Slow Money Wisconsin Showcase

2015 Showcase focuses on Wisconsin’s Local Food Businesses

(New businesses, New Investors and Funders  Invited)

Registration is now open for the 3rd annual 2015 Slow Money Wisconsin Business and Investors Showcase and Reception (This year taking the form of a Prepaypalooza), taking place in Madison on Thursday, April 30, and Friday, May 1.

Designed to match local investors with exciting, up-and-coming local food businesses, the Showcase will feature eight local food entrepreneurs who will have ten minutes each to present their business stories to attendees.   

Entrepreneurs were selected from 28 applicants to present at the Showcase on May 1.  This year’s reception will introduce a new event, the Prepaypalooza, which will feature businesses that offer pre-paid subscriptions for their food offerings. Both events will include previously featured business owners along with people who can help access traditional and nontraditional financing.  This year’s Showcase presenters will feature several exciting new food businesses owned by woman.

The Showcase and the PrePayPalooza reception is organized by Slow Money Wisconsin, a volunteer organization whose purpose is to support community-centered investment in resilient and healthful food systems.  Sponsors of the event include Kailo Fund, MG&E, MadRep, Badgerland Financial, Wisconsin Women’s Business Initiative Corporation, Milwaukee FAB, Boardman and Clark, Town and Country RC&D, UW-Extension, Cedar Grove Cheese, Underground Food Collective, and Tory Miller of L’etoile, Graze and Suejo.

Tera Johnson, founder of Tera’s Whey, Slow Money Wisconsin President,  and director of the Food and Finance Institute at UW-Extension, and Jim Gage, president of Town and Country RC&D, Slow Money Wisconsin board member, and former director of the Wisconsin Dairy Business Innovation Center, will be hosting the showcase.

The goal of the reception and showcase is to open a space for entrepreneurs and investors to create a community of local investment in food.  Businesses will have a chance to showcase their products and visions for the future with attendees and investors and funders can access opportunities that fit their needs.

Local food is highlighted throughout the event, which is open to the public. Registration information can be found at www.slowmoneywisconsin.org.

The Prepaypalooza reception is being held Thursday evening, April 30 from 5:30pm – 8 pm in the Boardman and Clark Atrium, (1 S. Pinckney St., Capitol Square.) The Showcase will be Friday, May 1, from 9 am - 3 pm, Lussier Family Heritage Center, 3101 Lake Farm Road, Madison.