My State LLC Wisconsin Accelerator

Madison combines a top-tier research university (UW-Madison) with a thriving spinoff ecosystem — WARF (Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation) has generated $2B+ in licensing revenue from university IP, creating a robust pipeline of science-based companies in biotech, medical devices, and materials science. Epic Systems, the dominant EHR platform, sits just outside Madison and employs 10,000+ in the region.

Wisconsin's manufacturing sector employs 460,000 workers, and the state is aggressively adopting Industry 4.0 technologies. Startups selling automation, operational intelligence, and workforce platforms have access to a dense cluster of mid-market manufacturers with capital, urgency, and preference for vendors who understand production environments — not just enterprise sales decks.

Wisconsin's startup ecosystem is anchored by Madison and Milwaukee, with particular strength in medical devices, precision agriculture, and food science. WARF (Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation) is one of the most prolific patent licensing offices in the US, generating substantial royalty-funded research and spinout activity from the University of Wisconsin. Gener8tor (Madison) is nationally recognized as one of the top accelerator programs in the country. Capital Midwest Fund, Great Lakes Angels, and the Winnebago Seed Fund provide early-stage capital. Wisconsin's Angel Investment Tax Credit (25%) is among the most generous in the Midwest. Medical Alley's Wisconsin chapter and the Medical College of Wisconsin create health tech deal flow, particularly in diagnostics, surgical technology, and clinical informatics.

Wisconsin LLCs pay a $130 formation fee and an annual report fee of $25, due by the end of the quarter in which the LLC's fiscal year ends. Wisconsin has no franchise tax on LLCs. The state's graduated income tax (up to 7.65% for income above $304,400) applies to pass-through LLC income. The Wisconsin Angel Investment Tax Credit (25% of qualifying investment) incentivizes early-stage angel activity across the state. The Early Stage Seed Investment Credit (25%) and Technology Zone Tax Credit further support tech-heavy businesses. Wisconsin's Manufacturing and Agriculture Credit (7.5% of qualifying income) can effectively eliminate income tax for qualifying manufacturing businesses — a significant advantage for product companies with physical manufacturing.