In September 2025, we welcomed 17 students into our Wisconsin Fellowship in Enterprise Development Program! We asked the Fellowship students to share how they got interested in entrepreneurship while providing some background on their past experience and future goals.
We hope you enjoy meeting the Fellowship Class of 2026!
Lamarr Banks
I am a venture associate at Gateway Capital Partners, a Milwaukee-based seed-stage fund investing in early-stage, high-growth startups. In my role, I support both investment and platform functions, sourcing and evaluating startups through founder diligence, financial analysis, and market research, while also helping portfolio companies scale by connecting them with resources, improving internal processes, and tracking growth milestones. I also serve on the board of Gateway portfolio company Tip a ScRxipt, a healthtech startup focused on improving access to supplemental healthcare benefits.
Before joining Gateway, I served as Startup Development Manager at the Greater Green Bay Chamber’s Economic Development team, where I launched and managed accelerator programming, guided tech entrepreneurs from ideation through MVP, and cultivated an inclusive startup community in northeast Wisconsin. I also managed operations at the Urban Hub coworking space, co-chaired the Wisconsin Early-Stage Symposium steering committee, and organized community-building programs including 1 Million Cups Green Bay and Startup Wisconsin Week.
My professional experience is grounded in financial services, having begun my career in banking at JPMorgan Chase & Co., and reinforced through my service on the finance committee for NeighborWorks Green Bay.
I earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree with an emphasis in Finance from the University of Wisconsin–Green Bay and I am currently pursuing an MBA at the University of Wisconsin–Madison specializing in Technology Strategy and Product Management. I am also a Consortium for Graduate Studies in Management Fellow. I am passionate about expanding access to opportunity for underestimated entrepreneurs. I leverage my finance background, venture experience, and community leadership to drive capital access and long-term founder success.
As an Enterprise Development Fellow, I look forward to gaining the skills and experiences that will prepare me to invest in the bold ideas and companies shaping the future. I believe lived experience is a powerful teacher, and this program will help me translate those lessons into the tools needed to fund great companies and eventually build a business of my own. This Fellowship is an important step toward becoming the kind of investor who creates lasting value for entrepreneurs and helps fuel the innovations that will define tomorrow.
Josh Clark
I am a second-year MBA candidate at the Wisconsin School of Business, specializing in Brand and Marketing Management. I began my career in marketing research at various agencies. I spent three years at TechTarget’s Enterprise Strategy Group supporting syndicated and multi-client research focused on data platforms, analytics, and emerging technologies. I then worked on a consumer technology and gaming research team for a company called MarketCast where I helped global brands uncover insights that shaped their strategy and growth. At MarketCast, I led teams on projects across CPG, technology, and gaming, guiding clients from research to actionable recommendations.
Passionate about brands, consumer behavior, and creative problem solving, I am eager to use my experiences as a fellowship student with the Weinert Center to explore new venture opportunities and develop the skills to turn innovative ideas into real-world impact.
Onyinyechukwu (Onyinye) Emeli
I am an MBA candidate at the Wisconsin School of Business specializing in Technology Strategy & Product Management. This summer, I served as a Product Management Intern at Charles River Development, contributing to the Wealth Hub’s Reg-9 product. Previously, I worked in implementation project management and recruiting, where I translated customer feedback into products focused on improving HR processes.
I am originally from Nigeria and passionate about fintech and building products that make cross-border financial experiences simpler and more inclusive. I am pursuing the Wisconsin Fellowship in Enterprise Development to sharpen my builder-operator toolkit, especially customer discovery, venture finance, and rapid experimentation. I am excited to learn how to validate venture ideas that could possibly improve financial access for immigrant communities. I am also excited to learn from (and give back to) a community of founders and mentors.
Outside of class, you will find me hosting fun game nights with friends and having a good laugh over competitive board games!
Alisa (Liza) Gusterer
I am a second-year MBA candidate at the Wisconsin School of Business, specializing in Technology Strategy & Product Management. With dual roots in Austria and the United States, I bring an international perspective to building and scaling businesses.
I began my entrepreneurial journey with smaXtec, an Austrian AgTech company, where I was given the opportunity to lead its U.S. market entry. I built the subsidiary by hiring a team, setting up operations, training employees, signing our first customers, and creating key business relationships. Six months after launch, I was asked to head the U.S. subsidiary.
This past summer I completed the Amazon Pathways Operations internship in Austria, and I continue to contribute to smaXtec part-time as a Product Manager while pursuing my MBA.
I am thrilled to be in the Fellowship in Enterprise Development, as it provides the resources, mentorship, and collaborative environment to further develop the entrepreneurial skills I want to apply in product development and future ventures.
Looking ahead, I am focused on refining my skills as a product manager, solving customer problems, and with the long-term goal of launching my own venture.
Seth Llano
I am a versatile professional with a unique background spanning entertainment, political strategy, and financial analysis. Currently pursuing an MBA at the Wisconsin School of Business, I am transitioning into corporate finance with a strong foundation in strategic planning, business valuation, and operational leadership.
Most recently, I completed a finance internship at Ippolito Christon and Co., where I provided business valuation services and supported M&A activity for beverage distributors across the U.S., contributing to transactions valued up to $45 million. Previously, I served as Chief of Staff to senior executives at Starz/Lionsgate+, where I helped to manage global operations, guided international expansion initiatives, and influenced multimillion-dollar investment decisions.
In the future, I hope to work in corporate finance at a large company to learn the ins and out of being a financial professional before going to work at a smaller company where I can have more of a direct impact on the business. In the long term, I would like to use what I learn in the entrepreneurship fellowship to help me launch a boutique entertainment company where I can run the finances for up-and-coming creators and help them tell their own unique stories.
Jack Lucero
My passion for entrepreneurship began in high school, where I first explored opportunities to create and grow business ideas, ultimately leading me to pursue my undergraduate degree at Babson College. At Babson, I was a four-year varsity swimmer and participated in global study programs in Japan and Israel.
After graduation, I gained experience in technology and consulting, holding roles at RSA, Mansfield Sales Partners, and Formlabs. Across these positions, I focused on product, operations, and customer success, helping organizations improve efficiency and drive growth. Most recently, I completed an MBA internship in Customer Technology and Operations at Madison Gas & Electric.
I am currently pursuing my MBA at the Wisconsin School of Business, specializing in Technology Strategy and Product Management. With experience in both large and small companies, I am especially excited about working with small ventures across the globe that are solving unique problems, which is why I joined the cohort. Post-MBA, I hope to apply my skills in an early-stage venture focused on startup operations and strategy, with interests spanning technology, clean energy, and aviation. I joined the fellowship to begin to connect with startups and learn about where I would best fit in an entrepreneurial environment or new venture. Being a part of this program is important to me because it allows me to actively engage with early-stage ventures while sharpening the skills needed to support their growth. It also gives me the opportunity to explore and develop my own ideas in a collaborative environment.
Brian Miner
I graduated from the University of Iowa in 2018 with a Bachelor of Arts in History. After graduation, I taught English to 10th grade students in Indonesia as a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant.
When I returned home, I joined the U.S. Army, later becoming an officer in the Reserve. After commissioning, I started work for Schneider National in Green Bay, WI as an Area Planning Manager in their intermodal department. Throughout my two years at Schneider, I found a passion for logistics and a desire to learn more about data analytics which led me to apply for an MBA in Supply Chain Management. This summer I interned with U.S Venture’s sustainability team.
I am excited to blend my interests in supply chain management, sustainability, and entrepreneurship through the Fellowship in Enterprise Development Program.
Jakob Monroe
I am currently pursuing my MBA at the Wisconsin School of Business with a specialization in Corporate Finance and Investment Banking. Before returning to school, I earned my undergraduate degree in Integrative Physiology from the University of Colorado-Boulder and worked in several healthcare-related roles focused on client services and operational improvement. Being from Colorado, I spend much of my free time outdoors, whether it’s mountain biking, skiing, or simply relaxing in nature.
I was drawn to the Wisconsin Enterprise Development Fellowship because entrepreneurship has been a constant presence in my life. Growing up, I watched my family start, run, improve, rebuild, and sell businesses time and again. Through those experiences, I saw firsthand the grit, creativity, and vision required to identify and seize business opportunities. Those lessons inspired me to pursue entrepreneurship myself. Joining the Fellowship has given me the chance to formally develop these skills and reconnect with the creative, risk-taking mindset that often fades early in our careers.
Looking ahead, I am excited by the dynamic, fast-paced environment of startups. I thrive when wearing multiple hats, tackling diverse challenges, and solving problems in real time. My experience with the Weinert Center through the Fellowship program is helping me build the foundation to do just that as I move into the next phase of my career. Ultimately, I hope to launch a healthcare and human performance-focused startup that blends my passion for biological sciences with my curiosity and drive for business innovation.
Jorge S. Ortiz
I co-founded Venditi.ai, an insurtech startup focused on helping insurance agents follow up with clients more effectively. While I am no longer operating the venture, the experience gave me hands-on exposure to building and scaling early-stage products.
I studied Economics and Mathematics at North Park University in Chicago. Professionally, I began my career as a Business Development Manager at North Side Credit Union. I later joined Kin Insuranceand Honeycomb Insuranceas aSales Consultant, where I generated more than $5M in annual recurring revenue in my first 12 months. Currently, I am aProduct Manager Intern at Somos, gaining experience in telecom data, compliance, and fraud detection systems.
In addition to operating and building products, I am an angel investor and a member of Hustle Fund’s Angel Squad, a San Francisco–based venture capital fund. These experiences have deepened my perspective as both an operator and investor, giving me the ability to understand the challenges founders face from multiple sides of the table.
I am currently pursuing my MBA at the Wisconsin School of Business, specializing in Technology Strategy and Product Management. Post-graduation, I plan to continue building products at the intersection of fintech, telecom, and AI, while also supporting founders as an advisor and investor. I am particularly interested in the Fellowship program because it will allow me to sharpen my entrepreneurial toolkit, expand my exposure to high-growth startups, and strengthen my ability to guide founders more effectively. The program aligns directly with my long-term goal of becoming a product leader in fintech and AI, while also investing in and advising the next generation of founders.
Jose Pascual
I am a first-year MBA student specializing in Tech Strategy and Product Management and a current fellow in the Enterprise Development Fellowship. Growing up in Florida, Spain, and Venezuela; I was immersed in my family’s growing business which sparked a strong passion for entrepreneurship. I earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Sciences from UW–Madison in 2021 and went back to Florida to build the family’s business and uncover new opportunities for growth.
Through the Fellowship, I aim to deepen my knowledge of strategic innovation, entrepreneurship, and business scaling – skills that are critical to managing both new and established ventures and taking them to the next level. I am particularly looking forward to the opportunity to engage with mentorship and resources offered by the Weinert Center, as I believe learning from seasoned entrepreneurs and faculty will provide valuable insights that will improve my decision-making.
Alexandria Prostko
As a proud double Badger, I am honored to have been selected as an Entrepreneurship Fellow. I am currently completing my MBA with a focus on Technology Strategy & Product Management and certificates in Business Analytics and Entrepreneurship. I am energized by building data-informed products and bringing them to life. I have worked across healthcare, research, education, and finance, learning to translate ambiguous problems into clear roadmaps. Most recently at JPMorgan Chase, I focused on credit card analytics and data visualization, turning complex datasets into a dashboard that informed portfolio decisions and improved customer experiences.
As an undergraduate at UW–Madison, I deepened my understanding of communication, global perspectives, and policy, an interdisciplinary foundation that sharpened my curiosity about how people, data, and technology shape outcomes. That curiosity naturally led me to product management and to exploring venture creation as a practical path to solving real customer pain points.
Since I was a kid, I have been interested in starting my own business. I love discovering pain points, designing solutions, and rallying teams around a shared vision. I now have the opportunity to pressure-test ideas, learn directly from experienced founders and operators, and build a community of mentors and peers. I am especially excited to dive into my entrepreneurial classes where I can apply customer discovery, rapid experimentation, and data-driven storytelling. The experiences I gain from this fellowship will provide me will the foundational skills I need to success as a business owner and leader.
Outside of work and education, I love to travel internationally, try new recipes, and play viola in community orchestras.
Andrew Sternaman
I am currently pursuing my MBA at the Wisconsin School of Business with a specialization in Corporate Finance and Investment Banking and a certificate in Entrepreneurship. My career has spanned finance, consulting, and startups, where I have gained hands-on experience building, scaling, and advising businesses.
I founded Sterny Consulting, a strategy and financial operations firm for small and medium-sized businesses, where I helped clients increase profitability, streamline operations, and implement automation tools to drive growth. I also worked as a Project Manager at Alegion, a venture-backed AI data labeling startup, managing global client projects and delivering over $1M in revenue. Prior to that, I served as an Implementation Manager at Indeavor, leading enterprise software rollouts for Fortune 500 clients, and as a Managing Partner at Salads Up, a fast-casual restaurant startup, where I managed operations, finance, and a team of 20 employees.
Through these diverse experiences, I have seen firsthand the challenges and opportunities entrepreneurs face in building sustainable businesses. I am excited to be part of the Wisconsin Fellowship in Enterprise Development to strengthen my entrepreneurial toolkit, learn from peers with diverse perspectives, and expand my network in the startup ecosystem. Post-MBA, I plan to combine my experiences with my finance background in investment banking, with a long-term goal of entrepreneurship through acquisition or starting my own venture.
Rahul Tamta
I am a full-time MBA candidate at the Wisconsin School of Business, specializing in Technology Strategy and Product Management. Before starting my MBA, I worked in valuation and transaction disputes consulting, where I supported clients through complex financial and legal challenges. I am interested in pursuing a career in product management, with a focus on how technology and finance intersect to create innovative business opportunities.
I joined the Fellowship in Enterprise Development program to strengthen my entrepreneurial mindset, gain exposure to early-stage ventures, and build the skills needed to evaluate and grow new businesses. I am also active in the Graduate Business Association as Community Service Chair and enjoy being involved in the Weinert Center’s entrepreneurship community.
Brooke Taylor
I am currently pursuing my MBA degree at the Wisconsin School of Business with a specialization in Technology Strategy and Product Management. I received my Bachelor of Science degree in Materials Science and Engineering at the University of Washington, where I developed an interest in using technology to solve complex problems. After graduation, I worked as a software implementation manager, leading large-scale rollouts for healthcare systems and learning how to navigate ambiguity, manage cross-functional teams, and drive adoption of new tools.
This summer, I completed a product management internship at a global geospatial technology company, focusing on process improvement and product strategy.
I joined the Weinert Center Enterprise Development Fellowship to strengthen my entrepreneurial mindset, learn from mentors and peers, and gain practical skills in venture creation and growth, with the goal of applying these experiences to bring innovative and impactful ideas to life.
Keenan Vanden Heuvel
I am a 2nd year MBA student at UW–Madison specializing in Marketing. Prior to returning to school, I worked in the hospitality industry for IHG Hotels & Resorts, where I spent 10 years in Phoenix, Miami, and as a task force manager throughout the US and Caribbean.
I wanted to pursue the Fellowship in Enterprise Development program because I am interested in working for startups in the technology industry and wanted to sharpen my business acumen specifically for that purpose. I am really looking forward to combining this experience with the experience of my summer internship, where I was a Content Marketing Manager at a startup called maru.ai.
I am involved in the student organization Badger Blockchain as the Vice President, where we introduce students to cryptocurrency and cultivate an engaging and educational environment through club meetings and events. Having earned my BA from Arizona State in Philosophy (Morality, Politics & Law), I am especially interested in working on ideas that improve society in meaningful ways, and hopefully I can align all of my interests with my experience in the program for a successful career after graduation.
Matthew Winkler
I am originally from Ohio and earned my degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Toledo. I began my career at Matrix Technologies, gaining experience across industries from food manufacturing to refining. Through capital expansion and process improvement projects, I developed a strong foundation of technical skills and project expertise that set the stage for my future endeavors.
I continued my career at Dealer Tire, advancing to Supply Chain Network Design Manager. In this role, I combined technical rigor with strategic insight, leading network optimization initiatives, aligning real estate and labor strategies with customer demand, and contributing to the company’s European expansion. I also played a hands-on role in launching PicquoraAI, a photo tool that allows customers to capture tire and dent images for instant repair and replacement quotes. My work centered on aligning process improvements with business needs, driving efficiency, and fostering innovation.
After graduation, I will join the Industrials group at RBC Capital Markets as a Global Investment Banking Associate. I plan to leverage my background to support industrial transformation and long-term growth, with a long-term goal of launching a growth equity firm dedicated to advancing entrepreneurship, industrial technology, and manufacturing transformation. I view the Fellowship in Enterprise Development as a pivotal opportunity to broaden my perspective beyond engineering and finance, immerse myself in entrepreneurial practice, and connect with a community of innovators that will help shape my vision for building and investing in the next generation of industrial businesses.
Nathan Zukas
Raised in northern Wisconsin, I attended UW–Madison as an undergraduate studying Geography and Environmental Studies, which also makes me a proud double Badger. I also have a Master of Science degree in Geography from Michigan State University (don’t worry I only root for Bucky).
After undergraduate and before my master’s program, I worked construction in Montana, on tugboats in Alaska and as a Divemaster in Thailand. Post master’s program, I worked as a brewer and then head brewer for the Great Dane. Following brewing, I worked in alcohol sales and real estate. I began to really entertain the notion of starting my own business when I became a brewer.
Inspired by what the Great Dane has created, I began thinking about not only a brewery but what other companies I could start. Having my own real estate practice further cemented this desire to start and run my own enterprise. My varied background and educational experiences have set me up with multidisciplinary perspectives that I know will drive my future success as an entrepreneur.
I am excited to participate in the WAVE Fellowship program to develop ideas and work with my cohort to propel each other into our entrepreneurial future.