At the UW Tech Exploration Lab, impact is best measured through the people who experience it firsthand. Students gain the confidence to test bold ideas, companies discover fresh solutions and future talent, and alumni mentors find meaning in giving back to the next generation. Together, their perspectives highlight how the Lab sparks innovation, builds connections, and turns possibility into action.
What students have to say:
“Being able to talk to innovators in industry, who have years of experience with AI and VR systems, helps me learn what is actually valuable and what I want to pursue in my career.” – Spring 2025 Student
“I would highly recommend any student to participate in a hackathon like this one. You don’t need to have a Computer Science background to perform in a hackathon. Just a will to learn and persevere is more than enough.” – Summer 2025 Hackathon
“Working on DermaVision through the Tech Exploration Lab has been one of my most meaningful experiences at UW–Madison. The Lab connected me with peers passionate about AI and healthcare, provided access to advanced tools and mentorship, and helped me turn an early idea into real progress. It’s more than a lab—it’s a launchpad.” – 2025 Venture Discovery Student
“It was an incredible experience where we not only got to build something meaningful but also learned a lot by collaborating under time pressure. You don’t need to be perfect or have everything figured out; just show up, stay curious, and keep building!” – Summer 2025 Hackathon
What Mentors and Industry Partners have to say:
“I came into the Tech Exploration Lab to mentor students, but I walked away with something I didn’t expect: momentum. The lab’s interdisciplinary, experimental spirit gave me the space—and the spark—to test an idea I’d been quietly incubating in the wellness space. Sometimes, the best breakthroughs happen when curiosity, collaboration, and a little Badger grit collide.” – Kurt Kober, WSB alum (MBA ‘07)
“The lab is unique in that it connects students from across campus with advanced tools and industry mentorship to rapidly prototype and gain essential skills for an increasingly AI-driven world. It’s exciting to watch entrepreneurial ideas develop, and there is significant value in bringing the best of Google’s AI to support students’ exploration.” – Kristin Storhoff, Google
“The Tech Exploration Lab has been a great resource for us to explore how AI can benefit our business—without the high risk that usually comes with early experimentation. Through our engagement with the lab, we’ve been able to surface fresh ideas from talented students, test potential applications in a low-stakes environment, and get clearer insights into where AI could drive real value for our operations.” – Luke Anderson, Cub Foods CIO
“As a small company navigating the challenges of innovation, especially around AI, the UW Tech Exploration Lab offered us something incredibly rare: a risk-free space to experiment, learn, and move forward. Through our partnership with the lab, we were able to test real use cases, collaborate with sharp student minds, and gain hands-on experience that translated into tangible insights that we could apply to our business. The learnings we gained here accelerated our AI journey; it was the spark we needed to look at our business differently through the use of AI.” -Tim Bratland, president of Crystal Farms
Want to get involved?
- For students: Check out our student involvement page.
- For industry: Visit our industry page, propose your own project here, or reach out on our contact page.
- For mentors: Learn about ways to engage with the lab, or keep an eye on upcoming events to come and say hi!