The Catalyst
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Concussions are big news. Mothers are worried about their kids playing contact sports. Athletes are retiring early for fear of injury and long term effects. When John Whitcomb came up with an idea that air cells on the outer surface of a helmet could reduce concussions and with testing proving these reductions at 80%, he thought this would be a slam dunk idea on the fast track to success. John applied for and secured several patents to protect the idea.
However, the road from idea to product isn't that short. The steps in between are a lot more numerous than just conceiving a concept. How do you manufacture robust air cells that don't pop? How do you make them curve over a surface like the scalp? How do you make them look "rugged" or stylish? How do you get over regulatory hurdles? After the product, next there is building a company, finding a factory, making machines, and even simply hiring a CEO.
That's when John came to Bizstarts and asked for help. Provided  with Dennis Torrko as a mentor, John began to assemble a list of strategies that needed to be accomplished: make a prototype, define a market, choose a first product, test it's appeal, find a CEO, find investors, write a business plan, and find a legal team. Above all, he had to decide which would be his first priorities. Each of these steps has had a success story, followed by a curve ball and a setback. But now, in August, each has shown progress.
"I'm a doctor in a private practice, not a business CEO," John says. "It all starts with Bizstarts. Without their help and guidance, I'd still be a doctor with a private practice and three patents without much direction. I'm most interested in whether Wisconsin can help define an idea, develop it and whether the will power exists to make something new here in Wisconsin. I think it does." He notes that the path of an entrepreneur is up and down and needs time to mature: "In a complex world, we need help to get over all the intricacies of legal obligations, fiduciary responsibility, and patent protections." John understands that while ups are always attached to downs, good entrepreneurs are never deterred.
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SAVE THE DATE 
December 2nd at the Harley-Davidson Museum
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WERCBench Labs Demo Day - August 27
Aerial and submersible hybrid drones, augmented and virtual reality solutions, artificial intelligence project managers, and wearable sensor systems quantifying real-time biometrics - these companies are only a few of the pitches in store for those who experience WERCBench Labs' Demo Day on August 27th. The event, to be held at the Harley Davidson Museum, will showcase the first class of startups completing the WERCBench Labs program.
WERCBench Labs is a mentor-driven, 12-week program designed especially for engineering and hardware oriented teams looking to build a product and scale their startup. The immersive program from the Midwest Energy Research Consortium (M-WERC) is a passionate group of entrepreneurs, engineers, mentors, and early-stage investors that help startups build amazing technologies and take their hardware/product development business to the next level. Demo Day is the culmination and celebration of the first WERCBench Labs program.
Network with nearly 500 of the region's top mentors, investors, business and community leaders while enjoying complimentary food and cocktails before hearing each startup team's four minute pitch of their company.
WHEN: WHERE:
Thursday, August 27th Harley Davidson Museum
5:00pm to 8:00pm 400 West Canal Street
Milwaukee, WI 53201
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BizStarts Professional Program
Join us on
September 9
for our Professional Program on
Crowdsourcing & Crowdfunding.
Crowdsourcing and crowdfunding are making entrepreneurship more
accessible than ever before. Learn how crowdsourcing can reduce cost and complexity, increase accessibility to funding and other resources, and the basics of how to run a successful crowdfunding campaign.
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BizStarts Featured Mentor: Tom Doerr
Tom Doerr is a man who enjoys seeing a good game plan successfully executed. After graduating from Marquette, he joined the family business manufacturing electric motors. When the business sold a few years later he decided to stay on, but eventually decided that he could be more successful on his own. Time proved him right; he want on to see three more businesses thrive under his leadership. His experience of seeing things go right (and sometimes seeing things go wrong) positions him to be a catalyst for other's success. Doerr recently joined the BizStarts Mentor Program with the goal to help entrepreneurs sidestep some of the potential risks. Below, he answers questions about how to encourage innovation, his biggest influences, and advice for his younger self.
Q: If you want to encourage innovative ideas, how do you go about it?
A: To encourage innovative ideas one must clearly define what it is to be achieved. If the business is one that is in an existing arena, one should identify what made those that are successful be so and look as to some failures that may have occurred.
Simply put, improve on the best with one's own ideas and be mindful of other's mistakes. Clearly there has to be a reason why the business should succeed. I like to look at it backwards sometimes. Look at it as if the business presently successfully exists and what the customer base would be missing if the business ceased to exist. That will give the reason why the business should exist.
At BizStarts we sincerely appreciate his help - thank you for all you do, Tom!
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Apply to present at the 2015 Early Stage Symposium
Apply to pitch your company to the most active investors in the Midwest at the annual Wisconsin Early Stage Symposium, being held Nov. 4-5 at Madison's Monona Terrace. Many companies have cited their presentations at the conference as a key factor for getting funding and growing their business.
All applicants will be eligible for a discounted conference registration rate of $169.
Companies selected for the Wisconsin Angel Network track presentations will also receive a complimentary individual Wisconsin Innovation Network membership for one year (a $100 value). Team members of these companies will be eligible to attend the conference at a special team rate.
Company applications are due no later than 5 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2015.
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BizStarts assisted company EKG Concepts takes First at FASTPITCH
On Wednesday, August 19th entrepreneurs competed in the FASTPITCH competition in at the S.C. Johnson iMET Center at Gateway Technical College. In the top 10 there were two BizStarts assisted companies,
Bomboard
and
EKG Concepts
. EKG Concepts' Gary Krause took home first in that competition.
BizStarts congratulates all of the entrepreneurs that competed in this years competition!
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BizStarts Featured Sponsor: Southwest Airlines
In its 45th year of service, Dallas-based Southwest Airlines continues to differentiate itself from other air carriers with exemplary Customer Service delivered by more than 47,000 Employees. Southwest operates more than 3,600 flights a day, serving 95 destinations across the United States and six additional countries.
With 42 consecutive years of profitability, Southwest is one of the most honored airlines in the world, known for a triple bottom line approach that contributes to the carrier's performance and productivity, the importance of its People and the communities they serve, and an overall commitment to efficiency and the planet.
Southwest is proud to serve more nonstop destinations from General Mitchell International than any other carrier, including top business markets such as New York LaGuardia, Washington Reagan National, Boston, Minneapolis, Dallas Love Field, and Atlanta.
Forty-three daily departures out of Milwaukee is just one of the ways Southwest fulfills its purpose of connecting people to what's important in their lives through friendly, reliable, and low-cost air travel. On Southwest, first and second checked bags fly free, and there's no penalty to change your reservation - you'll only pay the cost of the fare difference. Additionally, the Rapid Rewards frequent flier program offers unlimited reward seats and no blackout dates.
Book Southwest Airlines' low fares online at
Southwest.com or by phone at 800-I-FLY-SWA.
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What's Happening?
Event Announcements for Entrepreneurs
WERCBench Labs Demo Day - August 27th
 Women Entrepreneurs' Speaker Series - September 2
Entrepreneurial Effectiveness: Tips for Getting Organized
 October 2
WWBIC Luncheon Microlending...Macro Impact - December 1 
BizStarts BizBash - December 2
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Used by BizStarts, created by Bill Aulet, Managing Director of the Martin Trust Center for MIT Entrepreneurship
Here are 10 of the best digital tools to help you launch and grow your startup
A networking site for entrepreneurs, designed to help connect startups
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BizStarts Executive Team
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President
Dan Steininger
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Executive Director
Jacquin Davidson
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Recognition for
BizStarts' Sponsors
As the region's premier resource for entrepreneurs and emerging companies, BizStarts draws expertise from a wide range of service and professional specialties that collectively foster
Wisconsin's entrepreneurial spirit.
The BizStarts Program enlists these experts to provide unique opportunities for training and development, market and/or product assessments, leadership planning and other consultations or services...available only to BizStarts engaged entrepreneurs and their businesses. Why is this model important? More innovation, more successful launches and more jobs in our community.
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