A doggie chew made from coffee tree wood. A non-alcoholic party punch drink. Technology to help identify lead service lines. Shelf-stable vitamin-packed juice shots.
These are among the innovative startup business ideas chosen to receive $100,000 from a Milwaukee-based venture capital group.
gener8tor Milwaukee, a business accelerator, invested $500,000 in five new companies, each receiving $100,000. The startups are part of the 2025 gener8tor Milwaukee accelerator cohort, selected from over 1,300 applicants globally.
“I feel privileged and honored to be part of their program,” said Bradley Will, a Bay View resident who’s CEO and founder of Mumbies, a two-year-old startup making all-natural dog chews and plush toys from sustainably sourced materials.
“They put a lot of resources and time into helping with educating and thinking about business in a different way,” Will added. “They connected you with people who can help you in every area of business.”
Mumbies makes its products from bark from coffee trees and stringy fibrous husk of coconut shells. The products are a safe, sustainable and environmentally friendly option to plastic pet toys, which may contain harmful chemicals.
The investment helped with business operations for equipment, staffing and shoring up inventory to keep up with demand. Mumbies has generated more than $868,000 in revenue from direct-to-consumer orders since starting in 2023.
“We just kept going out of stock on the product,” Will said.
A rescue dog inspired Mumbies creator
His rescue dog, Mumble, inspired Will to start the company. Will would buy a ton of chew toys, but his dog, named after the character in the movie “Happy Feet,” would always go after tree branches.
“He would have the most joy finding a stick, carrying it around and gnawing on it,” Will said.
Fallen tree branches can pose a hazard to dogs. The branches can be toxic with pesticides and could splinter, harming the dog’s mouth. But the bark from coffee trees is denser and highly resistant to splintering, Will said.
The more dogs chew on it, the bark turns to pulp rather than shards of wood.
“Dogs can gnaw on it pretty safely and get that joy and release of being able to exercise their mouth and clean their teeth,” he said.
Will, a dog lover at heart, has a deeper mission for his company. Not only did he want to create natural doggie products, but he also wanted to find a way to support dog rescues and shelters. His long-term vision is to create a dog sanctuary in Wisconsin to help reduce the number of dogs euthanized every year.
Other startup companies selected for the accelerator program include:
Cove (relocating to Milwaukee from Toronto, Canada): Low-code platform for businesses to build and launch revenue-generating fintech workflows (e.g., tenant screening, insurance, embedded lending);Lotza (Milwaukee): Party punch drink company known for its bold, flavorful beverages crafted for social gatherings and celebrations;Mumbies (Milwaukee): All-natural dog chew retailer committed to providing safe, healthy, and long-lasting treats for pets;Service ID (Madison, Wis.): Lead service line identification platform for utilities to maintain compliance with EPA regulations;Vitaminis (Western Springs, Ill.): Clean-label functional food and beverage brand, with shelf-stable juice shots for daily greens, immune support, and gut healthFund invests primarily in Wisconsin-based companies
The capital for this cohort comes from a new gener8tor fund that invests primarily in Wisconsin-headquartered companies, or those with the potential to relocate to and thrive in the state.
“The thesis of this fund is to play to the strengths of Wisconsin and that shines through in this group,” said Abby Kursel, Partner at gener8tor, in a statement announcing the funding investment. “We are thrilled at the level of traction this cohort had coming into the program.”
The selected companies demonstrated expertise in their field, readiness to raise outside capital and showed growth potential. The startups took part in the intensive 12-week, cohort-based accelerator program.
The startups received one-on-one coaching, mentorship-driven programming, more than $1 million in deals and perks and connected with gener8tor’s network of mentors and investors.
These startup founders will pitch their companies to investors, community partners and the public at a Showcase event at 6 p.m. on Nov. 20 at the Mitchell Park Domes in Milwaukee.
The keynote will be former South Carolina Gov. David Beasley. Beasley is chair of the gener8tor advisory board. He also served as the United Nations World Food Programme executive director.
There, he helped the World Food Programme raise more than $55 billion and earned a Nobel Peace Prize during his tenure.
As South Carolina governor, Beasley helped significantly increase private sector capital investment and fostered one of the lowest unemployment rates for his state in the country.
The event is free and open to the public, but registration is required. Please RSVP here.
The next gener8tor Wisconsin cohort program takes place in 2026 in Madison. Startup founders interested in learning more about gener8tor’s programming or applying can visit the gener8tor Wisconsin website.