In a new partnership between Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation and nationally ranked accelerator Gener8tor, WARF will be sponsoring the new pre-seed version of the accelerator, gBETA, which will provide individualized mentorship to budding Wisconsin entrepreneurs.
WARF has had many conversations with Gener8tor, and WARF Director of Strategic Communications Jeanan Moe said it was an “excellent opportunity” to partner on the startup landscape together. Gener8tor has had a “remarkable history” on the national accelerator scale, and gBETA would also be a good opportunity for those who work with WARF.
“Sometimes we have an opportunity to hear from people who have great ideas, but they aren’t necessarily in a great position to be working with WARF right away,” Moe said. “So this will provide us with an opportunity to make a referral to gBETA,”
Researchers who are aspiring entrepreneurs can utilize the resources provided by gBETA if selected to be a part of the program that works with 15 companies per year. gBETA Director Maggie Brickerman said the program is six-weeks long and free, and provides the same resources Gener8tor companies receive. These include access to individualized coaching or mentorship, as well as networks of investors and scheduled customers that will help early-stage companies gain early customer traction.
Gener8tor has the experience of working with about 45 startups over the past three years. gBETA works with many groups who have prototypes or ideas they want to build a company around, and they’re ready to officially form the company and take it live, Brickerman said. It’s during this stage when the program begins working with groups on strategies that apply to all startups.
“WARF invests a lot of resources in innovative research at UW,” Brickerman said. “They do a lot to support researchers that want to become entrepreneurs and Gener8tor helps build early stage companies, so it was a natural partnership to bring more resources for entrepreneurs in WARF’s network.”
Overall, the mission of gBETA is to help build more successful startups in Wisconsin. Brickerman said there’s so much excitement surrounding this partnership because there’s “incredible work” happening on the UW campus. The partnership will also guarantee gBETA is building relationships with entrepreneurs and supporting their path to success in their earliest stages.
Those who qualify as potential candidates are anyone who is a student, recent alumni who’ve graduated in the past two years and staff or faculty members of a Wisconsin-based college or university. Moe said the program was “very Wisconsin-centric,” and that students within the technical college system are also eligible to become a part of gBETA
“Because of WARF’s leadership, Gener8tor will more than double the number of companies we work with each year. That will mean more jobs created, more capital raised and more startup success stories out of Wisconsin,” Brickerman said. “This partnership is a real honor for our team, and we’re excited to get to work.”
