Photo by Richard Hurd
StartingBlock Wins $75,000 from SBA to Advance Entrepreneurship in Wisconsin
StartingBlock Madison has been selected as a 2025 recipient of the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Growth Accelerator Fund Competition, receiving $75,000 to expand our support for entrepreneurs across south central Wisconsin.
National Recognition for Regional Impact
This marks our second SBA Growth Accelerator award, following our 2023 win. Being selected from a competitive national field – just 76 organizations were chosen – validates both the quality of our programming and the strength of the ecosystem partnerships we’ve built together.
As I reflect on this recognition, I can’t help but think about what it represents: federal acknowledgment that south central Wisconsin is building something special. We are thrilled that our federal partners understand and value the work that StartingBlock is doing in the Madison ecosystem. We are looking forward to partnering with regional government, industry and university partners to further entrepreneurship in south central Wisconsin.
Building on Proven Success
This award comes as we build on strong performance metrics from our 2024-2025 WEDC Entrepreneurial Partnership Grant, where we served 85 entrepreneurs.
The $75,000 will enable us to enhance support for entrepreneurs across key regional sectors – advanced manufacturing, agricultural technology, clean energy, health technology, and information technology – while serving businesses at every stage from concept validation through scaling.
An Invitation to Partner
This momentum creates exciting opportunities for collaboration. As we expand our programming and pursue additional funding opportunities we’re seeking partners who share our vision of establishing south central Wisconsin as a nationally recognized innovation hub.
Whether you’re interested in providing mentorship, exploring pilot projects with emerging companies, connecting students to real-world entrepreneurship, or simply learning more about what we’re building together, I’d welcome the conversation.
Let’s Connect
Visit startingblockmadison.org to learn more about our programming and partnership opportunities.