A bipartisan group of supporters headed by eight former secretaries of the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. (WEDC) is supporting the creation of a state-backed fund to invest in early-stage companies. The group aims to advance legislative discussion of a state budget proposal to invest $100 million in a privately matched, venture capital fund of funds. The state investment would be matched by private dollars at a 2–1 ratio throughout the fund. The members of the group named the Wisconsin Fund Coalition include:
- Reed Hall, former WEDC secretary;
- Mark Hogan, former WEDC secretary;
- Paul Jadin, former WEDC secretary;
- Dick Leinenkugel, former Wisconsin Department of Commerce secretary;
- Brenda (Blanchard) Luckritz, former Wisconsin Department of Commerce secretary;
- Bill McCoshen, former Wisconsin Department of Commerce secretary;
- Cory Nettles, former Wisconsin Department of Commerce secretary; and
- Aaron Olver, former Wisconsin Department of Commerce secretary.
