Founder Day

14 – 15 May 2025

Madison, WI

8 DAYS | 16 HOURS | 50 MIN | 1 SEC

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200+ RSVPs

Join us at Founder Day 2025! Learn about 20+ startups in your community with Open Mic Night. Learn from top founders and compete for $5,000+ at the pitch competition.

Whether you’re looking to connect, learn, or pitch—this is where founders grow. Don’t miss it!

Wednesday 14 May

Open Mic night

Thursday 15 May

Founder Day

Schedule

May 14th:

Open Mic Night

May 15th:

Founder Day

11:00a

Keynote: Greg Tracy

📍 DreamBank

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12:00p

Lunch

📍 StartingBlock (3rd Floor Cafe)

1:00p

Fireside: Marsha Lindsay

📍 StartingBlock

Learn More >>

1:00p - 4:00p

Headshots & Networking

📍 StartingBlock (3rd Floor Cafe)

Learn More >>

2:00p

Pitch Competition

📍 StartingBlock

Learn More >>

3:15p

Pitches That Worked

📍 StartingBlock

Learn More >>

10:00a

Coffee & Networking

📍 DreamBank

4:00p

Closing Ceremony

📍 StartingBlock

Open Mic Night

Old Sugar Distillery

May 14th, 6:30p - 9:30p

Whether you’re launching, hiring, or just looking to plug into the community, this is your chance to be seen, be heard, and make an impact.

🎤 Spots fill fast! Sign up now and claim your 90 seconds.

Pitch Competition

StartingBlock

May 15th, 2:00p - 3:00p

If you’re thinking of fundraising in the next year, this is perfect for you and your company.

🔥 Compete for $5,000 cash + $6000 in services

🎤 Showcase your startup

🌟 Get honest feedback from investors & founders

Apply

Pitch Competition mentors

Benedict Fritz

Arrows

Co-Founder & Product @ Arrows
Software/Product Expert
$3M+ Raised

Adhira Sunkara

WiSys

Director of Strategy and Innovative Ventures @ WiSys
Fmr CTO @ 10 Newtons
University Tech Transfer & Commercialization

Tim Nott

FactoryFix

CTO @ FactoryFix
Fmr Co-Founder @ MobileIgniter
Software/Product, $20M+ Raised

Brian Kaufman

Janus Health

Startup Mentor & Consultant
Fmr Co-Founder/CPO @ Janus Health
Healthcare/Product, $8M+ Raised

Tyler Waite

Holos

COO & CCO @ Holos
Officer @ Capital Entrepreneurs
AR/VR & Gov't Contracts
~$1.6M in VC
~$4M in contracts

Scott Bolte

Milwaukee Venture Partners

Investor/Board Member @ Milwaukee Venture Partners
CEO/Founder @ Trailhead Clinical Strategies
BioTech/MedTech Advisor

Sahab Aslam

Sukun Ventures

Investor @ Sukun Ventures
Sector Lead, AI/ML @ HBS Alumni Angels NY
Health & Wellness Advisor/Investor

Andrea Schoen

Heirloom

Head of Strategic Initiatives @ Heirloom
Fmr Co-Founder/CTO @ Hyfe
CleanTech/BioTech, $11M Raised

Olivia Wisden

TwoLips

Founder + CEO @ TwoLips
Branding & Website Design Expert

Wilson Fay

WiSys

Innovative Ventures Associate @ WiSys
Reporter @ Law Street Media
Legal Strategy for Startups

Andy Kalmon

Benny

Founder & CEO @ Benny
Fmr Finance @ Covance
FinTech, $1M+ Raised

Michael Szewczyk

Capital Entrepreneurs

Co-Director @ Capital Entrepreneurs
Advisor & Co-Founder @ Factor
B2B SaaS & Med Device, $12M Raised

Andrea Dlugos

WIP (Angel Group)

Co-Manager @ WIP (Angel Group)
Angel/Early Stage Funding

Brad Bodden

WIP (Angel Group)

Co-Manager @ WIP (Angel Group)
Partner @ Madison Lake Capital
Angel/Early Stage Funding

Jason Weaver

Halo

CEO @ Halo
Fmr Founder/CEO @ Airdeck & Shoutlet
B2B SaaS, $35M+ Raised

Scott Simpson

Loop Enterprises

Fractional CFO @ Loop Enterprises
Fmr CFO @ Hummingbird Healthcare
Finance & CleanTech/Solar Expert

Sherry Eckholm

Loft

Director of Strategy @ Loft
Fmr Deal Lead @ AmFam Studio
Product Design & User Research Expert

Ritish Patnaik

Curve Biosciences

CEO @ Curve Biosciences
PhD BioEngineering @ Stanford
BioTech/Grants, $17M+ Raised

Jordan Kennedy

UW Athletics

Revenue Strategy Sr Manager @ UW Athletics
Founder/CEO @ Diverse Leaders For Tomorrow
Finance/Private Equity, Venture Scout

Amanda Schulze

Lithia Effect

Founder/Consultant @ Lithia Effect
Fmr Co-Founder @ Fixle
User Experience & Product

Complementary HeadShots

StartingBlock

May 15th, 12:00p - 3:00p

A skilled photographer will work with you to capture the perfect shot, ensuring you look your best. After the session, you’ll have the opportunity to select your favorite image to keep—completely free!

Spots are limited, so be sure to sign up in advance to secure your session. Don’t miss this chance to elevate your professional presence!

Claim Spot

Keynote: Greg Tracy

Greg Tracy, CTO of Wondr Health and co-founder of Propeller Health, is a tech leader and innovator with a track record of building and scaling startups. At Founders Day, he’ll share insights on innovation, resilience, and impact-driven growth.

view bio

DreamBank

May 15th, 11:00a - 12:00p

Fireside:
Marsha Lindsay

Marsha drives competitive advantage with expertise in behavioral science, marketing, innovation, strategy, and executive-level teaching.

view bio

StartingBlock

May 15th, 1:00p - 2:00p

Pitches That Worked

StartingBlock

May 15th, 3:00p - 3:45p

A behind-the-scenes look at real investor pitches. NOT a competition—this is a learning session.

Live Pitch Demonstrations – See how successful founders pitch. What worked, what didn’t, and why.

"Founder Day connected me with founders who truly understand the challenges of building something from the ground up. The conversations were real, the connections meaningful, and I left energized with fresh ideas to move my business forward."

Olivia Wisden

CEO Underbelly

tickets

~ Founder Day '25 is free thanks to American Family DreamBank! ~

Founder Day Dream Pass

$50

Free

Founder Day

Open Mic Night

Get Tickets

Got questions?

Find answers to common questions about the event, including event times, parking information, and accommodation options.

What are the event times?

Open Mic Night:
May 14th 6:30pm - 9:30pm.

Founder Day:
May 15th 10:00am - 4:00pm.

Is parking available?

There are a few parking garages near the venues (recommended).

You can also find street parking, but BE CAUTIOUS! Read the sign before you park. Many blocks have slightly different rules and they will ticket you. E Washington Ave will tow your car from 3p-6p!

Are there accommodation options?

Yes, we have partnered with several nearby hotels to offer special rates for attendees. Details on recommended accommodations and booking links will be provided upon registration.

How can I register for updates?

Not ready to register for the event, but still want updates? Subscribe to our event newsletter.

Is there a registration fee?

Thanks to American Family Insurance DreamBank, the event is FREE!

However, you must register to get in, and you must let us know if you are know longer coming.

How can I become a sponsor?

If you would like to support the event, please see our sponsorship form. This will show you a menu of what is available and actions on next steps.

Who's invited?

Startups are invited! We’d love to see founders and startup leaders join us. If you’re a service provider, we encourage attending through sponsorship to best engage with the community. Thanks!

OUR Sponsors

Want to support the event?

Michael Best

Michael Best is dedicated to our clients’ success. We’re a full-service law firm with more than 350 lawyers and technical professionals who work in collaborative, interdisciplinary practices to serve clients around the world.

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StartingBlock

Join a community of entrepreneurs, startups, and remote workers at StartingBlock, where you'll have access to resources, mentorship, and a collaborative coworking workspace. With 50,000 sq ft of space in Madison's Capitol East neighborhood, StartingBlock is the perfect place to launch your business or run business as usual.

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DreamBank

The American Family Insurance DreamBank offers a vibrant community of events, resources and connections designed to help people pursue and protect their most valuable asset — their dreams.  

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WEDC

WEDC’s Entrepreneurship & Innovation (E&I) is fueling start ups and innovation to power Wisconsin forward by building density in entrepreneurial ecosystems and supporting high-growth ventures with funding, resources, and strategic partnerships.

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Novii CPA

Empower your business with a fully customizable financial solution. Whether you need ongoing support from our Outsourced Accounting team or strategic guidance from a Fractional CFO, you can select the exact services that match your needs.

Learn More