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Madison, Wisconsin offers several outstanding non-dilutive funding opportunities that can jumpstart your business while keeping your cap table intact. Here are some of my favorite resources I point entrepreneurs toward:

🏆 𝐖𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐧 𝐆𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐨𝐫'𝐬 𝐁𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐧 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐭 – Beyond the big prizes, the contest links entrepreneurs with a statewide network of resources, mentors, and possible sources of capital. Last year, I got the opportunity to see <a id="ember845" class="ember-view" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashwinraj-karthikeyan/">Ashwinraj Karthikeyan</a> of <a class="uzjjmrpxQeFebnMdUxptiDBQagtayOyxaRvLs" href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/phoenix-aid/" target="_self">Phoenix-Aid</a> take home the top prize. Application deadline: Spring 2026!

🔗𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘬: <a class="uzjjmrpxQeFebnMdUxptiDBQagtayOyxaRvLs" href="https://lnkd.in/gJZUx-Fs" target="_self">https://lnkd.in/gJZUx-Fs</a>

💰 𝐒𝐁𝐈𝐑/𝐒𝐓𝐓𝐑 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐦 – Not only are SBIR grants a tremendous source of funding, but the <a class="uzjjmrpxQeFebnMdUxptiDBQagtayOyxaRvLs" href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/wisconsin-economic-development-corporation/" target="_self">Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation</a> boosts the award with the SBIR Advance Matching Program. The <a class="uzjjmrpxQeFebnMdUxptiDBQagtayOyxaRvLs" href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/wisconsin-ctc/" target="_self">Center for Technology Commercialization</a> (CTC) offers terrific free consulting to help you navigate the application process.

🔗𝘊𝘛𝘊 𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘬: <a class="uzjjmrpxQeFebnMdUxptiDBQagtayOyxaRvLs" href="https://lnkd.in/ghdHiJgS" target="_self">https://lnkd.in/ghdHiJgS</a>

🎤 𝐋𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐏𝐢𝐭𝐜𝐡 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 – Madison hosts several incredible opportunities: At the <a class="uzjjmrpxQeFebnMdUxptiDBQagtayOyxaRvLs" href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/uwmadison/" target="_self">University of Wisconsin-Madison</a>, <a id="ember846" class="ember-view" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/grant-watkins12/">Grant Watkins</a> and <a class="uzjjmrpxQeFebnMdUxptiDBQagtayOyxaRvLs" href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/gener8tor/" target="_self">gener8tor</a> host the CS Nest showcase at the end of each semester, and <a class="uzjjmrpxQeFebnMdUxptiDBQagtayOyxaRvLs" href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/transcenduw/" target="_self">Transcend UW</a> hosts a spring semester pitch competition. During the summer, my favorite is the <a class="uzjjmrpxQeFebnMdUxptiDBQagtayOyxaRvLs" href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/greater-madison-chamber-of-commerce/" target="_self">Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce</a>'s Pressure Chamber Pitch Competition.

🔗 𝘊𝘚 𝘕𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘬: <a class="uzjjmrpxQeFebnMdUxptiDBQagtayOyxaRvLs" href="https://lnkd.in/gT7UbzfE" target="_self">https://lnkd.in/gT7UbzfE</a>
🔗 𝘛𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘴𝘤𝘦𝘯𝘥 𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘬: <a class="uzjjmrpxQeFebnMdUxptiDBQagtayOyxaRvLs" href="https://lnkd.in/gYPxv3cS" target="_self">https://lnkd.in/gYPxv3cS</a>
🔗𝘗𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘊𝘩𝘢𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘳 𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘬: <a class="uzjjmrpxQeFebnMdUxptiDBQagtayOyxaRvLs" href="https://lnkd.in/ghCuKnrV" target="_self">https://lnkd.in/ghCuKnrV</a>

💡 Also, check out <a class="uzjjmrpxQeFebnMdUxptiDBQagtayOyxaRvLs" href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/startingblockmadison/" target="_self">StartingBlock Madison, Inc.</a>'s various accelerator programs that include not only grants but also tremendous support and coaching.

🔗 𝘚𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘉𝘭𝘰𝘤𝘬 𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘬: <a class="uzjjmrpxQeFebnMdUxptiDBQagtayOyxaRvLs" href="https://lnkd.in/g7BqQ7si" target="_self">https://lnkd.in/g7BqQ7si</a>

💬 𝐃𝐢𝐝 𝐈 𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐟𝐚𝐯𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐬? 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐧𝐨𝐧-𝐝𝐢𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐟𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐬 𝐝𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐝? Email me at <a href="mailto:carter.chojnacki@michaelbest.com">carter.chojnacki@michaelbest.com</a> for a discussion on your favorite non-dilutive funding opportunities.
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