The recently-launched Varsity Venture Studio is a pilot program and collaboration among UW-Madison, WARF and High Alpha Innovation. This university-wide venture studio received over 150 idea submissions from across campus this fall, and 18 ideas were prioritized to move forward into the Exploration Phase (through Feb/March). Varsity is meeting with each team to refine and develop these ideas as well as test critical assumptions around desirability, feasibility and viability of potential technical and business models. This exploration will lead to 4-5 ideas participating in a Launch Week (week of April 19th), where teams will work with Varsity over 3.5 intensive days designing the best possible businesses. The goal of the program is to launch at least one new business at the end of that week. Ideas moving forward include those from undergraduate and graduate students, faculty, and staff. Departments include: Veterinary Medicine, Law School, Agronomy, Data Science, Engineering, School of Business, Radiology, Integrated Agriculture and more. The Varsity team has known that the breadth and depth of research and ideas happening on UW-Madison’s campus is impressive, and this program has given Varsity the opportunity to engage with innovators, labs, and centers in new ways and with many it doesn’t typically work with. The learning process continues for everyone involved, and the Varsity team is more excited with each advancing phase.
Learn more at the Varsity Venture Studio website.