Social entrepreneurs are more diverse than your average startup founder, and face more barriers to securing capital. That can make it more difficult to get their businesses off the ground.

Here are some local startups to consider buying from if you're looking to support a brand-new Milwaukee-area business this season. Three of these seven entrepreneurs are alumni of the gBETA Milwaukee program - bringing unique items to Milwaukee.

Waukesha's Scanalytics Inc., which creates technology to turn physical spaces into smart environments, is seeking a large space in the Milwaukee or Madison area to build a lab for testing and developing its floor sensing software and materials, according to Scanalytics CEO Joe Scanlin.

Northwestern Mutual, in partnership with gener8tor, is honored to introduce the latest class of startups that will join the 2021 Northwestern Mutual Black Founder Accelerator powered by gener8tor.

Nineteen Milwaukee residents are currently participating in the city's first gener8tor Upskilling cohort, a free program that teaches in-demand digital skills to job seekers.

“We’re optimizing wine like you might optimize a more digital product,” says co-founder and CEO, Richard Yau.