Brain Van Lieshout and Chris Olson are working to launch Milwaukee ten years into the future of technology. How? Their new business, WEBbeams, sets up wireless Internet connections in coffee shops and, according to Van Lieshout, is the wave of the future.

"In ten years, you will be able to go anywhere and be online through a wireless connection," he says.

WEBbeams services allow laptoppers to log onto the Internet in their favorite cafes. New laptops have wireless capabilities already built into them, but older models can access the wireless connection with a wireless card, available at Best Buy, Circuit City, Office Max and similar outlets.

Although the business is only a few months old -- it launched in February 2003 -- WEBbeams has already set up wireless connections in a variety of local establishments, including Blue Dawg Bagels, Thai Joe's, Anodyne Coffee Roasting Co., Mocais Café, Hard Drive Cafes in Menasha, Chicago's Boulevard Café, Prairie Moon All American Dining in Evanston and Copper Rock Coffee in Appleton. The two plan to sign on five new clients every month from Wisconsin and Illinois.

Wireless connection does not just benefit laptop owners. Those who want to use the Internet on the café's computers can buy access time directly from WEBbeams. The subscription is good for any of the cafes in the WEBbeams network as well as those locations that are part of WEBbeams nationwide roaming partners, and usually costs less than the normal hourly rate. For instance, a $15.95-a-month subscription buys 1,800 minutes of surf time which is about one hour a day.

For now, the company is specifically targeting coffee shops because in the past ten years they have become popular meeting places for both business and pleasure.

"This is a great service that benefits the coffee shop owner as well as the customer," says Van Lieshout. "For the owner, it is a way to attract and keep people at their business. For the customer, it gives them a high speed connection to the Internet away from their home or office."

The owners, both 32, grew up in small Wisconsin towns; Van Lieshout is from Denmark and Olson is from Winneconne. The two later met at Marquette University where they received degrees in electrical engineering. Prior to starting their business, they held a variety of related jobs at IBM, Briggs and Stratton, Square D and the D.O.T.

Technologically speaking, Milwaukee has not been on the cutting edge of technology, but this is something Olson and Van Lieshout want to change. "Milwaukee is probably only second to Madison, but as a nation, the Midwest is always trailing the West Coast," says Van Lieshout.