Loading…
Company: Social Good clear filter
Monday, August 17
 

1:00pm CDT

How We Show Up Matters
LIMITED
Monday August 17, 2026 1:00pm - 3:00pm CDT
Virtual
Limited Capacity seats available
Technical expertise gets you in the room. How you show up determines what happens next.

In this interactive session, consultants will examine the attitudes, assumptions, and habits they bring into client and colleague relationships, and how those choices shape trust, collaboration, and results. Through meaningful dialogue with peers, you’ll uncover blind spots that may be limiting connection or effectiveness in your work.

You’ll leave with practical tools and simple mindset shifts you can apply immediately to improve communication, foster more inclusive relationships, and create better outcomes for your clients and your business. Because in today’s marketplace, how you work with people is just as critical as what you deliver.

Hosted by Yes...And LLC

This is a virtual event. For those who are logged in and have RSVP'd, the streaming link will appear on this page starting 10 minutes before the session.
Event Organizers
avatar for Kim Walters

Kim Walters

Owner | Cultural Engagement Specialist, Yes...And LLC
Kim Walters is the Owner and Cultural Engagement Specialist of Yes...And LLC, a boutique consulting firm that helps organizations build cultures of respect and belonging through leadership development and self-awareness. She partners with leaders and teams to strengthen communication... Read More →

Monday August 17, 2026 1:00pm - 3:00pm CDT
Virtual
  Free, Virtual
 
Tuesday, August 18
 

8:30am CDT

First In Breakfast
LIMITED
Tuesday August 18, 2026 8:30am - 10:30am CDT
Bandit - Tacos & Coffee @ 640 W Washington Ave, Madison, WI 53703, USA
Limited Capacity seats available
Check out our Website
First In Breakfast is a gathering designed to bring together founders, investors, and operators from across the Midwest startup ecosystem. The event is intentionally structured to maintain a strong mix of builders and capital providers, creating an environment where meaningful conversations and real relationships can take shape. The format includes a short, insight-driven discussion followed by open networking.

Hosted by Gateway Capital X Mastercraft Ventures
Event Organizers
LB

Lamarr Banks

Venture Associate, Gateway Capital

avatar for Mason Cook

Mason Cook

Managing Director, Mastercraft Ventures
Pre-seed startup investor.
Tuesday August 18, 2026 8:30am - 10:30am CDT
Bandit - Tacos & Coffee 640 W Washington Ave, Madison, WI 53703, USA
  Free, In Person

10:30am CDT

10x Faster Without the Burnout. How Laws of Energy accelerate growth and returns for Successful Entrepreneurs
LIMITED
Tuesday August 18, 2026 10:30am - 12:30pm CDT
StartingBlock Madison @ 821 E Washington Ave 2nd floor, Madison, WI 53703, USA
Limited Capacity seats available
Madison’s startup ecosystem operates under intense pressure to:
• Accelerate timelines to market
• Deliver strong financial returns
• Compete for capital in a demanding investment environment

However, herein lies the problem:
Financial results are not delivered through physical effort alone.
More hours, more hustle and more pressure often produce exhaustion not outcomes. 

Because money doesn’t just follow effort.
Money follows energy.

And without disciplined financial systems, even high momentum turns into waste.

The entrepreneurs who apply both the Laws of Energy and financial discipline will outperform the market. This event will guide them to that competitive advantage by introducing a new operating model for founders and growth leaders navigating today’s reality:

A Dual Engine for Modern Growth
• Applying the Laws of Energy → Drives productivity, momentum, and speed without burnout 
• Applying Financial Discipline → Drives measurable returns, capital efficiency, and investor confidence 

Presented by MJ Reiners, Founder of Summerland Education and Victoria Thayer, Founder of Novii CPA, this session bridges the gap between:
• Why growth is slower than expected
• Why hard work does not create burnout and what does
• And how to accelerate both execution speed and financial performance

Hosted by Summerland Education and Novii CPA
Event Organizers
DI

Dave Igot

Business Operations Specialist, Novii CPA
avatar for MJ Reiners

MJ Reiners

CEO, Summerland Education
I love discovery. And the only thing better than discovery itself is sharing it. That is the work I do. For 25 years, I studied and quietly mastered the Laws of Energy to gain a deep understanding how invisible forces drives business results. Now I am on a mission to share this with... Read More →
Sponsors
avatar for Novii CPA
avatar for Summerland Education

Tuesday August 18, 2026 10:30am - 12:30pm CDT
StartingBlock Madison 821 E Washington Ave 2nd floor, Madison, WI 53703, USA
  Free, In Person

3:00pm CDT

Pressure Chamber 2026
LIMITED
Tuesday August 18, 2026 3:00pm - 6:00pm CDT
The Sylvee @ 25 S Livingston St, Madison, WI 53703, USA
Limited Capacity seats available
Check out our Website
SEPARATE REGISTRATION REQUIRED FOR ALL ATTENDEES -  REGISTER HERE
Free for Greater Madison Chamber Members and Forward Fest All Inclusive Pass Holders | $30 for Non-Members

Pressure Chamber returns for its 13th year as the region's top emerging companies pitch for the coveted "golden suitcase," which guarantees a reserved spot in the Chamber's exclusive Greater Madison startup meetings with top Silicon Valley investment firms this fall. Participating companies will present in front of a panel of national investors and a live audience, with the winning company chosen based on a combination of judges' scoring and audience votes. 

Thank you to Presenting Sponsor Michael Best; Supporting Sponsors State of Wisconsin Investment Board, Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF), UW–Madison Office of Business Engagement and Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation; Reception Sponsor Fetch; Voting Sponsor Associated Bank; Student Sponsor Madison College – Center for Entrepreneurship; Community Sponsors JP Cullen and The Gialamas Company; Investor Sponsors HealthX Ventures, Idea Fund, Mastercraft Ventures, Rock River Capital Partners, Wisconsin Investment Partners; and Venue Sponsor FPC Live.

Hosted by the Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce.
Event Organizers
avatar for Rylee Gaber
avatar for Alanna Thiede

Alanna Thiede

Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce

avatar for Sharla Rowe

Sharla Rowe

Events Manager, Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce

Sponsors
AB
F
JC
MC
MB
TG
W

Tuesday August 18, 2026 3:00pm - 6:00pm CDT
The Sylvee 25 S Livingston St, Madison, WI 53703, USA
  Ticketed, In Person
 
Wednesday, August 19
 

12:30pm CDT

Anyone can Build with Google AI - No Coding Required
LIMITED
Wednesday August 19, 2026 12:30pm - 1:10pm CDT
Memorial Union @ 800 Langdon St, Madison, WI 53706, USA
Limited Capacity seats available
Skip the tech jargon and learn how to make AI handle your most boring daily tasks. In this interactive, hands-on workshop, you’ll build your own custom digital assistants to do the heavy lifting for you. And YES, it can absolutely be done with just smartphones and Google Chrome.  This free workshop during DevFestWI is for anyone who wants to learn how to build with AI whether you are a tech professional or not.

Hosted by GDG Madison

This event takes place in Tripp Commons at the Memorial Union
Event Organizers
avatar for Naveen VK

Naveen VK

Tech Director, nvisia LLC

Wednesday August 19, 2026 12:30pm - 1:10pm CDT
Memorial Union 800 Langdon St, Madison, WI 53706, USA
  Free, In Person

4:00pm CDT

Stone Soup 101
LIMITED
Wednesday August 19, 2026 4:00pm - 5:00pm CDT
TBA @ 800 Langdon St, Madison, WI 53706, USA
Limited Capacity seats available
Check out our Website
How did the long and twisted path of one man lead to a new product and business? By combining little bits of information and experience from each of his stops into something new and powerful. Have you ever asked yourself the "How did I get here" and "How will I ever use that chapter" questions?  Come hear how it has come together for one and be encouraged that "it" is coming together for you as well!
Event Organizers
avatar for Jesse Barry

Jesse Barry

Owner, Higher Ground dba ColdSpell Cooling garments
I have designed a Cooling garment that outperforms all of the commercially available Cooling products currently available.  Based on the technology used in hospitals and the military i have brought definitive care Cooling to the job site, sideline and community center.
Wednesday August 19, 2026 4:00pm - 5:00pm CDT
TBA
  Free, In Person

4:30pm CDT

THE "ANTI-BURNOUT" BLUEPRINT: Wellness for Solo Founders and Small Business Owners
LIMITED
Wednesday August 19, 2026 4:30pm - 7:30pm CDT
100state @ 17 South Fairchild Street fl 7, Madison, WI, USA
Limited Capacity seats available
This dual-track workshop is designed to help attendees build a business that sustains them rather than breaks them.

Hollie H. Hollister and Ross Larson will co-facilitate this community learning exchange by bridging insights from Psychological Resilience and Heart-Centered Leadership.

Solo founders and small business owners will learn how to scale their impact without the soul fatigue of misaligned growth.


**************


We are excited to announce that the first 40 registrants will receive a complimentary light dinner and refreshments during the event.  PLUS a special drawing where one lucky guest will win a six-month membership to 100state, Madison’s leading hub for entrepreneurs, remote workers, and creatives  (must be present to win).


***************


Sponsored by H Cubed Group, 100state
Event Organizers
avatar for Ross Larson

Ross Larson

Software Engineer, Paradigm, Forward Fest Board Member
I'm a human being.
avatar for Hollie Hollister

Hollie Hollister

Founder, H Cubed Group
Hollie H. Hollister is a pragmatic visionary who aspires to combine the personal with the professional to bring fresh thinking, unique insights and holistic solutions that help heart-based small business owners grow their businesses and themselves (all without stifling who they are... Read More →
Sponsors
avatar for 100state
avatar for H Cubed Group

Wednesday August 19, 2026 4:30pm - 7:30pm CDT
100state 17 South Fairchild Street fl 7, Madison, WI, USA
  Free, In Person
 
Thursday, August 20
 

8:00am CDT

How We Show Up Matters
LIMITED
Thursday August 20, 2026 8:00am - 10:00am CDT
Aubergine: a Willy Street Co-op Community Space @ 1226 Williamson St, Madison, WI 53703, USA
Limited Capacity seats available
Technical expertise gets you in the room. How you show up determines what happens next.

In this interactive session, consultants will examine the attitudes, assumptions, and habits they bring into client and colleague relationships, and how those choices shape trust, collaboration, and results. Through meaningful dialogue with peers, you’ll uncover blind spots that may be limiting connection or effectiveness in your work.

You’ll leave with practical tools and simple mindset shifts you can apply immediately to improve communication, foster more inclusive relationships, and create better outcomes for your clients and your business. Because in today’s marketplace, how you work with people is just as critical as what you deliver.

Hosted by Yes...And LLC
Event Organizers
avatar for Kim Walters

Kim Walters

Owner | Cultural Engagement Specialist, Yes...And LLC
Kim Walters is the Owner and Cultural Engagement Specialist of Yes...And LLC, a boutique consulting firm that helps organizations build cultures of respect and belonging through leadership development and self-awareness. She partners with leaders and teams to strengthen communication... Read More →

Thursday August 20, 2026 8:00am - 10:00am CDT
Aubergine: a Willy Street Co-op Community Space 1226 Williamson St, Madison, WI 53703, USA
  Free, In Person

10:30am CDT

From Stage to Strategy: Voices & Dreams in Action
LIMITED
Thursday August 20, 2026 10:30am - 11:30am CDT
Leflore Accounting Services @ 306 E Wilson St #2e, Madison, WI 53703, USA
Limited Capacity seats available
What happens after someone finds their voice?

In this interactive panel and workshop, Araceli Esparza and Aida Leflore are joined by graduates of the Voices & Dreams Academy to share how storytelling translates into real-world outcomes—from building confidence to generating income, clients, and community impact.

Participants will hear directly from Latina and Black women founders who have used storytelling as a tool for outreach, brand-building, and economic mobility. Then, through guided reflection and small-group activities, attendees will begin applying these strategies to their own work.

This session is designed for founders, creatives, and community leaders who want to build authentic outreach strategies that go beyond visibility and create lasting trust.

Hosted by Midwest Mujeres
Event Organizers
avatar for Araceli Esparza

Araceli Esparza

Director, Midwest Mujeres Inc
Hi, I'm Araceli Esparza, a Chicana author, speaker, nonprofit founder, and leadership coach based in Madison, Wisconsin. I founded Midwest Mujeres to help women—especially first-generation, Latina, and Black women—build confidence, expand their networks, and create meaningful... Read More →
Thursday August 20, 2026 10:30am - 11:30am CDT
Leflore Accounting Services 306 E Wilson St #2e, Madison, WI 53703, USA
  Free, In Person

12:00pm CDT

Overcoming Gender Bias by Adopting an Entrepreneurial Mindset
LIMITED
Thursday August 20, 2026 12:00pm - 12:30pm CDT
100state @ 17 South Fairchild Street fl 7, Madison, WI, USA
Limited Capacity seats available
As a woman with over 10 years of experience in the highly male-dominated engineering world, I wish to share insights that have helped me stay. This field is, at times, unwelcoming or even outright hostile. A key to my success has been developing business acumen, sometimes learned through entrepreneurial events including Forward Fest! Key topics:

• Why gender bias is so sticky in fields like engineering and law, and why we can't expect to solve this problem with more pipeline

• How to get past broken rungs in the corporate ladder by thinking of yourself as if you were a one-person business

• Develop your personal brand to bounce back from setbacks such as non-inclusive workspaces, gatekeepers, or reframe inappropriate attention.
Event Organizers
avatar for Lynn McMahon

Lynn McMahon

Process Automation Engineer, Salas O'Brien
Thursday August 20, 2026 12:00pm - 12:30pm CDT
100state 17 South Fairchild Street fl 7, Madison, WI, USA
  Free, In Person

12:00pm CDT

The Becoming Experience: Healing, Purpose & Entrepreneurship
LIMITED
Thursday August 20, 2026 12:00pm - 1:00pm CDT
Leflore Accounting Services @ 306 E Wilson St #2e, Madison, WI 53703, USA
Limited Capacity seats available
The Becoming Experience is an interactive workshop and networking experience designed for entrepreneurs, creatives, and purpose-driven individuals ready to transform their story into impact.

Hosted by entrepreneur, speaker, and founder Tennisha Loggins, this experience blends authentic storytelling, business strategy, mindset transformation, and practical tools to help attendees move from survival mode into purpose-driven entrepreneurship.

Through guided reflection, interactive activities, networking, and actionable business insights, attendees will explore how healing, identity, and lived experiences can become the foundation for leadership, confidence, community impact, and profitable growth.

This event is ideal for aspiring entrepreneurs, women in business, creatives, side hustlers, and individuals navigating personal or professional reinvention.

Attendees will leave inspired, connected, and equipped with practical next steps to begin building intentionally, confidently, and purposefully.
Event Organizers
avatar for Tennisha Loggins

Tennisha Loggins

Founder & CEO, Loggins Family Business
I'm Tennisha Loggins, Founder & CEO of Loggins Family Business LLC, an entrepreneur, speaker, and storyteller. I help people turn ideas into income and purpose into action. Let's connect if you want to talk about entrepreneurship, food trucks, pop-ups, small business growth, coaching... Read More →

Thursday August 20, 2026 12:00pm - 1:00pm CDT
Leflore Accounting Services 306 E Wilson St #2e, Madison, WI 53703, USA
  Free, In Person

1:00pm CDT

Future of VC: Digital Assets & Policy
LIMITED
Thursday August 20, 2026 1:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
TBA @ 306 E Wilson St #2e, Madison, WI 53703, USA
Limited Capacity seats available
The venture capital landscape is being reshaped by digital assets, tokenized equity, and an evolving regulatory environment — and Wisconsin's entrepreneurial ecosystem needs to be part that conversation. Future of VC: Digital Assets & Policy is a forward-looking forum bringing together founders, investors, and policy advocates to explore how emerging digital asset frameworks are transforming capital formation, fundraising strategy, and startup growth.

Attendees will hear from practitioners at the intersection of venture capital and blockchain policy — examining how legislation like federal stablecoin bills, SEC guidance, and state-level digital asset law affect the way startups raise and deploy capital. Whether you're a founder navigating your first raise, an investor evaluating on-chain opportunities, or a policy stakeholder shaping Wisconsin's innovation landscape, this event delivers the intelligence and connections you need to stay ahead.

Hosted by Awen, Wisconsin Blockchain Business Council
Event Organizers
IM
Sponsors
SW
Thursday August 20, 2026 1:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
TBA
  Free, In Person
 
Friday, August 21
 

8:30am CDT

You Don’t Have to be Rich to be a Philanthropist: Building a launchpad for your legacy
LIMITED
Friday August 21, 2026 8:30am - 10:30am CDT
StartingBlock Madison @ 821 E Washington Ave 2nd floor, Madison, WI 53703, USA
Limited Capacity seats available
As entrepreneurs, you work to build a better world. Forward thinkers and innovators have always been a key to social change and community well-being. Join one of Madison’s top rising philanthropists, Dan Rashke, Chairman of the Board at TASC, to discuss innovative philanthropy. He will joined by Ashley Quinto Powell, founder of myVA Rocks and Terry Heinrichs, co-founder of 18Forty8 Private Wealth. 

This interactive session is led through the framework of the Dan & Patti Rashke (TASC) Family Foundation 10-year matching gift to United Way of Dane County, a first-of-its-kind gift that is structured to elevate the nonprofit sector and leverages giving on all levels across the community. This $10-$15 million commitment is not where Dan’s philanthropy started. It’s the culmination of a commitment to philanthropy and social change that is decades in the making.
You’ll leave with concrete strategies to build a roadmap for designing and achieving your own ambitious philanthropic goals. This will include diverse strategies for giving, examples of innovative investments, and some tangible tips to identify which causes align with your passion. 

Hosted by United Way of Dane County
Event Organizers
avatar for Kyli Wagner

Kyli Wagner

Director, Tocqueville Society, United Way of Dane County
Friday August 21, 2026 8:30am - 10:30am CDT
StartingBlock Madison 821 E Washington Ave 2nd floor, Madison, WI 53703, USA
  Free, In Person

9:00am CDT

AI in Community Building - Build together
LIMITED
Friday August 21, 2026 9:00am - 10:00am CDT
TBA @ 821 E Washington Ave 2nd floor, Madison, WI 53703, USA
Limited Capacity seats available
Join the ASK (Actionable, Support , Knowledge ) platform online challenge , join the zoom everyday 30 mins to work on your Claude AI prototype - 8:00 am with your community and assist each other.

Meet in hybrid or in person to learn about ASK and showcase your work 8 /21 .
Topics to choose
My First ( App, chatbot, website)
AI for cause ( Lonliness, inclusive, hunger)
Ai for sales
Anything else

Hosted by Source-Right Inc
Event Organizers
NA

Friday August 21, 2026 9:00am - 10:00am CDT
TBA
  Free, Hybrid

10:00am CDT

Maintaining One's Humanity in an Age of AI
LIMITED
Friday August 21, 2026 10:00am - 12:30pm CDT
Madison College - Goodman South Campus @ 2429 Perry St, Madison, WI 53713, USA
Limited Capacity seats available
While we should all strive to retain the skills and attributes that characterize us as being authentically human, it is easy to surrender control to technology that makes our lives easier-- but at what cost? Join two experts in artificial intelligence (AI) and psychology as they lead a presentation through conversation, games, and team activities that explores our reliance on technical automation and AI. We'll identify the possible pitfalls that we may stumble into which arise from an over-reliance on the technology. Ultimately, we will introduce a process that one can use to identify when to use artificial intelligence and when to rely on our own native intelligence. This event is suited for anyone who may have roles in the creation of products and services, analysts and technicians, management, medicine, and education.

Time: 
1000-1230p

Location:
Room: 201-203
Goodman South Campus, Madison College
2429 Perry Street
Madison, WI 53713


About your Facilitators:

Stephanie Elizabeth Beckman, PhD is a faculty member, researcher, and faculty developer at Madison College in Madison, Wisconsin where they have spent over a decade at the intersection of teaching, organizational culture, and human experience. Trained as an international psychologist with a focus on organizations and systems, Stephanie brings a social scientist lens to questions about how technology shapes (and is shaped by) the people who use it. Their work in AI ethics has grown from years of hands-on practice: integrating AI tools critically into writing and faculty development contexts, studying how institutions respond to technological change, and asking hard questions about equity, agency, and what we risk losing when convenience wins.

VG Johnson, PhD is a scientist, educator, and inventor based in Madison, Wisconsin. As the small business owner of Provaitech Corporation, he researched and developed a form of artificial intelligence (AI) over the past quarter century which supports his role as a faculty member at Madison College. In support of his ethics and integrity courses at the College, he uses Provaitech’s Steps for Critical Analysis Practiced course, AI, and a book that he authored together as a learning object to facilitate the instruction of critical thinking applied to everyday scenarios. As a father of four, a military veteran, robotics developer, and roller derby official, his unique perspectives coalesce to liven any topic that might come up in his discussions.
Event Organizers
avatar for Victor Johnson, PhD

Victor Johnson, PhD

Madison Area Technical College


Friday August 21, 2026 10:00am - 12:30pm CDT
Madison College - Goodman South Campus 2429 Perry St, Madison, WI 53713, USA
  Free, In Person
 
From $0.00
Forward Fest 2026
From $0.00

Get help with the event

Contact event planner Event login
View support guides Find upcoming events
Create an event you'd love to attend!
Explore why organizers choose Sched • Success stories
Event App • Event scheduling • Event registration • Event ticketing • Sched forms • Call for papers • Badges • Conferences
© 2026. SCHED LLC - All rights reserved - Helping events since 2008
Event Planning App • Privacy • Terms
Share Modal

Share this link via

Or copy link

Filter sessions
Apply filters to sessions.
Monday, August 17
Tuesday, August 18
Wednesday, August 19
Thursday, August 20
Friday, August 21
100state
Aubergine: a Willy Street Co-op Community Space
Bandit - Tacos & Coffee
Black Business HUB - WWBIC
Café Hollander Hilldale
Century 21 Affiliated Office
Delta Beer Lab
Engineering Centers Building
Engineering Hall
Giant Jones Brewing
Leflore Accounting Services
Madison Club
Madison College - Goodman South Campus
Madison Public Library - Central
Memorial Union
On the King Street Walkway of the Capitol Square
Recovery.com (8th floor cafe)
Saunaday
StartingBlock Madison
State Line Distillery
TBA
The Rigby Pub, Grill, and Event Venue
The Sylvee
The Wisconsin Entrepreneurship Hub
Virtual
  • Free
  • Ticketed
  • Category
  • Agriculture
  • Ai
  • Angel Investing
  • Arts
  • Bio / Health
  • Business
  • Business and Entrepreneurship
  • Business Strategy
  • Communication
  • Community
  • Cultural Competence
  • Customer
  • Customer Service
  • Environmental Health and Compliance
  • Family
  • Financial
  • Food
  • Games
  • General
  • Growth
  • Hardware
  • Intellectual property
  • IoT
  • Kidpreneurship: From Lemons to Lemonade Entrepreneurship Experience
  • Knowledge Work
  • Leader Education
  • Manufacturing
  • Marketing
  • Music
  • Networking and Marketing
  • Raising pre-seed capital
  • Social Good
  • Tech / Software
  •  
  • Interaction Type
  • 30 mins per day of online connect and 1 hr social
  • Breakfast
  • Conference
  • Education
  • Happy Hour
  • hybrid panel with audience participation: we will also help them shape their stories.
  • Live Pitches
  • lunch
  • Networking
  • Panel discussion with audience Q&A
  • Personalized Review
  • Pitch Event
  • roundtable style with open Q/A
  • Semi-Panel
  • Short discussion and open networking
  • Social
  • Workshop