Milwaukee Venture Partners Launches New Angel Network

Milwaukee, WI – Five former Silicon Pastures Angel Investors partners have formed a new angel investment network to catalyze startup activity in Milwaukee and the Midwest.

Milwaukee Venture Partners (MVP) took the unique step for an angel network of incorporating as a non-profit. This will help MVP to achieve its mission of becoming involved in the community, as an educator, a collaborator and a catalyst.

“We want to coalesce leaders from our community who don’t yet know they want to be angel investors and encourage them to join our effort to build a stronger entrepreneurial ecosystem in our community,” said Karen Plunkett, a licensed architect and MVP’s Founding Managing Director.

The members of MVP plan to provide investment capital, strategic advice and mentoring to early-stage companies to help them achieve market leadership as well as promote Wisconsin/Midwest economic growth.

Along with Plunkett, MVP co-founders and board members are: Matt Friedel, who teaches technology at Marquette and UWM; Guy Mascari, Executive Director of the Tech Center at Milwaukee County Research Park; Jim Mathes, former COO of ReGenco; Peter Skanavis, President Home Owners Concept.

Each co-founder brings a wealth of expertise and experience in real estate, business, education, and investing.

“What’s really fun is that we ourselves, are a start-up and get to develop our own value proposition for Milwaukee Venture Partners – – -for our “new” members and for the entrepreneurial community” said Plunkett.

MVP is a follow on, or a restart, of Silicon Pastures.

“Silicon Pastures was known for its tech expertise and our group will continue to bring that expertise to Wisconsin’s tech and start up entrepreneurial ecosystem by leveraging our veteran members’ successful track records and expertise in emerging technologies including blockchain and Artificial intelligence AI,” Friedel said.

The group will hold its first dinner meeting on March 8th.  Members will have the option of  attending in person or virtually  Individuals who are interested in becoming members can visit https://www.milwaukeevp.com for membership and contact information.

“The best way to go about investing in early stage is via an angel group. The expertise of veteran angel members and the wisdom of the group as a whole play significant role in choosing the right companies/raises to participate in.” Skanavis said.

MVP will conduct webinars and face-to-face events that provide information about benefits of early-stage investing, how to successfully raise funds, and the power of a great angel network. Future events will be listed on MVP’s website.  Entrepreneurs interested in applying for funding and mentorship can visit https://www.milwaukeevp.com.

Teresa Esser, of Silicon Pastures will be a member of Milwaukee Venture Partners and has been active in the transition.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. It has not been verified for its accuracy or completeness.