05/28/2026
So much valuable insight on Wisconsin small business in this report! Conclusions and policy recommendations emphasize improving access to capital and strengthening capital readiness, as well as sector-specific strategies. So helpful to have this data as we pursue our work in these areas to strengthen food and farm small businesses!
Congrats to our colleagues here in the Universities of Wisconsin Office of Business & Entrepreneurship and at Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation and Wisconsin Policy Forum on this release!
Small businesses power Wisconsin’s economy 💼📈
Between 2010 and 2025, small businesses accounted for approximately 95% of Wisconsin’s net job growth — compared to 72% nationally. This remarkable impact underscores the critical role entrepreneurs play in driving local and statewide prosperity.
The latest Wisconsin Policy Forum report, “Small Businesses, Big Stakes: The State of Wisconsin’s Small Businesses” [👉link in comments], highlights both the strength of our entrepreneurial ecosystem and the challenges many businesses face when scaling — including access to capital 💰 and workforce constraints 👥.
We at the Office of Business and Entrepreneurship, Universities of Wisconsin, are proud to have commissioned this first-of-its-kind report, in partnership with the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation, to support informed policy and legislative decision making.
There's no better way to round out National Small Business Month 🗓️ and celebrate our state's small businesses — the unsung heroes of the American Dream ⭐
