Investment Announcement

Downloadable File:
BSW 5-5-14 Investment announcement.pdf

MILWAUKEE, May 5, 2014 – The BrightStar Wisconsin Foundation Inc.
today announced that its investment committee has authorized the funding
for three additional early-stage Wisconsin companies.

The companies receiving the BrightStar investments are The Good Jobs
Inc., Milwaukee; Fishidy Inc., Madison; and WholeTrees LLC, which is
based in Madison and building its production facility in Spring Green, Wis.

“I’m very excited to have BrightStar invest in The Good Jobs, which went
through our accelerator for startups program,” said Joe Kirgues, cofounder
of Gener8tor. “BrightStar is filling a capital need in Wisconsin that
enables more deals to get developed and done here.”

“The Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. is very pleased with
BrightStar’s investment in WholeTrees,” said Lisa Johnson, vice president,
entrepreneurship and innovation for WEDC. “Not only is WholeTrees
another example of a woman entrepreneur-led business in Wisconsin, it’s
also an incredible opportunity to create high quality jobs in a rural part of
the state.”

These three investments total $285,000. The companies were first
screened for their ability to create a sufficient number of quality jobs and
then passed the committee’s investment criteria for their stage of
development.

“In just a few months of existence, BrightStar Foundation has created a
positive impact on economic development in Wisconsin,” said Gary
Schaefer, Madison market president for Associated Bank. “Its creative
structure has proven to be a successful mechanism for converting
philanthropic dollars into investment dollars that brighten the future for
Wisconsin entrepreneurs.”

BrightStar is a 501(c)(3)-designated non-profit foundation created to
facilitate job creation and increase Wisconsin’s economic activity by
deploying donated funds into equity stakes in early stage, rapid growth
companies.

About the BrightStar Wisconsin Foundation Inc.

The non-profit BrightStar Wisconsin Foundation is using a groundbreaking
philanthropic approach to support job creation and economic growth
across Wisconsin through investment in early-stage companies. This new
approach will enable the formation of new investment capital in Wisconsin
through charitable donations to the foundation. Contributions to BrightStar
are tax deductible.