Forward Fest 2025

8:00am CDT

Badger Startup Summit

Monday August 18, 2025 8:00am - 3:30pm CDT

Fuel your entrepreneurial spirit at the Badger Startup Summit—an energizing launch to Forward Fest that brings together innovators, founders, and big ideas from across Wisconsin’s startup ecosystem.

Start your day with a complimentary breakfast and dive into inspiring talks on innovation and entrepreneurship. Connect with local startups and leaders at the Venfair networking showcase, grab a box lunch, and stick around for the high-energy MERLIN Pitch & Replay—where startups pitch and the audience plays along.

Hosted by 100state

Event Organizers

Kelly Pagac

Community and Program Director, 100state

JJ Pagac

Executive Director, 100state

I am the executive director at 100state, Wisconsin's oldest coworking space located a block off the capitol square. I also design/devleop wordpress websites, and am a parallel entrepreneur. I have been involved in or have ran 8 startups.

Monday August 18, 2025 8:00am - 3:30pm CDT
TBA TBD somehwere downtown

Free, In Person

Host Organization 100state
Category General
Interaction Type Conference, Social, Workshop

10:00am CDT

2025 Compliance Playbook: What Entrepreneurs Need to Know

Wednesday August 20, 2025 10:00am - 11:00am CDT

TBA

HR Simplified: How a PEO Can Help Entrepreneurs Focus on Growth

Event Description:
Managing HR, payroll, compliance, and benefits can overwhelm even the most passionate entrepreneurs. In this session, learn how partnering with a Professional Employer Organization (PEO) can help you reduce administrative burden, ensure compliance, and enhance your team’s experience—without needing to build a full HR department.

We’ll break down what a PEO does, how it differs from other HR models, and how it can scale with your business as you grow. Whether you're hiring your first employees, navigating multi-state regulations, or simply looking to streamline your operations, this session will provide practical insights and real-world examples from entrepreneurial leaders.

Takeaways:
✔ What a PEO is—and isn’t
✔ Common HR pitfalls for startups and small businesses
✔ Compliance, benefits, and payroll made simple
✔ How a PEO can align with your growth and goals

Ideal for founders, small business owners, and growth-stage leaders looking to strengthen their infrastructure and free up time to focus on scaling their business.

Event Organizers

Keri Allard

Director of Client Services, SustainableHR PEO, LLC

Keri Allard, is the Director of Client Services at SustainableHR PEO. Bringing over 20 years of invaluable experience, Keri has held pivotal positions such as Director of Business Development and Recruitment Manager. Her extensive expertise in business development, client management... Read More →

Wednesday August 20, 2025 10:00am - 11:00am CDT
TBA TBD somehwere downtown

Free, In Person

Category HR
Interaction Type Conference

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 →

Jill Foley

Sponsors

Filament Game

Flexion, Inc.

Wednesday August 20, 2025 4:00pm - 6:00pm CDT
TBA TBD somehwere downtown

Free, In Person

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

11:00am CDT

Capital That Fits: Exploring Options, Learning from Experience, Building Readiness

Thursday August 21, 2025 11:00am - 3:00pm CDT

TBA

Check out our Website

The funding landscape has evolved beyond traditional VC, but many founders don't know their options. Join Valency Fund for a half-day deep dive into different capital solutions that fit your business model and growth goals.

Three focused sessions will cover:
1: Panel with diverse funders across the risk/reward spectrum—from traditional VC to revenue-based financing
2: Real founder stories from Wisconsin entrepreneurs using non-traditional capital to scale
3: Financial readiness workshop on building fundable, sustainable companies

Lunch included.

You'll leave with practical frameworks, real connections, and clarity on which funding path actually fits your business. Perfect for founders who want to make informed capital decisions while building lasting value.

Hosted by Valency Fund

Event Organizers

Amanda Schulze

Thursday August 21, 2025 11:00am - 3:00pm CDT
TBA TBD somehwere downtown

Free, In Person

Category Food, Tech / Software, Financials, General
Interaction Type Conference, Panel Discussion, Workshop, Panel Discussion

2:00pm CDT

Startup 2.0: AI Agents Meet 'The Sims'

Friday August 22, 2025 2:00pm - 3:00pm CDT

TBA

Have you ever played the game The Sims?

If not, the core gameplay revolves around creating and controlling virtual people known as "Sims," managing every aspect of their lives, from relationships and careers to personal needs and desires.

But what if while you were sleeping all the characters in The Sims acted autonomously by making decisions, interacting with others, and building a society on their own?

Enter AI Agents—an emerging technology that's redefining productivity for startups and small businesses. AI Agents independently automate complex workflows, integrate seamlessly across multiple tools, and allow teams to reclaim valuable hours.

We're not just talking about ChatGPT or Grok—this is an entire ecosystem of intelligent agents that operate autonomously or collaboratively, dramatically amplifying your team's effectiveness.

As a startup or small business owner, you're constantly balancing limited hours against endless demands, and agents can help fill-in the gaps.

Event Organizers

Matthew Walz

Founder & CEO, The Jenny Project

Friday August 22, 2025 2:00pm - 3:00pm CDT
TBA TBD somehwere downtown

Free, In Person

Category Tech / Software
Interaction Type Conference

Forward Fest 2025

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