Winning prizes is one major reason people enter contests, and the Wisconsin Governor’s Business Plan Contest is no exception to that general rule. In fact, about $2.9 million in cash and other prizes have been awarded since the contest launched in 2004.
The real prize, based on the track record of many entrepreneurial entrants over time, is the opportunity to launch a young company in a competitive setting that provides experience, exposure, and a chance to raise startup cash.
The deadline to enter the 2025 contest is 11:59 p.m. Jan. 31 at www.govsbizplancontest.com, a website that serves as a portal through four phases that culminate in June at the Wisconsin Entrepreneurs’ Conference in Madison. The contest is free to enter.
More on those phases later, but let’s first examine how some of the 4,800 entrants over time have capitalized on the process.