Grow Wisconsin

GrowWisconsin is an informal group of grant writers and editors with an impressive track record attracting millions of federal dollars to Wisconsin.  They have been meeting at customer facilities around southern Wisconsin such as MG&E Innovation Center and Global GeneTechs in Madison, and most recently at the Medical College of Wisconsin and the Milwaukee County Research Park.

An interesting tangent at the most recent meeting was the revelation that Wisconsinites  are notoriously hard-working but very humble and modest, to the point where commercialization can sometimes be hampered by what is known as the “Pie Thing”.  It goes like this.  If you offer someone a piece of pie in Wisconsin, the initial reaction is, “Oh no, uh...I’m on a diet or  (insert excuse here), then the person offering is supposed to say something like, “Oh, come on, I made it with real Door County cherries” and you say, “Oh, really?” and they say “Oh, just one little piece won’t hurt” then you have your piece of pie and it’s really good (if made with Door County cherries – watch for the pits!).  Out East, if someone asks you if you want pie, and you say no once; it’s gone.

Commercializing a technology in Wisconsin has some distinct similarities.  Money pours into the state, and patents are generated at a very respectable clip. Then we see a precipitous drop in companies formed and profit as a final result.  Unlike the seemingly unrestrained self-promotion witnessed in coastal companies, Wisconsin companies tend to be modest affairs content with slow growth and long lives.  To put it concisely: Like to build it. Don’t like to sell it.  Like to make the pie.  But feel guilty eating it.  (Sort that out.) 

The SBIR/SSTR program is focusing more on commercialization to address the same issues Wisconsin is facing and enhance the formation of successful companies and products with the help of the grant program. 

What does this mean to Wisconsin SBIR/STTR Grant Applicants?  You’d better have a good commercialization plan and be prepared to execute it if you want to win an award and get your piece of the pie.  And be ready to make more and sell them. 

Each month GrowWisconsin moves their informal meeting to a different location in either Madison or Milwaukee, and the host company is welcome to attend.  Anyone currently providing grant services is welcome to join the meetings by sending an inquiry to info@growwisconsin.org The purpose of the group is to improve Wisconsin’s ability to be competitive in attracting grant dollars, particularly SBIR/STTR.