Universities of Wisconsin Office of Business & Entrepreneurship

What Universities of Wisconsin Office of Business & Entrepreneurship does

The Universities of Wisconsin Office of Business & Entrepreneurship (OBE) is a non-profit governmental unit within the Universities of Wisconsin system, founded in 1979 to deliver educational programs and no-cost confidential consulting services to Wisconsin-based small business owners and entrepreneurs. OBE is overseen by the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System and is not venture-backed, privately held, or publicly traded. The organization operates through four core business units—the Center for Technology Commercialization (CTC), Food Finance Institute (FFI), Small Business Development Center (SBDC) network, and YourEconomy—supported by regional SBDC centers embedded at University of Wisconsin campuses in Madison, Oshkosh, Milwaukee, River Falls, La Crosse, and Stevens Point, providing service coverage across all 72 Wisconsin counties.

OBE delivers its offerings through a portfolio of specialized initiatives: the Small Business AI Center (SBAIC) for AI adoption support, the Main Street Bounceback Technical Assistance Program, the Digital Marketing Clinic (DMC), the SSBCI Technical Assistance Center for very small and disadvantaged businesses, the Capital Readiness Program for Women Entrepreneurs, Small Business Clinics, SBIR Advance matching grants, and the SBIR Labs program. All consulting, training, and technical assistance services are provided at no cost to eligible Wisconsin businesses; programs such as SBIR Advance are the exception, providing matching funds for technology commercialization. The organization does not develop proprietary technology products but functions as a consulting and technical assistance platform that leverages university resources including faculty expertise and trained student consultants certified in SEO, analytics, and AI tool usage.

Operating funding is sourced from state appropriations through the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC), federal pass-through funding from the U.S. Treasury under the SSBCI program, and federal grants including up to $1 million over 5 years from the SBA's Federal and State Technology (FAST) Partnership Program. Reported cumulative client outcomes since 2020 include 4,260 jobs created and retained, 870 new businesses started, and $557 million in client capital obtained and invested. Geographic scope is explicitly restricted to Wisconsin-based businesses, and the organization is led by Executive Director Bon Wikenheiser.

Name

Universities of Wisconsin Office of Business & Entrepreneurship

Legal name

Board of Regents - University of Wisconsin System

Website

https://business.wisconsin.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1979

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Universities of Wisconsin Office of Business & Entrepreneurship provides no-cost consulting, training, and technical assistance to Wisconsin small business owners through a statewide SBDC network and specialized programs covering technology commercialization, food and farm finance, digital marketing, AI adoption, and capital readiness.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Small Business Consulting and Economic Development Services

NAICS

Business and Secretarial Schools (611410), Management Consulting Services (54161), Other Management Consulting Services (541618), Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services (54)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Entrepreneurship Foundations & Startup Basics (EDAMAHAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Entrepreneurship & Small Business Workforce Programs (EDAAAOAM), Small Business & Entrepreneurship Community Education (EDAAAFAK), Financial Literacy, Budgeting & Personal Finance (EDAMAHAE), Leadership, Management & Teamwork for Business (EDAMAHAI), Marketing, Branding & Sales Skills (EDAMAHAG)

Keywords

• Small business consulting
• Entrepreneurship education
• SBIR commercialization support
• Economic development programs
• Small business advisory services

Headquarters

HQ city

Madison, Wisconsin

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. State Funding - Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC): Primary state funding through partnership with WEDC, which administers SSBCI and other state economic development programs. OBE receives support to provide technical assistance, training, and programs to Wisconsin small businesses.
2. Federal Funding - U.S. Treasury SSBCI: SSBCI is funded by the U.S. Treasury through WEDC, providing no-cost technical assistance to very small and socially/economically disadvantaged businesses seeking access to capital.
3. Federal SBA FAST Grant: Center for Technology Commercialization received up to $1 million over 5 years from U.S. Small Business Administration's Federal and State Technology (FAST) Partnership Program for SBIR Labs program.
4. Universities of Wisconsin System Support: Core operational support from the Universities of Wisconsin system, including staffing, facilities, and administrative infrastructure through UW-Madison and other UW campuses.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Office of Business & Entrepreneurship provides no-cost, confidential consulting, educational programs, training events, and grant facilitation services for Wisconsin-based small business owners and entrepreneurs. Its portfolio is organized around four core business units (SBDC, CTC, FFI, YourEconomy) and specialized programs covering AI adoption, digital marketing, capital readiness, technology commercialization, and food business finance.

Product overview

The Office of Business & Entrepreneurship (OBE) is a business assistance network providing educational programs and no-cost, confidential consulting services for Wisconsin small business owners and entrepreneurs. The portfolio consists of four core business units: the Center for Technology Commercialization (CTC), Food Finance Institute (FFI), Small Business Development Center (SBDC), and YourEconomy. OBE also operates multiple specialized initiatives including the Small Business AI Center (SBAIC) providing AI education and implementation support, the Main Street Bounceback Technical Assistance Program offering business training and consulting, the Digital Marketing Clinic for digital marketing assistance, the SSBCI Technical Assistance Center for capital readiness support, and the Capital Readiness Program for Women Entrepreneurs. Additional offerings include Small Business Clinics (one-day workshop events) and SBIR Advance Matching Grants for technology commercialization. The programs work collaboratively to provide comprehensive, often no-cost support across all stages of business development.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Small Business AI Center (SBAIC): Provides no-cost AI education, tools guidance, and implementation support to Wisconsin small businesses
• Main Street Bounceback Technical Assistance
• Capital Readiness Program (CRP)
• Digital Marketing Clinic
• SSBCI Technical Assistance Center

Products and services

• Small Business Development Center (SBDC)
• Center for Technology Commercialization (CTC)
• Food Finance Institute (FFI)
• YourEconomy
• Small Business AI Center (SBAIC)
• Main Street Bounceback Technical Assistance Program
• Digital Marketing Clinic (DMC)
• SSBCI Technical Assistance Center
• Capital Readiness Program for Women Entrepreneurs (CRP)
• Small Business Clinics
• SBIR Advance Matching Grant
• SBIR Labs
• University of Wisconsin Oshkosh

Quantifiable outcome

• 4,260 jobs created and retained since 2020
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability5 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• UW-Madison Law & Entrepreneurship CliniccoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerProvides one-on-one education and advising on legal matters for SSBCI program participants. If a legal need is identified through SSBCI intake, direct referrals are made to the clinic. Services include business formation, contracts, investor documents, and ESOPs.
• Universities of Wisconsin SystemcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOBE is a proud part of the Universities of Wisconsin (Board of Regents - University of Wisconsin System). The organization leverages UW campuses including Oshkosh, Milwaukee, River Falls, La Crosse, Stevens Point, and Platteville for program delivery through SBDC centers and specialized initiatives.
• University of Wisconsin OshkoshcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUW Oshkosh operates in affiliation with OBE's Small Business AI Center (SBAIC) and Digital Marketing Clinic (DMC), providing student consultants and faculty expertise for AI and digital marketing support programs.
• University of Wisconsin MilwaukeecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUW Milwaukee operates in affiliation with OBE's Digital Marketing Clinic (DMC), providing student consultants and faculty expertise for digital marketing support programs serving Wisconsin small businesses.
• University of Wisconsin River FallscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUW River Falls operates in affiliation with OBE's Small Business AI Center (SBAIC), providing student AI consultants and university resources for AI support programs.
• Wisconsin Women’s Business Initiative Corporation (WWBIC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Connecting Entrepreneurial Communities Conference and other economic development initiatives. WWBIC assists diverse populations including Latina entrepreneurs through collaborative programming.
• Waukesha County Technical CollegeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost venue for Small Business Clinic events. Partners with OBE to provide accessible location for small business training and consulting services in the Waukesha area.
• Wisconsin Indigenous Housing & Economic Development Corporation (WIHEDC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Small Business Clinic events, providing welcome address and connecting indigenous entrepreneurs with OBE resources and programs.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• America's SBDC Network: The national association that links every state/territory SBDC; OBE operates the Wisconsin SBDC Network as part of this umbrella. Comparable because it represents the same SBDC model OBE delivers, just aggregated at a national level.
• Wisconsin Women's Business Initiative Corporation (WWBIC): Wisconsin-based peer organization providing capital, education, and technical assistance — especially to women and Latina entrepreneurs. Overlaps directly with OBE's Capital Readiness Program for Women and SSBCI TA Center, and the two partner on joint programming.
• SCORE: National nonprofit that provides free business mentoring, workshops, and resources to entrepreneurs — closely mirrors OBE's SBDC and Main Street Bounceback service model of free1:1 consulting and training for SMBs, though operating nationally.
• Small Business Majority: National small business advocacy and education organization that conducts research, runs entrepreneur education programs, and connects SMBs to resources — comparable mission and audience to OBE, though operating at national scale and with stronger policy advocacy.

Emerging players

• MassChallenge: Global accelerator offering no-equity startup support, mentorship, and programming — overlaps with OBE's startup-advisory functions (SBAIC, CTC) but serves a for-profit founder cohort via a competitive cohort model rather than open-access state-funded consulting.
• Main Street America: National downtown/district revitalization program whose 'Main Street' approach is the namesake inspiration for OBE's Main Street Bounceback Technical Assistance Program. Comparable as an adjacent ecosystem-builder serving small businesses in commercial corridors.

Broad incumbents

• Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA): Federal U.S. agency that partners with OBE on the Capital Readiness Program for Women and provides capital-access support to underserved entrepreneurs. Comparable as a federally funded small business assistance entity, though operating nationally and through different delivery partners.
• Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation: Major national philanthropy focused on entrepreneurship education, research, and ecosystem-building — comparable mission of advancing small business and entrepreneurship, though it operates as a grantmaker and research institution rather than a direct service provider like OBE.

Regional players

• Michigan Small Business Development Center: A peer state SBDC network in Michigan with near-identical service structure (free consulting, training events, technology commercialization support) — directly comparable as a regional peer to Wisconsin's SBDC network within OBE.
• Illinois SBDC / Illinois Business Consulting: Illinois state SBDC network offering no-cost advising and training to small businesses, including tech commercialization — mirrors Wisconsin OBE's structure but serves a different (neighboring) state.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/UWisconsinBiz
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCl3KvY7b03_r6ESfvcdSFfQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/uwisconsinbiz
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/uwisconsinbiz

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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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 Universities of Wisconsin Office of Business & Entrepreneurship