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Summit Credit Union 2024 Fellowship for Women Entrepreneurs

November 19, 2024 Madison, Wisc. - StartingBlock Madison, the city's premier hub for startups and innovation, is proud to announce a continuing partnership with Summit Credit Union, the #1 SBA Lender Among Credit Unions in Wisconsin* and a committed financial educator.

This collaboration is the second year of the Summit Credit Union Fellowship for Women Entrepreneurs, an initiative designed to support women in our communities in building their businesses, financial security and overall wellness. The one-year program not only provides Fellows with one-on-one access to industry experts for business strategy and funding, but also for financial education and coaching to help them reach both business and personal goals.
“This fellowship creates a community for sharing ideas, insights, workspace and other valuable tools and resources for women entrepreneurs’ holistic success and wellbeing,” said Scott Mosley, CEO of StartingBlock Madison. “We’re thrilled to continue to work with Summit Credit Union to support women entrepreneurs in Wisconsin and to drive meaningful change through training, access and mentorship.”
The Summit Credit Union Fellowship for Women Entrepreneurs takes 12 exceptional women entrepreneurs on a developmental journey through a 12-week, accelerator-style boot camp, followed by 9 months of monthly meetings with their coaches for ongoing mentoring and accountability. Each fellow receives:

Business Basics and Strategy: Hands-on workshops and mentorship provide Fellows with the foundational tools to open and operate their business, from developing a business plan to finding the ideal location.

Financial Literacy and Funding Insights: Through Summit's expert coaching and financial education, Fellows gain key knowledge to reach business and personal goals – as one impacts the other.

Community Support: Fellows connect with like-minded women and expert mentors who are as committed as they are, building a network of strong support for business and financial insights.
“Summit is committed to helping everyone achieve financial security, especially women. One powerful way to build wealth is by starting and growing a business,” said Kim Sponem, CEO and President of Summit Credit Union. “We designed the Fellowship as a means of supporting local women entrepreneurs and we’re excited to see and celebrate their success.”
Applications for the fellowship will open on November 18, 2024 and close on December 13, 2024. A panel comprising industry leaders, StartingBlock representatives and Summit Credit Union executives will evaluate the applicants based on their business idea's viability, potential impact and alignment with the fellowship's goals. Applicants should reside in South Central Wisconsin and be able to attend in-person programming at StartingBlock.

For more details about the "Summit Credit Union Fellowship for Women Entrepreneurs" or to apply, please visit

About Summit Credit UnionEstablished in 1935, Summit Credit Union is a member-owned financial cooperative. Summit holds $7.5 billion in assets and has more than 265,600 members and 921 employees across 60 locations throughout Wisconsin. Since 2002, Kim Sponem has been CEO & President of Summit Credit Union, formerly known as CUNA Credit Union/Great Wisconsin Credit Union. 

Summit was named to Forbes list of America’s Best-In-State Credit Unions 2024.  Summit was also recognized in 2024 for continued excellence in employee engagement as a Top Workplace USA by USA Today for the fourth consecutive year and a Top Workplace in the Madison area by the Wisconsin State Journal the fifth year in a row. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel named Summit a Top Workplace in Milwaukee in both 2023 and 2024. Additionally, and representative of its focus on financial education, Summit received the Governor’s Financial Literacy Award in 2010, 2014, and 2016 and the Governor’s Financial Literacy Award – Legacy in 2019.

About StartingBlock Madison:StartingBlock – Madison’s Startup Hub is the epicenter for entrepreneurship in Madison, Wisconsin. With a mission to support startups, foster innovation, and drive economic growth, it offers state-of-the-art workspace, mentorship, networking opportunities, and resources to young companies.

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