About the Wisconsin Technology Council

The Tech Council is the science and technology advisor to the Governor and the Legislature. Launched in 2001, the Tech Council was created by a bipartisan act of the governor and the Legislature. It is an independent, non-profit and non-partisan board with members from tech companies, venture capital firms, all levels of education, research institutions, government and law.

Click here to view a video summary of the Tech Council's work.

The Tech Council has three main functions:

1) It provides policy guidance to lawmakers, the governor, state agencies and other institutions in Wisconsin. It has most notably done so through “Vision 2020: A Model Wisconsin Economy” and white papers that have served as background for policymakers.

2) It serves an important in-state networking role through Wisconsin Innovation Network (WIN), a community-based organization dedicated to fostering innovation and entrepreneurship. It also works with other statewide and local affiliates. And it provides out-of-state networking through its "I-Q Corridor" activities and other events.

3) It serves as an economic catalyst through programs such as:

Wisconsin Innovation Network (WIN), community-based organization dedicated to fostering innovation and entrepreneurship
Wisconsin Entrepreneurs’ Conference A program focused on stimulating more entrepreneurial activity in Wisconsin across all segments of our economy.
Wisconsin Early Stage Symposium Open to technology companies seeking all capital.
Monthly WIN Events Brings together entrepreneurs, business owners and related high tech professionals in a collaboration-rich environment.
Governor's Business Plan Contest (BPC) An opportunity to compete for cash and in-kind prizes – but it’s also a chance to get constructive feedback on your business plan and to help move it from “virtual business” to reality.
Wisconsin Angel Network WAN's mission is to build angel network capital capacity throughout Wisconsin in order to increase the number and amount of seed-stage equity investments in Wisconsin companies, creating jobs and improving our economy.
Wisconsin Security Research Consortium This consortium of research institutions in Wisconsin is dedicated to delivering world-class science and technology solutions in response to our natioin's homeland security requirements.

The president of the Tech Council and WIN is Tom Still. He is the former associate editor of the Wisconsin State Journal in Madison. Still serves on the board of directors for the Wisconsin Security Research Consortium and “We the People/Wisconsin,’ the UW-Extension Board of Visitors, the UW-Madison College of Engineering Industrial Advisory Board, and the WiSys Technology Foundation Advisory Board, among other civic and business groups. He moderated the Wisconsin Economic Summits (2000-2003) and "Inside Wisconsin" appears regularly in 24 publications (see our News Room). He is a lecturer in the UW-Madison College of Agricultural and Life Sciences. Still is the co-author of “Hands-On Environmentalism,” published by Encounter Books, New York.

Interested in learning more? Put your business on the Wisconsin Fast Track to success by reading the Council's Vision 2020: A Model Wisconsin Economy - or by contacting us directly.