We have 12 students that were admitted into the Weinert Center’s Wisconsin Fellowship in Enterprise Development program for the 2024-2025 academic year. 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 2025!
Michael R. Flowers
I’m currently pursuing my MBA at the Wisconsin School of Business with a specialization in Technology Strategy and Product Management. During my undergraduate experience at UW, I studied Sociology and Social Welfare and was a member of the men’s basketball team. Post-undergrad, I gained professional experience as an investment analyst, startup founder, and venture capitalist.
I relate to early-stage founders because I have been in their shoes — I taught myself mobile software development and launched a fintech startup in 2020. Being a tech entrepreneur gave me valuable firsthand experience in developing company, product, and marketing strategies.
Shortly after, I landed a job in venture capital at Titletown Tech working with portfolio founders to craft their product launches, pitch decks, and product marketing efforts. During my time as a Venture Associate, I led two investment deals in healthtech and fintech that collectively raised more than $23M in funding. In my spare time, I advise pre- and post-product founders with their product pitches, which has led these founders to win multiple pitch competitions and raise capital.
I look forward to being a fellow for the Enterprise Development Program in addition to pursuing certifications in Entrepreneurship and Strategic Innovation. I am also working next school year as a project assistant at Discovery 2 Product (D2P), helping founders launch their startups. Post-graduation, I will continue to guide founders as an advisor or investor.
Anant Gyan
I am Anant Gyan, MBA student at UW-Madison. I am an experienced and passionate problem solver, currently pursuing an MBA with a focus on Technology Strategy and Product Management. My career spans over 6.5 years, during which I built three startups from scratch, including InfyCrypto, India’s first dedicated OTC desk for cryptocurrency trading. This entrepreneurial journey has equipped me with resilience, a deep sense of ownership, and the ability to take products from ideation to market in diverse regions, including the USA, Europe, India, and Australia.
My hands-on experience in driving product development from 0 to 1 and scaling them across different markets has cultivated a strong foundation in product management. Additionally, I have a keen interest in startups, which I find both challenging and exhilarating. Currently, I serve as the President of the Graduate Business Entrepreneurship Association, where I continue to nurture my entrepreneurial spirit.
Through the Wisconsin Fellowship Program, I am pairing my past experiences with formal learning from some of the brightest entrepreneurial minds. This program is helping me further refine my ability to transform ideas into thriving businesses. Long-term, I am committed to creating more startups and contributing to the tech ecosystem.
Kate Haznaw
I have a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a master’s degree in social work and my background prior to returning to school is primarily in healthcare as a mental health therapist. I decided I wanted to be a therapist when I was in college with the ultimate goal of pursuing entrepreneurship and opening a private practice. After working as a therapist for an early-stage startup for a few years, I became interested in startups and my career goals shifted. I began to see how impact in healthcare can be driven at several levels and I became interested in how technology can be leveraged to drive quality client outcomes and clinician satisfaction. My entrepreneurial goals have shifted from pursuing patient-facing work towards a macro-level view of how technology can improve users’ lives. I look forward to learning from my peers and faculty throughout this fellowship and am excited to refine my entrepreneurial skillset.
Matt Medich
Voted “most likely to win The Apprentice” in high school, I have always had an entrepreneurial spirit and a passion for leadership. After earning my Bachelor of Science in Biology and Chemistry from Edgewood College, I eventually took over the reins of Visionary Medical Supplies, Inc., a Madison-based medical device manufacturing company. Over five-plus years, I managed everything from regulatory compliance with the FDA and EU, to leading our sales efforts and launching new products, all of which resulted in significant revenue growth and expanded our global distributor network. Currently, I am pursuing an MBA at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, focusing on Technology, Strategy, and Product Management to further sharpen my leadership skills and strategic thinking.
During my time at Visionary, I also channeled my entrepreneurial spirit into founding FLMCAM, a small business dedicated to sharing the unique experience of film photography. This venture allowed me to dive into creative product development, build a loyal customer base, and achieve profitability—all while serving as a fulfilling creative outlet alongside my main responsibilities with Visionary. Before my work with Visionary and FLMCAM, I collaborated with the Roger H. Strait Foundation in Myanmar and Tanzania, where I helped establish emergency medical systems in remote regions. This multi-year project culminated in the publication of an academic paper in the Journal of Prehospital Emergency Care.
Whether leading a team at Visionary or founding my own business, I have always believed in the power of innovation and creative problem-solving. I’m passionate about shaping the future of healthcare by addressing unmet needs and improving access to care, and I am eager to apply my experience and entrepreneurial mindset to make a lasting impact in the industry.
Shakshi Morgaonkar
I am Sakshi Morgaonkar, a Computer Science Engineer with extensive experience in the financial services industry. Since graduating in 2019, I have spent four years developing my expertise, beginning my career at Tata Consultancy Services. There, I led various cybersecurity and digital transformation projects for fintech clients. My desire to use my cybersecurity knowledge to drive innovative solutions prompted a career shift to UBS, where I started as an Associate Product Manager. This role ignited my passion for shaping and delivering innovative products. I was quickly promoted to Product Owner, a role in which I managed the consolidation of two cybersecurity product lines during the UBS credit tools merger—an invaluable and enriching experience.
With a passion for tactical aspects of product management and a drive to broaden my perspective and work with global brands, I decided to pursue an MBA at the Wisconsin School of Business, specializing in Technology Strategy and Product Management. I am excited about the opportunity to use my strategic insights and hands-on experience to contribute to dynamic product management teams. I am excited to be a Fellowship student with the Weinert Center and look forward to a year of great learning with my talented classmates with entrepreneurial mindsets. It will be a wonderful experience as it aligns with my future goal to contribute positively to society by identifying unsolved problems and coming up with feasible and scalable solutions.
Daniel Ofurum
Daniel is an MBA student at the Wisconsin School of Business, specializing in corporate finance and investment banking. With a background in financial services and a bachelor degree in Accounting, he is eager to join the Fellowship in Enterprise Development program. Daniel is passionate about entrepreneurship and innovation and is looking forward to enhancing his managerial and entrepreneurial skills, expanding his professional network with business leaders, Weinert Center alumni, and fellow students, and exploring new opportunities in enterprise development.
Christopher Parker
After earning my B.S. in Computer Engineering from the University of Illinois at Chicago, I embarked on a fulfilling journey in software engineering development, management, and leadership. I was driven by goals I set long before high school, and I found immense satisfaction and purpose in my work. Over the years, I contributed to the telecommunications, entertainment and defense/aerospace industries, achieving the milestones I had envisioned earlier for my career.
As I reached a pivotal point in my professional life, I felt a calling to explore new avenues that would allow me to remain deeply engaged with my work. This led me to venture into real estate investment, where I discovered a passion for entrepreneurship and the potential to create significant impact. Through successful exits from several investments in 2023, I realized the power of strategic decision-making and innovative thinking in shaping the trajectory of a business.
Driven by my newfound passion, I decided to pursue an MBA with a specialization in real estate and urban land economics at UW–Madison. That decision stemmed from my desire to augment my business acumen and equip myself with the skills necessary to navigate the complexities of the real estate industry. While the MBA will undoubtedly provide me with invaluable knowledge, I recognize that entrepreneurship goes beyond mere business education; it fosters a mindset of continuous innovation and adaptation.
I am thrilled to be part of the Fellowship in Enterprise Development program, where I can collaborate with talented peers, learn from experienced instructors, and benefit from the guidance of mentors. Through this program, I aim to further cultivate my entrepreneurial mindset and gain practical experience in applying entrepreneurial frameworks to real-world challenges. I am confident that these experiences will not only enhance my capabilities but also enable me to make meaningful contributions to organizations I collaborate with in the future.
My vision is to establish and lead a real estate investing and development firm with a vertically integrated, in-house Architecture-Engineering-Construction (AEC) company. The Fellowship in Enterprise Development program is an integral part of my journey towards realizing this vision, as it provides me with the tools, insights, and networks necessary to bring my aspirations to fruition.
Mahesh Rangabhat
My journey through the world of technology and business is a story of evolution and passion. Starting with a Bachelor of Engineering from the Bangalore Institute of Technology, I quickly realized that my true calling was not in engineering itself but at the intersection of technology and business. This realization prompted a pivot in my career path towards the vibrant world of business strategy and product management.
The entrepreneurial call was strong, and it led me to found FindMyRoom (https://findmyroom.in), a property technology platform that revolutionized roommate searches in India. This venture not only satisfied a market need but also allowed me to apply my skills in building a business from the ground up, managing all facets from product development to market strategy and scaling operations. I created a platform that not only facilitates over 500,000 successful roommate matches but also generates significant revenue and community engagement.
Under my leadership, FindMyRoom grew from a fledgling startup to a top platform featured among the top three in India for roommate searches. The user community boasts over 350,000 active members, a testament to the platform’s effectiveness and user-friendly design. The success of FindMyRoom is underscored by its substantial revenue generation showcasing the platform’s viability and scalability.
The growth of FindMyRoom didn’t stop at the borders of India. Inspired by the success in my home country, I replicated the business model to launch co-roommate.com in the United States, specifically tailored for the community in Madison. This extension aimed to leverage local insights and provide tailored solutions to meet the unique challenges faced by residents in Madison, demonstrating adaptability and a keen understanding of different market dynamics.
My journey with FindMyRoom embodies my commitment to driving innovation, understanding consumer needs, and applying comprehensive business strategies to real-world problems. Currently pursuing my MBA in Technology Strategy and Product Management and as a part of the Fellowship in Enterprise Development program at the WSB, I am excited to deepen my expertise, expand my network, and prepare for future challenges, aiming to enhance and scale the impact of ventures like FindMyRoom globally.
Shokhrukh Shodiev
I have always had a passion for entrepreneurship. This passion started as selling perfume with my friends. Later, during undergrad years, my two groupmates and I fixed a broken vending machine. We used it to serve students and faculty with coffee and hot chocolate. Along with this, we tried many different projects to implement into life. All this experience gave me solid understanding of effective communication skills with customers. Moreover, I felt that entrepreneurship could be a tool that can help improve the lives of people by offering solutions to problems.
Being an entrepreneur is not easy. One should know many aspects and have a good team. I believe the finance part of entrepreneurship has vital importance. Due to this reason, I decided to pursue my MBA in Corporate Finance and Investment Banking specialization. In order to leverage my skills and get more, I chose to be a part of the Enterprise Development Program. I am thrilled to be a Fellowship student, and look forward to a year of great learning with highly talented individuals.
Râam Teegala
Râam, an MBA (STEM) candidate at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, brings a diverse background in project management, business analytics, and digital transformation. With experience at Head Digital Works, EdYsor Edutech Solutions, and MuSigma. Passionate about emerging technologies and solving complex problems in global markets, Râam has led initiatives that drove revenue growth, secured investment deals, and optimized operational efficiency for global organizations.
Outside of work, Râam is an active entrepreneur, serving as a consultant at Rapha Health and a partner at Cyberturf Solutions, leveraging technology to provide solutions to MSMEs. With a strong track record of leadership and achievement, Râam is poised to make significant contributions to the entrepreneurial ecosystem at the University of Wisconsin–Madison.
Shiyue Xie
My name is Shiyue (C.U.). I am a first-year MBA student specializing in Marketing, with a focus on the Analytics and Insights track. Before starting my MBA program, I worked for three years, two of which I spent at Amazon in operations as an Area Manager (AM), focusing on process improvement and enhancing building productivity, quality, and safety. I truly enjoyed working in that fast-paced environment and collaborating with cross-functional teams to fulfill customer promises. Although I really liked my experience at Amazon, I wanted something bigger, more strategic, and more customer-facing. I decided to launch my own cosmetic brand and joined an educational VR tech company, managing their marketing campaigns and developing product strategies. Through these experiences, I learned what I truly enjoy and where my strengths lie, as well as identified areas for growth. This self-discovery and intellectual curiosity led me to pursue an MBA to fill a knowledge gap. As a Fellowship student with the Weinert Center, I am excited to embark on a journey of discovery alongside a cohort of talented and dynamic peers.
Shuting Zheng
As an MBA student specializing in Marketing and owner of “Dooty Free Bags,” a playful dog accessories company, I am thrilled to be part of the Enterprise Development Fellowship. My previous experience in creative services and merchandising within the fashion industry has equipped me with a unique blend of creativity and data-driven insights. This background has instilled in me a love for brand building and entrepreneurship, an interest that has been with me since my undergraduate years at UW–Madison.
As a proud double Badger, having majored in Sociology and minored in Entrepreneurship and European Studies, I deepened my understanding of human behavior and its intersection with business. This interdisciplinary approach fueled my curiosity in entrepreneurship and laid the foundation for my journey into the business world.
Now, as an Enterprise Development Fellow, I am excited to further develop my entrepreneurship skills and explore how they can be applied in the workplace and beyond.
It’s an honor to be part of this program, and I look forward to leveraging my experiences and knowledge to drive innovation and growth in both my personal ventures and the broader business landscape.
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