Find My Spot

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96square has launched.

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Dear friends, The Startup Milwaukee team is excited to announce the launch of 96square, a co-working space for high-growth startup companies in Southeastern Wisconsin. Located in the historic Blatz Wash House, 96square provides entrepreneurs with access to affordable  scalable office space; mentorship; potential investors; talent and a community of like-minded entrepreneurs.

96square is a game changer for Milwaukee's community of innovative entrepreneurs. As research shows, the startups are responsible for all net new job creation--and we all know Milwaukee and Wisconsin desperately need more jobs. At Startup Milwaukee we are happy to step forward and provide a place where entrepreneurs, talent and capital can collide and accelerate the growth of Milwaukee's top startup companies.

We are excited to have great companies such as Alithias, Find My Spot, Onkol, Rent College Pads, SAR32 Technologies, UCAP, LLC, Voxelmetric, Wisconsin Super Angel Fund and more already located at 96square.

The meaning of 96square goes beyond having a "cool name." The city of Milwaukee is approximately 96 square miles, and 96square will be the epicenter of entrepreneurship and innovation in our great city.

Are you a startup, designer, developer or engineer looking for affordable dedicated desk or private office space for your team? Learn more and apply for 96square membership at 96square.org. Memberships start at just $110/month.

Your first chance to check out 96square is this Thursday, October 24 at our Capital Connections event featuring CSA Partners and Scanalytics. RSVP to reserve your free tickets: https://www.eventbrite.com/event/8508341679

Thanks to the many people who have made this endeavor possible: Ronnie Reum of SAR32 Technologies, Heather Johnston of Find My Spot, Marvin Bynum of Godfrey & Kahn and many more.

See you at 96square!

Matthew J. Cordio, Executive Chairman Alicia Boknevitz, President Tim Grove, Corporate Secretary Joe Poeschl, Treasurer Michael Anderson, Community Outreach Director

Startup Milwaukeean of the Week: Heather Johnston

hjohnstAs an engineer, Heather Johnston relocated with a major Milwaukee corporation three times in five years and quickly realized relocation focuses on home owners—leaving both the employer (who pays for the service) and the renter very frustrated. Driving through unfamiliar neighborhoods and talking to strangers at Starbucks isn’t the optimal way to find a new living space. Johnston is now the Founder & CEO of Find My Spot, a startup that uses technology to simplify relocation for renters. It’s an innovative online relocation service, matching renters with a perfect place to call home. Using a proprietary algorithm, Find My Spot targets apartments based on a renter’s preferences and offers custom relocation packages to employers in Milwaukee and direct-to-renter services.

At what point did you become interested in entrepreneurship? I’ve always been interested in creating new things and bringing ideas to life (hence the engineering background). I became extremely interested in entrepreneurship within the last five years.

What has been the biggest difficulty you’ve faced as an entrepreneur? A strong network is key to success. Finding supporters, advocates and mentors that you can help and who can help you has been critical.

What makes Milwaukee a unique place to start a company? Milwaukee is a small but very internally connected city. There is a strong support network of helpful and genuinely caring people who want startups to succeed. Everyone seems to be one connection away from someone who truly wants to see the economy benefit from young companies with new ideas.

What piece of advice do you have for new startup companies? Prepare, set difficult but achievable goals and then EXECUTE. A startup is a hobby until you make revenue, then it becomes a business. Reaching this milestone is hard work and the level of commitment, reading, networking and education needed to accomplish your goals should not be underestimated. You can do it!

If given the opportunity to take a monthlong vacation anywhere in the world, where would you go any why? Machu Picchu and the Galapagos Islands. Vacation destinations that expand/change one’s view of the world are remarkable.

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