On August 17, the UW Tech Exploration Lab and the Wisconsin Entrepreneurship Hub co-hosted an End of Summer Celebration at 1403 University Ave, part of ForwardFest 2026. The evening brought together students, founders, industry professionals, …
News
Welcome Tom Yen, Ph.D., as the Lab’s new Associate Director, Emerging Technologies & Innovation Programs
The Tech Exploration Lab is thrilled to welcome Tom Yen, Ph.D., as the Lab’s new Associate Director, Emerging Technologies & Innovation Programs! Tom has spent over 30 years leading human-centered product development for major medical technology …
Join us at the Tech Exploration Lab this Fall
Applications for our fall programs open in late August across three tracks: Venture Pathway, Industry Innovation, and Innovation Translation. But here is the important part. You don’t need to be in a formal program to …
Spatial Intelligence Ideathon Recap
On Saturday, July 18, the UW Tech Exploration Lab hosted its first Spatial Intelligence Ideathon — a one-day student pitch competition built around two real technologies: SGA-AR, a spatially grounded AI framework developed by Professor …
Winners from the Lab’s Digital Health Challenge + Demo Night Spring 2026
Celebrating Innovation and Venture Momentum Last week’s Tech Exploration Lab Demo Night brought together a mix of students, industry partners, alumni, and the broader innovation community for an evening of showcasing applied innovation. Student teams …
All Spring 2026 Demo Night Teams
See a map for the April 10 Demo Night Health, Wellness & Human Performance NeuroTrackMobile-based system designed to monitor subtle changes in neurological function for individuals with Multiple Sclerosis, using daily tests and passive data …
Fresh Ideas and Emerging Talent: Highlights from the Xorbix Hackathon
This past weekend, Xorbix Technologies partnered with the Lab to run a hackathon, where student teams tackled a real-world AI and data challenge. In just a few hours, students generated a wide range of creative …
Open House Momentum
Our January 30 Open House was packed and not just with people, but with ideas. Students explored demos, learned about the Lab and campus ecosystem, and stayed to connect. Huge thanks to student orgs TECH, …
Cap Times Feature: Students Building What’s Next with AI, Blockchain, and Emerging Tech
In our first year, 400+ students have built 90+ ventures using AI, blockchain, and emerging tech—and many are moving toward commercialization. Students have created blockchain technology that processes bank payments in under a second. AI-powered …
How AI, Robotics & Quantum Are Reshaping Business: Insights from the Tech Exploration Lab Industry Forum
At the December UW-Madison Technology & Innovation Leadership Forum, UW–Madison’s Tech Exploration Lab convened campus leaders and industry partners to explore the technologies shaping the future of business. The session featured a compelling presentation …