Wisconsin Venture Innovation Challenge (WVIC)
Objective
Help interdisciplinary student and recent-alumni teams transform innovative ideas into viable ventures through market validation, prototype development, financial modelling and investor pitching, supported by workshops and mentors.
Description
What is WVIC?
The Wisconsin Venture Innovation Challenge (WVIC) is a multi-week, cross-disciplinary innovation competition co-hosted by student organizations at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. It combines the rigor of a case competition, the creativity of a startup pitch, and the intensity of a hackathon -- culminating in a live Demo Day judged by venture capitalists, alumni founders, and corporate innovation leaders.
You don't need a company or an engineer to enter. Teams of two or more -- led by at least one current UW-Madison student or alum who graduated within the last 2 years -- build a venture from idea to investor pitch, with virtual workshops and mentor support at every milestone. A technical prototype is required -- and GenAI and vibe coding are explicitly welcome.
Led by the Entrepreneurship Association · Wisconsin School of Business
How the challenge runs
Six weeks from kickoff to Demo Day. Virtual workshops support every phase, and a milestone is due at the end of each one.
Who can participate?
Any team with at least one UW-Madison student -- current undergraduate or graduate students, or alumni who graduated within the last 2 years -- from any school or major. Other team members don't need to be UW-Madison students. No startup, technical background, or prior experience is required.
How do teams work?
Teams need at least two members (founders or management team members), and at least one must be a current UW-Madison student or have graduated from UW-Madison within the last 2 years. Cross-functional teams that mix business, technical, design, and domain skills are encouraged. Don't have a team? Come to the kickoff on Monday, October 12, 5-7 pm in Room 2339, Grainger Hall, and meet teammates during founder speed networking.
Do I need a technical co-founder?
No. A technical or scientific prototype is required, but GenAI tools and vibe coding are explicitly welcome, and the Prototype & Analytics workshops will walk you through it.
How much time will it take?
The challenge runs about six weeks, from October 12 to December 4, with virtual workshops (30-60 minutes) during each phase and a milestone submission every two weeks.
Grand prize: An all expenses paid trip to San Francisco with curated meetings with venture capital firms, startup accelerators and Wisconsin alumni in technology, plus potential fast-track consideration for accelerators.
Second place: A cash prize to support venture development, amount not announced.
Third place: An advisory package and sponsored software credits/innovation grant, value and exact package not announced.
October 19, 2026
Private
Business School
Entrepreneurship
innovation
Networking
Strategy
Technology
hello@wisconsin.ventures
University Of Wisconsin Madison
Wisconsin School of Business
An all expenses paid trip to San Francisco with curated meetings with venture capital firms, startup accelerators and Wisconsin alumni in technology.