MBA in Entrepreneurial Management

Students pursuing a career specialization in Entrepreneurial Management develop a broad range of skills crucial for success in the field of entrepreneurship. Our graduates start new ventures, join management-consulting companies (or other professional firms providing services or funding to emerging ventures) or assume leadership roles in small businesses or entrepreneurial divisions of large enterprises.

As a student in Entrepreneurial Management, you will receive a strong, real-world focus on venture initiation, planning and management. In addition, in your second year, as part of the Weinert Applied Ventures in Entrepreneurship (WAVE) two-semester course (see opposite), you will have the opportunity to work with area firms, the UW-Madison technology transfer office and gain insights from business owners, venture capitalists, lawyers and others. You may even receive a portion of the Center’s venture capital fund as an investment in your own venture.

The quality of the Entrepreneurial Management program is increasingly recognized. Our students and faculty have earned national attention from publications including Business Week, Inc. magazine, The Financial Times and Entrepreneur magazine.

Alumni Success

Jessica Peters-Michaud and Neil Peters-Michaud, MBA 1999 Cascade Asset Management, Madison, Wis.

While a student, Neil Peters-Michaud, developed a business with seed money from the t Ventures Fund. Cascade Asset Management has since grown into a company with more than 55 employees and is a nationally recognized leader in the safe disposal of electronics, such as computers and monitors. Neil and his wife, Jessica Peters-Michaud, co-own the Madison-based firm. They announced in 2005 that they would give $20,000 annually for five years to support a graduate student in the entrepreneurship program to express appreciation for the entrepreneurial program provided by the Wisconsin MBA.

Winning Ways

Our students have either won or placed very highly in a variety of national MBA student competitions, including business plan and venture capital investment competitions. These competitions opened new horizons and provided additional entrepreneurial opportunities for students who participated.

Starting a New Business

The Weinert Applied Ventures in Entrepreneurship (WAVE) course is for second-year students and provides them with a year-long applied practicum in starting and growing entrepreneurial businesses. The practicum involves a weekly seminar, hands-on work with start-up businesses and interaction with local and national experts on a variety of topics important to the education of aspiring entrepreneurs. Students also use the WAVE program as a platform to launch their own ventures. The Weinert Ventures Fund is available to make equity investments in promising student start-ups. Several successful student ventures supported by Weinert Ventures Funds have been launched from the program.

The WAVE & Weinert Center Advisory Boards

The program is supported by outstanding advisory boards, consisting of venture capitalists, bankers, founders, legal professionals, scientists, consultants and others. These business leaders help give overall direction to the program and also provide extensive coaching and mentoring of students.

WAVE Advisory Board
Laura Benson - Promega
Joe Boucher - Neider & Boucher, S.C., Founder & Partner
Scott Braucht - Scott Braucht Associates, Founder & President
Jan Eddy - Wingra Technologies, Inc., Founder
John Komives - Lakeshore Group, Ltd., Founder
Greg Lynch - Michael Best & Friedrich, LLP, Partner
Mike Mathews - Ruedebusch Development & Construction
John Neis - Venture Investors of Wisconsin, Inc.,
Managing Director
Bruce Neviaser - The Great Lakes Companies, Inc.,
Chairman & Founder
Dan Nichols - Anchor Bank, S.S.B., Exec. VP
Chuck Oehler - The Oehler Group, President
Neil Peters-Michaud - Cascade Asset Management,
Founder & CEO
Paul Reckwerdt - TomoTherapy, Founder & President
Terry Sivesend - Poseiden Probes and Wisconsin Investment Partners,
Pete Zaballos - Frazier Technology Ventures, Vice President

Weinert Center Advisory Board
Laurie Benson - Inacom, CEO
Chris Hornung - Next Testing, President
Steve Jacobson - Fairway Independent Mortgage Co., President
Aaron Kennedy - Noodles & Company, President & CEO
Jack Lavin - Arrow Financial Services, CEO & President
Tom Pyle, The Pyle Group, Chairman
Irwin Smith, Nakoma Capital Management, Senior Managing Director
Michael Smith, Bag Borrow or Steal, President and CEO
Neil Thall - Aldata Solution, Inc., CEO
David Walsh – Foley & Lardner, Partner

Typical Job Titles of Our Recent Graduates

Founder
CEO
CFO
General Manager
Business Development
Partner
Venture Capitalist
Consultant