UW–Madison is launching the Wisconsin Entrepreneurship Hub, a bold new initiative to strengthen entrepreneurial pathways across campus. Approved in May 2025, the Hub is a strategic step in executing the university’s campuswide entrepreneurship strategy, and was developed through a highly collaborative effort. This initiative builds on the UW’s proud legacy of innovation — from the discovery of warfarin to today’s cutting-edge start-ups — and aims to empower students, faculty, and staff to transform ideas into real-world impact.
Jon Eckhardt, the Pyle Bascom Professor in Business Leadership at the Wisconsin School of Business and a Discovery Fellow at the Wisconsin Institute for Discovery, led a committee of more than 200 stakeholders from within and outside the university. Together, they created a report outlining strategies to boost entrepreneurship at the UW. The Hub will focus on recruiting entrepreneurial individuals, developing talent, and launching impactful ventures, all while embodying the Wisconsin Idea of improving lives beyond campus.
A search is underway for a visionary executive director to lead this transformative effort. As Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin notes, “This is a pivotal moment for UW–Madison and the state of Wisconsin,” with the Hub poised to become a catalyst for future economic growth and innovation. Hub staff will coordinate resources across all schools and colleges, working closely with partners like the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation and the Wisconsin Foundation and Alumni Association.