{{Short description|American startup accelerator}} {{Cleanup-PR|1=article|date=September 2021}} {{Use mdy dates|date=November 2025}} {{Infobox company | name = gener8tor | logo = | industry = [[Venture Capital]] | founded = {{Start date and age|2012|6}}<ref>{{cite news |author=Newman, Judy |title=Tech and Biotech: gener8tor looks to grow new Wisconsin tech firms |url=http://host.madison.com/business/technology/biotech/tech-and-biotech-gener-tor-looks-to-grow-new-wisconsin/article_2e906208-b741-11e1-9ff5-0019bb2963f4.html|newspaper=[[Wisconsin State Journal]] |date= June 16, 2012}}</ref> | num_locations = 3 (2017) 46 cities (2021) | key_people = Troy Vosseller, Joe Kirgues, Maggie Brickerman, Abby Kursel | brands = gBETA NMotion Motown Accelerator OnRamp Conference Series | num_employees = 90+ | website = {{official website}} }}
'''Gener8tor''' (stylized '''gener8tor''') is an American [[seed accelerator|startup accelerator]] that operates in several US cities, including [[Madison, Wisconsin|Madison]], [[Milwaukee, Wisconsin|Milwaukee]], and [[Minneapolis]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bizjournals.com/twincities/news/2017/02/17/gener8tors-minneapolis-accelerator-gets-new-leader.html|title=Gener8tor's Minneapolis accelerator gets new leader|website=www.bizjournals.com|access-date=July 17, 2017}}</ref>
Since its inception, Gener8tor has invested in 180 companies, which have gone on to raise more than $1 billion in total follow-on financing.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.gener8tor.com/statistics/|title=Statistics|website=gener8tor|language=en-US|access-date=July 17, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://host.madison.com/wsj/business/technology/biotech/gener-tor-unleashes-its-latest-class-of-startups/article_8efb7fd2-68dc-5f7c-9129-7873cd952e38.html|title=Gener8tor unleashes its latest class of startups|last=Journal|first=Judy Newman {{!}} Wisconsin State|work=madison.com|access-date=July 17, 2017|language=en}}</ref>
== Program == Gener8tor offers $20,000 in exchange for 6–7% of equity and another $80,000 in the form of an uncapped [[Convertible bond|convertible note]].<ref name="gener8tor">{{Cite web|url=https://www.gener8tor.com/apply/|title=Apply|website=gener8tor|language=en-US|access-date=July 17, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.uwalumni.com/awards/joe-kirgues-troy-vosseller/|title=Badger Business Generators: Joe Kirgues & Troy Vosseller|date=March 8, 2015|work=Wisconsin Alumni Association|access-date=July 17, 2017|language=en-US}}</ref>
Each class happens in a different city, with [[Madison, Wisconsin|Madison]] in the [[Spring (season)|Spring]], [[Minneapolis]] in the Summer, and [[Milwaukee]] during the Fall. Each class lasts about 3 months.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://archive.jsonline.com/business/gener8tor-named-one-of-the-countrys-top-16-accelerators-b99685781z1-371823351.html|title=Gener8tor named one of the country's top 16 accelerators|access-date=July 17, 2017|language=en}}</ref>
In its Madison 2017 class, Gener8tor accepted 5 out of 691 companies.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://wisbusiness.com/index.iml?Article=386660|title=Premiere Night showcases gener8tor's latest group|last=Moe|first=Alex|website=WisBusiness.com|date=May 15, 2017 |language=en|access-date=July 17, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://blog.errund.com/2017/02/errund-joins-top-startup-accelerator/|title=Errund joins top startup accelerator - The Errund Blog|date=February 2, 2017|work=The Errund Blog|access-date=July 17, 2017|language=en-US}}</ref>{{Update inline|date=November 2025}}
==History== Gener8tor's first fund was backed by Dan Armbrust, founder of Granite Microsystems, a [[Mequon, Wisconsin]] equipment manufacturer, and Dan Bader, president and CEO of [[Bader Philanthropies]]. gener8tor is a sponsor for [[Front Row Motorsports]] driver [[Todd Gilliland]] in the [[NASCAR Cup Series]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=gener8tor, Ruedebusch Development to Continue Sponsorship of Todd... |url=https://www.racingamerica.com/news/nascar/gener8tor-ruedebusch-development-to-continue-sponsorship-of-todd-gilliland-in-2024 |access-date=March 30, 2024 |website=Racing America}}</ref>
==Gener8tor Fund II== [[CSA Partners]] Venture Management, a venture capital fund backed by [[Chris Abele]], [[Milwaukee, Wisconsin|Milwaukee]] County Executive, and former president and CEO of the [[Argosy Foundation]], [[Wisconsin Investment Partners]], and other individual investors contributed $2.1 million to "Gener8tor Fund II". The funds are for operations and investments of the Gener8tor companies.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Lee|first1=Troy|title=Gener8tor's New Fund Worth $2.1M|url=http://www.madisonstartups.com/gener8tors-new-fund-worth-2-1m/|website=madisonstartups.com|publisher=Eat Drink Madison, LLC|access-date=June 23, 2015|date=December 1, 2014}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
{{Venture capital firms}}
[[Category:Financial services companies established in 2012]] [[Category:Organizations based in Milwaukee]] [[Category:Technology companies established in 2012]] [[Category:2012 establishments in Wisconsin]] [[Category:Venture capital firms of the United States]] [[Category:Organizations based in Madison, Wisconsin]] [[Category:Startup accelerators]] [[Category:Economy of Wisconsin]]