Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation

Small businesses power Wisconsin’s economy. 💼📈

Between 2010 and 2025, small businesses accounted for approximately 95% of Wisconsin’s net job growth—compared to 72% nationally. This remarkable impact underscores the critical role entrepreneurs play in driving local and statewide prosperity.

The latest Wisconsin Policy Forum report, “Small Businesses, Big Stakes: The State of Wisconsin’s Small Businesses," highlights both the strength of our entrepreneurial ecosystem and the challenges many businesses face when scaling—including access to capital and workforce constraints.

The Universities of Wisconsin Office of Business & Entrepreneurship commissioned the first-of-its-kind report in partnership with WEDC.

https://wispolicyforum.org/research/small-businesses-big-stakes-the-state-of-wisconsins-small-businesses/

WEDC welcomed small-business technical service providers and regional economic development leaders to the Madison office on Tuesday for the Innovation and Impact Forum.

It was an opportunity to build connections, share knowledge, and discover growth opportunities for administrative and operational improvements.

In the morning, Gregg Potter from the International Institute on Collaboration led a workshop.

The afternoon included a discussion on philanthropy for economic development. The conversation was led by Dr. Eugene Manzanet, Senior Director, Diverse Business Development, and included Kermiath McClendon of the Greater Milwaukee Foundation and Moiz Dawoodbhai of Northwestern Mutual.

The forum concluded with an enlightening session that was all about utilizing AI to help with operations. The session was led by Matt Boatright-Simon of Speak Studio.