Wisconsin Center for Employee Ownership

What Wisconsin Center for Employee Ownership does

The Wisconsin Center for Employee Ownership (WICEO) is a Wisconsin-registered nonprofit founded in 2020 and headquartered in Madison, operating as the state's central, free, and model-agnostic hub for employee ownership education and transition support. It serves business owners (especially those over 55 facing succession), employees, and a horizontal advisor network (legal, valuation, financial, lending) across Wisconsin, providing free guides, case studies, one-on-one guidance, in-person and virtual events, and a podcast ('Employee Owned Wisconsin'). The organization covers all three employee ownership structures — ESOPs, EOTs, and Worker Cooperatives — without financial stake in which model a business chooses, and curates a vetted trusted advisor network to facilitate transitions.

WICEO's underlying technology is essentially zero proprietary software: the offering is a content library (guides, articles, case studies), a curated referral network, event programming, and a podcast. Operations are professionally managed by Momentum Association Management, a Wisconsin-based boutique association management company, with a stated two-person core team (Executive Director Joe Sapp and Director of Operations Rebekah Harris) supported by a board with deep ESOP, cooperative, and legal expertise. The organization is the third state center in the national Employee Ownership Expansion Network (EOX) and a partner of the National Center for Employee Ownership (NCEO), connecting Wisconsin businesses to national research, the NCEOX Initiative, and discounted NCEO memberships.

Revenue is a mix of small-dollar, programmatic inflows: a single disclosed $50,000 two-year grant from the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC, 2023), tiered event and podcast sponsorships (Founding Partner $5,000, Supporting Sponsor $2,500; Celebration Dinner Presenting $5,000 / Gold $2,500 / Silver $1,500), Celebration Dinner ticket sales ($125 individual / $1,100 table of 8), and donations. WICEO does not sell to end users, does not take transaction fees on completed transitions, and operates without disclosed equity, parent company, or institutional investor ownership. Its strategic position is anchored on addressing the so-called 'Silver Tsunami' — approximately 50,000 Wisconsin businesses with owners over 55, 85%+ without succession plans — and converting those transitions into employee-owned outcomes that preserve local jobs and community wealth.

Name

Wisconsin Center for Employee Ownership

Legal name

Wisconsin Center for Employee Ownership

Website

https://wiceo.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

WICEO is a Wisconsin nonprofit founded in 2020 that provides free, model-agnostic education, advisor connections, and events to help Wisconsin business owners, employees, and advisors navigate transitions to ESOPs, EOTs, and Worker Cooperatives.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Madison

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Grants: WICEO receives government funding to support its educational mission. The organization received a two-year, $50,000 grant from the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) to promote employee ownership models, fund outreach in rural areas and businesses with majority-BIPOC workforces, and support hiring of new staff.
2. Event Sponsorships: The organization generates revenue through event sponsorships, including podcast sponsorships (Founding Partner at $5,000/year, Supporting Sponsor at $2,500/year) and Celebration Dinner sponsorships (Presenting Sponsor at $5,000, Gold at $2,500, Silver at $1,500).
3. Event Registration Revenue: Revenue from ticket sales for the annual Celebration Dinner: individual seats at $125 and tables of 8 at $1,100.
4. Donations and Contributions: As a nonprofit organization, WICEO accepts donations and contributions to support its educational mission and statewide programming.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

WICEO is Wisconsin's free, unbiased educational hub for transitioning businesses to employee ownership. It provides model-agnostic education, free resources and guides, one-on-one guidance, vetted advisor connections, in-person and virtual events, legislative advocacy, and the Employee Owned Wisconsin podcast covering ESOPs, EOTs, and Worker Cooperatives. All services are delivered at no cost to business owners, employees, and advisors statewide.

Product overview

WICEO is a free, unbiased informational and educational resource center for employee ownership in Wisconsin, not a software product. The organization offers a suite of educational programs, professional advisor connections, and community events centered around three employee ownership models: ESOPs (Employee Stock Ownership Plans), EOTs (Employee Ownership Trusts), and Worker Cooperatives. Services include free educational resources and guides, a vetted advisor network, in-person and virtual events/workshops, one-on-one guidance, advocacy for supportive legislation, and the Employee Owned Wisconsin podcast. The organization connects Wisconsin businesses to the national EOX network and NCEO resources while providing localized support through its professionally managed operations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Education & Resources Free guides, articles, case studies, and explainers on all forms of employee ownership (ESOPs, EOTs, Worker Cooperatives) written for business owners and advisors in Wisconsin.
• Advisor Connections Vetted referrals to legal, valuation, financial, and lending professionals who specialize in employee ownership transitions in Wisconsin.
• Events & Workshops In-person and virtual events and workshops across Wisconsin where business owners, employees, and advisors learn, network, and share experience on employee ownership.
• Advocacy Services Advocacy for state and federal policies that make employee ownership more accessible, affordable, and attractive for Wisconsin businesses.
• One-on-One Guidance Free, no-obligation conversations with the WICEO team to help business owners and employees understand their employee ownership options.
• Employee Owned Wisconsin Podcast Year-round podcast featuring in-depth conversations with Wisconsin business owners navigating ownership transitions, employee-owners, advisors, and policy leaders about employee ownership.
• Celebrating Employee Ownership in Wisconsin (Annual Celebration Dinner) Inaugural annual celebration dinner honoring companies, founders, and workers who chose employee ownership, featuring awards, keynote speaker, and networking at The Edgewater in Madison, WI.
• Wisconsin Employee Ownership Awards Three annual awards presented at the Celebration Dinner recognizing Wisconsin companies and founders: Leadership Award, Legacy Preservation Award, and Emerging Employee Ownership Award.
• Business Succession Planning Guide Free downloadable guide to business succession planning for business owners to prepare for ownership transitions.

Quantifiable outcome

• 30% higher survival rate in economic downturns for employee-owned companies
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.

• BDO Capital AdvisorsflagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026BDO Capital Advisors is the Presenting Sponsor of the inaugural Wisconsin Employee Ownership Celebration Dinner at $5,000. They provide support for the event and receive recognition as the presenting sponsor with speaking opportunities and logo placement on all materials.
• Employee Ownership Expansion Network (EOX)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020EOX is a national network of state centers providing grassroots employee ownership education and outreach. WICEO is the third EOX state center, launched in 2020. The partnership provides WICEO access to national research, best practices, peer networks, and shared mission of expanding employee ownership across America.
• National Center for Employee Ownership (NCEO)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020NCEO is the premier organization for employee ownership education, research, best practices, and networking. Through WICEO's EOX partnership, Wisconsin businesses can access NCEO membership at a discounted rate using code EOX for $100 off. WICEO also promotes NCEO's 6-month free membership through the NCEOX Initiative.
• Momentum Association ManagementcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2020WICEO's operations are professionally managed by Momentum Association Management, a Wisconsin-based boutique AMC providing high-quality executive management, operations, marketing, and event services to associations and nonprofits.
• Prairie Capital AdvisorscoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerBusiness appraisal firm listed in WICEO's trusted advisor network. Dave Diehl serves as the EOX National Provider contact. Provides valuation services for employee ownership transitions.
• Common TrustcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerProvides feasibility and employee ownership structure advisory services. Christina Newbrough presents educational webinars on Employee Ownership Trusts (EOTs) in partnership with WICEO.
• Husch BlackwellcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLaw firm providing legal counsel for employee ownership transitions. David Eckhardt serves on WICEO's Board of Directors as Secretary, specializing in ESOP implementation and ERISA compliance.
• Blue Ridge ESOP AssociatescoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerThird-party ESOP administration firm. Renee Stadtmueller serves as President of WICEO's Board of Directors and is a CPA and QPA designation holder with expertise in ESOP administration.
• University of Wisconsin Center for CooperativescoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerUW Center for Cooperatives provides research, outreach, and education on cooperatives. Executive Director Courtney Berner serves as Vice President of WICEO's Board, with expertise spanning cooperative education, business development, and governance.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• National Center for Employee Ownership (NCEO): The premier national membership organization providing research, education, and convening on employee ownership (ESOPs, EOTs, stock plans, worker cooperatives). Operates as a directly comparable educational and advocacy body, and is WICEO's most important direct content and network partner through NCEOX.
• Employee Ownership Expansion Network (EOX): National network of state-level employee-ownership centers of which WICEO is a member and on whose board the WICEO Treasurer sits. Provides shared infrastructure, peer learning, and playbook replication across state centers — direct parent-network peer that defines WICEO's operating model.
• Project Equity: California-based nonprofit focused on converting businesses to employee ownership (especially worker cooperatives) through education, advising, and policy advocacy. Highly comparable mission, target audience (approaching-retirement owners), and funding model to WICEO, with a national policy footprint that materially overlaps.
• Colorado Employee Ownership Center: University of Colorado Denver-housed EOX state center providing free education, advising, and resources on ESOPs and cooperatives to Colorado business owners. The closest functional peer to WICEO as another EOX state center, and a benchmark for operating model, staffing, and outcomes.
• Democracy at Work Institute: U.S. federation of worker cooperatives' research and education arm, focused on developing and converting businesses to democratic, worker-owned models. Direct peer to WICEO on the cooperative pathway, with a national scope and shared 'co-op as succession' framing.

Broad incumbents

• The ESOP Association: National trade association representing the entire ESOP community — companies, trustees, advisors, lenders. Larger and broader than WICEO but overlapping on advocacy, education, and conferences; a complementary rather than directly substitutional ecosystem peer.

Regional players

• University of Wisconsin Center for Cooperatives (UWCC): UW-Madison-based research, outreach, and education center for cooperatives, whose Executive Director sits on WICEO's board. Highly comparable in mission and Wisconsin-anchored scope to WICEO's co-op programming, with deeper academic/research orientation.

Emerging players

• ICA Group: Specialized consulting and conversion services firm helping businesses sell to employees via worker cooperatives and employee ownership trusts. Comparable to WICEO on business-to-co-op conversion advising, but operates as a fee-based consultancy rather than a free education hub.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wiceo

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Wisconsin Center for Employee Ownership