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Articles by Andy Nunemaker
Let's have a spirited yet professional campaign for governor | Opinion
Congratulations are in order to U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany and Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley. Following your victories in the Aug. 11 primary, either one of you will be the next governor of the great State of Wisconsin. And in my humble opinion, either one of you will make a fine governor. I have two simple requests of both of you regarding the upcoming campaign and your term(s) should you be victorious in November. First: You have a choice in how you approach the campaign.
Let's have a spirited yet professional campaign for governor | Opinion
Tom Tiffany and David Crowley won their respective gubernatorial primaries in Wisconsin. The author urges both candidates to avoid negative campaigning and focus on their own merits. The next governor will likely face a split State Legislature, requiring bipartisan cooperation. The author asks the winner to prioritize the needs of Wisconsin citizens over partisan politics. Congratulations are in order to U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany and Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley.
Let's have a spirited yet professional campaign for governor | Opinion
Dear Tom Tiffany and David Crowley: As you look beyond November, be willing to work with members of both parties and be willing to compromise and do what is best for the citizens of Wisconsin. Andy Nunemaker Special to Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Aug. 23, 2026, 5:02 a.m. CT Tom Tiffany and David Crowley won their respective gubernatorial primaries in Wisconsin. The author urges both candidates to avoid negative campaigning and focus on their own merits.
Let's have a spirited yet professional campaign for governor | Opinion
Aug. 23, 2026, 5:02 a.m. CT Tom Tiffany and David Crowley won their respective gubernatorial primaries in Wisconsin. The author urges both candidates to avoid negative campaigning and focus on their own merits. The next governor will likely face a split State Legislature, requiring bipartisan cooperation. The author asks the winner to prioritize the needs of Wisconsin citizens over partisan politics. Congratulations are in order to U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany and Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley.
Let's have a spirited yet professional campaign for governor | Opinion
Dear Tom Tiffany and David Crowley: As you look beyond November, be willing to work with members of both parties and be willing to compromise and do what is best for the citizens of Wisconsin. Andy Nunemaker Special to Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Aug. 23, 2026, 5:02 a.m. CT Tom Tiffany and David Crowley won their respective gubernatorial primaries in Wisconsin. The author urges both candidates to avoid negative campaigning and focus on their own merits.
Let's have a spirited yet professional campaign for governor | Opinion
Aug. 23, 2026, 5:02 a.m. CT Tom Tiffany and David Crowley won their respective gubernatorial primaries in Wisconsin. The author urges both candidates to avoid negative campaigning and focus on their own merits. The next governor will likely face a split State Legislature, requiring bipartisan cooperation. The author asks the winner to prioritize the needs of Wisconsin citizens over partisan politics. Congratulations are in order to U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany and Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley.
Budget-based benefits: a different benefits renewal strategy
With renewal season nearly upon us, brokers are beginning to build out plan options for their clients. This time of year usually results in frustration for agency staff and customers, as the traditional renewal process does not focus on customer experience or operational efficiency. Historically, the broker used a static spreadsheet to show the client several plan options with different benefits, including the total cost of each plan.
The ‘ancillary disconnect’
As the employee benefits market grows even more commoditized, brokers are constantly looking for ways to differentiate. One of the best ways a broker can stand out from the crowd and build long-lasting client relationships is to become an advisor or partner in the employer's business. One important aspect to becoming a trusted advisor is helping clients create a big-picture employee benefits strategy which will attract and retain top talent.
Founder Collective Closes Third Fund: $75M to Back Early-Stage Startups | Xconomy
Founder Collective has reloaded its stock of dry powder to fuel young startups. The venture firm today announced it has raised $75 million for its third fund, roughly the same aggregate size as its second. The firm was founded by a group of entrepreneurs in 2009, and launched with a $40 million seed-stage fund. Founder Collective is worth highlighting for a few reasons.
Techstars Teams with Amazon for Alexa Startup Accelerator in Seattle | Xconomy
Alexa, what’s the epicenter of innovation in speech as the new user interface? A good case can be made for Seattle, following an announcement today from Techstars and Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN). Techstars, a top-tier startup accelerator with locations around the world and a major presence in Seattle since 2010, will begin a second program here next year in partnership with Amazon’s Alexa Fund.
The Convergence of Information Technology and the Life Sciences | Xconomy
We are at an incredible inflection point in the traditionally distinct fields of information technology and the life sciences. These broad disciplines are converging to advance fields of study like computational biology and systems biology, resulting in new forms of therapeutics and diagnostics that could have a monumentally positive impact on human health.
Dyn's New CEO on Business and Security in the Age of "Volatile Internet" | Xconomy
Tumultuous times these are. Amid mounting security threats, cyber attacks, and fallout from the U.S. presidential election, someone’s got to keep an eye on the Internet infrastructure that the world’s businesses run on. One of those players is Dyn, a Manchester, NH-based provider of DNS (Domain Name System) services. But Dyn is in transition itself. The company raised $50 million in funding in May, and co-founder and former CEO Jeremy Hitchcock stepped down.
Roundup: Geekdom, Prytime Medical, Hangar, Houston Startup Week, & More | Xconomy
Let’s catch up with the latest news from Xconomy Texas. —San Antonio’s Geekdom Fund has raised $6.7 million for its new fund called Geekdom Fund II. According to a regulatory finding, the firm may raise as much as $15 million to invest on IT startups. Founded in 2014, the Geekdom Fund has focused mostly on startups in San Antonio and Austin.
ACA or Not, Accolade Sees Growing Demand For Healthcare Innovation | Xconomy
As if innovating in healthcare wasn’t difficult enough, companies engaged in the endeavor now face an uncertain landscape as the incoming Trump Administration takes aim at the Affordable Care Act. Healthcare IT company Accolade, one of the bigger recent arrivals to Seattle’s healthcare innovation cluster, is watching closely.
Fintech Startup Quantopian Gets $25M From Andreessen & Others | Xconomy
Quantopian, one of Boston’s up-and-coming financial technology startups, got a big endorsement today from a well-known Silicon Valley venture firm. Quantopian said it raised $25 million in a Series C funding round led by Andreessen Horowitz. (Technically it was $25.6 million, per an SEC filing.) Other investors in the round include earlier backers Bessemer Venture Partners, Point72 Ventures, Khosla Ventures, and Spark Capital. Quantopian said it previously raised $23.8 million in venture capital.
Dallas’ Take Command Health Wants to Make Health Plan Shopping Easier | Xconomy
Dallas—Now that we’ve made it through Election Day, let’s brace ourselves for Benefits Enrollment season. This month, many of us will dive into the sometimes difficult-to-understand world of co-payments, premiums, prescription drug plans, and the like as we renew our company-sponsored benefits package. For Americans who work for themselves, the purchasing a healthcare plan can be more frustrating than usual.
The 3-D Graphics Revolution of 1859---and How to See in Stereo on Your iPhone | Xconomy
Gadget lovers and other technology enthusiasts suffer from a curious myopia about the past. The general assumption—fostered by the admittedly blinding pace of progress in computing and software—is that everything really cool must have been invented in the last decade or two. Marvels like wearable virtual-reality displays with force feedback gloves are often described as if they were without precedent. But past generations were far cleverer than we usually imagine.
Breg Partners With Redox to Improve Tracking of Orthotic Devices | Xconomy
For more than two decades, Breg has built and sold braces, splints, walking boots, and other devices designed to help rehabilitate injured patients. The Carlsbad, CA-based company has also developed software that it says can help healthcare providers and other organizations keep track of orthotic devices and bill patients for their use. On Tuesday, Breg announced it will be getting an assist on the software side from Redox, a healthtech startup based in Madison, WI.
Austin’s Phunware Raises $22M for App Development Platform | Xconomy
Austin—Phunware, which makes mobile apps for multinational corporations, announced Wednesday that it has raised $22 million. The funding brings the company $10 million shy of its goal of $50 million for its Series F round. The investment was led by Khazanah Nasional Berhad, the strategic investment fund of the government of Malaysia; Wavemaker Partners; and PLDT Capital, the investment arm of Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company.
Fasetto Raises $5M, Will Start Selling 1TB Wearable In 2016 | Xconomy
If you’ve ever dreamed of walking around wearing a terabyte of data storage—and being able to exchange data wirelessly, at breakneck speeds, to and from any Wi-Fi-enabled device, even with no Internet connection—you’ll only need to wait another six months. Superior, WI-based Fasetto has developed a solid state drive, called “Link,” that can be worn as a bracelet or clipped to the hip, among other places.
San Antonio Cancer Foundation Donates $17M To Cancer Center | Xconomy
The nonprofit San Antonio Cancer Foundation announced this morning that it is giving $17 million for improvements to the Cancer Therapy & Research Center, according to a spokeswoman. The cash will help build a renovated welcome center for patients, a diagnostic suite, an expanded pharmacy, and an area for patients to receive infusions of drugs, according to the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, where the cancer center is based.
Houston SheHacks Event Encourages Women to Form, Lead Tech Startups | Xconomy
Houston—Rebellion Photonics co-founder and CEO Allison Lami Sawyer said she’s tired of being alone when attending technology conferences full of men. “Where is the pipeline of women behind me?” she said. “I want to see more women CEOs.” Sawyer’s remarks on Sunday were given to an assembled crowd attending SheHacks, a hackathon geared towards women in Houston.
From Automatic to Zumper: SF Startups Launch Apps, Raise Cash | Xconomy
Tech startup founders are convinced that any human experience can be duplicated—or improved—by translating it into an app. A flurry of Bay Area startups inspired by this creed raised money or introduced new products this week. —Has your child ever set up a make-believe shop to sell toy snack foods, and implored passing adults to play customer, for hours? Palo Alto, CA-based Osmo supplies an endless line of cartoon animals to fill that role in its new game app, Pizza Co., for kids 5 to 12 years old.
3 ways brokers can ensure clients are satisfied with their plan renewal
Your clients will love you for enhancing a formerly frustrating process, and will reward you with loyalty and retention. Photo: Getty ImagesHey brokers, I have a secret insight for you. Most employers hate their annual benefits renewal. Which means there’s a good chance many of your clients dread their renewal every year. I realize that’s a pretty provocative thing to say, and I’m certainly not here to tell you that you suck at your job.
Life Science Leaders Who Feel the Right Kind of Fear | Xconomy
In the world of betting on the future, life sciences find themselves in a storm, with huge opportunities, like CRISPR gene editing, and immense obstacles, such as soaring drug prices, that call for leaders of extra intensity who are imbued with a sense of crisis. Most people agree that the life sciences today, more than 60 years after two cocky young men found a structure for DNA, point toward amazing things.
Announcing Xconomy Intersect: GGV, Accolade, OfferUp, Textio & More | Xconomy
The most interesting innovations are found where disciplines, industries, and cultures intersect—where intelligent machines edit human writers, drones plant trees, and cloud computing accelerates the transformation of healthcare, for example. Xconomy is excited to announce our upcoming Seattle event, an exploration of the crossroads from which the next world-changing ideas may emerge. Join us Thursday, Dec.
Bowles, Zielke Discuss Disrupting the Accelerator at Upcoming Event | Xconomy
Houston—In the last decade, accelerator programs to boost startups have spread across the country. In Texas, some of these organizations are now examining how accelerators might evolve in the near future. Some of those efforts will be the focus of the “Startups Disrupted” panel later this month at Xconomy’s upcoming Disruptors conference. The daylong forum, to be held Oct.
With Epic Ties, HealthX Raises $20M First Fund, Reveals Investments | Xconomy
HealthX Ventures, a Madison, WI-based group that invests in early-stage healthcare technology companies, says that it has closed a $20 million fund. About 75 investors participated, says Dan Blake, a partner at the fund. HealthX, which says it seeks to put money into startups that are getting their “first rounds of funding,” also disclosed the names of some of its portfolio companies.
MIT Accelerator STEX25 Launches With Five Boston-Area Startups | Xconomy
There’s a new startup accelerator program at MIT. This one is pretty different from what you might be expecting. The program, called STEX25, is being run by MIT’s Industrial Liaison Program as part of its Startup Exchange (STEX). The latter has been around for about two years, and its goal is to connect big companies to MIT-affiliated startups and technologies. STEX25, as its name suggests, is planning to work with 25 startups at a time.
Podium Data Downloads $9.5M to Help Businesses Manage, Crunch Data | Xconomy
Software companies have talked for years about making tools for deep data analysis simple enough for most business users, not just seasoned programmers. There are signs those capabilities are materializing—or at least evolving. The latest example is Podium Data, a Lowell, MA-based startup that today announced it raised a $9.5 million Series A round led by Malibu Ventures.
Investors Bid Up Apptio Shares in Market Debut | Xconomy
Apptio priced its shares at $16, raising $96 million in an initial public offering. The Bellevue, WA-based IT company’s shares, trading on the Nasdaq under the ticker symbol APTI, were up about 42 percent in early afternoon trading Friday. The IPO price was above the $13 to $15 anticipated range the company disclosed last week. It has also granted its underwriters a 30-day option to purchase 900,000 additional shares at the offering price.
Everbridge Stock Jumps Over 20 Percent in Wall Street Debut | Xconomy
Everbridge’s first day as a publicly traded company is in the books: Wall Street investors bid up its stock by more than 20 percent. The Burlington, MA-based company (NASDAQ: EVBG) closed at $15.25 per share. That’s 27 percent higher than the company’s initial $12 pricing last night, and it’s nearly 24 percent above the $12.30 price at the opening bell Friday morning. Everbridge, which sells emergency communications software, is the second Boston-area tech company to go public in 2016.
Survey: Tech Startup Leaders Want Diversity, Not Sure How to Reach It | Xconomy
Tech startup leaders “want to create an inclusive and diverse workforce, but many simply don’t know what to do to build inclusive teams.” That’s how Techstars co-founder and co-CEO David Cohen put it in a blog post earlier this week summarizing the results of a survey of 680 startup founders and top executives, mainly of U.S. digital technology startups, funded by the global entrepreneurship and startup accelerator program and Chase for Business.
How to Teach Computational Thinking | Xconomy
Computational thinking is going to be a defining feature of the future—and it’s an incredibly important thing to be teaching to kids today. There’s always lots of discussion (and concern) about how to teach mathematical thinking to kids. But looking to the future, this pales in comparison to the importance of teaching computational thinking. Yes, there’s a certain amount of mathematical thinking that’s needed in everyday life, and in many careers.
HealthMyne Brings On New CEO, Eyes 2017 For Commercial Launch | Xconomy
HealthMyne, a healthcare IT startup based in Madison, WI, has named Arvind Subramanian as its new chief executive, the company said Monday. Subramanian’s first day at HealthMyne was Aug. 1, he said in a phone interview. Subramanian replaces Praveen Sinha, who co-founded HealthMyne in 2013. Sinha will now be vice president of business development, the startup said in a press release. Also joining HealthMyne, whose headcount currently stands at 24, is Linda Peitzman.
From Partner to Purchaser: Tesoro Buys Madison Biofuels Maker Virent | Xconomy
Lee Edwards says that for a small company like Madison, WI-based Virent, which he leads as president and CEO, partnering with larger businesses can help it do more, faster. Virent, which is developing biofuels aimed at replacing crude oil, sports an impressive roster of collaborators.
Indy Startup PoliticalBank Aims to Unite Voters and Candidates Online | Xconomy
The founders of Indianapolis startup PoliticalBank believe they’ve found a way to make the democratic process a bit more democratic. Billing itself as the first online community of its kind to bring candidates and voters together, PoliticalBank.com is a free, nonpartisan website.
Abodo Adds $4.8M to Bring Apartment-Hunting Website to More Cities | Xconomy
Abodo, a Madison, WI-based startup whose technology helps users find apartments and contact property managers, said on Wednesday that it had raised $4.8 million from investors. The company said it will use the equity financing to add staff and continue its national expansion. 4490 Ventures led the round. Also taking part was American Family Ventures, which like 4490 is based in Madison and has backed Abodo previously.
Panel: Healthtech In Madison Is Expanding Beyond Patient Records | Xconomy
Some national business publications have begun to recognize Madison, WI, as a market for software professionals that punches above its weight. One example was Forbes ranking the city fifth on the magazine’s 2014 list of “Cities Winning The Battle For Information Jobs.” Healthcare IT stands out as a particular strength of the area, thanks in large part to Epic Systems, the patient records software giant based in Verona, WI.
SmartFile’s File Management Software Lands $1.1M Investment | Xconomy
SmartFile aims to raise its profile in a crowded market of document management software offerings and it now has $1.1 million in new capital to help. The Indianapolis-based company says VisionTech Angels, which describes itself as Indiana’s largest angel investment group, led the investment in SmartFile. The funding also included participation from Elevate Ventures. SmartFile says it will use the funds to scale up marketing for its software, as well as support additional product development.
Rose-Hulman Ventures Boosts Indiana Startups With Student R&D Teams
[Editor’s note: This story is part of a series examining tech transfer and innovation initiatives at Indiana colleges and universities.] A temperature-controlled, pressurized dispenser of liquid chocolate; a WiFi-enabled garbage bin that sends electronic alerts when it needs emptying; a medical tool that helps guide placement of other equipment during brain surgery.
Heron Gains FDA Support For Nausea Drug After A Year Under Review
The decision that Heron Therapeutics has been waiting on for almost a year is finally in: The FDA has approved the Redwood City, CA-based company’s drug for nausea and vomiting associated with certain chemotherapy regimens. Heron (NASDAQ: HRTX) first submitted a new drug application for the treatment, granisetron (Sustol), to the FDA in September 2015. The regulatory agency extended its expected decision date three times, most recently in April.
Qualcomm Making Inroads with Wireless EV Charging Technology
If there’s one thing that’s become clear in the five years since Qualcomm (NASDAQ: QCOM) acquired its Halo wireless automotive charging technology, it’s that building a new business—and a new industry—takes time. As the global market for mobile phones has matured, Qualcomm has been seeking new opportunities in the wireless technology business.
Houston’s CS Disco Raises $18.75M to Boost Legal IT Software
Houston—Legal IT firm CS Disco announced today it has raised $18.75 million in a Series C funding round, accounting for just over half of its total investment raised of $35 million. Private equity firm The Stephens Group in Little Rock, AR, led the round, with participation from existing investors Bessemer Venture Partners in Menlo Park, CA, and Austin, TX-based LiveOak Venture Partners.
LogMeIn Grabs Citrix’s Rival Collaboration Tools in $1.8B Merger
LogMeIn plans to join forces with a division of rival Citrix Systems in a $1.8 billion deal aimed at creating a juggernaut in the world of cloud-based business software. For much of its 13-year history, Boston-based LogMeIn (NASDAQ: LOGM) has been best known for cloud software that allows employees and IT service providers to remotely access and troubleshoot computers and other devices. But it has expanded its repertoire of products and services in recent years, largely through acquisitions.
Roundup: StackPath, Houston Ventures, Seremedi, Climate Impact Capital
As we wind down Monday, let’s get caught up with the latest innovation news in Texas. —In an atypically large debut for a young company, Dallas-based StackPath came out of stealth mode with $150 million in funding and about 30,000 customers. The cybersecurity software firm was founded by Lance Crosby, who sold cloud-computing software company SoftLayer to IBM in 2013 for about $2 billion.
Drones, Understory, & Cellectar: This Week’s Wisconsin Watchlist | Xconomy
Catch up on news from Wisconsin’s innovation community with these recent headlines: —Industries as diverse as insurance, agriculture, and construction are now using drones or considering it, the Wisconsin State Journal reported. The benefits to using these unmanned flying machines include worker productivity and safety, when it comes to tasks such as inspecting wind turbines.
U-M’s Detroit Data Fellows Aim to Improve the Way Police Fight Crime
In 1817, the University of Michigan was founded in Detroit before eventually relocating roughly 40 minutes west to Ann Arbor. As the school approaches its bicentennial next year, it has worked to rebuild and strengthen its ties to the Motor City through a number of novel partnerships, including the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy’s Detroit Data Fellows program.
Ex-Shell Venture Exec Rozenfeld Founds Firm For Energy Innovation
Houston—The energy industry is still reeling from low oil prices but Alexander Rozenfeld is placing a bet that this is the right time to back innovative ideas in the sector. Rozenfeld left his position last month as president of Shell Technology Venture to form his own venture firm, Climate Impact Capital. The past several years have not been kind to venture investors in cleantech and energy, as well as food, water, and other environmentally focused segments.
Exact Sciences, D2P, & Bon Ami: This Week’s Wisconsin Watchlist | Xconomy
Stay plugged in on news from Wisconsin’s innovation community with these recent headlines: —Even though a decision from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force last month improved the outlook for Madison-based Exact Sciences (NASDAQ: EXAS) and Cologuard, its stool-based DNA test for colorectal cancer, there is still disagreement about whether insurance companies will cover the test, the Wisconsin State Journal reported.
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