UPCOMING EVENTS
Upcoming events.
Our events are exclusively for startup founders, unless otherwise noted. If you’re an aspiring founder, or founder curious, you’re more than welcome. But we ask that you be considerate when registering for an event to ensure that those who most need access to our resources can secure a spot.
Open Coworking and Mentoring: Founders Day March 25th
Connect with people across the startup community for Founders Day!
Cabo San La Crosse
A hands-on evaluation event designed to identify exceptional early-career talent for roles at Wisconsin and Upper Midwest startups.
Vibe Madness Showcase
Showcasing the top 8 ideas, featuring pitch competition to select the finalist, and networking.
Midwest Founders Retreat
Most founder events help you sustain your company. This one helps you sustain the person running it.
Founder Finder
A high-energy networking event designed to connect startup founders with potential co-founders and collaborators across key roles like software development, marketing, finance, and more.
Founder Factory Kickoff
Idea to Enterprise Pitch Night: University Innovations Ready for Launch
Women's Entrepreneurship Week!
A celebration of women business owners, creators, and leaders.
Founder/Fest - Open Mic Night
Open Mic Night! 20 founders will have the opportunity to pitch their company and make a community “ask.”
Entrepreneur & Innovator Resource Fair
Connect local entrepreneurs with valuable resources, support, and opportunities to foster growth and innovation within our community.
She Stands Tall Forward Speaker Series Featuring: Dena Nord and Nydia Maurás-Jones
She Stands Tall Speaker Series
Matriarchs & Mavens featuring Venice Williams and Sojourner White
Exploring legacy, leadership, and the power of community with She Stands Tall!
SaaS Club: Manufacturing + Frontline Innovation Showcase
Connecting the Region’s Innovators!
UW-Green Bay Pre Accelerator Showcase
Join us for the 2026 UW-Green Bay Pre-Accelerator Showcase, a celebration of innovation, entrepreneurship, and regional impact. This special event will feature remarks from Chancellor Michael Alexander of the University of Wisconsin–Green Bay, who will share his vision for supporting founders and strengthening the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Northeast Wisconsin.
We’re also honored to welcome Alan Peters, Economic Development Executive at UW-Green Bay, who will speak about the importance of building community partnerships and resources that help early-stage startups thrive.
Following their remarks, the five founders from the inaugural Pre-Accelerator cohort will pitch their startups, showcasing the progress they’ve made and the potential ahead. Attendees will have the opportunity to network with founders, mentors, and supporters of the local startup community while enjoying hors d’oeuvres and refreshments.
We look forward to seeing you there as we celebrate the creativity and drive of emerging entrepreneurs in our region.
November SaaS Club: Inside the 2026 Corporate Technology Roadmap
What will corporate technology leaders be prioritizing in 2026—and how can startups align to meet those needs?
Startup Career Fair
Founders, students, early-career professionals are invited to come together for a reverse-pitch style career fair.
Founder Finder: KICback Social
KICback Social is a new monthly event at the Kenosha Innovation Center (KIC) showcasing innovation and entrepreneurship across our region. Our first guest is Kevin Ziegler from the Midwest Founders Community, who will bring his Founder Finder event to Kenosha. The Founder Finder helps entrepreneurs connect with others who have the skills needed to advance their startups.
NVNG Community Happy Hour
For our fall F(o)under Forum, in partnership with NVNG’s Community Happy Hour sponsored by CG Schimdt, you’re invited to join the Midwest Founders Community at Pilot Project Brewing the evening of October 8th. Attended by founders, VCs, corporate innovators, and other NVNG partners from across the nation, this is an excellent way to meet new companies and allocators! We look forward to seeing you at Pilot Project.
FOUNDER/FEST
Join the Midwest Founders Community (MFC) for FOUNDER/FEST at Hoffman York!
An experience that brings Midwest area startup founders together to build a community of support and celebration. Founders come to network as well as to hear stories from those who have built, scaled, and lost businesses in an informal, party-like setting.
Digital Product Management for Startups
Startups don’t begin with product managers, they have founders doing the job without the title. In this session, we will share how to think like a PM, even if you’re building solo, including:
- How to sell before you build
- What to prioritize (and what to ignore)
- When the founder should hire an experienced product manager.
B2B SAAS Club
We’re hosting our next B2B SaaS Club meetup at Wantable Cafe in Milwaukee!
Founder Finder
Founder Finder is a high-energy networking event designed to connect startup founders with potential co-founders and collaborators across key roles like software development, marketing, finance, and more.
Founder/Fest
For our next FOUNDER/FEST, we’re teaming up with Founder House in Chicago to kick off summer in style! Join us for an evening of good food, drinks, and a DJ set on an outdoor terrace.
F(o)under Forum
This session will feature a mix of expert insights, candid discussions, and peer learning, providing founders and funders alike with practical strategies for navigating one of the most critical phases of the startup lifecycle.
Founder/Fest
An experience that brings Midwest startup founders together to build a community of support and celebration. Founders come to network as well as to hear stories from those who have actually built, scaled, and lost businesses, all in an informal, party-like setting.
Our event series
We're all about connecting, collaborating, and celebrating outside of the work.
How To
A virtual event series that showcases our partners and provides them with a platform to share their areas of expertise amongst other founders and entrepreneurs.
Launchpad
A pitch competition for innovative ideas in Wisconsin, offering monetary prizes. The event aims to showcase ideas, gain exposure, and help founders secure funding.
founder funder forum
An exclusive event for founders to learn about venture capital and network with investors. It provides education, connections, and valuable guidance for fundraising, while building a bridge between startups and capital.
Founder Supper Club
With the support of HubSpot for Startups, we will create a new private event series for targeted startup founders to dine in small groups with members of the HubSpot for Startups team to allow for deep relationship building and to increase the awareness of theunique offering of the HubSpot.
Product/market riff
An open space for stalled founders to talk to people who really understand the highs and lows of being in the startup industry. This program opens the door to venting, connecting, discovering a market fit, workshopping new ideas, and testing products among like-minded founders.
The Retreat
The Midwest Founders Retreat is an exclusive two-day experience designed for the top Midwest startup founders, creating a haven for those who seek a reprieve from the daily grind of building their companies among a group of peers looking for growth, connection & a bit of relaxation. The programming is both inspiring and completely optional - allowing founders to take what they want from the experience & to create spaces for the exchange of ideas, strategies & visions for the future.
Saas Club
A coalition designed to facilitate partnerships between B2B SaaS startups and Chief Information Officers (CIOs), Chief Technology Officers (CTOs), and Chief Innovation Officers (CIOs) of mid-to-large corporations. We aim to enable B2B SaaS startups to build successful pilot projects with established enterprises, fostering innovation and driving business growth.
Founder Finder
A high-energy networking event designed to connect startup founders with potential co-founders and collaborators across key roles like software development, marketing, finance, and more. Whether you’re building something new or looking to join an early-stage venture, this is your chance to meet like-minded entrepreneurs and startup supporters.