• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Jeff Bezos wants the bottom half of earners to pay zero income tax—he says nurses making just $75K should save $12K a year

2

Indeed chief economist says we’re entering an era of ‘great mismatch’ thanks to a generational imbalance of workers

3

Apple’s Steve Wozniak says he cofounded the tech giant after 5 rejections from HP—not to ‘make money.’ For years, his paycheck was just $50

1

Jeff Bezos wants the bottom half of earners to pay zero income tax—he says nurses making just $75K should save $12K a year

2

Indeed chief economist says we’re entering an era of ‘great mismatch’ thanks to a generational imbalance of workers

3

Apple’s Steve Wozniak says he cofounded the tech giant after 5 rejections from HP—not to ‘make money.’ For years, his paycheck was just $50
Milwaukee

Why Millennial Entrepreneurs Are Flocking to this Surprising Midwestern City

By
Britt Hysen
Britt Hysen
and
MiLLENNiAL
MiLLENNiAL
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Britt Hysen
Britt Hysen
and
MiLLENNiAL
MiLLENNiAL
Down Arrow Button Icon
June 24, 2016, 12:00 PM ET
Casual discussion between coworkers
Casual discussion between coworkers in modern architect studioPhotograph by Morsa Images — Getty Images

This piece originally appeared on Millennial.

Milwaukee is one of those old industrial American cities that has traditionally been known for its beer, brats, and manufacturing. But as more millennials dominate the city, a NEWaukee is starting to emerge, creating a fresh and modern vibe that is responsible for reinvigorating those that currently inhabit this north Midwestern gem.

Changing the way people connect in the city, NEWaukee is a social architecture firm by and for Milwaukee millennials that is transforming the city’s identity and harnessing the power of community. The group offers programming that unites like-minds through art, culture, sports, adventure, large-scale festivals and intimate networking opportunities.

They are most famous for organizing Young Professional Week, a 15-city statewide collaboration that incentivizes millennials to reconnect with their city and meet their peers. It is through these events that NEWaukee is helping to bring people together in hopes of turning Milwaukee into a flourishing in-demand city.

Buy in Now. Cash out Later.
As the manufacturing industry moved overseas, many of Milwaukee’s factories and warehouses now sit empty, making it a hotbed for investors and entrepreneurs. With ready to convert space, the city’s industrial charm is a mecca for urban designers looking for their next project. Lots of businesses in the surrounding region are taking advantage of the low cost real estate and creating unique cultural havens. Two companies that are dominating the space are Colectivo Coffee and Penrod.

A locally-owned coffee shop, Colectivo has become a neighborhood staple. With free wifi, strong brews, and rustic chic allure, Colectivo has become a breeding ground for freelancers and startups alike. With nine locations throughout Milwaukee, Colectivo rivals Starbucks (SBUX) in popularity and is buzzing with people from open til close.

Penrod is a millennial owned and operated cloud based consulting agency specializing in Salesforce.com. Besides being recognized for its year over year growth, Penrod recently received the NEWaukee Bubbler Award for “Best Place to Work in Wisconsin for Young Professionals.”

With a company culture that puts people first, Penrod has become the token millennial tech firm in Milwaukee raising the bar on workplace standards. Employee perks include casual dress, happy hour, in office recreation, kitchen snacks, and medical insurance.

CEO and founder Joe Taylor, 32, moved to Milwaukee to create his startup after leaving MySpace in Los Angeles. “There is more opportunity in Milwaukee,” he tells MiLLENNiAL, “there are a lot of companies in the Midwest that are behind.” The region, which is home to many corporate headquarters, presents an untapped market for millennial entrepreneurs.

He adds that Milwaukee is close to many large US cities, making trips to Chicago, New York, Boston, Austin, and D.C. fairly easy. “It’s important to have access to that,” he insists, saying that both coasts don’t offer such convenience.

For more on millennials, watch this Fortune video:

Turning Downtown Milwaukee into an Urban Playground
Revitalizing the downtown area, Kubala Washatko Architects, Inc. is actively working to make the city center a more liveable, walkable, community-driven part of town with the renovation of Grand Avenue’s Plankinton Building. A beautiful historic establishment built in the 1800s, the Plankinton Building was turned into a traditional mall in the 80s and hasn’t quite kept up with the times, until now.

With plans to convert the first floor into an eclectic marketplace, complete with organic grocers, brewpubs, and farm to table restaurants, the goal is to turn the stagnant venue into a thriving environment for all to enjoy. The second floor is slated to transform into modern, open facing offices overlooking the ground floor.

The center of the development will retain its atrium-style skylight, a signature fixture of the building. Lead project architect , Chris Socha, announced at a press conference that the design is modeled after Melbourne, “the world’s most livable city”, in addition to many other cities around the world, whereby service alleys around the building function as cool commerce zones, filled with intimate shops, bars, and cafes.

Becoming a Global Hub for Fresh Water
The only organization of its kind in the United States, The Water Council is a globally connected epicenter for freshwater research, innovation, education and business development and is headquartered in Milwaukee.

Wisconsin is known for being the “freshwater capital of the world,” with 86 percent of the state bordering water. Statewide, the water technology industry has more than 200 companies based in Wisconsin, over 20 academic partners with water-based curriculum, and water-technology exports growing by 7.4 percent as of 2014.

The Water Council makes the claim on their website that “the gold rush of decades past is being replaced with today’s water tech rush.” The industry has already begun to carve out their place in the city, turning a portion of Walker’s Point into the ‘Water Technology District’, and is home to the nation’s first school dedicated to the study of freshwater.

Tying into the city’s pseudo-mascot: beer, the Water Council recently launched a new accelerator program called BREW (Business. Research. Entrepreneurship. in Wisconsin.). “Our first-of-its-kind accelerator pairs a unique water-focused startup community with credible resources of the World Water Hub to help entrepreneurs from around the world accelerate results, inspire action to create further opportunity, and disrupt the status quo,” it states on the website.

Moving to Milwaukee Yet?
With unique industry opportunities emerging, Milwaukee is quickly becoming a “Best City” for millennials. Real estate prices are between $100,000 – $350,000 for a 3-bedroom 2-bathroom house, making the city viable for young families and property investors.

As more Chicago based businesses begin to relocate and entrepreneurs are drawn to the area, the amount of development will drastically increase and neighborhoods that could use some sprucing will become trendy.

If you can bare the cold, and are searching for a place that offers low cost of living for a high quality of life, Milwaukee just might be for you. It has a lot to offer both culturally and economically, and with organizations like NEWaukee planning events year-round, the opportunities to meet your community are abundant.

For the latest information about what is happening in Milwaukee visit NEWaukee.com.

About the Authors
By Britt Hysen
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
By MiLLENNiAL
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in

Russia’s economy is much worse than it seems, and ‘elites are increasingly alarmed’ as alternate GDP gauge shows huge contraction
EconomyRussia
Russia’s economy is much worse than it seems, and ‘elites are increasingly alarmed’ as alternate GDP gauge shows huge contraction
By Jason MaMay 24, 2026
34 minutes ago
Alaska’s oil revival sparks a new energy rush Into the Arctic
EnergyOil
Alaska’s oil revival sparks a new energy rush Into the Arctic
By Jennifer A. Dlouhy and BloombergMay 24, 2026
2 hours ago
Trump says ‘don’t listen to the losers’ after fellow Republicans warn he’s about to make a disastrous mistake with Iran ceasefire deal
PoliticsIran
Trump says ‘don’t listen to the losers’ after fellow Republicans warn he’s about to make a disastrous mistake with Iran ceasefire deal
By Darlene Superville, Matthew Daly and The Associated PressMay 24, 2026
3 hours ago
SpaceX stock is about to join this growing constellation of public companies building a space-based economy
Investingspace
SpaceX stock is about to join this growing constellation of public companies building a space-based economy
By Jason MaMay 24, 2026
3 hours ago
The more generous U.S. ceasefire terms are, the more suspicious Iran becomes they’re a ruse for another attack, expert says
PoliticsIran
The more generous U.S. ceasefire terms are, the more suspicious Iran becomes they’re a ruse for another attack, expert says
By Jason MaMay 24, 2026
6 hours ago
f
Energyfraud
Nonprofit fraud isn’t surging. Enforcement is
By Sarah Webber and The ConversationMay 24, 2026
8 hours ago

Most Popular

Jeff Bezos wants the bottom half of earners to pay zero income tax—he says nurses making just $75K should save $12K a year
Success
Jeff Bezos wants the bottom half of earners to pay zero income tax—he says nurses making just $75K should save $12K a year
By Preston ForeMay 21, 2026
3 days ago
Indeed chief economist says we’re entering an era of ‘great mismatch’ thanks to a generational imbalance of workers
Success
Indeed chief economist says we’re entering an era of ‘great mismatch’ thanks to a generational imbalance of workers
By Emma BurleighMay 22, 2026
2 days ago
Apple’s Steve Wozniak says he cofounded the tech giant after 5 rejections from HP—not to ‘make money.’ For years, his paycheck was just $50
Success
Apple’s Steve Wozniak says he cofounded the tech giant after 5 rejections from HP—not to ‘make money.’ For years, his paycheck was just $50
By Preston ForeMay 22, 2026
2 days ago
Uber CEO says rideshare 'freed up' his son from having to get a driver’s license—and he's one of many Gen Zers who aren’t willing to drive
Lifestyle
Uber CEO says rideshare 'freed up' his son from having to get a driver’s license—and he's one of many Gen Zers who aren’t willing to drive
By Sasha RogelbergMay 24, 2026
11 hours ago
Inside the 'stealth wealth' playbook: How Silicon Valley's elite buy multimillion-dollar mansions without leaving a paper trail
Real Estate
Inside the 'stealth wealth' playbook: How Silicon Valley's elite buy multimillion-dollar mansions without leaving a paper trail
By Sydney LakeMay 24, 2026
12 hours ago
Bolt CEO says he let go of his entire HR team for creating problems that didn’t exist: ‘Those problems disappeared when I let them go’ 
Workplace Culture
Bolt CEO says he let go of his entire HR team for creating problems that didn’t exist: ‘Those problems disappeared when I let them go’ 
By Preston ForeMay 19, 2026
5 days ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.