Since its founding in 2007, the Morgridge Entrepreneurial Bootcamp (MEB) has drawn students from across the globe to learn from renowned experts, CEOs, and Wisconsin School of Business faculty. Each summer, the program brings together graduate students, primarily from STEM fields, to sharpen their entrepreneurial skills through an intensive week of hands-on learning, case studies, and lectures. Seventy graduate students and post docs from across the country and world joined us for the week of MEB which was held from June 16-20.
What makes MEB truly unique is the collaborative learning environment. The students’ diverse backgrounds make it an educational experience for everyone involved, including instructors, panelists and speakers. This year, one of the program’s most memorable sessions, was led by Professor Emeritus Anne Miner, who challenged students to think outside the box in a session focused on creativity and innovation where students came up with innovations like carbon-neutral concrete.
Other fan-favorites sessions included Professor Charlie Trevor, who taught a lesson in negotiations where students role-played salary negotiations, Scott Brown, who discussed the importance of having a go to market strategy and building a team, and a CISCO case study led by John Morgridge, reflecting on administrative decisions made during his early years as CEO.
Throughout the week, students evaluated complex case studies, explored alternative business routes such as venture capital, and gained insight into real-world startup dynamics. Students even had the opportunity to pitch their own business ideas to a panel of experts and received valuable feedback — an experience that pushed them to refine their ideas and clearly communicate them under pressure.
A huge thank you to all the MEB alumni, panelists, guest speakers, and instructors who made MEB 2025 possible. And a special thank you to John and Tashia Morgridge for their ongoing generosity and unwavering support of MEB and the UW–Madison community.
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