The culture in FOR-M positions founders to form a meaningful community. I remain in close contact with my FOR-M cohort, exchanging ideas, supporting each other’s progress, and collaborating on real work. That ongoing engagement makes contributing to Milwaukee’s tech community feel substantive and energizing.

When a founder can be part of a community of support, the likelihood for success is so much greater. That’s what makes FOR-M and MKE Tech Hub exceptional. They truly put thier time, experience, money, and guidance in the hands of the community of MKE founders where it is needed most. 

I was drawn to FUSE because of the community and focus on making the tech field in Milwaukee and beyond more equitable. It felt like a great matching of values and technical skills.

The Synapse workshop completely changed how I approach AI decisions for our company…The workshop took the pressure off making hurried AI investments and positioned me to make thoughtful, strategic decisions about technology that align with our business goals.

As a founding company, Northwestern Mutual understands that in order to build a growing, diverse and inclusive tech ecosystem, it takes a community of partnerships sharing their resources. And since its inception in 2019, the MKE Tech Coalition has grown in membership, offers targeted programming and is strengthening the reputation of Milwaukee as a tech hub.

Founders Day creates a rare balance between relaxed networking and the real work we’re all juggling, and I appreciate the way Ward4 flexes their space to invite this community in. I’ve shared my expertise in branding and marketing through mentoring other founders, and I’ve met select founders that have turned into business relationships.

We want people in our communities to see a real, accessible path to a great career. Programs such as FUSE provide local support, training, and opportunities that help turn that vision into reality.

Supporting the MKE Tech Hub and its AI Community means fostering a local ecosystem where enterprise excellence and grassroots talent converge to define the ‘AI-native’ future. Through this partnership, our goal is for aspiring local technologists to not just learn tools but also be mentored within a high-growth network that drives innovation and jobs in Milwaukee. Together, we are building the connective tissue between today’s industry-leading AI deployments and the next generation of digital pioneers.