Early-stage startup founders participating in the latest cohort of the MKE Tech Hub Coalition's FOR-M incubator program showcased their ideas Monday evening at Marquette University's 707 Hub.
Although the founders were part of the program's fifth cohort, it was the first time the final showcase was held in person. Around 200 startup founders have participated since FOR-M started in 2019.
The coalition announced it secured more funding from the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. to finance another round of grants that will be available for selected FOR-M participants. Last year it awarded $120,000 in grants to 12 founders.
Applications for the next round of FOR-M grants are expected to open next week and the coalition aims to award them by the end of August, MKE Tech Hub Coalition CEO Kathy Henrich said in an email. The coalition will award more than $100,000 and the winners will be selected by a panel of local investors without involvement from coalition staff, Henrich said.
Participants in the latest FOR-M cohort displayed their ideas Monday in a casual booth-style format and then attendees voted on the top three startups to present their ideas to an audience.
The three startups that presented were:
- Oppo: A foster care support tool for social workers founded by Candace McKenzie. The app would be designed to help young children in foster care communicate their feelings in a less intimidating way.
- Boomer University: A platform started by Simba Gandari designed to bridge generational social gaps. It would feature content created by baby boomers to teach others about topics ranging from technology to gender identity.
- Bundle Bee: A Milwaukee hair extensions and wigs retailer led by Judell Walker that plans to scale through a model where customers could purchase products through an app and pick them up at conveniently located kiosks.
The free FOR-M program is designed for idea-stage startups. Through weekly sessions, it helps founders solidify their ideas, understand the next steps and connect with the local startup ecosystem.
FOR-M is sponsored by the MKE Tech Hub Coalition, a nonprofit membership group of local corporations aiming to increase the number of technology jobs and workers in the Milwaukee area. FOR-M is run by The Commons, an initiative of the Greater Milwaukee Committee, and WePivot, an organization focused on inclusion for marginalized individuals.
Registration for the fall FOR-M cohort, which will run every other Monday evening from Sept. 5 through Nov. 14, is open on the program's website.
