Business

Foxconn Announces Changes of Plans for Wisconsin Project

MILWAUKEE COURIER — Foxconn Technology Group announced it is reconsidering its plans for its first U.S. based plant.

Published

7 years ago

February 4, 2019

Oakland Post

By Ana Martinez-Ortiz

Earlier this week, Foxconn Technology Group announced it is reconsidering its plans for its first U.S. based plant. Originally, the plant, which will be built in Wisconsin, was going to focus on manufacturing, but Foxconn representatives said that may shift to research and development.

Through the initial plan, Wisconsin was going to receive a $10 billion investment and Foxconn also promised 13,000 jobs. However, due to the potential changing nature of its plans, residents and government officials alike are questioning how the change will affect Wisconsin.

Secretary-designee Joel Brennan said the administration has been in regular communication with senior leadership at Foxconn. He noted that he was surprised to learn about this development given their weekly conversations.

Brennan said some of the details are public knowledge, but that further information will need to be looked into further by the administration’s team.

“Our team has been in contact with Foxconn since learning this news and will continue to monitor the project to ensure the company delivers on its promises to the people of Wisconsin,” said Brennan.

Foxconn is based in Taiwan and supplies Apple with the technological aspects of its products. After its announcement, Foxconn released a statement supporting its decision to change its plans.

“As we have previously noted, the global market environment that existed when the project was first announced has changed,” the statement read.

It continued to say that its plans are driven by its customers and therefore have forced an adjustment on all project. According to the Chicago Tribune, the contract made with Foxconn and Wisconsin protects Foxconn when making these decisions.

“While the project’s focus will be adjusted to meet these new realities, the Wisconsin project remains a priority for our company,” it read.

Foxconn said it is planning to broaden its investment with Wisconsin beyond what was originally planned. While Foxconn explained that it is still planning to produce traditional products such as television sets, those plans are subject to change. However, the statement continued, it’s also looking to incorporate “Wisconsin’s knowledge workers to promote research and development in advanced industrial internet technologies…”.

Essentially, beyond television sets, Foxconn said it is hoping to “produce high tech applications and solutions for industries such as education, medical and healthcare, entertainment and sports, security, and smart cities.”

Brennan said that Governor Tony Evers is working hard to protect Wisconsin taxpayers and local communities, “that have already made significant investments in this project.” Land has already been purchased for the project, and it’s already being worked on to make way for the new plant.

“In the coming weeks, the Evers Administration will continue to commit time, resources, and personnel to ensure that the interests of Wisconsin workers and taxpayers are protected and promoted by our approach to the Foxconn project,” Brennan said.

In addition to the comments made by government officials, many people took to twitter to express their reaction to Foxconn’s actions. Many people, such as American actor Michael McKean, seemed to think the entire Foxconn agreement is a scam. Others criticized the decision to engage with Foxconn at all and said that it is already costing taxpayers.

This article originally appeared in the Milwaukee Courier.

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Oakland Post: Week of February 25 – March 3, 2026

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of – February 25 – March 3, 2026

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2 days ago

March 1, 2026

Oakland Post

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Chase Oakland Community Center Hosts Alley-Oop Accelerator Building Community and Opportunity for Bay Area Entrepreneurs

Over the past three years, the Alley-Oop Accelerator has helped more than 20 Bay Area businesses grow, connect, and gain meaningful exposure. The program combines hands-on training, mentorship, and community-building to help participants navigate the legal, financial, and marketing challenges of small business ownership.

Published

1 week ago

February 21, 2026

Oakland Post

Bay Area entrepreneurs attend the Alley-Oop Accelerator, a small business incubation program at Chase Oakland Community Center. Photo by Carla Thomas.

By Carla Thomas

The Golden State Warriors and Chase bank hosted the third annual Alley-Oop Accelerator this month, an empowering eight-week program designed to help Bay Area entrepreneurs bring their visions for business to life.

The initiative kicked off on Feb. 12 at Chase’s Oakland Community Center on Broadway Street, welcoming 15 small business owners who joined a growing network of local innovators working to strengthen the region’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.

At its core, the accelerator is designed to create an ecosystem of collaboration, where local entrepreneurs can learn from one another while accessing the resources of a global financial institution.

“This is our third year in a row working with the Golden State Warriors on the Alley-Oop Accelerator,” said Jaime Garcia, executive director of Chase’s Coaching for Impact team for the West Division. “We’ve already had 20-plus businesses graduate from the program, and we have 15 enrolled this year. The biggest thing about the program is really the community that’s built amongst the business owners — plus the exposure they’re able to get through Chase and the Golden State Warriors.”

According to Garcia, several graduates have gone on to receive vendor contracts with the Warriors and have gained broader recognition through collaborations with JPMorgan Chase.

“A lot of what Chase is trying to do,” Garcia added, “is bring businesses together because what they’ve asked for is an ecosystem, a network where they can connect, grow, and thrive organically.”

This year’s Alley-Oop Accelerator reflects that vision through its comprehensive curriculum and emphasis on practical learning. Participants explore the full spectrum of business essentials including financial management, marketing strategy, and legal compliance, while also preparing for real-world experiences such as pop-up market events.

Each entrepreneur benefits from one-on-one mentoring sessions through Chase’s Coaching for Impact program, which provides complimentary, personalized business consulting.

Garcia described the impact this hands-on approach has had on local small business owners. He recalled one candlemaker, who, after participating in the program, was invited to provide candles as gifts at Chase events.

“We were able to help give that business exposure,” he explained. “But then our team also worked with them on how to access capital to buy inventory and manage operations once those orders started coming in. It’s about preparation. When a hiccup happens, are you ready to handle it?”

The Coaching for Impact initiative, which launched in 2020 in just four cities, has since expanded to 46 nationwide.

“Every business is different,” Garcia said. “That’s why personal coaching matters so much. It’s life-changing.”

Participants in the 2026 program will each receive a $2,500 stipend, funding that Garcia said can make an outsized difference. “It’s amazing what some people can do with just $2,500,” he noted. “It sounds small, but it goes a long way when you have a plan for how to use it.”

For Chase and the Warriors, the Alley-Oop Accelerator represents more than an educational initiative, it’s a pathway to empowerment and economic inclusion. The program continues to foster lasting relationships among the entrepreneurs who, as Garcia put it, “build each other up” through shared growth and opportunity.

“Starting a business is never easy, but with the right support, it becomes possible, and even exhilarating,” said Oscar Lopez, the senior business consultant for Chase in Oakland.