The University of Wisconsin - Whitewater is dedicated to providing extensive resources for our startups and entrepreneurs. The University Incubation Program provides:
Business Incubation Services
iMentor Program
Programs and Events
Through our partnership, the Incubation Program provides consulting, mentoring, seminars and many more services for Whitewater Innovation Center clients.
Business Plan Development
Business Regulations
Management & Training
Operational & Strategic Planning
Public Relations Support
Promotion & Sales Support
Marketing Strategy
Professional Networking
Research and Development
Prototyping & Product Development
Technology Commercialization
University Guidance & Support
Pitch Deck Development
Fiscal Referrals & Investor Intros
Financial & Loan Packaging Assistance
Financial Analysis
Through membership with the Whitewater University Innovation Center, our clients are eligible for free consulting services. Our iMentors are experts in their fields, teach at the University of Wisconsin - Whitewater, and are available for one-on-one consulting. Some of the iMentors host weekly "Office hours" and others are available on an appointment basis.
John DeGraff is a Lecturer in the Marketing department. John and his brother co-founded the Innovatrium. He is an expert in marketing and led innovation and growth programs for 30 Fortune 500 companies.
Dr. William Dougan, PhD. is a Professor in the Management department. He has extensive years of experience in management and innovation. Dr. Dougan is a co-director of Launch Pad - the student accelerator program.
David Gee is a Lecturer in the Management department. Dave's background includes being the CEO & Co-Founder of Bungee Loyalty Programs, a SaaS(Software as a Service) firm. Dave was also the founder of Sales Sherpas, a full-service marketing and advertising firm. David Gee is a co-director of Launch Pad - the student accelerator program.
Dr. Joshua Knapp, PhD. is an Professor in the Management department. He teaches and researches topics related to human resources, compensation, diversity management, and ethical practices.
Ozgur Yavuzcetin is an Associate Professor in the Physics department. He is an expert in nanotechnology, solar cells, electronics, and proton exchange membranes.
The lack of time to get everything done is a challenge for entrepreneurs. An IT system can support daily operations, make your business more effective than the competition, and increase productivity. How can one determine the right IT system to invest in?
As an entrepreneur, it is not uncommon to feel as if there is a strained relationship with the bank. However, this does not have to be the case. Banks are in the business of lending money and in reality, the right banker can be your ally. How can entrepreneurs prepare and negotiate to get the necessary line of credit and best terms?
Even though entrepreneurship comes with a great amount of uncertainty in terms of revenues and expenses, a budget is still valuable to an entrepreneur. How can an entrepreneur create a budget that will help them develop their business?
The Operations framework focuses on developing effective administration and management. The goal is for entrepreneurs to increase their productivity and obtain healthy financials. Operations are all about the financials of the company, funding, production, distribution, and IT.
Entrepreneurs build businesses from the ground up. At some point, the entrepreneur will need to standardize the business procedures to make day to day operations run smoothly. How can an entrepreneur set up the right procedures to run daily operations smoothly?
There is not enough time in the day for an entrepreneur to accomplish everything they need to do. There will come a time when the entrepreneur has to delegate. Eventually, the business owner becomes a bottleneck in the company’s processes. How can you learn to delegate more?
There will come a time when you need to hire employees. Employees can make an entrepreneur's life easier during busy times, but can also be a costly liability if they are not working on the right things. How can you craft job a description that makes sense for the business as well as the employee?
If you want a business that creates more value than a single person can produce, you need to hire the next employee and make a decisive step towards business growth. How do you recruit a new employee and ensure that this decision will create value for your business?
In the beginning, many entrepreneurs focus on starting their business but it is also important to consider that there may be a day when it is in the business’s best interest to change ownership or when you no longer want to run the business. How can you prepare yourself for a change in business ownership?
As an entrepreneur, it is important to have a close group of professionals who can help support your business development and provide expertise from the outside. Why should you establish a board?
Within the Organization framework, you can (1) specify the organizational design, (2) determine the structure of management and employees, and (3) develop legal agreements for partners and suppliers.
With greater brand awareness and recognition, it is easier to attract more customers and it is possible to set higher prices. How can we create a credible and authentic brand for our entrepreneurial company?
With limited budgets for advertising, entrepreneurs benefit from free media coverage. Media coverage offers exposure to potential customers and partners. How can you get the media to take an interest in your startup?
As entrepreneurs, we have to assume the role of a salesperson now and then to get more orders. How can we get better at assuming the role of a salesperson to increase our sales?
As entrepreneurs, how can we better understand our customers to increase sales? Instead of focusing on selling, entrepreneurs should begin by asking questions and understanding the customer. A survey is a great starting point.
Instead of seeing marketing as an expense, it should be seen as a way to generate more revenue. When marketing is effective, your business attracts new customers and receives more orders. Ask yourself, “How can I market my business while getting the most for my money?”
Networking is a critical aspect of entrepreneurship. Through networks, entrepreneurs not only get inspiration and support to start and develop their companies, but also meet their first customers. The best networks increase your bottom line.
An entrepreneur can leverage the Customer Relation tools to strengthen customer relations and increase revenue. Customer Relations revolves around the development areas of marketing, branding, communication and PR, sales and services, and networking.
A good business idea does not necessarily have to be unique or brand new, rather the business idea needs to distinctive and better than competitive offerings.
Choosing the right customer segment is one of the most important decisions an entrepreneur will make. Simply relying on the customers who find you is not enough. It is best to proactively identify and seek out your best customers.
Typically, entrepreneurs are good at producing and delivering their products to customers. However, determining the right price level is often a challenge.When the price starts too low, it can take years of adjustment to find the right level.
The difference between having a good idea or a good business idea is the business model. For a good business idea, the entrepreneur needs to identify how to make money with a revenue model.
With a business idea in mind, an entrepreneur begins to develop their product range or portfolio. A product portfolio generates higher turnover and revenue. Instead of narrowly focusing on a few key products or services, one should keep a broad focus and develop the total product range.
What is the meaning of life in your business? Why did you start the business? What are you passionate about? No matter how busy you are as an entrepreneur, it is crucial to keep the purpose of your business in mind and not lose sight of your passion.
An entrepreneur can leverage the Business Concept tools to create a viable, scalable business concept. The entrepreneur can define the company’s products and services and then analyze how the products and services meet customers’ needs and how the product and services compare to the competition.
As GrowthWheel suggests, the real question is, “What kind of life do we want for our business and for ourselves within the business?” Business owners can select from seven inter-connected growth strategies to develop their business.
When starting and growing a business, entrepreneurs face a continuous stream of challenges. When one hurdle is overcome, another challenge presents itself. Learn to predict and overcome potential barriers to growth.
A great idea is a starting point, but the ability to take action is what separates aspiring entrepreneurs from successful entrepreneurs. Learn how GrowthWheel Business Coaching can shape your company's future.
The Whitewater University Innovation Center partnered with HubSpot for Startups to offer their program designed specifically to help startups grow and scale better, and faster - at a startup-friendly cost!
The HubSpot for Startup program includes:
Education resources and tailored training
Professional software at a startup price
Integrated platform for startups
Through this partnership, we are able to offer our clients a discounted license.
The Startup Success Blog is your source of helpful information. Find answers to common entrepreneurial questions and solutions to startup challenges.
Whitewater, Wisconsin is a great example of a rural community working to foster an entrepreneurial ecosystem where innovation and entrepreneurship thrive!
Hiring your first employee is an exciting step towards your startups’ continued growth! How do you know when the time is right? What do you need to do when the time comes to hire your first employee?
A strategic plan is all about creating a plan to reach your goals, gauging the company’s performance, and identifying weaknesses and strengths. It defines your company’s current situation, establishes goals, and outlines actionable steps to reach those goals.
The UW-Whitewater Enactus team will not only represent the University of Wisconsin – Whitewater, but also the United States of America at the 2021 Enactus World Cup. This is a huge accomplishment for the team of students as well as the UW-Whitewater, the Whitewater University Innovation Center, and all those who support entrepreneurial spirit in the community. UW-Whitewater Enactus has already put Whitewater on the global map!
Intellectual Property (IP) is all about protecting your inventions and creations. IP enables the creator to benefit from their work. As a startup founder or entrepreneur, it is important that you understand IP and how to protect your inventions, innovations, creations, slogans, names, etc.
The University of Wisconsin – Whitewater Enactus team are first time national champions of the United States National Exposition. The team will advance to the World Cup in October 2021 and compete against 34 Enactus teams from across the globe.
Raising capital is time-consuming, difficult, and challenging. A great pitch deck is compelling and tells your story in an interesting way to capture and appeal to investors.
When it comes to business tax returns, your accountant will request specific information and documentation from you. Here’s a tax preparation checklist, suggested process, and tips to help get you started.
Preparation to raise capital is crucial. It will make the difference between success and failure. Prospective investors will ask tough questions and you need to be prepared to answer.
Through our partnership, our clients are eligible for startup-friendly pricing. HubSpot’s program is specifically designed to help startups grow and scale better, and faster.
Branding is one of the most overlooked aspects of starting a business. However, in the long run, a strong brand that has loyal customers who are unphased by the competition, challenging times, or changes in the external environment is priceless!
How can you find the help you need to start and grow your business from home? The COVID-19 pandemic has revolutionized how businesses operate and shifted everything online.
When it comes to working virtually, there are both pros and cons of virtual work environments. Many of the challenges of working from home can be overcome with the right tools.
Getting up in front of an audience is difficult enough, but it is even worse if you are derailed before your presentation begins. When you know your audience, you can tailor your content to speak to them, anticipate their questions, and deliver a proactive presentation.
Wisconsin has a full calendar of startup events and conferences in 2020. These startup events feature entrepreneurial education as well as opportunities to practice your pitch, network with other entrepreneurs, connect with mentors and investors.
When you take the time to craft a business plan, you are crafting your business roadmap from where it is today to where it will be years into the future. Through research and planning, you are able to learn key lessons about the industry, your competition, and your assumptions. Planning is key for success.
With limited budgets for marketing and advertising, startups benefit from free media coverage that offers exposure to potential customers and partners. Competitions, contests, pitch opportunities, and awards offer great ways to get free publicity for your startup!
Incubators cater to startups and early stage companies, who are in the beginning stages of building their business. It all starts with the founders’ idea. From there, the incubator helps the founder develop a business model and a roadmap to transform the idea into a reality.
Leads are not all created equal. Qualifying and prioritizing leads is an essential part of the sales process. BANT is one of the most well-known sales qualification frameworks.
Are you looking to take your business to the next level? Do you want your business to thrive and be successful? As an entrepreneur, it can be lonely and difficult. A business coach can be a beneficial sounding board and provide a helpful outside perspective on your business.
When you are working on your business plan or applying for funding, financial statements are crucial. You simply cannot justify your business without a solid bottom line. Investors, lenders, and grant committees need to know the numbers that illustrate business growth. Investors need to see the return on their investment and lenders need to see that you will be able to repay your loan.
When one thinks of places to locate a business, a bustling city is often the image that comes to mind. With all of the resources available in a larger city, why should someone choose instead to locate a business in a small town like Whitewater, Wisconsin?
If you are looking for entrepreneurial support close to home, SCORE is a premier source of free business education and mentoring since 1964.
The Whitewater University Innovation Center facility is managed by the City of Whitewater, while the University of Wisconsin – Whitewater powers the University Incubation Program. The University Incubation Program provides consulting, mentoring, seminars and many more services for our clients.
Starting your own business brings along many challenges and decisions – choosing the name of your business is one of the most important decisions you will make. Your business name can influence the success of your business. The right name for your business will help customers connect with your brand and convey meaning. The wrong name will lead to headaches, misunderstandings, and legal risks.
A successful startup not only needs a great idea, but also the funding to make that idea a reality! Finding the right funding for your startup can be a challenge.
You have an amazing business idea. How do you know if there is a market? Is it really something people are willing to buy? Before you pursue your business idea, you want to validate the market with market research and customer discovery.
The United States Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship (USASBE) ranks the UW-Whitewater Entrepreneurship major as a top Entrepreneurship Program in the nation. In addition to the practical courses and accredited program, student entrepreneurs have access to unique opportunities to develop their business idea, test their entrepreneurial skills, and make connections.
During the strategic planning process, many companies detail their mission, vision, and values. Even though the three are similar and are often confused, each statement has a different objective.
As a business owner or entrepreneur, you wear multiple hats and need a multitude of skills – business planning, accounting and forecasting, HR and recruiting, branding and marketing, sales, etc. As your business grows, there will likely come a time where you need to ask advice. A business coach is an ally to have on your team!
Dr. Choton Basu, PhD. is a Professor in the IT & Supply Chain Management department. He is also certified by Growth Wheel and the Wendy Kennedy Institute as a business coach. His expertise centers around entrepreneurship, innovation, & technology.