gener8tor Milwaukee Invests $500K into Five New Startups
Nov. 20 event to showcase companies to community, feature Gov. Beasley
MILWAUKEE, Wis. - Five new fast-growing startup companies have each been selected to receive a $100,000 investment and participate in the gener8tor Milwaukee startup accelerator program. The capital invested in this cohort will come 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 following startups were selected from a global pool of more than 1,300 applicants:
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 health.
gener8tor Milwaukee invests $100,000 into each of five to six high-growth startups per cohort across all industries and business models. Accepted startups take part in the intensive 12-week, cohort-based accelerator program, which includes one-on-one coaching, mentorship-driven programming, $1M+ in deals and perks, and 100+ connections to the gener8tor network of mentors and investors.
These five selected companies were chosen based on the demonstrated domain expertise of their teams, their existing traction, their growth potential and their readiness to raise outside capital.
“We are thrilled at the level of traction this cohort had coming into the program,” said Abby Kursel, Partner at gener8tor. “The thesis of this fund is to play to the strengths of Wisconsin and that shines through in this group. We saw immense progress while working with them over the last 12 weeks and are excited to showcase them to the community."
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. Keynoting the event is Chair of the gener8tor Advisory Board and former South Carolina Gov. David Beasley, who has also served as UN World Food Programme Executive Director. Beasley helped WFP raise more than $55 billion and earn a Nobel Peace Prize during his tenure. He helped significantly increase private sector capital investment and fostered one of the lowest unemployment rates in the country during his time as governor. The event is free and open to the public. Please RSVP here.
The next gener8tor Wisconsin program will take place in 2026 in Madison. Startup founders interested in learning more about gener8tor’s programming or applying to the program can visit the gener8tor Wisconsin website. The gener8tor Milwaukee program is made possible by the investors in Old Fashioned Ventures, gener8tor’s new Wisconsin fund, and receives support from Michael Best.
gener8tor Milwaukee 2025 Cohort
Cove’s low-code platform empowers companies to launch revenue-generating fintech workflows (e.g., tenant screening, insurance, embedded lending) without writing a line of code. Cove’s customers, like MLS associations, lending franchises and real estate tech platforms, have massive customer bases but lack the technical depth to fully monetize them. Cove bridges that gap, handling engineering, compliance and vendor management so they can quickly launch and scale. In 2025, Cove is projected to generate $5M in top-line revenue for its customers, which include the world’s largest MLS association, and more than $620K in revenue for Cove.
Adyan Tanver | CEO & Founder | adyan@cove.dev | (647) 922-1805 | cove.dev
Lotza reimagines classic party punch, offering a non-alcoholic alternative for those seeking healthier, more mindful ways to celebrate. Each sip blends juicy fruits and vibrant botanicals with a feel-good functional twist — mood-boosting adaptogens for now, replenishing vitamins and electrolytes for tomorrow. In 2025, Lotza has sold out twice, secured placements in 150 locations — including five major retail chains — and achieved $30K in monthly revenue with 30% month-over-month growth.
Laura Markewicz | CEO & Founder | laura@getlotza.com | (952) 818-4888 | getlotza.com
Mumbies sells all-natural dog chews, sustainably sourced from coffee wood. Mumbies allows a dog to satisfy their desire to chew without unnatural junk that can be harmful to pups and the planet. Mumbies supports animal rescues with each purchase. Since its launch in August 2023, Mumbies has generated more than $868K in revenue from over 24K direct-to-consumer orders and operates at an 85% gross margin.
Bradley Will | CEO & Founder | bradley@mumbies.com | (630) 777-9123 | mumbies.com
Service ID identifies previously undocumented lead service lines for utilities. Service ID enables utilities to maintain compliance with EPA mandates at half the cost, while facilitating the removal of dangerous lead pipes from communities. Service ID recently completed a pilot with about 45% homeowner participation – 9x higher than mail-only response rates – and is launching a paid pilot this quarter. It has a potential pipeline of 40 utilities servicing 100K+ service lines.
RJ Pire | Founder | rjpire@getserviceid.com | (608) 217-9638 | getserviceid.com
Vitaminis provides nutrients in easy, fun and tasty formats using real foods and beverages. Vitaminis’ shelf stable juice shots for Immune Support, Gut Health and Daily Greens have no added sugar, no mystery ingredients and no strong flavors. They are available in natural grocery chains including Sprouts, Fresh Thyme and Mariano’s (Kroger). Vitaminis has 3K D2C customers with a 62% repurchase rate and 15-month average subscription. Across e-commerce and 700+ retail doors, run rate revenue is about $400K. Vitaminis is a C Corp and QNBV in Illinois.
Leslie Danford | Founder, Vitaminis | leslie@vitaminisbrand.com | (708) 692-7861| vitaminisbrand.com
###
About gener8tor
gener8tor is a global venture firm and accelerator network that supports startups, workers, employers, artists, and musicians across race, place, and gender. gener8tor partners with companies, governments, universities, and nonprofits to operate accelerator programs and conferences in more than 41 communities across 22 states and two countries. Fast Company named gener8tor one of the Best Workplaces for Innovators in 2021 and 2022. The International Trade Council recognized gener8tor as the Global Venture Capital Firm of the Year in 2022.
About gener8tor Milwaukee
gener8tor Milwaukee invests $100,000 into each of five or six high-growth startups per cohort across all industries and business models. Accepted startups take part in the intensive 12-week, cohort-based accelerator program, which includes one-on-one coaching, mentorship-driven programming, $1M+ in deals and perks, and 100+ connections to the gener8tor network of mentors and investors.
