The Polsky Center Welcomes the 2026 Market Navigator Cohort
The Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation is welcoming the newest cohort of the Market Navigator program, a 10-week customer discovery and market insights initiative designed to help growth-stage B2C companies accelerate their path toward sustainable expansion.
Market Navigator equips entrepreneurs with advanced customer research techniques, data-driven decision-making skills, and strategies for growth. Through in-person workshops, online modules, and one-on-one mentoring, participants gain tools to conduct in-depth customer segmentation, identify new market opportunities, refine pricing strategies, and strengthen customer acquisition and retention plans.
New this year, Market Navigator includes a three-week market research lab that pairs participating businesses with students who will develop a comprehensive analysis for each business covering market size and opportunity, customer segmentation, the competitive landscape, and data-informed recommendations. The resulting work will provide the businesses with valuable market intelligence that is typically very expensive and that is often inaccessible to small businesses.
“The lab is a hands-on learning experience for students and a direct, tangible deliverable for business owners: a professional-grade market research report grounded in their specific industry, geography, and growth goals,” said Barbara Agyapong, program manager, Polsky Exchange.
The 2026 cohort includes 14 entrepreneurs representing 11 businesses across industries including food and hospitality, technology, arts and culture, child care, professional services, real estate, and workforce development.
The 2026 Market Navigator cohort includes:
Garland Lucas, Nitro Nostalgia Ice Cream & Board Game Cafe // Creating an interactive dessert and entertainment experience through made-to-order liquid nitrogen ice cream, community-centered events, and a free board game lounge. Located in Bronzeville, Nitro Nostalgia offers scratch-made dairy, vegan, and sorbet options in a welcoming gathering space for families, students, creatives, and community organizations.
Brianna Hairlson, Bri’s Dance Place // Using dance to bring generations together, strengthen communities, and create meaningful experiences for students and families.
Syeda Ahmed and Darakhshan Ahmed, TL IT Solutions // Helping nontechnical founders establish and grow their professional online presence through website and app development, branding, social media strategy, and AI-powered automation.
Dominic Kelly, A Film Called Black LLC // Exploring Black identity, consciousness, and culture through live programming, multimedia storytelling, and curated cultural experiences.
Terrell Stanley, Garden Grown Social // Helping brands, creators, and organizations build stronger relationships with their audiences through content strategy, systems management, experiential programming, and community engagement.
Jheaniqua Jones, Iris Branch, and Peg Dunne Pavelec, Little Inspirations // Providing child care and early education for children ages 6 weeks to 6 years at two centers in Chicago’s Hyde Park neighborhood. Little Inspirations supports children’s health, happiness, and development while helping establish strong foundations for lifelong learning.
Michelle Aronson, Culture + Strategy Lab // Helping organizations align their people, workplace culture, and leadership strategies with their business goals to improve both the employee experience and organizational performance.
Donna Bracey, BWF Consulting Group LLC // Providing owner’s representation, construction management, real estate strategy, and fractional project leadership for small businesses, developers, nonprofits, cultural organizations, and community-based projects. Also known as Beyond Walls and Floors, the firm is minority- and woman-owned and based in Chicago.
Lori Parrett, Cakewalk Chicago // Supporting bakers, decorators, and small food entrepreneurs through supplies, classes, and hands-on business guidance. Cakewalk Chicago helps customers turn ideas and orders into completed work by providing the tools, knowledge, and problem-solving support they need to earn income and grow their businesses.
Patricia Wicks, MSW, PATHworks // Helping mission-driven organizations strengthen their leadership, systems, and workplace cultures to improve outcomes, while equipping young adults with tools to succeed in academics, work, and life.
Nina Hollins, Owners’ Real Estate Services Inc. // Providing full-service real estate brokerage services with a specialization in furnished, mid-term rentals of 30 days or more. The firm develops creative rental strategies for investors seeking to scale their portfolios.
Click here for more information on the 2026 cohort.
For more information about the Market Navigator program, email Barbara Agyapong at bagyapong@uchicago.edu.
