Helping founders find community and connections
You’ll have access to a clear path forward, helping you navigate each stage of growth with confidence. From refining your idea to scaling your business, we provide the resources and community you need to succeed every step of the way.
8-week program to empower nonprofit organizations to drive innovative, community-led solutions to address health disparities by providing mentorship and access to resources to scale their programs’ impact and drive meaningful change.
Learn more →Advanced-level, 4-month cohort program that assists established food and beverage founds in their growth journey.
Learn more →Provides step-by-step business planning curriculum designed to support budding business owners and founders. With a plan, your business is more likely to succeed!
Learn more →Entrepreneurial bootcamp designed to empower aspiring business owners and entrepreneurs. It is open to small business owners, managers, entrepreneurs, and high school and college students. Whether you're just starting out or looking to expand your existing business, this program can help you achieve your goals.
Learn more →Benefits University of Illinois-affiliated entrepreneurs with strong potential for technology commercialization through new company formation. Catapult awardees have access to a suite of professional services, including business development, legal setup, SBIR applications, bookkeeping, and marketing/branding assistance.
Learn more →Two-year fellowship for innovators focusing on energy and science technologies. Through an annual call for innovators, four to six individuals will be selected to join CRI. Program participants will receive the financial and technical support needed to perform early-stage research and development (R&D) that may launch energy or manufacturing businesses in the future.
Learn more →Transformative 12-week initiative designed for minority and women-owned businesses in Chicago to prepare business owners to pursue the capital needed to grow and scale their businesses. We aim to empower entrepreneurs with the financial knowledge, technical skills, management, and resources necessary to take their business to the next level.
Learn more →Provides customized support to address the critical needs of small-to mid-size nonprofits across the South Side. To be considered for the Accelerator, organizations must be nonprofit corporations, preferably with 501c3 status, whose work benefits residents in at least one of the following nine South Side neighborhoods in the University of Chicago’s focus area: Douglas, Grand Boulevard, Greater Grand Crossing, Hyde Park, Kenwood, Oakland, South Shore, Washington Park, and Woodlawn.
Learn more →Pediatric medical device accelerator based at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago and Children's Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA). Promotes the development and commercialization of pediatric medical devices by simultaneously engaging and coordinating clinicians, engineers, regulators, hospital administrators, industry, patients, and the business community to guide and support medical device development for children.
Learn more →Small business pop up incubator program of the Northwest Side CDC. The program includes training, advising, and a physical storefront in the Belmont Cragin community. The goal of this program is to incubate and accelerate creative click –and –mortar entrepreneurs in their quest to launch a successful business. The program provides a low risk and controlled environment that allowed entrepreneurs to test their business model with access to educational resources.
Learn more →