What HIPAA COW does

HIPAA Collaborative of Wisconsin (HIPAA COW) is a Wisconsin-domiciled non-profit organization, established in 2001 and legally named HIPAA Collaborative of Wisconsin, Inc., that serves HIPAA-regulated Covered Entities, Business Associates, and Trading Partners primarily in Wisconsin with collaborative cross-state relationships in Maryland, Massachusetts, North Carolina, and Utah. The organization operates a membership-based community platform powered by Wild Apricot membership software, delivering value through six monthly specialty networking groups (Privacy, Security, Risk Management, Healthcare IT, Artificial Intelligence, and "Moo and Chew: Operations"), two annual paid conferences (a Spring Virtual Conference and a Fall in-person Conference at the Park Hotel in Madison, WI), and an extensive free resource library including a Risk Analysis & Risk Management Toolkit (updated January 2024 with NIST CSF v1.1 crosswalk), Privacy & Security policy templates, an AI Governance Policy deliverable, EDI resources, and on-demand HIPAA 101 webinars hosted on Vimeo.

The organization's underlying "technology stack" is therefore a community-and-content platform rather than a software product: Wild Apricot for membership and event registration, Whova for virtual conference delivery, Zoom for monthly networking meetings, and a public website (hipaacow.org) hosting downloadable compliance artifacts. Headcount is reported at 11–50, consistent with a volunteer-driven model supported by a small administrative core (administration is handled through BBMC / Badger Bay Co) and a Board of Directors.

Revenue mechanics are diversified across three streams: one-time conference registrations (Spring $85–$105, Fall $160–$185), one-time exhibitor and per-event sponsorship fees ($650 per booth, $1,250 break sponsorships, $2,500 breakfast/lunch sponsorships), and recurring annual sponsorship commitments via a Gold/Silver/Bronze program (Gold sponsors include Quarles, Hall Render, McCarty Law, and Moxe Health; Silver sponsors include Navitus and Husch Blackwell; Bronze sponsors include Reinhart, Boerner Consulting, and Von Briesen & Roper). Customer segments span HIPAA Privacy/Security Officers, Compliance and Risk Managers, Healthcare IT leaders, Healthcare Attorneys, and Consultants, with concentration in Wisconsin healthcare providers and their vendor ecosystems.

Name

HIPAA COW

Legal name

HIPAA Collaborative of Wisconsin, Inc.

Website

https://hipaacow.org/

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

HIPAA COW (HIPAA Collaborative of Wisconsin) is a Wisconsin-based non-profit, established in 2001, that operates membership networking groups, annual conferences, and a free compliance resource library for HIPAA Covered Entities, Business Associates, and Trading Partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Wisconsin Rapids

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, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Conference Registration: Revenue from paid conference attendance including the annual Spring Virtual Conference and Fall in-person Conference. Registration fees vary by event with early bird discounts available.
2. Annual Sponsorship Program: Three-tiered annual sponsorship program (Gold, Silver, Bronze) providing brand visibility, exhibit opportunities, and event benefits. Gold sponsors receive complimentary exhibit tables at conferences.
3. Exhibitor and Event Sponsorship Fees: Additional revenue from conference exhibitor booths ($650), breakfast sponsors ($2,500), lunch sponsors ($2,500), and break sponsors ($1,250)

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

HIPAA COW is a non-profit collaborative that provides HIPAA compliance resources, policy templates, and risk management toolkits to covered entities, business associates, and trading partners. The organization facilitates six monthly networking groups covering Privacy, Security, Risk Management, Healthcare IT, AI, and Operations, and hosts two annual conferences (Spring Virtual and Fall in-person in Madison, WI). Resources are provided for free while conferences and sponsorships generate operating revenue.

Product overview

HIPAA COW (HIPAA Collaborative of Wisconsin) is a non-profit organization established in 2001 that serves covered entities, business associates, and trading partners under HIPAA regulations. Rather than a unified software product, HIPAA COW offers a portfolio of membership services centered on five active Networking Groups (Privacy, Security, Risk Management, Healthcare IT, AI, and Operations/Moo and Chew), two annual conferences (Spring Virtual and Fall in-person), and a comprehensive library of free EDI, Privacy & Security, Risk Toolkit, and AI Governance deliverable documents. The organization also provides HIPAA 101 educational webinars. These services collectively support Wisconsin healthcare organizations in achieving and maintaining HIPAA compliance through peer collaboration, expert guidance, and practical template resources.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• HIPAA COW Networking Groups Six monthly peer networking groups covering Privacy, Security, Risk Management, Healthcare IT (HIT), Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Operations topics for HIPAA compliance professionals to share best practices, create deliverables, and discuss compliance challenges.
• 2026 Spring Virtual Conference Annual virtual HIPAA compliance conference delivering focused, practical insights on cybersecurity threats, emerging AI topics, and HIPAA Privacy and Security developments; held via Zoom through the Whova event app.
• 2026 Fall Conference Annual in-person HIPAA compliance conference held in Madison, Wisconsin at the Park Hotel, featuring expert sessions, attendee registration, and exhibitor/sponsor opportunities focused on regulatory and security challenges.
• HIPAA COW Risk Analysis & Risk Management Toolkit Comprehensive HIPAA risk assessment toolkit including Risk Assessment Template updated with NIST CSF v1.1, NIST Threat Overview, Network Diagram Example, Risk Definitions & Calculations, Risk Mitigation Activities, Risk Analysis Report Template, Risk Management Policy, OCR Phase 2 Audit Protocol, and NIST CSF HIPAA COW Crosswalk documents.
• Privacy & Security Deliverables Extensive library of sample policies, procedures, position statements, whitepapers, and template documents covering HIPAA Privacy and Security Rule requirements including Access to PHI, Business Associates, Breach Notification, Contingency Planning, Data Management, Encryption, and Training.
• EDI Deliverables Resources related to Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) standards in healthcare, including ICD-10 testing presentations and materials for healthcare IT professionals handling EDI transactions.
• AI Governance Policy AI Governance Policy deliverable providing guidance on artificial intelligence use within HIPAA compliance frameworks, addressing governance models and risk management for AI adoption by covered entities and business associates.
• HIPAA 101 Education Foundational educational webinars and presentation materials covering HIPAA basics, Business Associate agreements, Risk Assessment, Security, and Privacy topics, with recordings available on Vimeo and downloadable slide decks.

Quantifiable outcome

• 293 registered attendees for Security Networking Group events demonstrating strong community engagement

Named customers9 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core, secondary and minor.

• Quarles (Gold Sponsor)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerGold sponsor of HIPAA COW annual sponsorship program. Quarles is a law firm providing legal services to healthcare organizations. Their sponsorship provides brand visibility at conferences and events.
• Hall Render Killian Heath & Lyman (Gold Sponsor)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerGold sponsor specializing in healthcare law. Their sponsorship supports HIPAA COW's mission while gaining visibility among compliance professionals.
• McCarty Law LLP (Gold Sponsor)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerGold sponsor providing legal services. Sponsorship supports organizational operations and provides sponsor branding opportunities.
• Moxe Health (Gold Sponsor)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerGold sponsor providing healthcare technology solutions. Their sponsorship aligns with HIPAA COW's focus on healthcare IT compliance.
• Navitus (Silver Sponsor)secondaryGTM or Marketing PartnerSilver sponsor providing pharmacy benefit management services. Their sponsorship provides brand visibility at HIPAA COW events.
• Husch Blackwell (Silver Sponsor)secondaryGTM or Marketing PartnerSilver sponsor specializing in healthcare and technology law. Their sponsorship supports HIPAA COW while connecting with compliance professionals.
• Reinhart Attorneys at Law (Bronze Sponsor)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerBronze sponsor providing legal services to healthcare organizations.
• Boerner Consulting LLC (Bronze Sponsor)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerBronze sponsor providing healthcare consulting services.
• Von Briesen & Roper SC (Bronze Sponsor)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerBronze sponsor providing legal services in Wisconsin. Their sponsorship aligns with HIPAA COW's regional Wisconsin focus.
• Maryland Health Care CommissionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative effort with Maryland's state health information organization for cross-state HIPAA compliance knowledge sharing.
• Massachusetts Health Data ConsortiumminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative relationship with Massachusetts health data organization for HIPAA compliance resource sharing across states.
• North Carolina Healthcare and Information Alliance, Inc. (NCHICA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partnership with North Carolina healthcare information alliance for shared learning and best practices exchange.
• Utah Health Information Network (UHIN)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partnership with Utah health information network for cross-state compliance collaboration.
• Wild ApricotcoreTechnology or IntegrationMembership management software platform powering HIPAA COW's website, member communications, event registration, and member portal functionality.
• WhovacoreTechnology or IntegrationEvent management app platform used for Spring Virtual Conference accessibility, including agenda management, networking features, and session handouts delivery.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• HITRUST: Non-profit that develops and maintains the HITRUST CSF and offers assurance/certification programs. Comparable to HIPAA COW on the risk-management content side, but with a more formalized certification and commercial ecosystem.
• CHIME (College of Healthcare Information Management Executives): Non-profit executive membership organization for healthcare IT leaders. Comparable to HIPAA COW on the HIT networking group side, but focused on CIO/CTO-level audiences rather than the broader compliance community.

Direct peers

• AHIMA (American Health Information Management Association): National non-profit professional association serving health information management, privacy, and compliance professionals. Comparable to HIPAA COW as a membership/community body delivering education, certifications, and resources — but at national scale rather than Wisconsin-focused.
• IAPP (International Association of Privacy Professionals): Largest global non-profit for privacy professionals, offering certifications (CIPP), conferences, and policy resources. Comparable to HIPAA COW in mission (privacy community-building) and structure (membership + conferences), though broader than HIPAA-only.
• WEDI (Workgroup for Electronic Data Interchange): Non-profit focused on EDI standards and health information exchange — directly aligned with HIPAA COW's EDI deliverables track and covered-entity/Business Associate audience.
• NCHICA (North Carolina Healthcare and Information Alliance): A HIPAA COW cross-state collaboration partner; operates as a state-level non-profit collaborative for healthcare information and compliance — a direct functional twin of HIPAA COW in a different geography.
• HIMSS (Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society): Global non-profit focused on healthcare IT, interoperability, and digital health transformation. Comparable because it serves the same healthcare IT/compliance persona as HIPAA COW, runs major conferences, and produces educational content around HIPAA-adjacent topics.
• HCCA (Health Care Compliance Association): Non-profit membership organization for healthcare compliance professionals offering networking, conferences, and education. The closest functional peer to HIPAA COW — same audience of privacy/security/risk officers, similar event- and community-driven model.

Emerging players

• DirectTrust: Non-profit industry alliance supporting trusted digital health information exchange, with HIPAA-aligned policy and identity programs. Comparable as a healthcare compliance standards community, though more focused on identity/trust frameworks.

Regional players

• Utah Health Information Network (UHIN): HIPAA COW's cross-state collaboration partner in Utah; a state-level health information network with HIPAA-focused community work — same mission, different region.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about HIPAA COW