Staff Report
OhmCo, a design-first marketing and technology agency serving the car wash industry, has been named one of the Top 25 finalists in the 2025 Wisconsin Governor’s Business Plan Contest.
This annual competition, hosted by the Wisconsin Technology Council, celebrates Wisconsin’s most promising tech-enabled startups, offering entrepreneurs statewide exposure, mentorship, and access to strategic resources.
OhmCo, based in Neenah, Wisconsin, advanced through several rounds, starting with a short abstract and culminating in a full pitch deck and voiceover presentation, and eventually earning a spot among the state’s top 25 business plans.
As part of their finalist prize package, OhmCo received a year of office space at Ward4, a dynamic coworking space in Milwaukee. Founders Mike and Mel Ohlinger visited the location last week and left energized by the space and its history.
“It’s stunning,” said Mel. “You walk in, and you’re instantly captivated by all the historic elements and industrial architecture. There’s a ton of energy and it’s going to be a fun space to meet clients. We only wish it was closer to Neenah.”
Ward4 is housed in the historic John Pritzlaff Hardware Company complex, a series of Italianate-style brick buildings built between 1875 and 1919.
Originally home to what became the largest wholesale hardware business in Milwaukee – and one of the largest in the Midwest – the company was founded by John C. Pritzlaff, a Prussian immigrant who arrived in Milwaukee in 1841.
The revitalized Ward4 space now serves as a hub for entrepreneurs, startups, small and mid-sized businesses, and global technologists. The interior blends modern tech infrastructure with original shipping elements, historic catalog images, and exposed brickwork.
