Mark Bakken, HealthX Founder and Managing Partner, was one of the winners of the University of Wisconsin’s 2024 Chancellor’s Entrepreneurial Achievement Award, the university announced recently.

According to a release, the awards program recognizes people with ties to the university who have contributed to “economic growth and social good” through entrepreneurship.

“UW-Madison is a hub of innovation and entrepreneurial excellence, driven by our alumni, students, staff and faculty and their curiosity, passion for problem-solving, and desire to make a difference,” University of Wisconsin Chancellor Jennifer L. Mnookin said in a statement. “I am delighted to recognize three outstanding members of our Badger community who are shepherding life-changing innovations into the world, all while creating jobs, economic impact, and social capital.”

Bakken graduated from UW in 1989 and has since helped HealthX Ventures raise $137 million, invested in 34 companies and was named a Founder-Friendly Investor by Inc. Magazine.

The other award winners were James Dahlberg, UW Professor Emeritus of Biomolecular Chemistry, and Dorri McWhorter, President and CEO of the YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago.

Photo by Unversity of Wisconsin