Green Bay

Sagamore was founded in 2004 with its headquarters in Indianapolis and a field office in Madison, WI.  Today, the field office has moved to Green Bay in partnership with TItletownTech, former congressman Mike Gallagher and others interested in advancing innovative solutions across Wisconsin and the Midwest.

Sagamore Green Bay Leaders

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Bob Atwell | Sagamore Network

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Mike Gallagher | Sagamore Network

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David Brooker | Sagamore Network

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John Gard | Sagamore Network

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Craig Dickman | Sagamore Network

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Cate Zeuske | Sagamore Network

One Big Thing: Mike Gallagher is the chair of the Midwest Defense Forum, co-hosted by Sagamore and TitletownTech. Under his chairmanship, the MDF has brought together thinkers from around the nation to explore ideas, innovations, and investments at its annual events.

  • Mike is a leading voice on U.S. national security and defense innovation. From 2017 to 2024, he served as a member of the House of Representatives for the 8th district of Wisconsin, and chaired the House Select Committee on Strategic Competition between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party.
  • Following his career in Congress, Mike joined Plantir Technologies as their Head of Defense. 
  • Before his political career, Mike served for seven years on active duty as a counterintelligence/human intelligence officer and regional affairs officer in the Middle East and North Africa with the Marine Corps.

MIDWEST DEFENSE LEADER

Mike Gallagher

Chair, Midwest Defense Forum

Former U.S. Representative from Wisconsin

Cate Zeuske

Secretary, Sagamore, Inc. Board

Former Wisconsin State Treasurer

One Big Thing: Cate Zeuske has been a lifelong Wisconsin public servant. Throughout her career, Cate served as former Secretary of Revenue, State Treasurer, and State Representative. 

  • Cate started her political career when she was elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly at the age of 24.
  • She was later elected as Wisconsin State Treasurer and served as Secretary of the Department of Revenue under Gov. Tommy Thompson. 
  • Cate currently sits on the Wisconsin State Historical Society Board of Curators and the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay Council of Trustees.
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  • Listen to Cate share the story of her mother’s first vote in an election with Wisconsin Public Television. 
  • Read more on Gard Business Group

One Big Thing: Bob Atwell is the founding chair and CEO of Nicolet Bankshares and director of 7 other privately held companies.

  • Throughout his career, Bob has accumulated 40 years of experience as a banker
  • Bob received his BA from Beloit College and his Masters from Yale
  • At the University of Wisconsin, Bob served for 7 years as a member of their Board
    of Regents.
  • Listen to Bob’s interview with WUWM 89.7 on how he created one of Wisconsin’s largest banks.
  • Watch Bob discuss the future of Wisconsin Universities with PBS.

Bob Atwell

Chair, Sagamore Inc

Founder & CEO, Nicolet Bankshares

MIDWEST DEFENSE LEADER

John Gard

President, Gard Business Group

Former Speaker of the Wisconsin Assembly

One Big Thing: John Gard has led an extensive career in Wisconsin politics. After serving as a State Representative, he became the Speaker of the Wisconsin Assembly (2003-2007). John is now a leader with Sagamore’s Midwest Defense portfolio, applying his expertise and experience to the current issues threatening American defense. 

  • During his time as a Representative, John co-chaired the Joint Finance Committee, was a member of committees on housing, urban and local affairs, and a special commission on state-federal relations.
  • During his speakership, Gard promoted job-creation legislation and focused on representing small-town and rural Wisconsin interests.
  • John co-founded the Gard Business Group along with his wife, Cate Zeuske, a former Wisconsin State Treasurer and member of the Sagamore board. 
  • John’s LinkedIn
  • Read about John’s service as the head coach of the Notre Dame Academy Cross Country team, including his love for running. 

One Big Thing: Craig Dickman is a managing partner and key visionary at TitleTownTech, a venture capital firm formed out of a partnership between the Green Bay Packers and Microsoft, dedicated to fostering growth and innovation in businesses in the early-stage development. In partnership with Sagamore, Craig and TitleTownTech host the annual Midwest Defense Forum. 

  • Along with his entrepreneurial involvement at TitleTownTech, Craig has founded multiple companies such as Breakthrough Fuel, StageThree, the New Venture Foundry.
  • Craigh served as a contracted team member on two NASA Discovery missions: Lunar Prospector and Near-Earth Asteroid Rendezvous.
  • Craig holds a BS in business from the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay and an MBA from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh
  • Craigh currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Green Bay Packers.
  • Watch Craig discuss TitleTownTech’s role in innovation and integration within Wisconsin’s venture economy.
  • Listen to Craig talk about the founding, unique service, and success of his company, Breakthrough Fuel.

MIDWEST DEFENSE LEADER

Craig Dickman

Managing Partner, TitletownTech

Co-host, Midwest Defense Forum

MIDWEST DEFENSE LEADER

David Brooker

Chief of Staff, Green Bay Packers

One Big Thing: David Brooker served as District Director for former Congressman Mike Gallagher and is now Chief of Staff to Ed Policy, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Green Bay Packers.

  • David founded a policy club while a student at Lawrence University, which caught the attention of Mike Gallagher. He joined Gallagher’s congressional campaign and ultimately his office after Gallagher was elected.
  • David served as Project Lead for TitletownTech, a venture capital firm formed out of a partnership between Microsoft and the Green Bay Packers. In this role, he helped execute the “Startup Draft” to spotlight emerging innovation ahead of the 2025 NFL Draft in Green Bay.
  • The Green Bay Packers are unique among major American professional sports franchises as the NFL’s only community-owned team. David was born and raised in Appleton, Wisconsin and is proud to be one of its more than 500,000 shareholders.
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Midwest Defense Forum

Our exclusive gathering of regional and national defense tech leaders in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
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The Future of Defense Tech is in Green Bay

The Midwest Defense Forum, chaired by former Wisconsin Congressman Mike Gallagher and managed by Sagamore, is a yearly convening of senior regional and national defense tech innovators. Hosted at TitletownTech, MDF brings together the thinkers, builders, and businesses scaling defense solutions from the Heartland. 

Midwest Defense Leadership

As Chair of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, Chair of the Armed Services Subcommittee on Cyber and Information Technologies, and Co-Chair of the Cyberspace Solarium Commission, Congressman Mike Gallagher built one of the most consequential national security records in Congress

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BUILDING THE FUTURE OF DEFENSE

The Autonomous Heartland Comes to Wisconsin

Sagamore and the Midwest Defense Accelerator (MDX), in partnership with the University of Wisconsin, convened regional leaders at TitleTownTech ahead of the Notre Dame-Wisconsin Shamrock Series to advance a shared vision for defense innovation across the Great Lakes. The gathering focused on strengthening the Midwest industrial base, accelerating autonomous technology development, and expanding opportunities for advanced manufacturing and national security collaboration.

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BUILDING THE FUTURE OF DEFENSE

MIDWEST DEFENSE FORUM

Since 2024, Sagamore has teamed up with TitletownTech to host the annual Midwest Defense Forum. Explore the event highlights to learn how we’re building the future of defense tech. 

2024 Gameday Playbook
2024 Photos
2025 Gameday Playbook
2025 Photos

BUILDING THE FUTURE OF DEFENSE

REINDUSTRIALIZING THE GREAT LAKES

The Area 52 concept brings together innovators, researchers, and defense leaders to solve complex national security challenges. Learn how Sagamore is accelerating breakthrough technologies across the Great Lakes and fostering partnerships that drive real-world impact.

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Arsenal of Democracy

BUILDING THE FUTURE OF DEFENSE

Startup Draft

When Green Bay was chosen to host the 2025 NFL Draft, TitletownTech saw a chance to showcase a different kind of talent—visionary startups shaping the future. That inspired the TitletownTech Startup Draft, an investment event modeled after the NFL Draft, complete with a Startup Combine and live reveal.

In partnership with the Green Bay Packers and Microsoft, TitletownTech invested $1 million each in two emerging tech startups—Indiana’s Ateios Systems and Wisconsin’s Ubicept—which are developing cutting-edge dual-use technologies to keep our nation safe and grow economies and innovations fromt the Heartland. 

IMPACT INVESTING

RAIC LABS

With the unique investing power of Commonwealth, a Sagamore venture, Sagamore is investing firmly in the future of RAIC, a company pursuing innovation in visual information analysis with AI. Founded in 2019, RAIC Labs works with leading organizations to accelerate insights from multidimensional data. RAIC empowers immediate detection and classification from a single source image, revolutionizing speed-to-value. With RAIC, non-technical teams can swiftly construct and operate classifi cation and detection models without labeled data, allowing for diverse applications such as search and rescue missions, ecosystem monitorization, and even to measure dark energy from telescope imagery.

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ENTERPRISE SOLUTIONS TO POVERTY

Wisconsin's KI Teams up with Sagamore's Purposeful Design

A partnership between furniture manufacturer KI and Indianapolis-based nonprofit Purposeful Design, a Sagamore Venture, is proving that craftsmanship can change lives. Each piece tells a story of resilience and renewal, demonstrating how purposeful work can restore dignity, build stability, and create lasting change for individuals and communities alike.

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Learn About PD's Mission
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THE NEW WISCONSIN IDEA

Leading the National in Welfare Reform

The Wisconsin Idea was formed in the late 1800s, advancing the notion that the University of Wisconsin should improve lives beyond the classroom.  The Idea took full form as UW scholars helped shape the New Deal and the original welfare state.  On the other end of State Street, the Idea took new form as then-Gov. Tommy Thompson reformed the welfare state so the state’s poor could escape poverty and become self-sufficient.  Today, Paul Ryan is enhancing those reforms with new ideas.

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Paul Ryan
Secretaries Innovation Group

The Bart Starr Award: Leadership & Athlete Impact

Discover how Sagamore partner Steve Riach has helped produce the Bart Starr Award since 1988, honoring NFL players whose leadership, character, and community impact set the standard for the league.

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THE NEW WISCONSIN IDEA

Secretaries Innovation Group

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