Forward Fest 2025

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8:45am CDT

1 Million Cups

Wednesday August 20, 2025 8:45am - 10:00am CDT

Welcome to StartingBlock, Madison's startup hub. StartingBlock welcomes passionate entrepreneurs to present their new business at 1 Million Cups every Wednesday morning! Coffee pours at 8:45am, Program starts at 9am. Located on the 3rd floor cafe.

Hosted by StartingBlock

Event Organizers

Leslie Weissburg

StartingBlock

Sponsors

StartingBlock

Wednesday August 20, 2025 8:45am - 10:00am CDT
Starting Block 821 E Washington Ave, Suite 200, Madison, WI 53703

Free, In Person

Host Organization StartingBlock
Category General
Interaction Type Meeting

10:30am CDT

Level Set Information Session

Wednesday August 20, 2025 10:30am - 11:30am CDT

StartingBlock

Don't navigate the startup world alone. StartingBlock's Level Set program is an intense 6 week program designed to help you build and validate a business model. Offered 4x per year, we help you explore the pros and cons of different business models, model revenue and get real world feedback on your ideas.
This program is for you if you:
-want to explore an idea
-are thinking about starting a company
-have a side hustle you want to take full time
-are thinking about quitting your day job

Hosted by StartingBlock

Event Organizers

Leslie Weissburg

StartingBlock

Wednesday August 20, 2025 10:30am - 11:30am CDT
StartingBlock 821 E Washington Ave 2nd floor library, Madison, WI 53703

Free, In Person

Host Organization StartingBlock Madison
Category General
Interaction Type Information sessioin

11:00am CDT

Entrepreneur Networking Event

Wednesday August 20, 2025 11:00am - 1:15pm CDT

Madison College - Truax Campus

Join us for an exciting event designed to connect and energize entrepreneurs at all stages of business! Hosted by the Madison College Center for Entrepreneurship, this networking event marks the kickoff of our yearlong focus on Finance for Entrepreneurs — and you're invited.

What to Expect:
- Open Networking with local entrepreneurs and small business owners
- Resource Tables from local partners and support organizations
- Interactive 20-Minute Roundtable Sessions on:
- Pricing & Profitability
- Budgeting & Cash Flow
- Funding & Financing
- Personal Finance for Entrepreneurs
- Light Food & Beverages Provided

Whether you're just starting out or scaling up, this event is a chance to connect, learn, and find resources that can support your financial growth and business goals.

Free to attend – registration encouraged.

Start your financial journey with us and build meaningful connections in the process!

Hosted by Center for Entrepreneurship at Madison College

Event Organizers

Kelsey Wenzel

Wednesday August 20, 2025 11:00am - 1:15pm CDT
Madison College - Truax Campus 1701 Wright Street Madison, WI 53704

Free, In Person

Host Organization Center for Entrepreneurship at Madison College
Category Social Good, General
Interaction Type Social

1:30pm CDT

Demystifying the Pro Forma: Building Financial Projections

Wednesday August 20, 2025 1:30pm - 2:45pm CDT

Virtual

Check out our Website

In 40+ years of working with entrepreneurs, we have regularly observed that “the money part” of business planning is often what causes many business owners and would-be business owners alike the most anxiety and confusion. Yet the numbers don’t have to intimidate you. Instead, understanding a clear financial plan for your business will give you the confidence to make educated decisions about the viability of your business idea, access needed capital and actively manage cash flow as your business grows.

This live-virtual introductory session – designed for new and prospective business owners in any industry – will help you understand:

• The purpose (and power!) of a pro forma in business planning, management and in accessing capital
• The fundamental “inputs” to building solid projections, including:
• Identification of your business models key revenue streams, and how to translate to
your projections
• Synthesis of customer, competitive and industry knowledge into reasoned market size and share estimates
• The impact of pricing decisions, buyer behavior and capacity on projected revenue
• Types of key cost estimates needed for your projections
• Resources for pulling it all together!

By joining us for this overview session, you will build a solid foundation of concepts that can help you understand how to put real numbers to your dreams and learn the path to projections. Whether you plan to seek funding from a bank, determine the feasibility of your business idea, or explore new directions for your business, following the ideas we’ll cover in this session will help you build success based on knowledge.

Hosted by Wisconsin SBDC at UW-Madison

Event Organizers

Heather Ferguson

Program Manager, UW-Madison SBDC

Sponsors

WEDC via the Main Street Bounceback Program

Wednesday August 20, 2025 1:30pm - 2:45pm CDT
Virtual

Free, Virtual

Host Organization Wisconsin SBDC at UW-Madison
Category General, Financials
Interaction Type Workshop

4:00pm CDT

How Branding Matters

Wednesday August 20, 2025 4:00pm - 5:30pm CDT

100 State

In today's dynamic marketplace, standing out is essential for success. Whether you're an aspiring entrepreneur, a seasoned business owner, or a creative professional, a branding can be powerful in your organization. Join us for an immersive and interactive workshop designed to equip you with the tools and strategies to build a strong and compelling brand identity.

Led by Ibrahim Harun of IH Concepts with 16 years of experience in branding and marketing, this workshop will delve deep into the core elements of effective branding. Through a combination of an insightful presentations and collaborative discussions, you'll learn how what goes into a brand so you can hit the ground running.

Whether you're looking to launch a new venture, bring more life into your business, or simply refine your marketing strategy, this workshop will provide you with the knowledge and insights you need to elevate your business and drive meaningful connections with your audience. Don't miss this opportunity to take your business to new heights!

Event Organizers

Ibrahim Harun

Wednesday August 20, 2025 4:00pm - 5:30pm CDT
100 State 17 S Fairchild St FL 7, Madison, WI 53703

Free, In Person

Category Social Good, General
Interaction Type Conference, Workshop

4:00pm CDT

EdTech Entrepreneur Exchange

Wednesday August 20, 2025 4:00pm - 6:00pm CDT

TBA

Join us for an engaging gathering of EdTech entrepreneurs, product leaders, researchers, funders, and policy advocates. The EdTech Entrepreneur Exchange is a unique opportunity to network, collaborate, and share insights on the future of education technology. Whether you're building tools for K-12, higher ed, workforce development, or lifelong learning, this event offers space to exchange ideas, find partners, and uncover new opportunities. The program includes open networking and small-group discussions focused on building solutions that are inclusive, scalable, and research-informed. Appetizers and drinks will be available.

Hosted by Flexion, Inc. & Filament Games

Event Organizers

Jennifer Javornik

Chief Partnerships Officer, Filament Games

Jennifer Javornik is an international speaker and thought leader on the topics of game-based learning and games for positive impact. As a video game executive specializing in partnerships, revenue growth, and entrepreneurship, Ms. Javornik is currently the Chief Partnerships Officer... Read More →

Host Organization Flexion, Inc. & Filament Games
Category Social Good, Tech / Software, Games, General, Education
Interaction Type Happy Hour, Social, Workshop

Forward Fest 2025

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Forward Fest 2025

8:45am CDT

Leslie Weissburg

StartingBlock

10:30am CDT

Leslie Weissburg

11:00am CDT

Kelsey Wenzel

1:30pm CDT

Heather Ferguson

WEDC via the Main Street Bounceback Program

4:00pm CDT

Ibrahim Harun

4:00pm CDT

Jennifer Javornik

Jill Foley

Filament Game

Flexion, Inc.