Program Director - Wisconsin programs

Program Director - Wisconsin Programs

Location: Milwaukee, WI

Reports to: gBETA Program Managing Director and gener8tor Partner

Salary: $75,000 - $85,000 depending on experience/scope

Are you ready to find and work with the best and brightest entrepreneurs? Do you get excited about supporting startups so they can bring new innovations to life? Are you passionate about supporting the startup ecosystem in Wisconsin? If so, this position is for you.

gener8tor fosters innovation ecosystems through its accelerator programs, venture capital funds, and skills-based workforce initiatives. With a strong track record of supporting high-growth companies, gener8tor has expanded across the U.S. and internationally, building partnerships with governments, corporations, universities and economic development organizations to drive entrepreneurship and economic impact. gener8tor operates accelerators across 50 cities, 32 states and 9 countries, working with more than 300 startups per year. To date, gener8tor has worked with more than 2,200 startups that have cumulatively gone on to raise more than $3B in financing and employ more than 15,600 people.

The Program Director will lead the gBETA Milwaukee and the gener8tor Wisconsin Investment Accelerator programs in addition to other Wisconsin-centric responsibilities including but not limited to leading or supporting other gBETA and Investment Accelerator programs in Wisconsin. The Director recruits and selects companies and executes programming tailored to researchers and entrepreneurs solving problems across all industries. The Director will coach startups and create networks and introductions for accelerator cohorts. The gBETA program is seven weeks and will be delivered in-person in Milwaukee, WI. Outside of the formal accelerator program, the PM will continue to work with accelerator alumni, recruit and hold office hours with startups and actively participate in the Wisconsin startup community, building relationships with stakeholders, mentors and investors. The Investment Accelerator program is twelve weeks and will be delivered in-person in Milwaukee, WI.

As a member of the gener8tor team, you will be an essential part of our overall global platform. The full gener8tor platform connects startup founders, musicians, researchers, artists, investors, universities and corporations. Your support as our Wisconsin Program Director will impact startups in Wisconsin through working specifically with startup founders in collaboration with a network of partners, mentors and investors.

Success for the Program Director means ensuring the success of the startups we work with and fully owning the day-to-day logistics and operations of the gBETA and Investment Accelerator program end-to-end. This includes managing the operational components of founder recruitment, interview and selection; sourcing and engaging mentors and investors; and coordinating weekly programming such as 1:1 startup meetings, Lunch & Learns, cohort community-building events, and mentor/investor networking. The Program Director also leads planning and execution for major milestones, including program kickoff and the end-of-program showcase.

A successful Director will also be an effective coach and connector for the community and startups they interact with. This looks like network-building, finding, evaluating and convincing the most high-potential startups to join the program, serving as the lead coach in the program for the selected startups and helping them with their business, network and growth needs, and effectively supporting the startups in achieving their goals such as customer growth and fundraising.

The Program Director leads the gBETA program execution under the guidance of the Managing Director and the Investment accelerator program under the guidance of a gener8tor Partner. The Program Director collaborates closely with gener8tor's centralized support teams to deliver a consistent, high-quality experience across all program components.

At gener8tor we

• See genius in every community. We believe the company has a chance to accomplish a generational challenge in bridging genius with opportunity.
• Never self-defeat and have a "play to win" mentality. We revolve everything we do around helping the entrepreneurs in our programs.
• Are curious. We work hard to find hidden gems others overlook.
• Believe no job is beneath us. We wipe down the tables and load up the U-Hauls with enthusiasm. Work as a team to get $#!^ done!
• Strive for "that guy emailed me." Based on a story from our founders, we share a commitment to take a bottom-up approach to building strong, personal, 1-1 relationships. We believe that the best way to quality is through quantity.

Our values are core to how we work. If they don't resonate with you, this role might not be the right fit.

Responsibilities

• Recruitment and base building:
• Recruit startup applicants and lead the selection process for gBETA and Investment Accelerator cohorts.
• Capture eligible applications per gBETA and Investment Accelerator cohort, executing gener8tor's established recruitment strategies.
• Find and develop relationships with mentors, investors and other industry/ecosystem partners who can help support the programs and participating companies.
• Lead base building efforts, attending meetings with key investors and mentors to ensure consistent support of our accelerator participants and partners.
• Schedule and attend office hours with startups.
• Program execution and founder support Manage logistics and ensure the operational success of all aspects of the accelerators.
• Ensure all program KPIs are met.
• Actively plan and participate in all aspects of the programs including, but not limited to recruitment, team meetings, Mentor Swarms, Investor Swarms, Lunch & Learns and networking events.
• Serve as the primary point of contact and day-to-day coach for participating startups, helping founders set goals, maintain momentum, and make progress against key milestones.
• Provide structured 1:1 guidance and accountability to founders on topics such as customer discovery, traction and pitching/storytelling, business model refinement, and fundraising readiness.
• Connect founders to the right mentors, investors, customers, and ecosystem resources based on their specific needs, and ensure follow-through on introductions and next steps.
• Continuously support gener8tor and gBETA Milwaukee alumni.
• Be the #1 cheerleader for the startup ecosystems and the startups and entrepreneurs we work with.
• Measure and Report Program Metrics and Operations:
• Work with cohort participants and alumni to gather and track data and metrics related to the progress and outcomes of the startups.
• Gather and track data and metrics related to the progress and outcomes of the program.
• Analyze and report data and metrics to the Managing Director, and in turn our partners and gener8tor broadly.
• Stakeholder Engagement:
• Manage relationships with our gBETA and Investment Accelerator Milwaukee partners.
• Attend regular meetings with our partners.
• Provide weekly update reporting.
• Community Involvement:
• Represent gener8tor, and the Milwaukee startup community; actively participate in the startup ecosystem by attending events and building relationships.
• gener8tor Support:
• Contribute to the gener8tor team's broader initiatives, including supporting other accelerator programs, engaging in ecosystem-building efforts, and assisting with strategic projects as needed.

Requirements

• Demonstrated ability to own complex programs end-to-end, including recruitment, logistics, stakeholder coordination, and delivery.
• Strong organizational and execution skills with a track record of getting things done in fast-moving environments.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; able to represent the program professionally to founders, partners, mentors, and investors.
• Ability to recruit, persuade, and retain high-quality founders into a competitive accelerator program.
• Deep curiosity about startups, innovation, and the realities of building companies outside of major venture hubs.
• Willingness to become deeply embedded in, and a visible champion of the Wisconsin startup ecosystem.
• Relationship-driven: you enjoy 1:1 outreach, follow-up, and long-term relationship building.
• Comfortable being both strategic and scrappy. Equally willing to wipe down tables, run events, and have hard conversations with founders