Forward Fest 2026

You will be able to validate your attendance (Check-In to sessions) using your personal schedule.

8:00am CDT

Monday August 17, 2026 8:00am - 8:45am CDT

Limited Capacity seats available

You Didn't Sign Up For This

A 1-hour session for founders who are building a business — not running errands for one

You launched a startup to build something. Instead, you're switching between 8 tools, chasing invoices, fixing shift schedules, and wondering why your ""lean team"" still feels like chaos.

This session is for founders who are done with that.

In one hour, we'll show you how fast-moving startups are collapsing their entire ops stack — CRM, projects, HR, contracts, billing — into a single platform, cutting $3,000+ a month in subscriptions, and getting back to the work that actually grows the business.

What you'll walk away with:
- A clear map of which tools you can replace today
- A live look at how OneHermes works in a real startup workflow
- A 30-day plan to simplify your stack — no migration nightmare

Format: 20 min talk · 25 min live demo · 15 min open Q&A

Seats are limited. Bring your mess — we'll show you how to clean it up.

Hosted by OneHermes

Event Organizers

NR Karthikeyan

Monday August 17, 2026 8:00am - 8:45am CDT
TBA

Ticketed, In Person (You Didn't Sign Up For This)

Category Bio / Health, Family, Tech / Software, General
Interaction Type Conference, Workshop

7:00pm CDT

Sweat Equity Sauna Happy Hour

LIMITED

Monday August 17, 2026 7:00pm - 9:00pm CDT

Saunaday @ 315 S Blount St, Madison, WI 53703, USA

Limited Capacity seats available

Check out our Website

Sweat Equity Happy Hour is a reimagined alternative to traditional networking—designed for founders, creatives, and builders who want something more real than surface-level conversation.

Hosted at Saunaday, guests move through a guided thermal cycle:
Steam → Sauna → Cold Plunge → Rest & Hydration

Shared challenges—like heat and cold—naturally break down barriers and create space for more open, grounded connection.

What to expect:
-2-hour, open-format thermal contrast experience
-Light guidance on the sauna + cold plunge cycle
-Complimentary beverage
-Tech-free, presence-driven environment

Hosted by Saunaday

Event Organizers

Roshelle

Founder & CEO, Saunaday

Roshelle Ritzenthaler is the co-founder and CEO of Saunaday, Wisconsin's fist Nordic bathhouse. An architect and service designer by training, she previously led innovation and service design at UW Health before leaving healthcare to build one of the Midwest's most celebrated wellness... Read More →

Monday August 17, 2026 7:00pm - 9:00pm CDT
Saunaday 315 S Blount St, Madison, WI 53703, USA

Ticketed, In Person (Sauna Happy Hour)

Category Business and Entrepreneurship, General, Tech / Software, Bio / Health
Interaction Type Personalized Review, Workshop, Happy Hour

10:00am CDT

Design Workshop: Building a New Knowledge Stack

LIMITED

Tuesday August 18, 2026 10:00am - 12:00pm CDT

State Line Distillery @ 1413 Northern Ct, Madison, WI 53703, USA

Limited Capacity seats available

Why Workshop a new knowledge stack?

In 2026, most teams are stuck in a loop of under-delivering on what AI promises for the future.

Teams don't have a tool problem, we are playing around with a beginners mindset.
Teams have a fuel problem, we are limited by what the tools need to truly shine.

If you've heard:
🥔 "This help center is a (maintenance) mess"
😖 "My team is burning out answering the same 5 questions"
💸 "Our customer support is is too expensive / too reactive"
📈 "We need a more sustainable way to scale"

Make your fuel work:
• Your fuel is unstructured data,
Conversations and natural language are messy.
• Your resources, docs, knowledge articles, blog posts are duplicative or inconsistent
Which makes machines who regurgitate your stuff "hallucinate" through its' confusion.
• Meanwhile search tools have evolved into chatbots
Proving this moment of organizational change is led by technology.

If you're asking for help - you don't want someone who is messy and hallucinating.

Amidst this we all know
• We are beginners, learning.
• We have the answers, we have the know-how.

My work focuses on the rigorous practice for teams to share what we collectively know - if we don't then we won't be able to scrape anything useful together to feed the AI future.

This session is for leaders to:
Take a breath
and join others in finding better ways to work (with AI).

AGENDA

10:00 AM Welcome and Overview
Knowledge-as-a-service, Knowledge-Centered Service (KCS©) methodology and it's various applications.

10:30 AM Share your Story
We all have a (customer service) story to share - some good, some bad, and some extremely ugly. We'll share experiences from the real life and I'll share some gems from my time with over 100+ different customer service teams.

BREAK

11:00 AM Design Workshop
Participants will sketch their "2026 Knowledge Stack", creating a physical ARTifact to bring back into everyday operations.
With any luck, this session will inspire participants to build better service through designing and future-proofing your organization's knowledge.

12:00 PM Lunch:
Join an optional lunch nearby with your fellow participants to reflect together and enjoy the outdoors in beautiful Madison, Wisconsin.

LOCATION:
Hybrid
• Virtual on zoom
• In person @ State Line Distillery - staff will be around to pour drinks.

QUESTIONS:
Contact Christina Libs at any time.

About Christina Libs:
Christina improves accessibility and reusability in organizational operations. She is a fractional knowledge systems program manager for enterprise businesses. She's open to project-based contracts for any small (5-50) teams supporting large customer bases (100s-1000s+). She is a KCS® certified practitioner ♻️, ex-Zendesk Engagement Manager and Manager of Proactive and Automated Support 💚, ex-Epic Implementation Services and Post Go Live Support Program Manager ❤️, and UIUC Graduate in Communication and Sociology 🎓. She lives in Madison, Wisconsin and loves to 🌱 🏒 🥏 🏄‍♂️.

Event Organizers

Christina Libs

Knowledge Strategy Consultant, Service Knowledge Operations

Questions? Contact Christina Libs at any time.
About Christina Libs:
Christina improves accessibility and reusability in organizational operations. She is a fractional knowledge program manager for enterprise businesses. She's open to project-based contracts for any small (5-50) teams supporting large customer bases (100s-1000s+). She is a KCS... Read More →

Tuesday August 18, 2026 10:00am - 12:00pm CDT
State Line Distillery 1413 Northern Ct, Madison, WI 53703, USA

Ticketed, Hybrid (Design Workshop)

Category Arts, Tech / Software, General, Customer Service, Knowledge Work
Interaction Type Workshop

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

Rylee Gaber

Alanna Thiede

Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce

Sharla Rowe

Events Manager, Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce

Sponsors

Associated Bank

Fetch

JP Cullen

Madison College - Center for Entrepreneurship

Michael Best

The Gialamas Company

WEDC

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

Ticketed, In Person

Category Bio / Health, Social Good, Tech / Software, Business
Interaction Type Happy Hour, Social, Live Pitches

9:00am CDT

DevFest WI

LIMITED

Wednesday August 19, 2026 9:00am - 4:00pm CDT

Memorial Union @ 800 Langdon St, Madison, WI 53706, USA

Limited Capacity seats available

Check out our Website

DevFest WI, https://www.devfestwi.com/, is an in-person positive, inclusive conference for all technologists, organized by GDG Madison, Madison Women in Tech and volunteers from the Madison tech community. It will take place on Wednesday, August 19 at Tripp Commons - Memorial Union in Madison, WI from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm.

Our conference theme is inclusivity: how to create development teams and software products that are welcoming to everyone.

Why Attend?

Inspiring Talks: Learn from industry leaders and peers on the inclusivity and positivity in tech.
Skill Workshop: A free hands-on workshop "Anyone can build with Google AI".
Networking Opportunities: Connect with fellow developers, engineers, and tech enthusiasts from our vibrant community.

This is a great opportunity to engage with the community, grow your network, and take the next step in your tech career.
Don't miss out on this exceptional event! We look forward to seeing you there.
For more information, visit our website or follow us on social media. Your participation is what makes our events successful!

Hosted by UW Union

Event Organizers

Naveen VK

Tech Director, nvisia LLC

Sponsors

Wisconsin Union

Wednesday August 19, 2026 9:00am - 4:00pm CDT
Memorial Union 800 Langdon St, Madison, WI 53706, USA

Ticketed, In Person (DevFest)

Category Tech / Software
Interaction Type Conference, Social

11:30am CDT

Fireside Chat with WEDC Secretary John Miller and Maggie Brickerman

LIMITED

Wednesday August 19, 2026 11:30am - 1:00pm CDT

Madison Club @ 5 E Wilson St, Madison, WI 53703, USA

Limited Capacity seats available

Join us for a fireside chat between WEDC Secretary John Miller and Tech Council President Maggie Brickerman. The conversation will focus on WEDC’s efforts to strengthen the Wisconsin’s innovation, startup and venture capital ecosystem, and the specific ways that innovators can leverage WEDC as a partner. Registration for this event will close at noon on August 14.

Event Organizers

Julie Johnson

Operations Director, Wisconsin Technology Council

Wednesday August 19, 2026 11:30am - 1:00pm CDT
Madison Club 5 E Wilson St, Madison, WI 53703, USA

Ticketed, In Person (Fireside Chat WEDC)

Category Bio / Health, Family, Food, Tech / Software, Games, General
Interaction Type Social, Panel discussion with audience Q&A, networking, lunch

8:15am CDT

Pricing Model Mastery - Part 2: Personalized Guidance for Your Business (Add-on VIP Session)

LIMITED

Thursday August 20, 2026 8:15am - 9:00am CDT

Virtual @ 5 E Wilson St, Madison, WI 53703, USA

Limited Capacity seats available

Pricing Model Mastery - Part 2: Personalized Guidance for Your Business (Add-on VIP Session)

For those serious about immediate impact, this exclusive add-on VIP session offers pricing guidance tailored to your business. Participants will bring their actual pricing structure into the conversation, receive direct feedback on customer perception and revenue impact, and walk away with an acceleration-ready plan.
Part 2 is for attendees who want focused, actionable guidance on their current pricing model and have the authority to make pricing decisions for their product or service.
For maximum value and clarity, please also register for and attend Part 1: General Session beginning at 7:1

Hosted by Fortum Advisors & Free Bird Ventures

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