we believe is desperately needed in this area.” says Dean Stewart, Corporate Training and Economic Development.

Stewart admits that while there are many groups working with start-ups and small business, more can be done. He believes the most important things to offer the entrepreneurial

community are first and foremost access to good, qualified information from experienced mentors. And secondly, abundant access to the capital needed to start or grow a business.

While events like LAUNCH WISCONSIN are happening in Madison or Milwaukee, Stewart sees the need for more of them here in the region. NWTC hosts an event every November at their campus called The Business Success Summit which draws about 150 small business attendees. “We actively mentor and work with about 70 organizations per year here in Northeast Wisconsin, he says, but the scale of this event is much larger, and that’s what really made us want to get involved.”

“When you look at Green Bay and the business history in the region,” says Stewart, “many of today’s successful companies got their start supporting the established businesses here.”

Mile of Music is a cover-free zone. We’re all about original, hand-crafted artistry, and we’re eager to serve up singer-songwriters, combos and multi-piece bands showcasing Americana music at its very best

Thanks to the people and businesses who made LAUNCH WISCONSON possible

920.347.9000alliey@eventsbyalliey.com

www.eventsbyal l iey.com

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SpeakersTom AtwellBen DeBoerMike CoveTom DewaneCraig DickmanAllen DinesMark HacklJon HopkinsMatt HowardKen JohnsonPaul JonesJoe KirguesManoli KulutbanisSteve LaszewskiBob PaguioGaetan PhilipponDan ReedRob RiordanJohn RobertsonKen SarnstromPaul SummersideNate WernerMarlene WilliamsonAdam YaegerAl Zeise

SponsorsAmerican FamilyAngels on the Water

Bay TekBellin HealthBreakthrough FuelsCA LawtonCamera CornerCinevizDigital FertilizerElevate97Fothgener8torGolden AngelsGreen Bay PackersHarley-DavidsonJoe WeidertKhromeOkanjoNew NorthNicolet BankNorthwestern MutualNWTCRPM StrategiesSash & Bow PlannersSchneiderUWO Business CenterVenture BestWatermarkWillems MarketingZyQuest Ventures FoundryZymo EntertainmentZyQuest