gener8tor and the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay welcome the inaugural UW-Green Bay Pre-Accelerator Cohort
Green Bay, WI – The University of Wisconsin-Green Bay in partnership with gener8tor announced the five startups selected for the inaugural cohort of the UW-Green Bay Pre-Accelerator, a no-equity startup accelerator supporting early-stage founders in Brown County and the greater Northeast Wisconsin region. The cohort was selected from a competitive pool of applicants, with only five companies earning a place in the program.
UW-Green Bay Pre-Accelerator is a free, seven-week, no-equity accelerator program that provides startup founders with intensive concierge coaching and access to its national network of mentors, customers, corporate partners and investors. The programs are designed to set a path for startups to participate in equity-based accelerator programs and pursue investment opportunities.
The pre-accelerator was launched to expand access to entrepreneurial resources in Brown County by connecting founders with individualized coaching, mentors, and investor networks through gener8tor’s nationally ranked platform.
“UW-Green Bay’s collaboration with gener8tor and the opportunities it creates for entrepreneurs across Northeast Wisconsin is incredibly exciting,” said UW-Green Bay Chancellor Mike Alexander. “By supporting founders to grow locally-owned businesses and bring ideas and energy to our students and the community, we are driving economic growth throughout the region.”
The program, which kicked off in November, focuses on early-stage companies working across a variety of industries, including web-based applications, SAAS products, and healthtech. The companies selected for the program are Copacati, MyVendue, PhoenixAid, SecAsset and TEST MEKA. Additional details about each of the companies is available below.
“Entrepreneurship is one of the most powerful drivers of regional growth, and this inaugural cohort reflects the energy and potential of innovators across Northeast Wisconsin. UW-Green Bay is proud to partner with gener8tor to ensure founders have access to the resources, networks, and support they need to launch and scale successful companies,” said Alan Peters, Economic Development Executive at UW-Green Bay and Brown County. “This program strengthens our campus and our community, and we’re excited to see the impact these startups will make.”
gener8tor helped UW-Green Bay recruit applicants for the inaugural program.
“gener8tor’s impact in a community is significant, especially alongside a strong partner as UW-Green Bay” said Vanessa Huerta, gBETA VP and gener8tor Partner. “Through this partnership, local founders will receive tailored mentoring and coaching to sharpen their ideas, strengthen their business models, and accelerate their growth.”
When they complete the program, founders will pitch to the public in January during an upcoming showcase. Details on that event will be released soon.
“I’m excited to launch this first cohort and work with founders who are already building real momentum. Our goal is to support Brown County entrepreneurs and help them take the next step,” said Emma Snyder, Program Manager for the UW-Green Bay Pre-Accelerator. “Our goal is to help them grow faster, connect deeper, and feel empowered throughout the entrepreneurial journey.”
Startup companies and founders interested in learning more about UW-Green Bay Pre-Accelerator programming and resources or applying to a future program are encouraged to visit the website.
About gener8tor
gener8tor is a global venture firm and accelerator network that supports startups, workers, employers, artists and musicians across race, place and gender. gener8tor partners with companies, governments, universities and nonprofits to operate accelerator programs and conferences in more than 45 communities across 25 states and territories and three countries. Fast Company named gener8tor one of the Best Workplaces for Innovators in 2021 and 2022. The International Trade Council recognized gener8tor as the Global Venture Capital Firm of the Year in 2022. The UW-Green Bay Pre-Accelerator follows gener8tor’s gBETA curriculum. gBETA is a non-equity accelerator that facilitates the growth of early-stage companies through a network-driven program. This accelerator supports five startups per cohort and requires no fees for startups and takes no equity. Since launching in 2015, gBETA accelerator alumni have raised $940M+ in capital and created 6,500+ jobs across the U.S. and Canada.
About UW-Green Bay
The University of Wisconsin-Green Bay is a school of resilient problem solvers who dare to reach higher with the power of education that ignites growth and answers the biggest challenges. Serving 11,519 undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral students as well as 101,000 continuing education learners annually, UW-Green Bay offers 200 academic degrees, programs, and certificates. With campuses in Green Bay, Manitowoc and Sheboygan, and a theatre in Marinette, the University’s access mission welcomes all students who want to learn, from every corner of the world. Championing bold thinking since opening its doors in 1965, it is a university on the rise – Wisconsin’s fastest growing UW. For more information, visit www.uwgb.edu.
Copacati helps organizations turn scattered data into answers they can trust. Copacati serves mid-sized businesses that use it to bring information from different systems together and ask real questions in one place. Copacati launched and is building early connections with partners and target customers.
Michael Moran | |Mike@copacati.ai | copacati.ai
MyVendue, creates a B2B marketplace where Buyers post service needs and Sellers competitively bid to win the work. Buyers get the best price, Sellers gain new opportunities, and both save time and money. MyVendue is onboarding Early Adopters to validate product-market fit and activate initial marketplace activity. Early customer conversations show strong buyer and seller interest in the platform.
Rich Thomson Jr. | MyVendue@protonmail.com | MyVendue.com
Phoenix-Aid has developed a nanocomposite wound dressing for people with diabetic foot ulcers and other forms of chronic wounds. Our dressing is able to Accelerate Healing, Block Infections and Comfort the Patient and Wound. We are primarily targeting underserved markets, with a launch in India and America planned for next year. Phoenix Aid is currently undergoing animal studies in Madison, and preparing for a clinical trial in India.
Ashwin Karthikeyan | ashwin@phoenixaid.bio | https://www.phoenixaid.bio
SecAsset, an anti-fraud platform for small and mid-sized businesses, ensures company funds never move without proper approval—helping owners detect and prevent financial misuse before it becomes a crisis. Teams gain real-time visibility into financial activity, while automated alerts flag irregular transactions and strengthen trust between owners, managers, and employees. Early validation from CPAs, business owners, and cybersecurity experts confirms SecAsset tackles a critical, unmet pre-release fraud gap, with beta users praising its intuitive, user-friendly design.
Malcolm Broadnax | Hello@secasset.com | https://secasset.io
TEST MEKA automates the entire testing lifecycle, generating autonomous tests that evolve alongside your product. By simply connecting your site, you eliminate maintenance overhead without writing a single line of code. With TEST MEKA, go live fearlessly. Having successfully wrapped our beta version of TEST MEKA, we are currently securing IP protection as a final step before scaling and opening a pre-seed funding round in Q1 2027.
Kenneth Webb | kenneth.webb@testmeka.com | https://www.testmeka.com
