Emerging Industries | Technology
Co-founder
Pablo; Speakfully | Eau Claire
As a student at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire in 2002, Eau Claire native Zach Halmstad co-founded his first company, Jamf. The company is best known for its mobile device management system, The Casper Suite (now Jamf Pro), which has been adopted by about 70,000 organizations. Among its users are seven of Forbes’ top 10 technology companies, including IBM. The company received a $30 million investment from Summit Partners in 2008. In 2017, the company was acquired by Vista Equity Partners, and Halmstad left the company. Today, Jamf is valued at around $4.6 billion.
In 2018, Halmstad co-founded Speakfully, an Eau Claire-based startup that provides an HR technology platform through which employees can anonymously address and report workplace harassment incidents. In late 2021, the company joined gener8tor’s 12-week Milwaukee accelerator program, which comes with a $100,000 investment.
In 2013, he co-founded Pablo Group, a hospitality company focused on building vitality in downtown Eau Claire. Among several catalytic projects, Halmstad spearheaded the $20 million renovation of The Lismore hotel, which he owns, and the conversion of a former Green Tree Inn into the boutique The Oxbow Hotel (of which he is part owner). He also helped raise funds for the construction of the $45 million Confluence Arts Center.