Supporting and advancing Illinois entrepreneurship,
innovation, and economic development
Entrepreneur-in-Residence Consulting Program
The EDA University Center Entrepreneur-in-Residence (EIR) Program provides free consulting to new startup ventures, prospective technology entrepreneurs, and small businesses that are located south of Interstate 80 in the state of Illinois. EDA University Center EIRs are experienced entrepreneurs, innovators, or consultants that have addressed challenges with business startups, business development, or commercializing research and early stage technology.
Support Applying for Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Funding
Federal agencies set aside a portion of their extramural research & development budget to be awarded as grants to small businesses. Thanks to the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program, innovators and entrepreneurs have opportunities to apply and receive anywhere from $150,000 to $1 million in capital to determine a technology’s feasibility and to develop a prototype. As long as they meet the terms of the funding, award recipients do not have to repay the government and they retain full ownership of their company. Qualified small businesses and entrepreneurs affiliated with IUIN incubators can receive free support, guidance, and training to help them search for federal agency solicitations and to prepare and submit proposals.
COVID-19 Technology Acceleration Program
The COVID-19 Technology Acceleration Program provides statewide assistance to advance technology and commercialization that addresses challenges related to the coronavirus pandemic. Examples of technologies responding to COVID-19 include testing, data modeling, analysis, personal protective equipment (PPE), medical devices, therapies, prevention/safety, etc. Researchers, entrepreneurs, and innovators in the State of Illinois who are working on products, ideas, or solutions that address the risks or impacts associated with COVID-19 are encouraged to apply for free assistance
Entrepreneurship Training for Faculty and Students
National Science Foundation's (NSF) Innovation Corps or I-Corps is a public-private partnership program that teaches university faculty and student entrepreneurs how to identify valuable product opportunities that can emerge from academic research, and provides entrepreneurship training to participants.
The following organizations offer I-Corps programs in Illinois:
I-Corps workshops are periodically offered at other IUIN locations. Check our events calendar or join our email list to stay informed about dates and details of workshop and training events.
For more information about the NSF Innovation (I-Corps) program, visit https://www.nsf.gov/i-corps.