A cross-institutional priority coordinated by the University of Chicago’s Office of Civic Engagement and the Office of Science, Innovation, National Labs, and Global Initiatives, the Inclusive Innovation initiative launched the fund in 2023 and has since invested in 16 projects.
The initiative is a partnership between UChicago, the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Argonne National Laboratory, and Fermilab National Accelerator Laboratory. It aims to engage local students, educators, and workers and connect them to the city’s growing scientific ecosystem – helping to generate a diverse talent pipeline in the sciences and spur economic growth on the historically under-resourced South Side.
As part of its second year of award granting, the Inclusive Innovation Fund has selected a joint proposal from the Polsky Center and University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign as one of several projects for investment: The first community-centered program of its kind at either institution, the Innovate2Market program is designed to empower community inventors and innovators to explore the commercial opportunities and impact of their products and ideas.
The five-week program will feature the well-tested elements of the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) I-Corps program, with ongoing wraparound services provided by the Polsky Center’s Exchange, and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Each institution received $25,000, for a combined $50,000 investment.
“The University of Chicago and University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign have offered effective and impactful NSF I-Corps programs for University researchers for many years. This Inclusive Innovation funding provides an opportunity for community entrepreneurs to access similar market research and customer discovery programming and to test feasibility of ventures built on their inventions and innovations,” said Abigail Ingram, executive director of the Polsky Exchange.
Resources at the Polsky Exchange will include no-cost workspace, access to more than 100 Polsky Center mentors, invitations to events and workshops, as well as access to the Illinois Small Business Development Center and additional cohort-based growth programs.
To read the rest of the story from The Polsky Center for Entepreneurship and Innovation website, click here.
