13 – 14 May 2026
Madison, WI
Join us at Founder Day 2026! 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!
Founder/Fest Open Mic Night
May 13th, 5:00p - 8:00p
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 60 seconds.
Sponsored by:
Taking your company from Founding to Exit
May 14th, 11:00a - 12:00p
Join Max Lynch (co-founder of Ionic, whose open source mobile frameworks have shaped how millions of developers build apps before its 2022 acquisition by OutSystems) and Meghan Gaffney (who took Veda from concept to acquisition, raising $50M+ and building a landmark healthcare AI patent portfolio) for a conversation on what it takes to go from formation to exit. Moderated by Scott Resnick.
inside the deal
Join Jon Horne and Garrett Lauderdale from the Idea Fund, along with one of their portfolio founders, Nick Amundsen of Insuraviews, to take a peek behind the curtain and learn how they went from intro, to pitch, to term sheet and company-long partnership.
May 14th, 1:00p - 1:45p
Pitch Competition
May 14th, 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
🎤 Showcase your startup
🌟 Get honest feedback from investors & founders
Pitches That Worked
May 14th, 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.
tickets
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Find answers to common questions about the event, including event times, parking information, and accommodation options.
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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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