Future 50, a longstanding program recognizing the fastest-growing privately-owned businesses in southeastern Wisconsin, is returning this year after a two-year hiatus.
Applications for Future 50 honorees are now being sought and can be submitted here. The application deadline is May 31.
To qualify for a Future 50 award, businesses must: be headquartered in the 8-county southeastern Wisconsin area, have private ownership (not a subsidiary, franchise or division), demonstrate growth in sales and employment (averaged over the past three years) and be in business for at least three years.
Previously, three-time Future 50 award winners were no longer eligible to be honored, but that condition has been eliminated so those companies are now eligible.
Businesses meeting the above criteria that are owned by private investment firms also based in the region are eligible.
To confirm information submitted in applications for Future 50 award consideration, applicants will be asked to submit the name of their accountant and banker as references.
The Future 50 award winners will be recognized at an awards luncheon on Sept. 29 at the Italian Community Center in Milwaukee. Each Future 50 winner will also be profiled in the BizTimes Milwaukee magazine.
Established in 1988, the Future 50 awards was originally a program of the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce. BizTimes Milwaukee was the longstanding media partner for the Future 50 program. MMAC did not hold the Future 50 awards program in 2020 and 2021, due to the COVID-19 pandemic and instead held an awards program called Focus on the Future.
BizTimes Media is now taking over ownership of the Future 50 program, while the MMAC remains a partner. The presenting sponsor for the Future 50 program is Old National Bank.
