they saw promising technologies that could be useful for their companies or for their partners. WERCBench could also be a talent pipeline for those larger companies, Anthony added.
When WERCBench received a $350,000 grant in May from the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp., the stated plan was to hold a summer and a fall session this year that would work with up to 15 startups total. That proposal has shifted, and WERCBench likely won’t hold another 12-week startup program until some time next year, Anthony said.
WERCBench plans to hold other support programs this year targeting more advanced companies, Anthony said. The details will be announced in the coming weeks, he added.
Ultimately, Anthony views WERCBench as a way to help boost Milwaukee’s “engineering maker community”—which he described as “fragmented”—and to encourage innovation.
“We need to get young people and entrepreneurs focused on wanting to stay in Milwaukee, stay in Wisconsin, and be part of the engineering maker community and building on our strong manufacturing roots here,” he said.
