Abodo, wrote a guest article for VentureBeat about building a startup in Wisconsin. He cites the state’s public research universities, including UW-Madison, as one strength of the entrepreneurial ecosystem here. However, he says it can be challenging to recruit seasoned executives, and that the state’s highly partisan political climate could have the effect of “discouraging top tech talent and investors from moving [to Wisconsin] to do business.”
—Swallow Solutions, a startup that develops therapeutic devices and other products for people with swallowing disorders, raised more than $726,000 from investors. The Madison-based company plans to use some of the money to continue developing thickened beverages for patients with the dysphagia, a difficulty swallowing often caused by weak mouth and throat muscles, said Swallow Solutions CEO Eric Horler.
—An executive at Madison-based Propeller Health, which develops Internet-connected inhalers to help healthcare providers care for patients with respiratory diseases, reflected on the 10 years the company has been in business at an industry conference in Boston this week. Greg Tracy, co-founder and chief technology officer of Propeller Health, said he and others at the company learned the importance of focusing on “health outcomes that you’re chasing, as opposed to just trying to push or sell technology for technology’s sake,” as reported by the healthtech trade publication MobiHealthNews. Another key takeaway was making sure that patients who started using Propeller Health’s digital platform didn’t feel as if a burden had been added to their lives, Tracy said.
—Shares in Menomonee Falls-based EnSync, a manufacturer of renewable energy storage and power control products, fell more than 37 percent on Thursday after the company announced a public stock offering. EnSync (NYSE: [[ticker:ESNC]]) said it plans to raise up to $2.9 million through the offering, which is expected to close by early next week.
