Entrepreneurship@CS
At UW–Madison, Computer Sciences is a launchpad for innovation. From turning cutting-edge research into real-world impact to launching startups that help define the future of technology, our students, faculty, and alumni don’t just imagine what’s possible—they build it. Through immersive courses, hands-on research, dedicated mentorship, and deep ties to campus and regional innovation ecosystems, the department equips computer scientist students to think boldly, collaborate broadly, and transform technical ingenuity into transformative solutions.
Courses
Entrepreneurship seminar, Fall 2026
CS 638/CS 900: Seminar on Tech Entrepreneurship
This is a seminar course organized as a series of talks and discussions by industry leaders and experts which explores the challenges, opportunities, and pathways to success in entrepreneurship.
We will have in-person talks/seminars throughout the semester each of which will be focused on different entrepreneurship topics. Seminars will include fireside chats with successful tech founders, talks by experts in entrepreneurship law, investor talks around approaches to fundraising and equity distribution, and many related topics that may appear complicated to the unexperienced.
While this can be very useful for those thinking about launching their own startup, or joining other early-stage ones, it is also highly useful to those planning to join existing large corporations, and even to those with future academic aspirations. Sessions are open to all UW students.
Lecture schedule:
Wednesday, September 30, 2026
5:30-6:45pm
Morgridge Hall, B2590
Fireside Chat with Benjamin Lengerich
Founder, Intelligible
Assistant Professor, UW–Madison
UW–Madison professor and founder of Intelligible, translating interpretable machine-learning research into trustworthy AI systems
Tuesday, October 13, 2026
5:30-7pm
Morgridge Hall, Hello World classroom 1570
Fireside Chat with Jacopo Tagliabue
Serial entrepreneur and technologist; co-founder of Bauplan and Tooso, former AI leader at Coveo, and NYU professor
Thursday, October 22, 2026
4-5pm
Morgridge Hall, 7th floor seminar room
Fireside chat with Rajiv Batra
UW–Madison CS alumnus and co-founder of Palo Alto Networks, with decades of experience building cybersecurity companies
Wednesday, November 4, 2026
5:30–6:45pm
Morgridge Hall, B2590
Talk by Jon Eckhardt
UW–Madison entrepreneurship professor, Special Advisor to the Chancellor for Entrepreneurship, and co-founder of gener8tor
Wednesday, November 11, 2026
5:30–6:45pm
Morgridge Hall, B2590
Fireside Chat with Katie Rice
Principal at WARF Ventures at the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation, supporting portfolio companies, investor relations, and venture building; WARF’s key contact for entrepreneurship partnerships with UW–Madison
Programs
CS NEST is a free, ten-week venture-creation workshop designed to help entrepreneurially minded students and technologists create high-growth startups. Get product ideas, mentorship and one-on-one coaching to develop a high-growth startup company. CS NEST is a program of a nationally ranked startup accelerator gener8tor in collaboration with the UW–Madison Computer Sciences department.
More information is available here.
UW–Madison Entrepreneurship Resources
UW–Madison provides resources across campus for people in all stages of entrepreneurship:
- Business School Entrepreneurship: https://business.wisc.edu/entrepreneurship/
- Office of Business Engagement Resources for Entrepreneurs: https://obe.wisc.edu/entrepreneurs/
- Weinert Center for Entrepreneurship: https://business.wisc.edu/centers/weinert/
- Wisconsin Entrepreneurship Hub: https://entrepreneurship.wisc.edu/
Past seminar, Spring 2026
COMPSCI900: Advanced Seminar in Computer Science
This seminar course explores entrepreneurship through a series of in-person talks and discussions with founders, investors, and industry experts. Each session focuses on a different topic, from startup formation and fundraising to equity, law, and venture growth, offering practical insight into areas that can seem complex to those new to entrepreneurship. While especially valuable for students interested in launching or joining early-stage startups, the course is equally relevant for those pursuing careers in established companies or academia, providing a broader understanding of how innovation and entrepreneurial thinking shape technology-driven fields.
Lecture schedule:
February 19, 4–5pm
MH 7530
Fireside chat with Judy Faulkner
Founder and CEO of Epic Systems
Founded by Faulkner in 1979, Epic is one of the world’s leading healthcare software companies – a global leader in electronic medical records.
February 26, 4–5pm
MH 7530
Talk by Charlie von Simson
UW Law School
Generative AI as a Species Extinction Event: Entrepreneurial Opportunities to Reshape Professional Services: Clinical professor in the Law & Entrepreneurship Clinic at UW Law School, von Simson mentors startups and inventors and previously spent over two decades in intellectual property law practice.
March 12, 4–5pm
MH 7530
Fireside Chat with Katie Brenner
Brennen is co-founder of BluDiagnostics (acquired by Amazon), which developed sensor technology for at-home health measurement before its acquisition by Amazon. She later served as a director at Amazon and now mentors startups and serves on multiple boards. She completed a postdoc at UW–Madison.
April 9, 4–5pm
MH 7530
Talk by Jason Franklin
Franklin is Founding Managing Director of WVV CapitalVenture and is an investor focused on health IT, deep tech, and interdisciplinary innovation. He has a background in computer science, research, entrepreneurship, and venture investment.
April 23, 4–5pm
MH 7530
Fireside Chat with Vikas Gupta
Gupta is founder of Jambool (acquired by Google) and co-founder of Wonder Workshop, which builds educational robotics to teach children coding. He is also former Head of Consumer Payments at Google.
Stay tuned for more on entrepreneurship@CS!