Destination: Innovation in Fox Cities, WI
Tech entrepreneurs share why the Fox Cities region is the right spot for startups.
The Fox Cities are home to a community of business owners striving for innovation in their industry. An area with strong roots in manufacturing and known for birthing an impressive list of global companies, the legacy of innovation continues with entrepreneurs like Andrew Schmitz, co-founder of Micronet, a technology startup in Appleton. Founded in 2019, Micronet helps organizations create strong connections between their members via automatic, smart email introductions.
Schmitz is also a co-founder and CEO of Proceed.app, a Fox-Cities-based app that specializes in effective, visual-based training. In 2022, Proceed.app was recognized as the winner of the Fox Cities Chamber’s Innovation Award for small employers.
His role as a co-founder of successful startups led Schmitz to his next gig, empowering innovation in the Fox Cities region. Schmitz is now managing director for the U.S. Venture Sustainability Accelerator – powered by gener8tor, a startup accelerator based out of Appleton – where he helps oversee investments into five startups each year.
“We’re hoping to formalize and grow the local startup ecosystem here,” Schmitz says. “Many agree that Appleton was missing a place or organization to support high-growth and tech startups, and we’re excited to work toward solving that.”
The accelerator is set to support the local startup ecosystem with resources, but Schmitz says it offers something even more important.
“Startups always appreciate funding, but having a community is invaluable. This accelerator builds community around tech entrepreneurship and founders, fostering connections and relationships,” he says.
As a fellow founder, Emmanuel Buah agrees.
“When we moved to Appleton, I was a bit concerned there wasn’t much support with tech ventures,” says Buah, chief technology officer at Airfordable, a company that allows travelers to purchase airline tickets on installment. “But since then, we’ve started a founder’s group, and the resources keep growing – I’ve been able to find interested individuals.”
In This Article
Home of Innovators
Innovation has always been a part of the Fox Cities region. Dating back to 1872, John A. Kimberly, Havilah Babcock, Charles B. Clark and Frank C. Shattuck came together to launch what was then known as Kimberly, Clark and Co. Continuing the trend, AriensCo was founded in 1933 and U.S. Venture in 1951 – all notable names serving a global community with roots in the Fox Cities region.
“Innovation is an essential concept for any city, but from Appleton’s standpoint, finding ways to invite and encourage innovators to stay is critical,” Schmitz says. “We need to get behind them and help them innovate locally. The innovators starting today will be the Kimberly-Clark companies of tomorrow.”
Education, Careers & Opportunity
5 Reasons Your Business Should Call Fox Cities, WI, Home
Fox Cities is the perfect place to launch or relocate your business.
Build Your Life And Career
Known for their low crime rates, educational opportunities, stable economy and access to top-rated health care systems, innovation in the Fox Cities flourishes because it’s an attractive place to live.
“People choose to grow their business here for many reasons. For most, they love the area and appreciate the super low cost of living,” Schmitz says. “You can have an easy, comfortable life here, especially compared to the coastal prices. In addition, it is a great place to raise a family — it’s not uncommon for people to own a house and car.”
For Buah, his family originally intended to move to either California or Colorado, but shifted their decision once they realized all that Appleton has to offer.
“Appleton has been great for us. The schools here are fantastic, which is important because I have two kids. In addition, the commute is very short; you can get from one end of the city to the other in 15 minutes,” Buah says. “Overall, the pace is slower, and the people are easygoing — everyone is nice.”
And accessibility is not a concern for innovators, thanks to the Appleton International Airport making it convenient for business travelers to get in and out.
“This airport is one of the best places, and they continue to expand their flights,” Buah says. “Overall, Appleton is small but has a big-city vibe to it.”
Local Company Thrives
The Fox Cities region boasts several standout companies, and one of them is Walbec Group, which in 2022 repaved the famed Road America racetrack in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin.
With its slogan of “Helping People Reach Their Destination,” Walbec Group is a family of heavy civil engineering, construction and material supply companies founded in 1930. It has six companies under its corporate umbrella: Payne+Dolan, Northeast Asphalt, Zenith Tech, Parisi, Construction Resources Management and Premier Concrete.
Each of these companies provides specialized individual services. such as heavy civil site work, asphalt paving, engineering and surveying, bridge construction, excavation and grading, shoreline stabilization, earth retention and large-scale residential site development.
Did You Know?
Walbec Group companies have a roster of impressive accomplishments, including renovating the south endzone at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, repaving the Mackinaw Bridge in Michigan, repairing the roof of Kilbourn Tunnel in Milwaukee and rehabilitating the Portage Lake Lift Bridge in Michigan.
On the Road Again
One of the company’s most high-profile recent projects was the repaving of Road America, a 4.048-mile, 14-turn road racecourse that first opened in 1955. Nicknamed “America’s National Park of Speed,” Road America has hosted multiple IndyCar, NASCAR and Trans-Am Series races throughout its storied history.
Walbec Group’s Northeast Asphalt division in Greenville, Wisconsin, handled the repaving work at the track, and its Payne+Dolan division handled the surveying.
“Road America has maintained its original 14-turn configuration throughout its history, and it was a big job repaving and upgrading the entire 4-plus miles. The track had cameras providing live Facebook streams of our entire repaving process, and there were tens of thousands of views from racing fans around the world who watched our team working out there.”
Taylor Tauer, Northeast Asphalt Area Manager
Team Effort
The resurfacing of Road America by Northeast Asphalt was the famous track’s first renovation since 1995. More than 800 truckloads were removed during milling, with nearly the same number bringing in the new asphalt racing surface. Two paving machines ran in an echelon (side by side) pattern to minimize the center seam visibility and maintain a constant density.
The first scheduled race on the fresh Road America surface is the Northwoods Shelby Club’s 47th annual Midwest Invitational in late April 2023, followed by the SVRA (Sportscar Vintage Racing Association) Festival Weekend in mid-May.
“This project was much more than just repaving. For example, when the old surface was removed, there were some soft spots in the track that we dug out and put in a better base,” says Heather Sayler, Northeast Asphalt project manager. “This whole project took significant effort from many talented people, and the track looks great again.”
Kevin Litwin contributed to this article.
Get to Know Fox Cities
Want to learn more about living and working in Fox Cities, WI? Check out the latest edition of Livability Fox Cities, WI, Economic Development.
