Job Creation through Capital Donation
MILWAUKEE, August 7, 2019- Brightstar Wisconsin Foundation announced its recent investment in “Give Me Liberty”, a film that has now received acclaim from critics around the world. The freewheeling yet profound comedy was shot entirely in Milwaukee and was co-written, directed, and produced by individuals from the area. It is only the fourth film ever to be invited to both the Sundance and Cannes film festivals.
MILWAUKEE, July 9, 2019 – BrightStar Wisconsin Foundation Inc. today announced that it has completed investments in three Wisconsin early-stage companies. They bring to 52 the number of BrightStar investments in Wisconsin companies since its founding.
MILWAUKEE, June 5, 2019 – BrightStar Wisconsin Foundation Inc. today announced that it has made an investment in two companies that are new to its portfolio: HDL Diagnostics, Inc. and FreshEx Corp., Pleasant Prairie. These investments bring to 48 the number of early-stage Wisconsin companies in which BrightStar has invested.
MILWAUKEE, Nov. 12, 2018 – Area entrepreneur Pete Jungwirth of Wisconsin Rapids took home the top prize at the Central Wisconsin Hatch Regional Finale Wednesday night held at the Noel Car Barn, earning $5,000 for his company, Amira Learning. The company uses artificial intelligence technology to help teachers assess students’ reading levels and improve their skills individually, based on specific areas where they need help.
BrightStar’s HATCH program has produced ten preliminary competitions throughout the state this year, where more than 55 entrepreneurs had an opportunity to present their ideas. Ten of those participants each won $2,000 and qualified for an opportunity to “pitch” again in one of the three regional HATCH finales. They will be joined by other presenters that didn’t win their local event but had business ideas that were good enough to be given a second opportunity.
MILWAUKEE, WI (October 18, 2018) – Bright Star Wisconsin Foundation, Inc., a non-profit angel investment group that helps entrepreneurs grow their early stage ideas into businesses, announced that its Central Wisconsin HATCH Regional Finale will be held on November 7th at the Noel Car Barn located at 1995 River Bend Road in Plover, WI 54467.
MILWAUKEE, July 18, 2018 - BrightStar Wisconsin Foundation this week celebrates the five-year anniversary of the foundation’s incorporation. In keeping with its unique mission of deploying donated capital into innovative, job-creating, early-stage Wisconsin companies, dubbed “venture philanthropy,” the organization has played a key role in the constantly developing entrepreneurial ecosystem throughout the state.
MILWAUKEE, June 11, 2018 - BrightStar Wisconsin Foundation had a successful start to the 2018 HATCH entrepreneurial pitch program. HATCH is a rotating, high-energy idea pitch program designed to facilitate connections between prospective entrepreneurs and those within a community who support them such as industry experts, professional service firms, banks, non-profits, business leaders and investors.
MILWAUKEE, April 30, 2018 - BrightStar Wisconsin Foundation today announced the schedule for the 2018 HATCH entrepreneurial pitch program. BrightStar is expanding the program from one region in 2017 to three regions this year, with the assistance of an Entrepreneurship Support Grant from Wisconsin Economic Development Corp that will match BrightStar's expenses up to $65,000.
MILWAUKEE, March 29, 2018 – BrightStar Wisconsin Foundation Inc. today announced that it has committed $100,000 to Cytometix Inc., d.b.a. Cmxtwenty, and $50,000 to GenoPalate Inc. Both companies are based in the Milwaukee area and have ties to the Medical College of Wisconsin.
During the past decade, Cmxtwenty developed a therapeutic pharmaceutical that is modeled after the body’s natural, pain-control chemistry. The result is a pain therapy that does not have the devastating effects of opioids and can be offered both orally and intravenously.