Inno Under 25: Jake Westreich

Jake Westreich

From firewood distribution to venture capital, Jake Westreich has pursued the spirit of entrepreneurism since he was a teenager.

Westreich, 24, grew up in Mequon and played pivotal roles in two small businesses before he was 20. It all started with firewood.

At 16, Westreich started a firewood supply company, which delivered to customers throughout the Milwaukee area. By 19, he was managing operations for a student-run landscaping firm. He oversaw HR practices, customer service, advertising and managed the company's landscaping crews.

Studying business and entrepreneurship at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Westreich also interned with Eastreet, a food delivery service, in business development. He would later test his very own ghost kitchen concept, Holey Sandwich, on campus.

After graduating in 2021, Westreich matriculated to gener8tor, a nationally recognized venture capital firm. He began as a business development representative and, by April 2022, earned the title director of sales.

Westreich brought his passion for food with him, hosting virtual cooking classes for gener8tor's business development team every quarter.

"Jake Westreich's unwavering commitment to excellence, visionary mindset and ability to build and nurture relationships make him an invaluable driving force behind gener8tor's resounding success," said Dorothy Johnson, gener8tor's vice president of diversity, equity and inclusion.

Gener8tor began in Milwaukee in 2012 and is expanding at "lightning speed." The organization oversees 75 different programs encompassing startup accelerators, corporate programming, speaker series, conferences, skills accelerators and fellowships.

According to its website, gener8tor boasts 217 accelerators, 1,076 startups and over $1.5 billion in total funding. The Milwaukee-based firm has reached 41 communities through its services and also operates international programs.

Westreich is particularly active in directing conference partnerships with corporate, investor and sponsor pools. Gener8tor hosts traditional conferences as well as one-on-one pitch sessions. Ultimately, conferences are meant to gather stakeholders and generate partnerships.