A highlight—among many—of last week’s Midwest Founder Exchange trip to the Twin Cities was Bread and Butter Ventures’ adorably titled “Butter Together” gathering in Minneapolis. The event, which reportedly “sold out” shortly after it was announced, brought together much of the Minnesota startup ecosystem for a tightly programmed afternoon of learning and connection.

One standout element was a three-company open pitch session and a thoughtful VC panel featuring Clarence Bethea of True Ventures, Raquel Scott, MBA of SemperVirens Venture Capital, Victor Gutwein of M25, and moderated by Brett Brohl of Bread and Butter. It was during this panel that I had an aha(!) moment.

Clarence Bethea—an Investor and Executive in Residence at True Ventures, a $5.5B Bay Area fund that recently closed a new $800M+ round—was in from out of town. He's also a Minneapolis native and former founder of Upsie, a company with Midwest roots.

The lightbulb went off when Clarence casually mentioned that Bread and Butter was the first investor in Upsie—and that Victor at M25 was also an early backer. That’s when it clicked: of course Clarence made the trip. As he put it himself, those funds had “kept me from having to get a job stocking shelves at Target.”

So what does that mean for the ecosystem?

Upsie’s success created a lasting bridge between the Minnesota startup community and True Ventures, one of the most respected firms in the Bay Area. Clarence is still connected: meeting with founders while in town and staying in close touch with Mary and Brett at Bread and Butter. Thanks to M25’s early involvement, the Chicago ecosystem also has an ongoing relationship with True.

And because we were in the room that day with 10 founders from across the region, we, too—by extension—formed a new connection with True Ventures. Even if it’s a few degrees removed, it matters. That’s how networks grow.

This is basic network science in action. While we all talk about “bringing more capital from the coasts into the Midwest,” we often miss the quiet, powerful ways that regional success stories like Upsie create lasting connective tissue.

And here’s where my aha got even louder: I realized that some of my friends in Michigan are LPs in Bread and Butter. So right there in front of me was a snapshot of the interconnected startup ecosystem we’re always talking about—already in motion.

Venture Funds like M25 has been pounding the pavement across the Midwest for years. Their VP of Platform, Katie Birge, once told me they literally compete to see who can visit the most cities in a year. Founders across the region, out of necessity, often have adopted the same mentality. And we were witnessing the end result of some of this work: a success in Minneapolis that can ripple into Chicago, into Detroit, and on on. This is not a zero-sum game.

So there I was, sitting in the middle of a living, breathing regional network—and it hit me: we need to lean into this. We need this to happen ten times over. We need to get intentional. We’ve got work to do.

And it starts in two weeks.

Welcome to the Midwest Party – GEC 2025
📍 Cinderwood Event Center in Indianapolis, IN | 🗓️ June 3, 2025 | 🕕 5pm-11pm

Who wants to help us welcome the world to the Midwest during the Global Entrepreneurship Congress?

You’re invited to official Midwest House Welcome to the Midwest Party, a celebration of innovation, culture, and connection that’s got no time for rust belt expectations.

In collaboration with Song United, Ground Game Ventures, Funded House, Case Western Reserve University and more— we’ll bring together founders, funders, ecosystem builders, and creative leaders from across the Midwest and beyond.

We’ve got a bus full of Michiganders coming down. An Ohio Welcome Party. And an Investor Lounge thanks to our Funded House friends from Texas. Expect great music, local flavor, meaningful conversation, and plenty of opportunities to plug into one of the most dynamic and collaborative entrepreneurial communities in the country. Whether you’re a first-time visitor or a lifelong Midwesterner, this is your front door to the region’s energy, ambition, and radically welcoming spirit.

Space is limited—RSVP Soon
Let’s show the world what the middle of the map is made of.

“Every few years, there’s a new discussion about where all the best companies get built – the US, Europe, remotely…forget all of it.

What matters isn’t the country or city—it’s the network. Your startup isn’t just a product, it’s a node in a system. And where you place that node has compounding effects.

This key principle is often lost in emotionally charged discourse. For example, founders in Europe are often told they must move to the US to be successful. But that general advice doesn’t hold up to the most basic scrutiny. You can simply point to great European companies like Spotify, or Klarna and the hundreds of fast-growing startups there as a counterargument. Not to mention a cadre of strong Israeli startups. Success comes in many environments and forms.

That said, we often speak with founders in the US and abroad about the “network math” – or unseen forces that hasten a company’s success. These networks create currents of advantage that the best founders know how to ride. Where you decide to build your company is a major contributor to that network math.” - The Network Effects of Where You Build by Anna Piñol Pete Flint &Valerie Osband Mahoney at NFX

So I had written a completely different post and was about to press send when I came across the piece from NFX linked above (thanks to a LinkedIn post by Desiree Vargas Wrigley) and felt compelled to write something totally different.

The tldr of the article is that founders need to think about where they’re building and seriously consider moving if that will improve the “network math” for their company.

If you’re a founder in the Midwest, this is surely a POV you’ve heard before. And while this article is actually pretty nuanced about it, when you hear it in real life it’s almost always followed with a plea that you move your company to the coast.

We all know there is truth to what they say about networks. And I think we all agree there really is value to being near the center of gravity for a particular industry. But if you’re reading this - I have a feeling that you’ll also probably agree with me when I say that the coastal startup networks of the last two decades can’t continue to be the only places with gravitational pull (In fact, maybe the companies to solve some of our current problems need to by pulled by a different type of gravity all together.)

I obviously think the place you choose to build your company is enormously important. But I think the calculous is changing and the speed they discuss in the post is just one of many variables to consider. I also believe that truly innovative companies redefine place all the time and become their own gravity.

Those are the companies I’m excited to watch y’all build.

But density does matter so with that in mind - let’s get to work on leveling up our collective “network math”… (drum roll)

It’s back!!! We’re again hitting the road and coming to an ecosystem near you. Mark your calendars.

MIDWEST HOUSE SUMMER TOUR 2025

Global Entrepreneurship Congress - Indy - June 2-5

Summerfest TECH AI - Milwaukee - June 24-25

REINDUSTRIALIZE - Detroit - July 16-17

Tech Chicago Week - Chicago - July 21-24

RTRX - Columbus - July 29 - August 1

Tech Week Grand Rapids - September 15-20

RALLY - Indianapolis - September 24-25

A2Tech 360 - Ann Arbor - October 2-3

Michigan Tech Week 2025 - TBD

Details will be dropping in the coming weeks, but we’re very much still on the lookout for co-conspirators. Holler if you’ve got ideas or would like to get involved yourself.

It’s going to be one crazy summer, y’all, and our math is about to be so good.

Dug Song, the co-founder of Duo Security, is known to say that Michigan (and the Midwest) needs to improve the “verbs not just the nouns” of our startup ecosystem. As a former high school English teacher who actually made his writing students diagram sentences…this framing is clearly right up my alley. But what does he mean?

Anyone who has spent any time in and around innovation circles within the Midwest has certainly heard about the things we lack as compared to the coasts. Founders will tell you that “there just isn’t enough capital.” Investors will say “the quantity and quality of the startups” doesn’t compare. And someone looking in from the outside might let you know that “there just isn’t the talent” needed to create scalable businesses.

Now I’ve got thoughts on all three of those sentiments, but it’s certainly true that those “nouns”: Capital, Startups, Talent are what we often hear about when discussing the shortfalls of the region’s startup communities.

Dug, god love him, likes to remind us that we can’t forget about the verbs when we’re talking about building ecosystems. And you don’t need to know that I used to be an English teacher to know I’m into the verbs: Connect, Promote, & Advocate.

Last week, Michigan Tech Week was all about those verbs that have of course been central to the entire Midwest House Summer Tour. The event that we were lucky enough to host was a testament to the power of a few more verbs: Love, Dream, Inspire.

On Wednesday, directly following Renaissance Ventures UnDemo Day, Midwest House had the privilege of previewing a short film and hosting a conversation about the journey of one of Michigan’s most exciting new biotech companies, CircNova.

CircNova uses AI to discover possible RNA therapies for diseases that under normal circumstances might be too rare to properly research. While separately these types of diseases affect only a small number of people, as a group - we’re talking millions of lives that could be affected by the processes CircNova is working to develop.

Pretty cool stuff.

Also pretty cool: our friend, the indomitable founder of CircNova, Crystal Brown. The film, produced by the talented folks at A2XL, tracks Crystal’s journey as a black female, non-technical founder trying to navigate the biotech space while living in Detroit, MI. Heart-strings were pulled hard as we met her family, her team, and her mentors, and we learned some of the stories behind CircNova’s mission.

We immediately followed the film with a fireside chat between Crystal, Dug, & the amazing Dawn Batts. And let me tell you, friends, they kept pulling those strings as Crystal enumerated the love and support that had been at the foundation of her efforts.

Her kids were on stage. Her mentors were in the audience. Her team was right there supporting. And to end the conversation, Crystal let us all know that just the day before - CircNova had closed its $3 million seed round.

There wasn’t a person in that room that didn’t feel like we were part of that success.

It was an inspiring evening that was more emotional than any “tech week” has any right to be. It highlighted some of the very best “nouns” that the Midwest startup ecosystem has to offer in Crystal and in CircNova. But man oh man, the night came alive because of the “verbs”.

So what’s next?

It’s time to start planning for 2025, y’all. Big dreams and big goals are in store.

Holler at us if you want to be a part of it.

Do y’all know that I have an MFA in Creative Writing? It’s true - despite your thoughts on my grammar and spelling - I spent most of my 20s trying to write the “Great American Novel.”

During that time - especially in grad school - I had all sorts of opportunities to do readings, meet visiting authors, or go to conferences, and I’d mostly turn them down because I thought I was better off spending the time at my desk “doing the work.”

I think about that idea a lot.

**

Yesterday Brendan Sullivan from Stellar AI reached out to me and asked how I was feeling about Rally two weeks after that fact - because, as he said, “distance brings clarity.”

My brain immediately went to the event with Founders n’ Funders pictured above.

That night we had 9 VCs from 5 states on stage reverse pitching their funds to an audience of nearly 400 folks from 24 different states and 6 different countries. Included in that audience were 15 founders from 4 states that we were able bring to Rally thanks to our partnership with World Business Chicago, and who later that night had a spectacularly cool private dinner at the offices of Sixty8 Capital where they got to spend time with some of the folks who are making Indy’s startup ecosystem one of the most vibrant in the region.

I thought about all that, and I thought about the buzz of connectivity in the room. It’s a sound I’ve grown to recognize over the years and it includes the sounds of people meeting for the first time, people getting introduced, people reconnecting, people pitching, people explaining, people asking questions, people laughing, people exchanging contact details (i.e. doing some version of the awkward LinkedIn dance), and people talking about what comes next.

I’ve learned to know that sound because for what we do it is the sound of a success. Unlike the Great American Novel - innovation is not born out of a solitary figure sitting at a desk doing the work. A great idea might be. Even great tech might be. But world-changing innovation takes a community of divergent skills and experiences all rowing in the same direction. That buzz we had in the room that night at Rally is the only way those kinds of communities can reliably get started.

And so I told my friend Brendan, “I’m feeling pretty darn good about Rally.”

We believe that the Midwest needs more rooms like the one at Rally. We believe we need more of that buzz.

With that in mind, even as the days grow shorter… the tour continues:

Midwest House (Endless) Summer Tour 2024:

Tech Week GR - Grand Rapids - 9/16-20 (Startups at Sundown, Start Garden 100 Demo Day, Morning After Brunch, Giving Day Launch Party)

A2Tech360 - Ann Arbor - 9/20-27 (DJs & Desserts at Bamboo A2 during Tech Trek)

Future of Fintech Chicago Venture Summit - Chicago - 9/23-27

MICHIGAN TECH WEEK - Detroit - October 1st-4th (Midwest House “We Can Build Big Things” Party on 10/2)

We’ll be cruising all of the above over the next 3 weeks. Give us a shout for discount codes or if you just want to find time to say hey. Get on board!!!

This was how Josh Kline, my partner in crime in putting together Midwest House at Rally, greeted me when I called him last Thursday. He was a little more than halfway through his 147 mile bike ride across Indiana when we talked with 1 pork sandwich already under his belt…that is if tight ass cycling gear actually required a belt.

Josh is one of the founding partners of ground game ventures, a B2B SaaS focused fund that launched in Indy last year. But to say Josh is an Indy VC is to miss the mark by more than the 140 miles he rode last week. He is a constantly on the move, constantly “showing up” force of nature that has put more than 35k miles on the conversion van - the aforementioned “Founder Support Vehicle” - since ground game launched. He’s also an entrepreneur. An angel investor. A software sales expert. An outdoorsman. A van builder. A husband. A dad. And he just launched a sales accelerator/co-working space.

Dude has some energy.

He also is the single biggest reason that Midwest House popped up at Rally in its inaugural year and that we’ll be back next week for year two. (Use discount code: RALLYxMidwest to grab Rally Badge)

With all that in mind, I thought it’d be fun to preview Rally with Josh while he rode across Indiana. What follows is an edited version of our conversation minus the heavy breathing and about twelve of Josh’s divergent tangents.

RSVP FOR MIDWEST HOUSE AT RALLY

MWH: How the legs feeling? You going to make it?

JK: Feeling good. Just devoured a pork sandwich and it’s weighing me down a little bit. Might not have been the best decision. But I’m feeling pretty good. I’m just heading out of Peru.

MWH: Peru, IN?

JK: Yeah.

MWH: Sorry, didn’t know that was a thing. Okay, so let’s start with why you’re riding your bike 150-odd miles today. What’s the story?

JK: Well, it’s kind of to prove the point that distance - especially in Indiana - shouldn’t be a reason not to collaborate and participate in Rally…and also in this larger innovation conversation that we’re having in the state. So I started up northern IN - in our “manufacturing heartland” - and I’m riding all the way to the Convention Center in Indy to prove that how close we really are.

MWH: That’s honestly the most Josh thing I’ve ever heard.

JK: You know, man, sometimes you just got show people.

MWH: I love it. Okay, so similarly tell us about your travels. How did you become the “vc in the van”?

JK: When we started ground game I had this idea that “showing up” - you know like actually putting in the miles and meeting founders where they lived - could be our differentiator.

MWH: Literally going the extra mile for founders!

JK: Haha - I think that was a tagline that we thought was too corny to use.

MWH: Well, yeah, I can see that. Still there is something wonderfully Midwestern in a VC who drives his van to visit founders.

JK: For sure. My service is getting a little shaky. Can you still hear me?

MWH: I can. Is the weather holding up?

JK: I think I’m going to get a little wet, but it’s not too bad. At least I’m not melting.

MWH: Okay, so before I lose you we better talk Rally. What are you looking forward to? What do people need to check out?

JK: Midwest House, of course, it’s going to be rad.

MWH: What do we have going on?

JK: Multiple days of stuff. Stellar will be there talking enterprise level AI/LLM solutions. Founders n’ Funders is coming out from Utah to host a VC reverse pitch. And then we’ve got some friends up in Elkhart joining us to talk about innovations in the great Outdoors. Add to that multiple throw downs, live music, and a pile of White Castle Burgers, and it’s going to be everyone’s favorite home away from home.

MWH: Sounds pretty good to me. I think you might have convinced me.

JK: Tell’em to RSVP because we’re going to be packed. And oh yeah - we’ve got free espresso every morning too from Tinker.

MWH: Okay, I’m convinced. I’ll be there :) Okay, I’m going to let you ride. Let’s end this thing while you’ve still got service.

JK: Remember kids, if this “knucklehead” can ride 147 miles to Indy. You can drive a few hours.

MWH: See ya at Rally!!

JOSH’S FINAL STATS
Miles: 147.29
Moving time: 10:29:05
Elapsed time: 13:51:18
Elevation Gain: 1,884ft
Towns Visited en route: Akron, Peru, Kokomo, Sheridan and Carmel
Miles on bike paths: 68
Miles on gravel: 10
Kit: Seven Mudhoney Gravel / CX with 32mm tires at 80psi
Pork Tenderloins Consumed: 2
Malt Shakes Consumed: 1 States the Founder Support Vehicle has been to: IN / OH / MI / TN / PA / KY / AL / CA / OR / WA / UT / CO / TX / AR / IL

MIDWEST HOUSE IS GOING BACK TO RALLY!!!

INDIANAPOLIS, IN

AUGUST 27-28

DISCOUNTED RALLY CODE "RALLYxMidwest"

Midwest House is going back to Rally Innovation Conference in Indianapolis, IN. For year two, Rally is building off of last year’s momentum and still features a $5 million “IN-Prize” pitch competition .

Midwest House is taking over Cinderwood Event Space in downtown Indy at 601 S. Meridian (blocks from the Convention Center). We’ll again be teaming with local ecosystem partner ground game ventures to host founder focused programming, networking, podcasts, and more.

Indiana, here we come!!!!

Tuesday August 27th

8-12: Tinker Coffee Co. Barista Cart + Networking and Co-Working

10-11: AI Trends with Stellar

11-12: Ignite AI Technical Track with Indy Hackers

12-1: Lunch and Networking

1:30-2:30: "AI for Everyone" panels and content with Stellar

3-5: Snowflake Indy User Group

5-7:30: Founders N' Funders Reverse Pitch Event + Mixer

7:30-10:30: Wind up or wind down... ⬆

Wednesday August 28th

8-12: Tinker Coffee Co. Barista Cart + Networking

10-12 VC & Founder Matchmaking powered by Silicon Valley Bank - Apply

12-1: Lunch and Networking

12:30: The Opportunity Outdoors

1-2: Outdoors for Everyone:Technology as a Driver for Outdoor Engagement

2-3: Nature's Remedy: The Outdoors as an Antidote to Burnout

5-? Happy Hour and -> Flyover This Closing Party

RSVP FOR MIDWEST HOUSE AT RALLY

I gave myself last week off for the 4th and it feels like we’ve got much to catch up on. With that in mind, I’m going to jump right in with:

THE TOP TEN BEST PARTS OF MIDWEST HOUSE’S WEEK AT SUMMERFEST TECH

1.) Milwaukee, whoa! It had been ten years since I’d been there, and it was revelation. It’s charming and it’s authentically itself. We ate well. We discovered cools shops, cafes, and bars. And we never spent more than $20 on an Uber ride. If you haven’t been in a while…take a summertime trip to Milwaukee.

2.) Summerfest, whoa! Okay, so I had heard about Summerfest since I was a kid, but man oh man I had no idea at the scale of it all. Even if there’s nothing in the (enormously diverse) line-up that jumps out at you the vibes of it all are worth checking out. And this elder millennial fully rocked out (heart in a blender style) at the Emo stage.

3.) Summerfest Tech, whoa! Okay, that’s the last time I’ll do the “whoa” thing, but I have to give a huge shout out to Lena DeLaet and the team for putting together a great event. Tons of great content. All kinds of community involvement. They really have created something cool and catalytic. And I feel like they’re just scratching the surface of what it’s going to become…

4.) The Midwest House crew. Can I tell you how fun it was to roll into events with a full squad of Midwest House regulars who’d all made the trip to Wisconsin in the hopes of creating a regional community? Shout out especially to my girls Dev & Brighid from Elevate (& Rally) for coming up from Indy. Shout out to Hien, Adam, Ashton, Corey, and Whitney who came over from Michigan. And to Greg, Mariia, & Graham for heading up from Chicago. The Midwest rolls deep.

5.) Wisconsin’s Tech Scene. We met too many folks to list here, but, man, did it have us excited for what’s being built over there. From Microsoft’s massive AI investment (with our friends at Titletown Tech) to the very vibrant grassroots efforts we met through orgs like the Midwest Founder Community & so many others…there are very big things happening in the WI.

6.) Traveling by Boat. When you cross Lake Michigan by ferry, there’s probably like an hour and twenty minutes when all you can see is water. The other hour, you can still see where you just left (Muskegon) or where you’re about to land (Milwaukee). This is one of the best parts of traveling by boat because it lends itself to so much anticipation.

7.) Hugh Forrest in the House. It was so cool to see the Co-President of SXSW making the trip up to the Midwest for Summerfest Tech. Hearing him speak about what SX has meant to Austin and its growth definitely got our wheels turning about how to start taking even more advantage of catalytic opportunities around the region (like Summerfest for instance).

8.) Oyster shooters at St. Paul Fish Company in the Milwaukee Public Market. Needs no further explanation.

9.) The Pitch Competition. It was an incredibly strong field of competitors for the $50k in prizes and we loved the fact that they pulled in startups from all over the Midwest. Congrats to the finalists at Athlytic, Atomix, Econofi ™ - Technology for Community Banks, Liff Happens, Inc., Lotza, MuSample, REACH Pathways, & RoddyMedical, Inc.. And shout out especially to REACH Pathways from Chicago for taking home the grand prize.

10.) Going out on the town with the Molson Coors team. Jonah Turner and the crew at Molson Coors took a bunch of us out-of-towners out to see the sights and sounds of downtown Milwaukee, and we all lived to tell stories about it. Fun was had.

All in all… it was a heck of a week that filled me with excitement, inspiration, and a bunch of ideas. Not too shabby for a two hour boat ride.

Up next, we hit the Chi.

MIDWEST HOUSE SUMMER TOUR - TECH CHICAGO WEEK

TUESDAY 7/24 - 3:30 PM - 9:00 PM - Tech Chicago Week Capital Summit Day 1 - Tickets

WEDNESDAY 7/25 - 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM - Tech Chicago Week Capital Summit Day 2 - Tickets

THURSDAY 7/26 - 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM - The Founders Brunch w/ Plain Sight & The Academy Group - RSVP

THURSDAY 7/26 - 12:00 PM - 9:00 PM - TechChicago Day featuring a very special announcement from Midwest House at 1:20pm & Midwest House Meet-up from 3-4pm - RSVP

What could be better than Midwest hangs in summertime Chicago? Come thru!!!

Ten days, ya’ll.

The Midwest House Summer Tour starts officially in ten days and we’re… let’s say “nearing ready.”

Quick reminder, we’re hitting the road this summer to visit some of our favorite places around the Midwest. All in an effort to build on the burgeoning regional innovation community we’ve started cultivating each year at SXSW. Over the course of the next few months we’ll be popping up in different ways at events like:

SUMMERFEST TECH - Milwaukee - June 24th-27th

TECH CHICAGO WEEK - Chicago - July 22nd-26th

RALLY - Indianapolis - August 27th-28th

MICHIGAN TECH WEEK - Detroit - October 1st-5th

and damn damn are we excited.

Our first stop - as I mentioned - will be Milwaukee, WI for Summerfest Tech. And so it only made sense to check in with our pal Lena Delaet - the Director of Summerfest Tech - for a sneak peek into what to expect.

Midwest House: So we’re coming to Summerfest in two weeks.

Lena DeLaet: Yay! We’re so excited.

MH: Okay, so first off, what exactly is Summerfest?

LD: Summerfest is the “World’s Largest Music Festival” (Guinness Book approved) that’s held each summer over three weeks on the shores of Lake Michigan in Milwaukee.

MH: Already excited. Okay, what is Summerfest Tech?

LD: Summerfest Tech is a Conference that we started in 2018 to showcase technology and innovation happening here in the Milwaukee region. It was born directly out of conversations with Summerfest sponsors and partners as a way to better serve the community. A lot of us saw the way that SXSW had brought so much opportunity to Austin and wondered if we could try something similar here in Wisconsin.

MH: SXSW? I feel like I’ve heard of that…

LD: Ha. That’s how we know each other.

MH: Of course, Summerfest has been a partner of ours the last two years down in Austin. We’ve brought the Mayor of Milwaukee down. Our friends at Molson Coors. A few bands. But there’s another SXSW tie in this year at Summerfest, right?

LD: Yes, Hugh Forrest the Chief Programming Officer for SXSW is speaking on a panel at Summerfest Tech on 6/24!

MH: That’s so cool. We love Hugh. He’s kind of legend. Okay back to the questions, so you started in 2018 - how has Summerfest Tech grown over the years?

LD: Honestly its grown because we’ve done the year round work of engaging with the tech community here in Wisconsin. We have our corporate partners that have helped spread the word, but we’ve also gone out there and really engaged with the innovation community to make sure they feel some ownership over the conference.

MH: That’s only way to do that kind of thing right. What are some highlights people can expect from this years conference? What are you most looking forward to?

LD: That’s like choosing my favorite kid - not that I have any kids. But there’s going to be so much cool stuff. The Pitch Competition (6/26) is always a highlight. We’ve got 8 different founders pitching (from Milwaukee, Chicago, Detroit, South Africa(!)…) and it’ll be really great opportunity to meet other founders and investors. And then the party you’re helping us out with on Monday (6/26) will be really fun. It’s taking place on Summerfest park grounds and is going to feature Diet Lite who performed at Midwest House in Austin. (See the entire Summerfest Tech Line-Up here)

MH: Yes! Diet Lite! Can’t wait. Okay, last one, what are some things folks coming into town should do while they’re in Milwaukee?

LD: I love this question. So I’m a big food & drink person - that’s how I like to travel. This year Top Chef is in Milwaukee and Chef Dan Jacobs’ restaurant DanDan is definitely worth a visit. It’s in the 3rd Ward which is filled with great spots. The Milwaukee Public Market is another great place to eat and a must stop when you’re in town. Also if you’re coming to Summerfest Tech at the Potawotmi Hotel you’ll be a few blocks from the Harley Museum and AmFam Park (where the Brewers play)!

MH: So much to do. It’s going to be a very full few days. Thanks so much for all you do. See ya at Summerfest!

MIDWEST HOUSE AT SUMMER TOUR - SUMMERFEST TECH

Monday 6/24 - 4:00 PM - 7:30 PM - Summerfest Tech Opens w/ Midwest House Opening Party - Henry Maier Festival Park

Tuesday 6/25 - 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM - Tuesday 6/25 - Out of Towners Happy Hour - Third Space Brewing - RSVP

Wednesday 6/26 - 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM - Summerfest Tech Pitch Competition - Potawatomi Hotel

Thursday 6/27 - 12:00 PM - 4:00 PM - Summerfest Tech Closing Networking Event - Henry Maier Festival Park

Two summers ago, we knew next to nobody in the Chicago startup community. Two months ago, more than 3000 people showed up at Midwest House’s Chicago Day to celebrate that very same community at SXSW.

I think a lot about how we went from sentence 1 to sentence 2. It’s kinda my job to think about it. But when I really look closely at it all I’m not sure how interesting of a story it is.

Because like…we just started showing up at things.

Coming out of Covid we had made the decision to broaden our focus and create the first Midwest House at SXSW 2022. How all that came to be is a story for another day, but the truth of the matter is the first year it was “Midwest” House in name only really. We had Wolf Starr and our Venture Atlas friends from Columbus,OH, and then we mostly still had a bunch of folks from Michigan.

There was something there, though, and we were convinced enough about the value of a Midwest House at SXSW that I decided we needed to make it happen for real in 2023. We had thrown our hat over the wall, as the old story goes, so we had no choice but to figure out how to bring more Midwest to the Midwest House.

And so we started with Chicago.

We showed up at events. We participated in Tech Chicago Week by throwing an Underestimated Founders Brunch on TechNexus’s roof deck (shout out to Ellie Davis for making that happen). And then we showed up at more events. We met amazing people. We got inspired. They introduced us to other amazing people. We got more inspired. And by years end I had a phone call with Abin Kuriakose from World Business Chicago where we started planning the first Chicago Day at SXSW.

Like I said - it’s not that interesting. We networked. We met some people. They introduced us to some other people. Next thing you know - we know a lot of people.Y’all know how to do it. But it’s not something you can short cut…and quite honestly I’m not sure it works if you’re even wishing you could short cut it. But, yeah, pretty mundane stuff on the whole.

What is interesting to me - is what happened next. Because we kept showing up even after SXSW 2023 because now we were going to our friends events. We kept meeting new people and we kept getting inspired. We met founders working on massive societal problems. We met investors who were more excited about the people they were invested in than the money they were trying to make. We met filmmakers and musicians and chefs. And you know what started happening next? Folks from Chicago started traveling to some of our other events. Nicole McCarthy and WBC came down to Midwest House at Rally in Indy. TechNexus came to the Detroit Auto Show. A whole crew showed up at Michigan Tech Week.

This reciprocation fills me with gratitude but also gets me all sorts of excited. Because while you can’t shortcut the “networking” of it all, you can build some pretty quick bonds - even from a distance. Take what we did and start multiplying by a few hundred of our closest friends and that to me is the beginning of a community.

We’re just getting started, but it’s about to get all kinds of interesting!

Midwest House Summer Tour ‘24

SUMMERFEST TECH - Milwaukee - June 24th-27th

TECH CHICAGO WEEK - Chicago - July 22nd-26th

RALLY - Indianapolis - August 27th-28th

MICHIGAN TECH WEEK - Detroit - October 1st-5th

I haven’t been to Milwaukee in probably a decade. But in less than a month we’re taking a ferry across Lake Michigan to join the Summerfest madness. Want to join in the fun? Want in on the community?

Get on the List