The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater College of Business and Economics (CoBE) is celebrating a milestone achievement as alumnus Joe Scanlin (2012), founder and CEO of Scanalytics, announces his company’s acquisition by East West Manufacturing, a global technology manufacturing leader backed by the Michael and Susan Dell Foundation with over 25 years of operations spanning seven countries.

In our very first episode of Innovation Exchange, Elizabeth Thelen sits down with UW-Whitewater junior Adam Heikkinen to explore innovation beyond the buzzword. From balancing accounting, IT, and the Honors program to recognizing innovation in everyday problem-solving, Adam shares how curiosity—not flashiness—drives meaningful change.

Advasaf supports critical portions of a product lifecycle, including medical device sterilization, testing coordination, assembly, packaging, labeling, and distribution support.

As a startup, there were many operational and regulatory unknowns. Ron Chisholm, a consultant at the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at UW-Whitewater, provided guidance on business planning, funding pathways, supplier diversity programs, and minority-owned business registration.

Madison-based Scanalytics, a maker of smart flooring and building intelligence solutions, has been acquired by Atlanta-based East West Manufacturing for an undisclosed price.The acquisition expands East West’s product portfolio and end markets across smart buildings, energy management, and connected infrastructure, the company said in a news release.

nCiTE, an academic venture studio founded by neuropsychologist and Milwaukee-based innovation leader Dr. John DenBoer, is transforming how university research evolves into scalable, real-world ventures. This initiative marks a major advancement in Wisconsin’s innovation ecosystem by combining higher education, clinical research, and entrepreneurship into one cohesive model focused on measurable impact. nCiTE is built on strong partnerships with leading institutions, including:University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Research Foundation, University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Innovation Center, and Concordia University’s healthcare and business programs.

Seven winners were honored from a field of 27 finalists and more than 300 nominees at the 2025 Wisconsin Innovation Awards at the Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center in Madison. The event celebrated standout products and services across industry categories. Congratulations to SafePro Technologies, winner of the Innovation Award in Manufacturing and Energy!

Congratulations Safepro Technologies who won the Wisconsin Innovation Award in Manufacturing & Energy!

First Citizens State Bank has demonstrated extraordinary generosity through philanthropic investments that have transformed UW-Whitewater. Their support spans across every Foundation campaign with seven-figure contributions, startup funding of nearly 20 Innovation Center businesses, and the donation of over 20 fully developed lots to the UW-Whitewater Foundation’s real estate subsidiary.

First Citizens State Bank has demonstrated extraordinary generosity through philanthropic investments that have transformed UW-Whitewater. Their support spans across every Foundation campaign with seven-figure contributions, startup funding of nearly 20 Innovation Center businesses, and the donation of over 20 fully developed lots to the UW-Whitewater Foundation’s real estate subsidiary.

Sixty-one companies will pitch to potential investors and others during the in-person Wisconsin Early Stage Symposium, set for Nov. 5-6 in Madison. Sea Change Silicides was selected for the Tech Council Investor Network track.

Three students from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater will compete among some of the nation’s premiere schools this September in the finals of Texas A&M University’s “Building a Better Future Through Business and AI” National Undergraduate Pitch Competition.

RenewTowns is a social impact business born from theUniversity of Wisconsin-Whitewater Enactus team. Their mission is simple:to breathe new life into downtowns of

The Wisconsin Technology Council is proud to unveil the 27 finalists for the 2025 Wisconsin Innovation Awards, honoring some of the state’s groundbreaking companies. Safpro Technologies and Sea Change Silicides are both finalists!

The City of Whitewater is pleased to announce the hiring of Mason Becker, as the new Economic Development Director, who brings extensive municipal leadership and development experience to his new role.

Becker’s professional background includes substantial expertise in owner-occupied housing development projects, subdivision planning, Tax Increment District (TID) management, and downtown redevelopment. Notably, he led negotiations and finalized a development agreement for the Rock River Ridge subdivision, adding nearly 200 new housing units in the City of Watertown.

In the latest episode of “WisBusiness: the Show,” Sea Change Silicides founder Steven Girard discusses the path ahead for the biomedical technology business. 

Safepro Technologies, a Whitewater-based safety technology company, has secured a second loan from the Whitewater Community Development Authority (CDA), positioning the startup to bring its flagship safety product to market.

Safepro Technologies was recently featured on Episode 24 of Code & Concrete hosted by Matthew A. Schneider with BuildingProptech. Watch now to learn more about their mission and how the Soteria System works!

As one of the Diligent Dozen Wisconsin Governor's Business Plan Contest finalists, Steven Girard pitched Sea Change Silicides.Sea Change Silicides was the winner for the “Bright New Idea” award.

Two affiliates of the Innovation Center advance in the Wisconsin Governor's Business Plan Contest. Safepro Technologies is an affiliate of the Innovation Center. Sea-Change’ Silicides was founded by Steven Girard, an associate professor of chemistry at UW-Whitewater

Mass shootings have become a tragic reality in the United States. Law enforcement veterans Paul Eckert and Robert Austin have spent decades working in law enforcement and training people for these emergencies. But they found that training alone wasn’t enough to protect their community.

Congratulations Safepro Technologies! Safepro Technologies is one of fifty-two entries to advance to the semi-final round of the annual Wisconsin Governor’s Business Plan Contest.

In early January, Steven Girard, an associate professor of chemistry, was announced as one of three recipients of the 2024 Universities of Wisconsin Innovation Grant for his proposal, “’Sea-Change’ Silicides: Superalloy and Biomedical Coatings from Sustainable and Recycled Feedstocks.” 

Ideawake, a Milwaukee-based leader in idea management software, has launched a series of new platform features aimed at transforming how organizations collect, evaluate, and implement ideas. These enhancements are designed to help businesses turn insights from employees, customers, and partners into actionable strategies that drive measurable success.

With this in mind, B2B marketplace DesignRush has carefully selected the most creative design agencies that can craft innovative branding materials, leveraging color techniques, typography strategies, and distinct visual approaches. Iron Forge ranks as on of the top design agencies.

The Wisconsin Innovation Awards (WIA) announced the 31 finalists for the 2024 awards, recognizing the state’s most innovative and forward-thinking companies and individuals. Safepro Technologies and Blue Line Battery were both selected.

The Meridian Manager app helps patients track their pain and communicate with their practitioner between visits. Real-time communication enables patients to receive more personalized, targeted care. A dedicated tablet makes Meridian Manager easy to set up for patients and simple for patients to use. By eliminating the need for a cell phone, the tablet also makes Meridian Manager accessible to all patients. The practitioner dashboard assists with charting. The dashboard also allows practitioners to provide documentation of remote therapeutic monitoring services to their billers.

Turn your passion into action. Learn how to take something that brings you joy and turn it into a business that supports the life you want to lead. Listen and learn from people who have done just that at the Arts & Creative Entrepreneurship Panel on April 16, 2024 at 5:00 pm. Panelists include Kristina Czarnecki with Kreative Solutions, Bruce Johnson (Ceramic Artist), Karlee Horlacher (Nimmer) with Heavenly Sleepers, and David Andersen with Lake Geneva Symphony Orchestra

RoofMarketplace, Inc., a pioneer in property and casualty claims solutions, announces a groundbreaking transformation in the industry through strategic partnerships with leading Independent Adjusting Firms, including Team One Insurance Services, LLC and Eberl Claims Service. This collaboration revolutionizes the claims process with reduced cycle time, reduced loss adjustment expense (LAE), and improved indemnity control through actionable market bids.