560.20(3)(a)(a) The department may award funds appropriated under
s. 20.143 (1) (en) and
(in) to an individual, small business or nonprofit organization for use in connection with the start-up or expansion of a for-profit business if all of the following apply:
560.20(3)(a)1.
1. The department provided technical assistance or a grant for technical assistance under
sub. (2) for developing and planning the start-up or expansion of the for-profit business.
560.20(3)(a)2.
2. The for-profit business is or will be at least 51% owned by a handicapped person, as defined in
s. 47.01 (3), or by a nonprofit organization that provides services to handicapped persons, as defined in
s. 47.01 (3).
560.20(3)(b)
(b) If the department awards funds under this subsection to an individual, small business or nonprofit organization, up to 20% of the award, or $5,000, whichever is less, may be a grant and the balance shall be a loan.
560.20(3)(c)
(c) An individual, small business or nonprofit organization that receives an award of funds under this subsection may use loan proceeds only for working capital or fixed-asset financing, and may use grant proceeds, if any, only for management assistance.
560.20(3)(d)
(d) The department may not award under this subsection funds that exceed $30,000 in a fiscal biennium to any single individual, small business or nonprofit organization. As a condition of receiving an award under this subsection, an individual, small business or nonprofit organization shall provide matching funds that are at least equal to the amount of the award.
560.20(3)(e)
(e) In deciding whether to make an award under this subsection, the department shall consider all of the following:
560.20(3)(e)1.
1. The likelihood that the for-profit business will actually be profitable.
560.20(3)(e)2.
2. The extent to which the expansion or creation of the for-profit business will increase employment in this state.
560.20(3)(e)3.
3. The extent to which the expansion or creation of the for-profit business is expected to create employment opportunities for persons with severe disabilities, particularly persons with severe disabilities who are minority group members.
560.20(3)(e)4.
4. The extent to which the award is necessary for the successful completion of the start-up or expansion of the for-profit business because funding is unavailable in traditional capital markets, or because credit has been offered on terms that would preclude the success of the for-profit business.
560.20(3)(f)
(f) The department shall do all of the following:
560.20(3)(f)1.
1. Develop an application form to be used by individuals, small businesses and nonprofit organizations seeking an award under this subsection and furnish the application upon request.
560.20(3)(f)2.
2. Before awarding a loan under this subsection, determine the terms for repayment of the principal amount of the loan.
560.20(3)(f)3.
3. Before awarding the loan, establish all other terms and conditions of the loan after considering the circumstances of the individual, small business or nonprofit organization.
560.20(3)(f)4.
4. Deposit in the appropriation account under
s. 20.143 (1) (in) all interest and principal received in repayment of loans under this subsection, any proceeds from equity investments made by the community development finance company under s.
234.965, 1991 stats., that are received by the department or the community development finance company and any unencumbered grant funds returned to the department under
1993 Wisconsin Act 437, section 9115 (1t).
560.20(3)(g)
(g) The department, in agreement with the for-profit business, may convert any equity investments made by the community development finance company in a for-profit business under s.
234.965, 1991 stats., to a grant or a loan under this subsection without regard to the requirements under
par. (b).
560.20(3)(h)
(h) The community development finance company shall transfer to the department any proceeds that the company receives from equity investments made by the community development finance company under s.
234.965, 1991 stats.
CERTIFIED CAPITAL COMPANIES
560.30
560.30
Definitions. In this subchapter:
560.30(1)
(1) "Affiliate" means, with respect to a certified capital company or a certified investor, any of the following:
560.30(1)(a)
(a) A person who, directly or indirectly, owns, controls, or holds power to vote, 10% or more of the outstanding voting securities or other voting ownership interests of the certified capital company or certified investor.
560.30(1)(b)
(b) A person, 10% of whose outstanding voting securities or other voting ownership interests are directly or indirectly owned, controlled or held with power to vote by the certified capital company or certified investor.
560.30(1)(c)
(c) A person directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by, or under common control with, the certified capital company or certified investor.
560.30(1)(d)
(d) A partnership in which the certified capital company or certified investor is a general partner.
560.30(1)(e)
(e) A person who is an officer, director or agent of the certified capital company or certified investor, or is an immediate family member of such an officer, director or agent.
560.30(2)
(2) "Certified capital company" means a person that has been certified by the department under
s. 560.31 and that has not been decertified under
s. 560.37 (3) or
(3m).
560.30(3)
(3) "Certified capital company tax credit" means the tax credit under
s. 76.635.
560.30(4)
(4) "Certified capital investment" means an investment in a certified capital company that is certified under
s. 560.32 (2) and that fully funds either the investor's equity interest in a certified capital company, a qualified debt instrument that a certified capital company issues, or both.
560.30(5)
(5) "Certified investor" means a person who makes a certified capital investment.
560.30(6)
(6) "Investment date" means, with respect to each investment pool, the date on which the last certified capital that is part of that investment pool was invested in the certified capital company.
560.30(7)
(7) "Investment pool" means the aggregate of all investments of certified capital in a certified capital company that are made as part of the same transaction, except that investments received more than 30 days apart may not be considered part of the same investment pool.
560.30(8)
(8) "Qualified business" means a business which is a qualified business under
s. 560.33.
560.30(9)
(9) "Qualified debt instrument" means a debt instrument that a certified capital company issues at par value or at a premium; that has an original maturity date of at least 5 years from the date on which it was issued; that has a repayment schedule that is no faster than a level principal amortization and, until the certified capital company may make distributions other than qualified distributions, the interest, distribution or payment features of which are not related to the certified capital company's profitability or the performance of its investment portfolio.
560.30(10)
(10) "Qualified distribution" means a distribution or payment by a certified capital company to its equity holders for any of the following:
560.30(10)(a)
(a) The costs of forming, syndicating, managing or operating the certified capital company.
560.30(10)(b)
(b) An annual management fee that does not exceed 2.5% of the certified capital company's total certified capital.
560.30(10)(c)
(c) Reasonable and necessary fees paid for professional services related to the operation of the certified capital company.
560.30(10)(d)
(d) A projected increase in federal or state taxes, including penalties and interest on those taxes, of the equity owners of the certified capital company if those amounts are related to the certified capital company's ownership, management or operation.
560.30(11)
(11) "Qualified investment" means an investment in a qualified business by a certified capital company that meets the requirements under
s. 560.34 (1).
560.30 History
History: 1997 a. 215.
560.31
560.31
Certification of certified capital companies. 560.31(1)(1)
Application. The department shall promulgate rules establishing procedures under which a person may apply to become a certified capital company. The department shall grant or deny an application for certification under this section within 30 days of the date of application. If the department denies certification, the department shall include with the denial a detailed description of the grounds for the refusal, including suggestions for removal of those grounds.
560.31(2)
(2) Requirements for certification. The department shall certify a person as a certified capital company if the department determines that all of the following conditions have been met:
560.31(2)(a)
(a) The person is a partnership, corporation, trust or limited liability company, whether organized for profit or not for profit, that has as its primary business activity the investment of cash in qualified businesses.
560.31(2)(b)
(b) The person has a net worth, at the time of application, of at least $500,000 and has at least $500,000 in cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities.
560.31(2)(c)
(c) The directors, officers, general partners, trustees, managers or members or persons having a similar function are familiar with the requirements of this subchapter.
560.31(2)(d)
(d) At least 2 officers, directors, general partners, trustees, managers or members each have at least 2 years of experience in the venture capital industry.
560.31(2)(e)
(e) The person has included, in any offering material involving the sale of securities, the statement required under
s. 560.32 (1).
560.31(2)(f)
(f) The person has paid a nonrefundable application fee of $7,500.
560.31 History
History: 1997 a. 215.
560.32
560.32
Investments in certified capital companies. 560.32(1)(1)
Required disclosures in securities offerings. Any offering material involving the sale of securities of a certified capital company shall include all of the following statements:
560.32(1)(a)
(a) "By authorizing the formation of a certified capital company, the state does not necessarily endorse the quality of management or the potential for earnings of the company and is not liable for damages or losses to a certified investor in the company. Use of the word "certified" in an offering is not a recommendation or endorsement of the investment by the State of Wisconsin Department of Commerce."
560.32(1)(b)
(b) "Investments in a prospective certified capital company prior to the time the company is certified are not eligible for a certified capital company investment credit under section 76.635 of the Wisconsin Statutes. Investments in a certified capital company are not eligible for a certified capital company investment credit under section 76.635 of the Wisconsin Statutes unless the proposed investment is certified under section 560.32 (2) of the Wisconsin Statutes before the investment is made. In the event that certain statutory provisions are violated, the state may require forfeiture of unused certified capital company investment credits and repayment of used certified capital company investment credits."
560.32(2)
(2) Certification of certified capital investments. 560.32(2)(a)(a) A person may apply to make a certified capital investment in a certified capital company by providing notice under this paragraph to the department on a form specified by the department. The notice shall include the name of the person, the name of the certified capital company, the amount of the investment and any other information specified by the department. The notice shall also include an undertaking by the person to make the investment within 5 days after the department notifies the person that the investment has been certified.
560.32(2)(b)
(b) The department may certify an investment under this subsection only if, after the certification, the department will not have certified a total of more than $50,000,000 in investments under this subsection.
560.32(2)(c)
(c) Prior to August 1, 2000, the department may not certify an investment under this subsection if, after the certification, the investor, together with all affiliates of the investor, would have more than $10,000,000 in certified capital investments.
560.32(2)(d)
(d) If, as a result of the limitations under
par. (b) or
(c), the department may not certify the full amount requested in applications for certified capital investments submitted under
par. (a), the department shall allocate the amounts available for certification in order of priority based on the date on which the application was filed. If the amounts available for certification are insufficient to certify the full amount of all applications for certified capital investments that are submitted on the same day, the department shall prorate the available amount on the basis of the amount that the investor has committed to invest in the certified capital company under
par. (a).
560.32(3)
(3) Limitation on certified investor investment. A certified investor may not, individually, or with or through one or more affiliates, own 10% or more of the equity securities in, be a general partner or manager of, or otherwise control the investments of the certified capital company. This subsection does not preclude a certified investor from exercising its legal rights and remedies, including interim management of a certified capital company, in the event that a certified capital company is in default of its statutory or contractual obligations to the certified investor.
560.32 History
History: 1997 a. 215.
560.33
560.33
Qualified businesses. 560.33(1)
(1)
Qualifications. A business is a qualified business if all of the following requirements are met as of the time that a certified capital company, or any affiliate of the certified capital company, makes its first investment in the business:
560.33(1)(a)
(a) The business is headquartered in this state and its principal business operations are located in this state.
560.33(1)(am)
(am) The business is in need of venture capital and is unable to obtain conventional financing, as defined by the department by rule.
560.33(1)(b)
(b) The business has no more than 100 employes, at least 75% of whom are employed in this state.
560.33(1)(c)
(c) During its 2 most recent fiscal years, the business had, together with all of its consolidated affiliates, an average annual net income, after federal income taxes and excluding any carry-over losses, of not more than $2,000,000, as determined in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles.
560.33(1)(d)
(d) The business has, together with its consolidated affiliates, a net worth that is not in excess of $5,000,000.
560.33(1)(e)
(e) The business is not predominantly engaged in professional services provided by accountants, lawyers or physicians.
560.33(1)(f)
(f) The business is not engaged in the development of real estate for resale.
560.33(1)(g)
(g) The business is not engaged in banking or lending and does not make any loans to, or investments in, certified capital companies.
560.33(2)
(2) Department opinions and exceptions. A certified capital company may, prior to making an investment in a specific business, request a written opinion from the department that a business in which it proposes to invest is a qualified business. If the department determines that the business meets the requirements under
sub. (1), the department shall issue a written opinion stating that the business is a qualified business.
560.33 History
History: 1997 a. 215.
560.34
560.34
Operation of certified capital companies. 560.34(1)(1)
Qualified investments requirements. In order for a certified capital company to prevent disqualification under
s. 560.37 of an investment pool, the certified capital company shall ensure that the investment pool makes qualified investments in accordance with the schedule under
sub. (1m). An investment is a qualified investment if the investment meets all of the following requirements:
560.34(1)(a)
(a) The investment is a cash investment in a qualified business for the purchase of any of the following:
560.34(1)(a)2.
2. A debt security of the qualified business if the debt has a maturity of at least 5 years and if one of the following conditions is met:
560.34(1)(a)2.b.
b. The debt is convertible into equity securities or equity participation instruments such as options or warrants.
560.34(1)(b)
(b) As a condition of the investment, the qualified business agrees not to use the proceeds from the investment for the purpose of relocating its operations.
