Latest News
Announcing StartingBlock’s Next Executive Director: Nora Roughen-Schmidt
On behalf of StartingBlock Madison, Inc., it is my pleasure to announce the selection of Nora Roughen-Schmidt as our next Executive Director. Nora emerged from a very talented pool of more than 60 candidates. Nora is a relationship builder, an accomplished...
Congratulations StartingBlock Grant Recipients!
StartingBlock is pleased to announce that the following StartingBlock members received grants through the $25,000 StartingBlock Grant Program! These funds will be used to pivot or otherwise respond to new opportunities or challenges brought on by COVID-19. Our first...
StartingBlock launches the StartingBlock Member Grant program for COVID-19 relief.
Today StartingBlock announced the $20,000 StartingBlock Grant Program for Members. In these unprecedented times, we know your business may be experiencing COVID-19 disruptions. To help you meet these current challenges, the StartingBlock Board has approved up to...
Startups — Now is the time to find summer and fall internships. Seriously.
If you are a startup, you should hire an intern -- now. Yes, in the middle of the covid crises when teams are virtual. We know that it sounds crazy. But, because of covid, many companies, large and small, are letting employees go and pausing planned hiring. This...
StartingBlock COVID-19 Resource List
Below is an evolving selection of resources we've assembled to help entrepreneurs navigate the COVID-19 crisis. An article from early March outlining what is at stake. Funding Resources and Opportunities: How to Apply for SBA Disaster Loans by Troy Vosseler SBA...
Interested in leading StartingBlock as its next Executive Director?
Executive Director Job Opportunity StartingBlock Madison is an entrepreneurial hub in Madison, Wisconsin with a mission to create the meaningful intersections that cultivate entrepreneurs, grow successful companies, drive...
StartingBlock Announces Search for Next Executive Director
Today, I am excited to announce StartingBlock’s search for its next Executive Director, whom we hope to select by early summer. I am honored to have served as StartingBlock’s second Executive Director, leading StartingBlock through construction and its critical first...
StartingBlock seeks a graphic designer
StartingBlock seeks the services of a graphic designer, firm or similar creative to develop and produce a map for entrepreneurs in the Madison Region to help answer questions like: “What should I be doing? When should I be doing it? What resources are available to...
Schedule virtual office hours with Nhi Lê, StartingBlock’s Entrepreneur in Residence
StartingBlock's Entrepreneur in Residence, Nhi Lê, provides mentorship, business development and strategy, and connections to mentors and investors for StartingBlock Madison members and small-to-medium-sized businesses in the greater Madison region. She serves...
DEADLINE to apply to StartingBlock’s Intern SNAP is April 5!
Are you a student interested in a virtual internship at a startup or a startup interested in hiring student talent? StartingBlock makes finding an internship and interns SNAP! This semester the SNAP! will be conducted virtually, and we recommend Companies prepare to...
StartingBlock Madison’s team grows
Marc Yarmoff and Nathan Eggenberger join as Community Manager and Membership Manager respectively. Over the last two months the StartingBlock Madison team has grown with two recent new hires. We are excited to announce the addition of Nathan Eggenberger as our...
Calling all Social Entrepreneurs!
Do you believe in business as a force for good? There's so much interest in social entrepreneurship but do you know that means and how social entrepreneurs can distinguish their social mission using new certification and legal structures? Do you know the difference...
Now Hiring: StartingBlock Community Manager
Join us! We are looking for an awesome leader to be StartingBlock's Community Manager StartingBlock’s mission is to create meaningful intersections. We focus on building and supporting Madison’s entrepreneurs, innovators, and the doers. We want someone who gets and...
An Intern’s View of StartingBlock Madison
Eduardo Castillo interned at StartingBlock in Summer of 2019 as part of the CEOs of Tomorrow program. Recently, Eduardo came back and spent a few days of his spring break volunteering at StartingBlock. He sat down with Executive Director, Chandra Miller Fienen, to...
StartingBlock: 2018 A Year In Review
Happy 2019! Now that the holidays are over and we have rung in 2019, the StartingBlock Team thought it would be a good time to take a look back at 2018 accomplishments and what is on the horizon for 2019. 2018 Highlights We opened! After five years of work,...
StartingBlock selects eight social impact entrepreneurs & teams for its Social Impact Initiative
StartingBlock, in partnership with the American Family Insurance Institute for Corporate and Social Impact and Greenbush Strategy Partners, has selected eight social impact entrepreneur teams for StartingBlock’s Social Impact Initiative. The selected teams each have...
Social Impact Initiative Competition Announced
Change-Driven Entrepreneurs, Win Free Space at StartingBlock! StartingBlock, in partnership with the American Family Insurance Institute for Corporate and Social Impact and Associated Bank, seeks the best and brightest social impact entrepreneurs to join us as...
StartingBlock showcases Shaun Ritchie, CEO of TEEM, on what makes the Salt Lake City innovation ecosystem tick?
Ever wonder how mid-sized cities break through to become entrepreneurial startup phenoms? Recently, StartingBlock hosted a lunch and learn with Salt Lake City entrepreneur, Shaun Ritchie, co-founder and CEO of Teem Technologies. Prior to co-founding teem, Ritchie ran...
We Did It! We are officially open!
We did it! We are officially open! And what a great soft opening we had last night with over 400 supporters and community members braving the tornado warning and pouring rain to join us. It was a fantastic night for the four founding partner organizations --...
StartingBlock Showcase: Cubicall
StartingBlock Showcases . . . Cubicall One of the key opportunities that StartingBlock has is showing off technology and innovative ideas of Madison-area entrepreneurs and innovators. Trust us, we are already working on showcase posts about the StartingBlock...
Eight New Members Join StartingBlock Madison’s Board Of Directors
StartingBlock Madison is proud to announce the appointment of eight new directors to its board as it prepares to open its doors next month. Along with immense leadership experience, the new directors bring national and regional representation to the Madison-area...
StartingBlock Madison Announces Inaugural Startup Partners for New Entrepreneurial Hub
We are excited to announce twelve startups that will comprise our opening cohort of companies and form the heart of the StartingBlock community. We are proud, humbled and excited to have such an impressive, diverse group of startups at StartingBlock. The First Dozen...
Talent Maximizer Series #6: H.R. 101
Our final workshop in the Spring series -- H.R. 101 -- brought back Karen Bender , this time joined by Sharon Egan of QTI. H.R. isn’t for everyone, but as the Founder of your startup there, are rules and regulations you should implement and be...
Talent Maximizer Series #5: Developing A Startup Friendly Compensation Package
This week's workshop--Developing A Startup Friendly Compensation Package--featured Melissa Turczyn from Michael Best & Friedrich. It’s no secret as an early stage startup, you most likely don’t have enough capital to pay market rates for talent when it comes time...
