Have a Startup Idea? Heading link
Have a Startup Idea?
The UIC Innovation Center Summer Venture Accelerator is the Place for You!
Annually, the Innovation Center hosts a group of 7 teams who will work on developing their startup ideas. This is a 9-week program that will help you move your new venture from concept toward launch. The program is open to current undergraduate and graduate students from all colleges across the university.
The program gives you access to:
- Coaching: Dedicated guidance and support via weekly check-in and coaching sessions to learn essential skills to launch a successful startup.
- Community: Through weekly family-style dinners, peer sharing and feedback sessions, up to seven teams will be part of our collaborative and mutually supportive community of UIC student entrepreneurs while building your personal network.
- Connections: Guest speakers and workshop facilitators from the wider startup community in Chicago and beyond. Additionally, a mentor with expertise relevant to your concept will be identified and recruited.
- Co-working Space: Access to co-working space at the Innovation Center for the length of the program.
Have a Startup Idea?
- Connections: Guest speakers and workshop facilitators from the wider startup community in Chicago and beyond. Additionally, a mentor with expertise relevant to your concept will be identified and recruited.
- Co-working Space: Access to co-working space at the Innovation Center for the length of the program.
- And more!
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We are looking for students/teams that:
Have exciting and feasible idea-stage venture concepts from a diversity of business /organizational categories (e.g., physical products, digital services, social/charitable concepts, etc.). All are welcome!
Are serious about getting their ventures started and are committed to working through the full 9 weeks.
Can commit to being present in-person for all formal programming.
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Program basics:
Part-time program: We expect that most participants will do this program in addition to other commitments (e.g., summer internships).
June 3 – July 31 with weekly cohort meetings and workshop sessions.
Regular virtual check-ins with program staff (weekly) and designated team mentor (biweekly).
Expectations for venture work outside of programming: Participants will be expected to invest significant time and effort into developing their ventures outside of formal programming each week.
No fee: Costs are covered by the Innovation Center.
Participating in the UIC [Summer Venture Accelerator] was a transformative experience that deeply connected me with Chicago’s vibrant business community. Through guest lectures by local entrepreneurs and invaluable mentorship, I gained essential skills that are vital to my current venture. Notably, the use of tools like the Business Model Canvas and market research resources such as PitchBook and Statista was enlightening. What I learned about testing and validating business ideas has become the cornerstone of my approach to entrepreneurship. Moreover, the friendships I formed with fellow Chicago entrepreneurs via the incubator not only expanded my network but also enhanced my networking skills. This incubator was not just about business growth—it was about becoming a well-rounded entrepreneur equipped for ongoing success
Buddie-Up at University Pitch Madness 2023 Heading link
During DePaul University’s Pitch Madness competition on July 19 2023, Buddie-Up, a startup founded by UIC students, made it to the final round. The event featured top student entrepreneurs from universities across the Midwest, pitching their ventures to an audience for a shot at prize money. Hamza Ali, a 2023 UIC graduate, represented the university at the competition.
Buddie-Up developed their idea during an Innovation Center class, and then continued their work over the summer in the Accelerator. With an idea, a determination to conceptualize it, and mentorship, they designed an application. The app the group designed is for college students to find and walk with others who have a similar destination. Ultimately they wanted to provide a safer environment for all students getting to and from places in order to to increase their comfortability levels when walking off of campus.
Buddie-Up at University Pitch Madness Heading link
Meet the Program Director, Dan Hogan Heading link
Dan Hogan is Lecturer and Director of Undergraduate Studies for Entrepreneurship in the Managerial Studies Department of UIC’s College of Business Administration.
Dan is passionate about contributing to an institutional ecosystem at UIC that effectively inspires and supports students in the development and pursuit of their entrepreneurial aspirations. He serves as the faculty advisor for UIC’s chapter of the Collegiate Entrepreneurs’ Organization (CEO) and is member of the planning committee for UIC Innovation’s Spark Series and Blaze Venture Challenge. Dan is an MBA alumnus of UIC, having worked primarily in as an “intrapreneur” in nonprofit program development and management before coming to UIC.
Contact: dhogan6@uic.edu
Frequently Asked Questions at a glance Heading link
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Is this a part-time or full-time program?
This is a part-time program. We expect that most participants will do this program in addition to other commitments (e.g., summer internships).
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When is the Accelerator?
June 3 – July 31, 2024
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How much does the Accelerator cost?
Nothing! This program is completely free. Associated costs are covered by the Innovation Center.
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Where will the Accelerator be at?
At The Innovation Center. The Innovation Center is located at 1240 West Harrison Street, Chicago, IL at the corner of Racine and Harrison (directly next door to Student Services Building)
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What should I (my group) expect from the Accelerator?
- Workshop sessions and cohort meetings.
- Regular virtual check-ins with program staff (weekly) and designated team mentor
(biweekly). - Expectations for venture work outside of programming: Participants will be
expected to invest significant time and effort into developing their ventures outside of
formal programming each week.