Even though Olaf Schneewind operates seamlessly in many overlapping scientific, academic and corporate circles, he denies being a Renaissance Man. “I’m just a complete workaholic, 365 days of the year…
In the early 1990s, the U.S. Department of Energy asked researchers to develop a better too…
Alan Thomas, Director, UChicagoTech, Ellen Rudnick, Executive Director and Clinical Professor of Entrepreneurship at the Polsky Center, Keith Moffat, Deputy Provost for Research, Donald Levy, Vice Pr…
Timing is everything, and Norm Winarsky figures it’s his time to act.“At this t…
By the end of the year, Midway Pharmaceuticals expects to have successfu…
UChicagoTech, the University of Chicago’s Office of Technology and…
On August 20, Chromatin—a company that grew out of research at the University of Chicago—announced that it h…
Time. Treasure. Talent. That’s what alumni should give back to their schools, according to Doug Given, an Investment Partner at Bay City Capital and longtime advisor to UChicagoTech—the University of…
Generating electrical power from the sun and the wind share a common drawback: The su…
Arryx, a company based on technology invented at the University of Chicago that still has st…
Solarmer Energy Inc. is developing plastic solar cells for portable electron…
A few years ago, University of Chicago alumnus Martin E. Sanders, MD ’79, att…
It’s no surprise that Intellectual Ventures, a leading global investor in inventions,…
In the vanguard of a new generation of promising drug therapies for t…
Dr. Elliott Sigal (MD’81, PhD), President of R&D;, Bristol-Myers Squibb, and Dr. Michael Prystowsky (MD’81, PhD), Chairman of Pathology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, participate in the in…
Charles Polsky’s transition from medicine to finance reflects an unconventional…
Cory Gerdts, PhD, is glad he was a part of Rustem Ismagilov’s lab in 2003, although some…
During a routine business meeting in September at UChicagoTech’s new of…
Few, if any, University of Chicago faculty members have as many patents, products…
Eileen Dolan, PhD, Professor of Medicine and Chair of Committee on Clinical Pharma…
Last October, top-ranking representatives from McGraw-Hill spent a day on campus me…
Technology, invention, creativity and discovery. These forces are not enough to launch a…
Illinois Governor Pat Quinn visits the Chicago Innovation Pipeline booth at the 2010 BIO Convention held at McCormick Place. The pipeline, developed by UChicagoTech, is a collection of technologies…
University Provost Thomas Rosenbaum and Daniel Silevitch, Research Scientist, James Franck Institute, stand inside a shielded room, used to screen out radio interference from outside. To the left is…
Imagine you know nothing about basketball and have to figure out how the game…
“Fundamental research is what keeps me up late at night,” says Heinrich Jaeger, Ph…
Feature shot on story page: Professor Julian Solway, MD, conducts translational research that seeks to develop new treatments for asthma. Jasmin Nixon, summer student from Chicago State University (l…
Approximately 70% of screening mammograms in the U.S. are subjected to a secon…
This is the worst climate to launch a startup or secure funding in the biological sci…
Innovation was once thought of as an exercise in creativity. Tinkerers looked for a better mousetrap. Inventors hop…
The inaugural event of the new Chicago Innovators Mentors program matched experienced entrepreneurs, executives, and domain experts with innovating faculty from multiple institutions. Left to right:…
Ellen Rudnick, MBA ’73, Executive Director of the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship at the Booth School of Business, works to further University innovation by fostering collaboration both inside and…
The University of Chicago’s Office of Technology and Intellectual Property’s (UChicagoTech) n…
Scientists can now manufacture a synthetic version of the self-healing sticky s…
Some Chicago-based researchers with a commercial success or two under their belt head for the East or West…
Reflexion Pharmaceuticals is an eclectic startup. In developing a novel process…
The energy was palpable: Solar, wind and battery. Ideas, vigor and power.…
After graduating from the Graduate School of Business (Chicago Booth) in 1969, John Van Dyke returned to…
UChicago licensee NephRx is moving swiftly to bring to market therapeutics for patients with kidney transplants and mucositis. Nephrology professor Gary Toback, MD, PhD (left) developed the therapies…
Chances are you’ve never heard of lymphangioleiomyomatosis, a rare lung diseas…
Bigger is better — at least when it comes to disseminating information about innovative re…
Use this static Page to test the Theme’s handling of the Blog Posts Index page. If the site is set to display a static Page on the Front Page, and this Page is set to display the Blog Posts Index, the…
“Sometimes you have to rethink the chemistry, rethink the materials, rethink the manufacturing…
“The heart of a thriving company-formation effort begins with university research,” said Jam…
“This award will permit us to build upon our preliminary data to facilitate the deve…
Two out of two. That’s how many new business ventures Nancy Harvey has seen come to fruiti…
The primary treatment for breast cancer is either tumor excision followed by radiation or maste…
Knowing that the top areas in the country for biotechnology innovation and entrepreneu…
As an Executive-in-Residence at UChicagoTech, Joseph Feldman has had many “aha” moments h…
Whether it comes to medical devices, therapeutics or pharmaceuticals, Richard Ganz brings a…
Three UChicago physicians (left to right) Adam Cifu, MD, Scott Stern, MD, and Diane Altkorn, MD, developed the content for a new Web app diagnosis tool licensed by startup Agile Diagnosis. Photo by L…
In November 2009, two new University of Chicago MBA students attended an Ideation Worksho…
Rifat Pamukcu, MD, has been greatly influenced by his work at the University of Chicago. W…
A superhighway runs into Chicago’s leading universities, carrying innovative scientists, tal…
University of Chicago researchers are opening a new front in treating migrai…
UChicago licensee Electrochaea uses electricity generated by the sun or wind to convert water and carbon dioxide into methane, the chief ingredient of natural gas. From left: Matt Martin, Jeff Forner…
The Innovation Workshop at Chicago Booth featured experts on how to use the Small Business Innovation Research program creatively to launch start-ups at universities. From left: Matthew Christian, mo…
Moving a basic scientific finding from a lab to the clinical setting is the Holy Grai…
“Twenty years ago, Argonne and the DOE must have had a crystal ball to develop an environ…
One year ago, as the University of Chicago’s first not-for-profit spinoff, UChicago Impa…
While Divya Varshney attended the University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business, earn…
$50 million commitment establishes premier entrepreneurship and innovation center at UChicago. Read more.
The University of Chicago and AbbVie, a global biopharmaceutical company, have entered into a five-year collaboration agreement designed to improve the pace of discovery and advance medical research i…
College and university students will be heading back to school in the coming weeks, but it’s not too late to line up an amazing internship opportunity at one of Chicago’s many tech companies and start…
Melissa Harris, the former Chicago Tribune columnist who wrote about innovators and innovation, is now helping promote that work. Read more.
If you want to create a venture-backed company, recent data suggests attending University of Chicago, Northwestern University or University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign could boost your odds. Read mor…
If you’ve ever waded into the business section of a Barnes & Noble or gotten “thinkfluenced” by any number of LinkedIn influencers, you may have become aware of the fact that management literature…
Explorer Surgical, which aims to be an interactive playbook for surgeons and staff, has raised a $1 million to bring it a step closer to use in operating rooms. Read more.
Inc. Magazine published their annual list of the fastest-growing private companies in America, which is based off of a company’s percentage revenue growth from 2012 to 2015. The list includes Edward L…
InContext Solutions has raised $15.2 million in equity funding, according to an SEC filing. Founded in 2009, InContext uses virtual reality to help retailers simulate real in-store shopping situations…
Base isn’t the biggest player in a crowded CRM market by any means, but it’s not shying away from a fight with industry giants like Salesforce, Microsoft, Oracle and SAP. This week it introduced Apoll…
University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation has an expanded mission—and a new look. Following a $35 million donation from Invenergy CEO Michael Polsky this summer (bringi…
While some voters already know who they’ll support for president come November, the rest of the ballot is a mystery for many. Chicago startup BallotReady wants to help voters fill in the blanks. Read…
Anyone who is familiar with Chicago’s startup scene knows that innovation and opportunity abound – even if Chicago doesn’t quite have Silicon Valley’s level of clout. What does it have? Tons of talent…
Thursday, Chicago Inno hosted its inaugural Inno U Challenge, a pitch competition and showcase for the city’s student entrepreneurs. Featuring fifteen startups from UChicago, Northwestern, DePaul, IIT…
This year’s Nobel Prize in economics, the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences announced Monday, will go to Oliver Hart and Bengt Holmstrom for “their contributions to contract theory.” Mr. Hart, born in…
When Katlin Smith entered the New Venture Challenge business accelerator, she had developed an idea for making food that was “simple, healthy and delicious” but did not have a sense for what to do nex…
Built In Chicago proudly presents the 2016 list of the Top 100 Digital Technology Companies in Chicago. The list ranks digital tech employers of every stripe, from data analytics startups to e-comm…
Please use the sharing tools found via the email icon at the top of articles. Copying articles to share with others is a breach of FT.com T&Cs and Copyright Policy. Email licensing@ft.com to buy a…
In March, Tovala launched a Kickstarter campaign to fund its connected oven and its Blue Apron-like service. Since then, approximately 1,000 ovens have been purchased. This expression of interest has…
A Chicago startup wants to let citizens rate and review interactions with police officers, a la Yelp. The Excuse Me Officer website, and its upcoming mobile app, could provide data about heroic office…
At the Grace Hopper Conference, the largest gathering of female technologists in the world, held last week in Houston, Texas, there was some good news and bad news about the state of women in technolo…
The University of Chicago’s (U. of C.) Institute of Politics (IOP) co hosted a talk earlier today, Oct. 27, on how technology has changed and will change the elections process. Read more.
When Cathryn Nagler set out to develop drugs to treat childhood food allergies, she knew she was heading into unchartered territory. Although Nagler, the Bunning Food Allergy Professor, has been a res…
In 2012, Alex Niemczewski was a recent University of Chicago graduate with a background in nonprofit community work—young, well-educated, civic-minded. As you might expect, she went to cast a ballot.…
When grocery store shelves and fast-food drive-throughs didn’t have what they were looking for, Booth students and graduates didn’t get frustrated. They got inspired. Read more.
As 2016 draws to a close, the Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition (ETA) community is in a unique situation. “Search funds”, the predominant model historically and the focus of this report, has had…
In less than 12 hours last week, a Chicago-based menswear fashion startup exceeded twice its funding goal of $15,000. The Kickstarter for Portefini’s first product, the Everyday Blazer, launched Nov.…
Former leader of two successful start-ups, SurePayroll and The Tie Bar, shared five pieces of essential advice in entrepreneurship to a group of students on Thursday. Michael Alter, who is an entrepre…
Golfers are notoriously fond of gadgets, from technologically advanced clubs to niche tools for getting out of tight situations, all in the hope that tech will help improve their game. But Swingbyte i…
As the price of connected sensors continues to drop, companies are coming up with ever-more inventive ways to do things like embed them into kids’ clothes, use them to track pets and ensure hygiene co…
On this week’s podcast, Karis heads to the Polsky Exchange North in Hyde Park to catch up with Aviva Rosman and Alex Niemczewski, cofounders of BallotReady, a voter education platform that provides no…
It’s time for the Wintrust Business Lunch with Suzanne Muchin! On today’s show Suzanne welcomes: Jon Najarian (Najarian Family Offices), Andrew Herrmann (DNAinfo), John Flavin, and Amanda Moreno (Erik…
Chicago’s unique architecture played muse to two Chicago entrepreneurs jumping into the fashion business. Powwful is a new line of colorful, full coverage sports bras designed by Chicago entrepreneurs…
In 2012, Forbes dropped J. K. Rowling after eight years on its authoritative billionaires list, saying high British taxes and large charitable contributions had eroded her fortune. Forbes may want to…
In Zambia, one of their blogs is the undisputed arbiter of style. In South Africa, one of their apps is the gateway to private beaches and pop-up dining. In Kenya, they teach entrepreneurship to stay-…
If President-elect Donald Trump makes good on his anti-immigration stance, it won’t save American jobs, say leaders of Chicago’s tech startup sector. Worse, the businesses that depend on high-skill te…
Although it’s 135 miles away, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is responsible for developing the most entrepreneur alumni in the greater Chicago area. LinkedIn data showed as much earlie…
The University of Chicago is designating $25 million from its endowment to invest alongside established venture funds in startups led by faculty, students, staff and alumni, expanding a commitment to…
University of Chicago is increasing its efforts to spin out more startups with a commitment to invest $25 million from its endowment to fund new companies launched by faculty, staff, students or alumn…
Chicago inventor Alexander Albanese says he’s created a better version of French press coffeemakers—he calls it the American Press. Albanese came up with the idea as a graduate design student at North…
The University of Chicago Innovation Fund announced plans to invest up to $500,000 into two companies—Cephalgia Therapeutics and RWEDI water—that are working to combat migraines and increase water eff…
A nasal spray that can reduce migraine pain in 30 minutes, and a water treatment from Argonne National Laboratory that could save 4 million gallons of water from going to waste (per customer), were se…
Now in its third year, it’s safe to say none of Chicago Inno’s previous Startups to Watch lists have included three founders who have all led companies to $1 billion+ exits. Read more.
Pharmaceutical giant AbbVie and University of Chicago have picked their initial set of projects to research cancer, a deadly disease given a renewed focus under the Obama administration. They include…
A new initiative at Argonne National Laboratory seeks to accelerate energy innovation by embedding promising young entrepreneurs in one of the nation’s foremost national laboratories. Read more.
In retail, you typically hear about brick-and-mortars innovating by finding ways to bring their in-store experience online. However, with Chicago-based Foxtrot, an on-demand food and beverage delivery…
It’s been a crazy year, Chicago! As December rapidly draws to a close, we wanted to take some time to look back and consider some of our favorite company and product launches of the year. Read more.
What products will soar in popularity on Instacart in 2017? According to the grocery delivery giant, a Chicago startup’s gluten-free baking mixes and a locally-made protein bar are poised for big year…
A University of Chicago-born sports recruiting startup just got acquired by Blue Star Sports, a sports software company backed by Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones. Read more.
Amy Guth discusses how Chicago-based app Tip Yourself can help you in the new year with its co-founder Mike Lenz. Samantha Bomkamp, business reporter at the Chicago Tribune, breaks down two big McDona…
After suffering from joint pain, Katlin Smith, now 28, took a hard look at her eating habits and opted for more whole, natural foods. She soon discovered a lack of options for prepared food — especial…
Katlin Smith started working on her business as a side project before leaving her job at Deloitte to build her brand full-time. Four years later Simple Mills, based in Chicago, sells baking mixes, cra…
ETA expert podcast series and 2016 Booth-Kellogg ETA Conference.
Chicago Booth boasts a network of 51,000 alumni spread out across the globe. A good few thousand of those are based in San Francisco’s Silicon Valley. But they’re not all heading to Google, Facebook a…
Modern life can be a headache. But there were evidently plenty of headaches back in the first century CE, when Aretaeus of Cappadocia, one of the most celebrated ancient Greek physicians, described th…
When applying for the University of Chicago’s New Venture Challenge, Steve Kaplan warns hopeful entrepreneurs not to pretend their numbers are conservative. “I’m the guy wearing the sport jacket — I’m…
Entrepreneur Nika Koda believes art galleries are broken, both for buyers and artists. The art world has a reputation for being lofty and prestigious, she said, a misconception that can make galleries…
Forget basketball. For student entrepreneurs, South by Southwest offers a different kind of “madness” in March. Read more.
WHO TO WATCH: RAMZI ASSAF The local entrepreneur creates an everyday alternative for the guy-on-the-go. AGE: 26. LIVES IN: The Loop. CLAIM TO FAME: CEO and founder of Portefini (Portefini.com), a loca…
The Harry M. Markowitz Award (sponsored jointly by the Journal Of Investment Management and New Frontier Advisors, LLC ) recognizes the seminal and transcendent impact of Dr. Markowitz’s work as a fin…
Even the iconic piggy bank is getting a digital makeover. Feeding the piggy has long been a down-homey, tried-and-true way to teach kids how to save money. Now, these lessons increasingly can be found…
A new University of Chicago startup is working to better predict the behavior of the trillions of microorganisms living inside the human body and harness them to treat disease. Gusto Global, co-founde…
Launching with a name like Gusto, the newest kid on the microbiome block needs to bring something different and energizing to the table. That is the plan, according to cofounder Jack Gilbert, a profes…
The Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation and Booth School of Business at the University of Chicago and the Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance at the University of Cambridge Judge Bu…
Grubhub Inc. is showcasing authentic moments, or as real as they can be when culled from 10 hours of footage, in a new TV campaign as the food delivery service tries to deepen its connections with mil…
The Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation and Booth School of Business at the University of Chicago and the Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance (CCAF) at the University of Cambridge J…
2016 brought us the launch of several research-based startups, the invention of a new diamond-like coating, the deployment of data-collection nodes across Chicago and a next-generation platform for ca…
Yesterday, the National Science Foundation (NSF) announced that the University of Chicago was one of eight Innovation Corps (I-Corps™) sites and nodes across the nation that have been selected for th…
On January 29, MBA teams competed at the semi-finals of the 2017 Global New Venture Challenge (GNVC) in Chicago. Waverly Deutsch, clinical professor of entrepreneurship at Chicago Booth and the profes…
Mayor Rahm Emanuel went back to Urbana-Champaign with executives from about 20 Chicago tech companies today to pitch the school’s smart, young techies at the University of Illinois on what the city ha…
Great ideas are just the first step to building a great product, but getting funding is the real hurdle in turning your idea into a reality. While you could turn to traditional funding means, crowdfun…
On Wednesday, March 8th, we’ll be debuting the official 2017 Tech Madness Bracket at our Reveal Party at the Chicago Sports Museum. I know it’s been a long year since the 2016 bracket, so let’s start…
A new University of Chicago startup is delivering supercomputing-as-a-service to small- and medium-sized businesses and helping these firms more readily compete with industry behemoths. High-performan…
BallotReady, the voter education platform cofounded by Aviva Rosman and Alex Niemczewski out of University of Chicago, is ready to be the go-to voting guide across 50 states by 2018. This week BallotR…
LuminAID, the Chicago company that found success on “Shark Tank” two years ago, is turning to Kickstarter to fund the launch of its latest product. Co-founders Anna Stork ⇒ and Andrea Sreshta ⇒ create…
Jennifer Fried is an accidental entrepreneur. After three years at Bain Consulting and some time in venture capital, she thought her next step would be becoming an investor in health care startups. In…
The learning landscape has been vastly improved through the application of technology. BenchPrep’s software is used by education and training companies to help students, employees and clients learn fa…
A University of Chicago start-up has unveiled its new, high-tech hiring system for the trucking industry. Enlistics has won awards for its services matching people to jobs through social media. Now it…
Big data and data science continues its growth in popularity in the nation’s business schools, according to a survey of more than 200 B-schools released today (February 15). In the survey of 209 admis…
On February 11, five MBA teams competed at the semi-finals of the 2017 Global New Venture Challenge (GNVC) in Hong Kong, China. Waverly Deutsch, clinical professor of entrepreneurship at Chicago Booth…
Just days after the US presidential election, Matt Maloney, founder and CEO of Grubhub, sent out an internal memo letting his employees know that those who share in then president-elect Donald Trump’s…
Maintaining harmony within the gut is extraordinarily important to the human body, as this microbiome interacts with the immune, hormone and nervous system. Not only can a disruption in the gut can ca…
The Social Enterprise Initiative has announced the 14 teams accepted into phase II of the 2017 John Edwardson, ’72, Social New Venture Challenge (SNVC). The SNVC is the social impact track of the univ…
Supercomputing has changed the way we process big data in a wide range of industries. Unsurprisingly, these capabilities to perform multiple complex tasks in the least possible amount of time have tra…
The Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business has officially announced the 30 teams moving on to the next phase of the New Venture Challen…
PartySlate, an online platform to connect event providers with people looking to plan weddings, meetings and celebrations, has raised another $1.6 million. PartySlate, which is similar to home-buildin…
Could a new age nail startup, a recording studio based in the cloud or a chemical-free disinfectant be UChicago’s next breakout startup? It’s possible. These are all startups that are among the 30 stu…
On February 25, MBA teams competed at the semi-finals of the 2017 Global New Venture Challenge (GNVC) in London, England. Waverly Deutsch, clinical professor of entrepreneurship at Chicago Booth and t…
They came, they saw, and, they conquered. For the second year in a row, Chicago Booth was awarded first place of the Oxford Chicago Global Private Equity Challenge for their thesis presentation on The…
Chicago’s tech prowess is getting more recognition from the world’s tech scene. A new report from KPMG surveyed more than 800 tech leaders and found that Chicago is in the top 10 of tech innovation hu…
Along with the 32 startups selected for the main track of University of Chicago’s annual New Venture Challenge, the Social Enterprise Initiative (SEI) also announced 14 social impact startups have bee…
South by Southwest Interactive kicks off this week in Austin, Texas, sending Chicago entrepreneurs, companies and investors south in search of talent, business connections and potential customers. But…
Despite a fall in recent venture capital activity on the national level, Illinois university startups have seen a rise in funding. That’s according to the annual Illinois Innovation Index report relea…
A city-wide network of sensors, dubbed a fitness tracker for a city, is being installed in Chicago. The Array of Things will monitor a variety of data from local climate, to traffic levels and the cit…
Mitch Kirby is co-founder and CEO of TransparentCareer, a cutting-edge career management platform used by 40% of all current US-based MBAs. Frustrated by a lack of hard data on post-MBA salaries and j…
Republicans in the House of Representatives recently unveiled their new healthcare plan, the American Health Care Act, which is intended to replace the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare. Re…
It’s official, alternative finance platforms have been granted an extension to respond to 2017 Americas Alternative Finance Industry Survey. Complete it now — it will only take 20 minutes and your ans…
Tempus, the cancer fighting startup from Groupon founder Eric Lefkofsky, wants to give doctors at the University of Chicago data to help better treat breast cancer patients. Read more.
The Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business has officially announced the 10 semi-final teams moving on to the next phase of the College…
On Thursday, March 16, seven executive MBA finalist teams presented their business plans at the finals of the 2017 Global New Venture Challenge (GNVC) in Chicago
While there are plenty of sports news outlets, television channels and reporters that cover the world’s vast array of leagues and players nearly down to the second, there are few options for those who…
A Chicago-based startup is trying to address a major engineering challenge with the electric grid by redesigning one of the most fundamental substances in the universe: ice. Read more.
The Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation has announced the companies that will be moving into the Polsky Incubator this April as members of the new cohort. The Polsky Incubator provides g…
If you just graduated from business school with an MBA and want to get a job at a startup, what should you expect to be paid? About $15,000 less than if you took a job at an established corporation (b…
Sam Devenport is carrying on his father’s love of woodworking and is finding fans of his burgeoning furniture company far beyond his native Hyde Park. A little less than a year ago, Devenport launched…
1,500 plastic bottles are used in the US every single second. 70% never make it to a recycling bin. Instead, most go to landfills and end up in our oceans. In fact, scientists estimate that there’s a…
The word microbiome has become a catch term only in the past decade, but it refers to something as old as humanity itself: the diverse and unimaginably vast population of microorganisms that share our…
The University of Chicago Innovation Fund has announced the five companies moving on to the spring finals. Each of the finalists will present their ventures to the Innovation Fund advisory committee a…
Inventors, major companies and venture capitalists will unite next week for the first Chicago Machine Learning Venture Capital Summit. Representatives from Google, IBM Watson, Microsoft and some of Ch…
The idea that walking in nature is good for your head is not exactly groundbreaking science. But figuring out specifically how outdoor activity alleviates migraines? Now that is. Neurologist Richard K…
For insight into starting a business in a small city and advice on overcoming the challenges they pose, WalletHub turned to a panel of experts for their thoughts on key questions. Read Polsky Senior A…
Future Founders recognized Chicagoland colleges and universities for their contributions to the entrepreneurial community at the inaugural EntrepreneurshipU Awards event on April 18 in Chicago. Read m…
Another Chicago startup is set to make an appearance on Shark Tank, the second showing for a Windy City tech company in less than a month. Rumi Spice, a startup that sources saffron directly from Afgh…
An ecosystem flourishes when good ideas, money to fund those ideas, and talent to fill those jobs all exist in the same place at the same time. In Chicago, the seeds for a clean energy ecosystem have…
At the University of Chicago-affiliated Polsky Fab Lab, assistant director Elizabeth Koprucki actually finds incoming students often already have experience with maker spaces. It can even be a selling…
The hobbyist has turned entrepreneur. While the Maker Movement was comprised of a hacking, tinkering “tech-influenced DIY community,” the next wave of makers is interested in creating physical product…
One of Chicago’s biggest venture funds raised $80 million for its fourth fund. Origin Ventures, best known as an early backer of Grubhub, raised about twice as much as its last fund, in 2013. The new…
Origin Ventures, an 18-year-old venture capital firm based in Chicago, has closed an $80 million fund, it announced Thursday. This is the Series A-stage firm’s fourth fund and its largest yet, sai…
Chicago venture capital firm Origin Ventures announced today it has closed its fourth fund, a significant milestone for the Midwest firm best known for its success as an early investor in Grubhub. Ori…
High growth companies are usually hyper-focused on driving sales, revenue, traction and business development. A company-wide yoga class? Improv lessons for the sales team? A manicure bar on a random F…
“This is why I believe I will be a good CEO and partner, and why I think you should invest in my fund.” You don’t often hear phrases like this coming from current and recently graduated MBAs, but at t…
Nancy Harvey, Managing Director of the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation at the University of Chicago, discusses how she got her start, the mission of the Center and tips for prospec…
Starr Marcello, executive director of the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, testified before the United States House of Representatives Small Business Committee on Wednesday, May 3, 2…
Read Inc. Magazine’s 30 Under 30 Profile of Simple Mills Founder, Katlin Smith here.
Mark Cuban is a Dallas-based tech entrepreneur who is obsessed with basketball, so a Chicago-based start-up selling saffron produced in Afghanistan may seem outside his investment sweet spot. Yet the…
After having inked a series of deals with different hotels, TripAdvisor signed its first partnership with a food delivery service. The Needham, Ma.-based travel company announced on Monday an agreemen…
The fashion industry in Chicago, already smaller than its coastal counterparts, was hobbled further with the budget cuts to the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE) last year, whi…
I’m from California. I love sunshine, hiking trails and blueberries in the winter. So in late 2015, when my company, Tovala, was accepted into Y Combinator after two years of freezing my butt off at g…
Crain’s 20 in their 20’s | 2017 features BallotReady co-founders Alex Niemczewski and Aviva Rosman. Read their profile here.
According to research from the American College of Sports Medicine, a staggering 85% of sports-related concussions go undetected at the time of injury. This is primarily due to two factors — rudimenta…
The Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business has officially announced the 5 teams moving on to finals of the College New Venture Challeng…
The Social Enterprise Initiative has announced the 7 teams moving on to the 2017 John Edwardson, ’72, Social New Venture Challenge (SNVC) finals. Teams will pitch their social impact start-ups on Tues…
The founders of Chicago startup Rumi Spice have been to war. But the thought of facing a panel of celebrity investors had them quaking, said Kimberly Jung, who, along with co-founders Emily Miller and…
Indonesian entrepreneur Tandean Rustandy, who earned an MBA from the University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business in 2007, has donated $20 million to the school’s social innovation center. Read mo…
The Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business has officially announced the 11 teams moving on to the finals of the New Venture Challenge.…
Provide, a SaaS solution for childcare providers won the top prize of $60,000 at University of Chicago’s Social New Venture Challenge Tuesday. Read more.
In the 21 years since its first iteration, the University of Chicago’s New Venture Challenge has been a launching point for some of Chicago’s biggest tech pillars including Grubhub, Base and B…
A nail care startup, cloud infrastructure platform and non-invasive, self-administered HPV test are among the student ventures that will compete in the finals of the University of Chicago’s 2017 New V…
The University of Chicago’s culture of inquiry and intellectual rigor has led to several breakthroughs in medicine, science, and business that have changed the way we live and the way we think.…
Harnessing the power of the human body to prevent illness – that’s the goal behind a $100 million gift to the University of Chicago Medicine. The new Duchossois Family Institute will study the microbi…
Chicago investor Craig Duchossois, his wife, Janet, and his family foundation have donated $100 million to University of Chicago Medicine to establish a center focused on developing the science of wel…
The Rustandy Center for Social Sector Innovation at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business is pleased to announce the winners of the John Edwardson, ’72, Social New Venture Challenge (SNVC…
Read the 2017 Americas Alternative Finance Industry Report here.
CHICAGO (May 25, 2017) – The alternative finance market continued to grow across the United States (US), Canada and Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) in 2016 to a total market volume of $35.2 bill…
The Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business is pleased to announce the winners of the 2017 College New Venture Challenge. The Polsky Cen…
Read more.
The Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the University of Chicago is pleased to announce the winners of the 21st annual Edward L. Kaplan, ’71, New Venture Challenge (NVC), a top-ranke…
The University of Chicago Innovation Fund announced plans to invest up to $500,000 into three companies—AVNovum, ClostraBio, and SwitchedSource—that are working in the health and energy fields, respec…
Simple Mills makes delicious almond flour baking mixes with simple, nutrient-rich ingredients. Founder, CEO, and Chicago Booth student Katlin Smith started her company in 2013 based on a desire to cre…
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Scott Kitun holds an all hands on deck discussion about the UChicago Polsky Center. Entrepreneurship is now a top program at UChicago’s Booth School of Business. Associate Vice President for Entrepren…
Engineering new pharmaceuticals is risky, achingly slow and astronomically expensive. While the estimates of how much it costs to get a drug into patients’ hands vary and are often disputed, Tufts Uni…
The Entrepreneur-in-Residence (EIR) program is open to current students and alumni and provides mentorship and coaching to University of Chicago students. Successful Chicago-based entrepreneurs are av…
We are a 60-person professional staff dedicated to supporting all University of Chicago students, faculty, staff, alumni, and outside small business owners in navigating the complex process of creatin…
Steven Neil Kaplan is the Neubauer Family Distinguished Service Professor of Entrepreneurship and Finance at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and Kessenich E.P. Faculty Director of t…
The Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation is pleased to announce the latest cohort of the Polsky Accelerator, a 10-week intensive summer program designed for both for-profit and not-for-pr…
Access to the Polsky Center does not stop at graduation. Whether you are a new grad or 15 years out, the Polsky Center is a lifelong resource for all University of Chicago alumni. Ways to Get Involve…
When’s the last time you read something that ran counter to your political beliefs? We’re not talking about a tweet, a Facebook post or a hot-take headline. And we’re not talking about simply being aw…
Additionally, we invite you to become involved with any of our capstone programs and events as a sponsor. Sponsorship opportunities include: Edward L. Kaplan, 71, New Venture Challenge (NVC) John Edw…
Braintree provides payment processing options for thousands of online mobile companies including Airbnb, Uber, Fab, and LivingSocial. Braintree is now a subsidiary of PayPal, and is in 46 markets acro…
New innovation complex proposed by Wexford Science and Technology aims to expand Polsky Center’s support for new business creation and community engagement. Read more
The University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation is planning to more than double its footprint, adding space in a proposed 20-story office and laboratory complex designed…
For small businesses in highly scrutinized industries like financial services, keeping up with regulatory requirements can be a full-time job — and then some. Ascent, a Chicago-based regulatory techno…
The Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the University of Chicago works with corporate partners to catalyze ideas into impact. UChicago is at the very heart of a “must-have” Chicago-w…
“I love tax.” It is not a phrase you often hear, but Maria Scott, a former tax lawyer, found she had a penchant for the subject while studying law at Kent university. It is her passion for and experti…
Katlin Smith went on a mission to raise the bar for food ingredients, starting from her very own kitchen. She has developed crackers, cakes and cookies that are completely natural. Her company, Simple…
Two notable Chicago startup founders were just given a big nod for their entrepreneurial endeavors. Patrick Vihtelic, founder and CEO of Home Chef, and Greg Caplan, founder and CEO of Remote Year, wer…
Could big data lead to the next breakthrough in cancer treatment? A major project from the University of Chicago is betting on it. Read more.
There are more than 100 types of cancer, and about 40% of men and women will be diagnosed with cancer at some point in their lifetime, according to the National Cancer Institute. The number of people…
One of two national laboratories located in Chicago’s backyard, Fermilab is located about 40 miles west of the city in Batavia, Illinois. Known just as much for its particle accelerators as it is for…
A team at Chicago’s Booth School of Business has won a competition for female MBA entrepreneurs with a startup idea seeking to reduce the occurrence of cervical cancer through early detection. Founded…
On Friday, June 30, the Spanish-language news portal CNN Expansión announced the ten finalist companies for their “Entrepreneur of the Year” initiative. Seeking to recognize the companies and entrepre…
The Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation recently announced the newest cohort of the Polsky Founders’ Fund Fellowship (PF3). PF3 is a resource available to graduating University of Chicag…
Attention, people too tuckered out to make dinner and anyone who eats way too much Chipotle: There’s now an oven that will cook you a fresh meal—pretty much on its own. Read more.
Great things can happen when founders get together to learn and share their stories with each other.
The Collaboratorium unites UChicago students with researchers, technologists, and faculty who want to explore the commercialization opportunities and business applications of their work.
The Polsky Center offers several hands-on learning opportunities aimed at helping students, researchers, faculty, and community members pursue their own entrepreneurial endeavors or careers in private…
Summer Hours for the Exchange are Monday-Thursday from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and Friday from 8:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. starting June 16 Operated by the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innov…
Now that we’re halfway through July, odds are you’ve been to at least one wedding this year, and likely have more to go. Weddings are a roughly $50 billion industry in the United States, and the avera…
Three-year partnership will fund new programs to support minority-owned business on south and west sides The University of Chicago and Northwestern University are beginning a three-year partnership to…
The Polsky Center provides capital to student, faculty, staff and alumni-led startup companies through capstone programs such as the Edward L. Kaplan, ’71, New Venture Challenge, the George Shultz Inn…
The Herman Family Fellowship was established in 1995 by Karen and Michael Herman, MBA ’64, to provide incoming students with an opportunity to pursue their entrepreneurial interests. In addition to jo…
The Canfield Private Equity Fellowship was established in 1998 by Phil Canfield, MBA ’96, managing director at GTCR, to support incoming students pursuing careers in private equity. This fellowship is…
The Polsky Founders’ Fund Fellowship (PF3) is a resource available to graduating University of Chicago students who are committed to growing a company after graduation. The goal of the program is to p…
The Vashee Promising Entrepreneur Award, generated from the Sita and Vijay Vashee, ’77, and Promising Entrepreneur Endowment Fund, provides a monetary award to a graduating student who has demonstrate…
The Moulder Student Entrepreneur Award, sponsored by Lonnie Moulder, MBA ’97, provides a monetary award to a graduating student who has launched or significantly grown a new venture while at Chicago B…
The Madison Dearborn Partners Private Equity Award is a monetary award granted to a graduating student who has demonstrated leadership and interest in private equity through the courses he or she has…
This graduating Full-Time, Evening, or Weekend MBA Program student will be selected based on demonstrated leadership and interest in VC through the courses he or she has taken and his or her participa…
The entrepreneurial ecosystem at the University of Chicago is extremely diverse and that is evident by the long list of student groups representing multiple areas of study, interests, and disciplines.…
We welcome visitors and prospective members to join us for a tour of the Polsky Center. Whether you’re interested in working from our co-working space, becoming a member, or attending an event,…
Advancing innovative ideas and technologies from the University of Chicago ecosystem to the world
Think back to the last time you experienced a power outage. Ever looked across the street to another house or apartment building, and seen their power remained unaffected, or experienced that your pow…
Chicagoan Steve Lehmann has taken his expertise in early business development nearly 6,000 miles away to the Turkish border town of Reyhanli. His mission: to teach Syrian teens how to launch startups…
Chances are we all know someone allergic to any one of either milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, wheat, soy, fish, or shellfish, which are the eight most common type of food allergens. Close to 6 million…
The Polsky Center is proud to have supported many successful startups incuding Braintree, Grubhub, and Simple Mills. Spanning various industries, the Polsky Center is a resource for hundreds of commun…
John Flavin leads the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, which drives the creation of new businesses at the University of Chicago and on Chicago’s South Side. In this role, he helped t…
Research and development (R&D) is the lifeblood of innovation. Universities, corporations, state and federal agencies, laboratories, and nonprofits all utilize R&D to advance scientific discov…
Investor’s perspective and Fall ETA Conference.
Insurance is one of those markets where startups see an opportunity to apply new technologies and data to lower costs and improve the consumer experience. And Kin Insurance is one of those startups th…
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Energy around entrepreneurship is picking up speed at University of Chicago, and not just at the Booth School of Business: The computer science department is hiring a professor to teach entrepreneursh…
Entrepreneurship is about to stand on its own at the University of Chicago for the first time. Prompted by new funds and a growing hunger for innovation resources throughout campus, the university is…
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Mary Kay Loncar serves as the associate director at the University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. Mary Kay manages the day-to-day operations of the Polsky Center from…
Erika Mercer serves as the executive director of Booth Entrepreneurship at the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. In this role, she oversees all entrepreneurship programming within Chi…
No money, no growth. Without robust small businesses on the South and West sides, joblessness will continue to plague neighborhoods, experts say. That’s the message from a recent report by the U.S. Se…
Eric Ginsburg, PhD, serves as the senior director, intellectual property and technology development at the University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. Eric’s team works…
Teana Stocco supports the patent and licensing portfolio as licensing administrator. She also helps to manage the team’s relationships with several University and non-University organizations includin…
Jessy Tapper Derleth, AM ’15, serves as the senior writer and content manager at the University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. She is primarily responsible for writing…
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Grubhub is an online food ordering and delivery service dedicated to connecting hungry diners with local takeout restaurants. The company’s online and mobile ordering platforms allow diners to order d…
NETenergy is a thermal energy storage (TES) company known for its thermal battery that stores cold energy which can save building owners 30% or more on their energy usage and reduce carbon emission by…
Tovala, is a smart counter-top appliance that cooks a fresh, complete meal by itself, after customers insert fresh grains, vegetables, and proteins into custom pods. CEO and founder, David Rabie, MBA…
LuminAID Lab develops cost-effective, solar-rechargeable lighting products in order to make light more affordable, portable, and sustainable. Its first product, the LuminAID light, is an inflatable, l…
ClostraBio is dedicated to understanding and treating food allergies and other disease of the immune system. Founded in 2016 by Cathryn R. Nagler, PhD and Jeffrey A. Hubbell, PhD, ColstraBio is making…
ExplORer Surgical is an interactive surgical playbook that promotes optimal teamwork in the operating room. Best practices are built into a surgeon-customized workflow for each case. Surgical activity…
Parallel Works is a Software-as-a-Service provider that removes the complexities of advanced computation to make large-scale modeling, simulation, and data analysis simple. In order to do so, technolo…
CaptainU LLC recruiting software is changing the recruiting game of college sports. Whether you’re an athlete following your dream or a college coach building towards a championship, CaptainU has the…
MoneyThink is the only movement of young people working to restore the economic health of America through financial education. Founded by College alum Ted Gonder, AB ’12, Moneythink is a resident of t…
BallotReady is an online voter guide that provides tailored, easy-to-digest information on the candidate and referendums listed on local ballots. The BallotReady app is designed to raise the number of…
TransparentCareer is a network-based compensation sharing platform that allows users to understand their fair pay and visualize their entire career paths. Founded in 2015 by Mitch Kirby, MBA ’16, and…
Jump in, we’re going to Belgium. Appiness is a video commerce company that allows time-stamped products and brands in local and international videos to be made shoppable via any smart device. A produc…
CancerIQ is a digital health company that is lowering barriers to personalize cancer care. CancerIQ empowers your everyday doctor with the knowledge and skills needed to deliver cancer risk assessment…
Agile MD, formerly known as Agile Diagnosis, is a web, mobile, and EHR-integrated application that provides clinicians fast access to guidelines, protocols, and reference information. Thanks to AgileM…
BloomNation is a community marketplace for people to list, discover, and send unique bouquets handcrafted by local florists across the country. Founded by David Daneshgar, MBA ’12, Farbod Shoraka, and…
Rise Interactive, formerly Internet Marketing Institute, is a digital marketing agency that specialized in digital media and advanced analytics. Founded in 2004 by Jon Morris, MBA ’05, with what was i…
When Base was first founded in 2009, we knew the company as Future Simple. Despite this tweak in the name, the company has continued to leverage cutting edge technologies to deliver a seamless web and…
PrepMe combines innovative technologies with the highest quality educational content to provide students with scalable, personalized feedback while engaging them through quality curricula. That’s righ…
SoCore Energy LLC is humble, hungry, and smart — it’s actually the company’s motto. SoCore Energy is the market leader in solar portfolio development and commercial rooftop installations. By combinin…
PartySlate is a digital community for party hosts, professionals, guests, and spectators who want to find resources, photos, ideas and be in the know—across the country and world. It is a digital plat…
Cubii is a compact, connected, and affordable under-desk elliptical that integrates wirelessly with mobile devices and existing fitness trackers in order to make sitting healthier and more social. Fou…
Rachel Kohler has spent most of her career running parts of the family business, the high-end plumbing products company based in the Wisconsin town that also shares her name. Past a certain point in l…
UChicago licensee Electrochaea, named one of the 100 Global Cleantech companies in 2014, uses electricity generated by the sun or wind to convert water and carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, into metha…
This company is transforming lives and isn’t looking back. As pioneers in immunotherapy, Aduro Biotech is transforming lives by discovering, developing, and commercializing immunotherapies that are ma…
Like the name says, Game Changer Chicago Design Lab is a space where youth create and research games and digital media interventions. Founded by Melissa Gilliam, MD, MPH, and Patrick Jagoda, PhD,the G…
AbbVie provides funding for a collaboration with UChicago that supports preclinical research, clinical trials and possible future programs at the University resulting from this partnership. The overal…
Mighty believes that you are just as impactful as the banking industry. As a Polsky Incubator alum, we think Mighty is pretty impactful too. The company brings transparency into your choices to bank f…
Darby Smart is a video community where people watch and share snappy how-to videos. Founded by Nicole Farb, MBA ’09, Darby Smart has become a resource for people to learn and be inspired every day. To…
Gusto Global is developing a microbiome platform to identify key microbes for the treatment of food allergies and sepsis. Gusto received a license through the UCGo! Program. Stats: PI – Jack G…
Seurat Therapeutics is based on years of research by Richard Kraig, MD, PhD, at the University of Chicago that targets a naturally-derived cure for migraines aimed at the root cause rather than allevi…
The Entrepreneurial Internship Program (EIP) gives full-time first year Chicago Booth students, as well as second year students continuing their coursework in the following fall, the opportunity to in…
The Sterling Partners Investment Thesis Challenge (SPITC) launched in 2011 with the generous support of Sterling Partners. SPITC is exclusive for Chicago Booth students interested in forming teams and…
The Polsky Founders’ Fund Fellowship (PF3) is a resource available to graduating University of Chicago and Chicago Booth students and decelerating Chicago Booth students who are committed to growing a…
The Polsky Center works closely with industry partners in order to build and expand strategic collaborations that advance the research enterprise at the University of Chicago. Our team has experience…
The Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation manages the intellectual property portfolio for all University of Chicago inventions, acting as the official university technology transfer office…
A case competition that enables teams to assess the potential for a leveraged buyout of a publicly-listed company.
The George Shultz Innovation Fund invests in proof-of-concept and early business development work for viable new startups created by faculty and students.
Students and post-docs receive robust training and perform diligence on innovation projects.
Bringing together successful entrepreneurs and seasoned venture capitalists to share ideas and advice, foster creativity, and ignite the entrepreneurial-spirit within.
Autumn 2014 ExplORer Surgical has developed a real-time operating room workflow management software, designed to optimize surgical team performance, communication, and coordination. Game Changer Chica…
Autumn 2015 Argonne Advanced Radiation Lab: aims to identify commercial and government R&D collaborations related to the development of medical isotopes. Freenters: provides ad-subsidized printing…
Autumn 2016 Clarix Imaging Corporation: develops compact medical imaging devices and software for improving surgical oncology outcomes and reducing cost. ClostraBio,Inc.: a biopharma company developin…
Supported with funding from the National Science Foundation and run by the Polsky Center, the I-Corps program is specifically designed for participants working on projects related to the STEM fields.
The Polsky Small Business Growth Program focuses on supporting small businesses owners and helping them grow and scale their businesses to the next level of success.
Social Media Facebook: @PolskyCenter Instagram: @PolskyCenter LinkedIn: Polsky Company Page Twitter: @PolskyCenter YouTube: PolskyCenter One-Pagers New Venture Challenge: Edward L. Kaplan, &#…
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The Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition (ETA) Conference, cohosted by Chicago Booth and Kellogg, is the first-of-its-kind conference aimed at educating and inspiring students, alumni, and the communi…
The Elfman-Wareham Private Equity and Venture Capital Lab provides students with a combination of an intensive internship at a PE or VC firm and an academic course, students become active participants…
If you are interested in or have questions about the Alumni Growth Entrepreneurs Forum, please contact Gorana Kolar, Senior Associate Director at the Polsky Center at gorana.kolar@chicagobooth.edu or…
4Women is creating a self-administered HPV test that could replace pap smears for most women. They printed 3D prototypes of their devices on the Objet500 Connex3 3D printer, using clear and flexible m…
The Atlas Energy Systems technology provides a way to turn high-level radioactive decay products from spent nuclear fuel into a usable energy source via radioisotope plasma generation. After unsuccess…
FGC Plasma Solutions believes the next big thing in aerospace might actually be relatively small. The company’s plasma assisted fuel injection system creates cleaner, lighter, and more effective engin…
A timeline for the 2024-2025 program is listed below: Monday, October 7, 2024 (5:00 – 6:00 p.m. CT): Info Session: VIEW RECORDING Monday, October 7, 2024 (6:00 p.m. CT): Companies posted online. VIEW…
Eligibility and Team Rules The Water Street Private Equity Case Challenge is open to all Chicago Booth students, including MBA students in the Full-Time, Evening, and Weekend programs, EMBA students,…
If you are interested in or have questions about the Water Street Private Equity Case Challenge, please contact Juliet Twomey, Assistant Director, Student Programs, at juliet.twomey@chicagobooth.edu.
2025 Agenda & Speakers
If you are interested in becoming a sponsor for the 2026 Rattan L. Khosa SeedCon, please download our Sponsorship Packet or email Juliet Twomey (juliet.twomey@chicagobooth.edu) 2025 In-K…
For more information about SeedCon, please contact: Juliet Twomey juliet.twomey@chicagobooth.edu
The dates for the Fall 2025 I-Corps cohort are listed below. All program sessions will be held at Chicago Booth’s Harper Center (5807 S Woodlawn Ave). If you require a way to join the sessions virtual…
Team applications will be reviewed by a selection committee on a rolling basis and those accepted into the program will be assigned to a cohort based on availability. Qualified applicants may be invit…
October – November: Team Formation and Application October 14, 2024 at 12:00 p.m. CT| Watch the information session here October 14, 2024 | Application Open December 6, 2024 at 3:00 p.m. CT| Applicat…
The Venture Capital Investment Competition (VCIC) is the world’s largest venture capital competition with over 70 universities competing.
Application: The application cycle for the 2025 VCIC Competition is closed. Please contact Juliet Twomey, assistant director at the Polsky Center, at Juliet.Twomey@chicagobooth.edu with questions.…
2023 Hillel Ventures won the 19th annual Chicago Booth Venture Capital Investment Competition. Team members included Nikiar Ahmadi, Anna Hillel, Carlos Maier, Camille N’Diaye-Muller, Max Schoenfeld, C…
If you are interested in or have any questions about VCIC, please contact Juliet Twomey, Assistant Director, Student Programs at the Polsky Center, at Juliet.Twomey@chicagobooth.edu.
Robert Altman, MBA ’88, PhD Member of the Board of Directors, Toltec Pharmaceuticals Ken Bradley President and CEO, PixelEXX Systems, Inc. Paul Burton Managing Partners, 2Flow Ventures Mus Chag…
*Applications are currently closed. The George Shultz Innovation Fund is a seed fund where successful applicants share several traits, including: A committed team Strong evidence of market need A cle…
FALL 2024 PARTICIPANTS AGC Carbon // An early-stage startup focusing on CO2 to soda ash conversion technology for point source Carbon Capture with cogeneration of Grid Energy Storage Air Energy // Tr…
If you have a project you would like to share or any questions on the Collaboratorium, please contact Lisa Hearon at lisa.hearon@chicagobooth.edu.
The Polsky Small Business Growth Program supports South and West Side entrepreneurs in growing their businesses through coaching and consulting work completed by top student talent under supervision o…
If you have additional questions about the Polsky Small Business Growth Program, please contact Isra Omar, Assistant Director at the Polsky Exchange, at isra.omar@chicagobooth.edu or 773.702.1071.
If you are interested in applying to or have questions about the George Shultz Innovation Fund, please contact Shyama Majumdar at shyama@uchicago.edu.
Application deadline: April 4, 2022, 10:00 a.m.
Innovation Fund Associates are selected from across the University of Chicago ecosystem and commit to one 10-week investment cycle in the spring quarter in addition to four weeks of training in the wi…
Application — The 2025 Polsky BUILD Accelerator application is open and you can apply here. Applications are due on March 31, 2025 at 3:00 p.m. Eligibility — The BUILD ACCELERATOR allows…
If you are interested in applying to or have questions about the Innovation Fund Associates Program, please contact Ellen Zatkowski at ellen.zatkowski@chicagobooth.edu.
If you are interested in or have any questions about the ETA Conference, please contact Kylie Gilmore, Assistant Director, Student Programs, at Kylie.Gilmore@chicagobooth.edu.
Interested applicants expecting to meet all of these requirements are encouraged to contact us by filling out this online form. Qualified applicants will meet with staff from the the Polsky Center to…
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Explorer Surgical Edward L. Kaplan, ’71, New Venture Challenge alum Explorer Surgical, which makes software for surgical teams to use in the operating room, is the first company to receive fundi…
If you are interested in or have any questions about the UChicago Startup Investment Program, please email Steven A. Gould, M.D.
Polsky Build and Launch Accelerator Contact — Paul Cavalieri Senior Associate Director and Accelerator Program Director
February 2025, Summer Internship Funding Programs Information Session March 17, 2025: Applications open for the 2025 EIP. Spring 2025: EIP rolling admissions will continue until all EIP spots have be…
Application Components Students may apply for an Entrepreneurial Internship Program stipend starting on March 17 and will be reviewed on a rolling admissions basis until spots are filled. The EIP appl…
The Chicago Booth Private Equity Conference brings together investors, students, and entrepreneurs to network and share insights into the dynamics of investing in a constantly changing economy.
If you are a student interested in or have any questions about the Entrepreneurial Internship Program, please contact Dayna Asante-Appiah or Paul Cavalieri. If you are a startup interested in…
24th ANNUAL CHICAGO BOOTH PRIVATE EQUITY CONFERENCE Friday, February 28th, 2025 | Marriott Magnificent Mile, 540 N. Michigan Ave. Chicago, IL 60611 Thank You to our 2025 Sponsors: Platinum Spon…
For more information about the Private Equity Conference, please contact: Juliet Twomey Assistant Director, Student Programs Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation juliet.twomey@chicagoboot…
The Edward L. Kaplan, ’71, New Venture Challenge (NVC) is a top-ranked accelerator program in the nation and is run by the Polsky Center.
On the investing side, the Polsky Center supports the aspirations of students and alumni interested in a career in private equity and venture capital.
A suite of programs and resources designed to provide graduating students and alumni access to the education, capital, and mentorship necessary to acquire and grow small businesses.
For any questions regarding Booth ETA, please contact Kylie Gilmore, Assistant Director, Student Programs at the Polsky Center at kylie.gilmore@chicagobooth.edu or Alex Hodgkin, Senior Advisor at the…
Visit the ETA Insider Podcast page for more information, newest episodes, and the complete episode library.
How to Apply Student teams must apply to take part in the Sterling Partners Investment Thesis Challenge. The application will ask you to provide information (including a resume) on each team member, i…
SPITC Info Session // SPITC Info Session – Monday, October 21, 2024, at 5:00 p.m. CT Watch Recording Here Application Deadline // Application Deadline – Friday, January 10, 2025, at 3:0…
If you have any questions related to SPITC, please contact Juliet Twomey, Assistant Director, Student Programs at the Polsky Center, at Juliet.Twomey@chicagobooth.edu.
If you are interested in or have any questions about PF3, please contact Paul Cavalieri, Senior Associate Director at the Polsky Center.
Who can apply? The fellowship is open to all UChicago students completing either undergraduate or graduate degree programs. Eligible applicants are those who plan to work on their startups as their ma…
invention expire
Through the science, legal and business expertise of the TCL team at the Polsky Center, and their partnerships with University Research Administration and the University’s legal counsel, the Pol…
The Technology Commercialization team forms partnerships with new and existing companies by negotiating license agreements or providing UCGo! Startup Licenses.
The Polsky Center creates partnerships and licenses with companies to help speed development of therapeutics and develop technologies with powerful potential. The University negotiated a $25M partner…
The UCGo! Startup License is an optional, standardized, non-negotiable license agreement between the University and a startup founded by a UChicago researcher that is seeking to commercialize Universi…
The UCGo! Startup License is a pathway for licensing University intellectual property that speeds up the timeframe and minimizes the cost to launch UChicago startups. This program aligns with the Univ…
For more details on how your company can obtain a UCGo! Startup License, please see the UCGo! Startup License Guidelines. View a copy of the UCGo! Startup License. To qualify for a UCGo! license, a st…
If you are interested in or have questions about private equity, please contact Megan Fox, Director, Svider Private Equity Program at the Polsky Center, at megan.fox@chicagobooth.edu.
If you are interested in applying to or have questions about the Polsky I-Corps program, please contact Lisa Hearon at lisa.hearon@chicagobooth.edu.
Lucas Peralta is an experienced educator and innovator serving as the Polsky Center’s Director of Strategic Data Initiatives. His penchant for solving difficult problems has made him a key leader and…
In partnership with the Rustandy Center for Social Sector Innovation at Chicago Booth, the Polsky Center runs the John Edwardson, ’72, Social New Venture Challenge (SNVC), which is committed to contin…
The Polsky Center furthers the study of entrepreneurship and innovation by investigating key sectors of the regional economy as well as functional areas to support growth. Sample white papers and rece…
The Global New Venture Challenge (GNVC) gives second-year students in the Chicago Booth Executive MBA program the rare opportunity to work closely with alumni and members of the business community and…
The College New Venture Challenge (CNVC) supports UChicago College students in launching scalable ventures.
If you are interested in or have any questions about the New Venture Challenge, please contact Dr. Amber Bradley Williams, Associate Director at the Polsky Center at amber.bradley@chicagobooth.edu.
team
Amy Paris dropped in on 1,500 independent pet supply stores in 2012 and 2013 to pitch her line of nutritional supplements for pets, called Licks Pill-Free. First, dog owners loved the idea of being ab…
Adjunct Professor of Entrepreneurship, Chicago Booth; Investor-in-Residence, Polsky Center; General Partner, CJM Ventures — Chris McGowan is the General Partner of CJM Ventures (“CJMV”), a Chic…
With politics being one of the most contentious topics in America right now, ordinary citizens are engaging in activism efforts in increasing numbers, and this Chicago startup wants to help. Gather, a…
To learn more about the ETA career path and Chicago Booth’s ETA program, sign up for a meeting with Alex at the below link.
Each year, approximately 4.3 million students in 220,000 US classrooms use Everyday Mathematics, a comprehensive pre-K through grade 6 mathematics program developed by the University of Chicago School…
Dr. Luping Yu developed new chemical compounds to generate highly efficient organic photovoltaic solar cells as a source of clean energy. Dr. Yu’s compounds have reached record efficiencies compared t…
Licensee Evelo Therapeutics will advance an immunotherapy developed by University of Chicago oncologist Thomas Gajewski that employs certain gut microbes to boost the immune system’s attack on cancer…
The Polsky Center has partnered with a number of company partners to further develop University-based technologies through licenses and sponsored research. The Polsky Center is proud to continue these…
Over the last year, Chicagoland has seen an uptick in the number of venture-backed insurance tech startups. Some of them provide comprehensive insurance, while others simplify only one part of the pro…
The Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation has announced the companies that will be moving into the Polsky Incubator this October as members of the new cohort. The Polsky Incubator provides…
What singular topic has the ability to unite researchers studying skin care, cancer, irritable bowel disease, and Alzheimer’s disease? The microbiome – the study of the bacteria, fungi, and other micr…
The Chicago Booth VCIC would not be possible without all of the individuals and companies that generously donate cash, in-kind services, and other resources. We thank all of our sponsors, big and smal…
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In an era when consumers are increasingly searching for healthy food options, an ecosystem has evolved that helps food innovators thrive, especially if they have a relatively simple concept. The consu…
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The Investor-in-Residence program provides mentorship and coaching to University of Chicago Booth students interested in learning about and pursuing careers in private equity, venture capital, and ent…
Chairman and Partner, BC Partners — Raymond Svider is Chairman and a Partner at BC Partners, a private equity firm focusing mainly on the upper mid-market in Europe and North America. The Firm…
AMOpportunities, a Chicago-based startup that helps connect international medical students to short-term training programs in the United States, has raised $1.1 million in seed funding, the company an…
I was talking to a Chicago VC a couple months ago about a handful of Chicago startups, and I asked him if his firm invested in Tovala, a local startup that’s built a “smart oven” and an accompanying f…
The Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the University of Chicago and numo, a technology incubator affiliated with PNC Bank, are pleased to announce the 2017 numo FinTech Challenge at…
The University of Chicago (U. of C.) and the U.S. Army Research Laboratory held a ribbon-cutting ceremony and tour for the previously-announced Army Research Laboratory (ARL) Central Site on the eve o…
When Kristen Langenfeld and her co-founder began a white glove service for selling preowned children’s gear, they used Excel spreadsheets and QuickBooks to keep track of sales and expenses. After a fe…
Forbes released their annual “30 Under 30” lists, which included Lane Nelson, MBA ’17, in the energy category. Nelson is Co-founder and Director of Corporate Development and Finance for Switched Sourc…
Willis Tower might not be the most obvious place for a fast-growing Chicago tech startup to set up shop, but that’s exactly where BenchPrep is headed to keep up with the company’s increasing headcount…
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The Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business has officially announced the 19 teams moving on to phase II of the 2017-18 Global New Ventu…
Progenics Pharmaceuticals, Inc. develops innovative medicines and other technologies to identify, target and treat cancer. Their pipeline includes: (1) therapeutic agents designed to precisely target…
Celgene seeks to deliver truly innovative and life-changing drugs for our patients. Their vision as a company is to build a major global biopharmaceutical corporation while focusing on the discovery,…
The Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business has officially announced the 10 teams moving on to phase II of the 2017-18 College New Vent…
The University of Chicago Innovation Fund announced plans to invest up to $575,000 into three biotechnology companies—ImmunArtes, Onchilles Pharma, and Oxalo Therapeutics. These latest investments bri…
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Eric D. Isaacs, executive vice president for research, innovation and national laboratories at the University of Chicago has been named as a 2017 fellow of the National Academy of Inventors (NAI), the…
U Chicago alum Jessy Gartenstein lives with celiacs disease which makes indulging in ice cream difficult. While at school, classmate Erik Nadeau shared his family’s banana-based ice cream recipe with…
“We are very excited about what we call “tech-enabled” solutions, and Africa, in my view, is ground zero for these types of opportunities.” That is according to Jeffrey Stine, principal of the Chicago…
The Polsky Council comprises many of the country’s leading entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, and private equity investors, who provide ongoing guidance and support to the Polsky Center. MEMBERS INCL…
In a milestone that reflects growing economic development in the Hyde Park neighborhood’s historic commercial center, the mixed-use Harper Court development on 53rd Street is now fully leased. The awa…
For my birthday one year, my dad bought me a PlayStation. There were ending credits in the games, so I knew someone was making them, and I remember saying, “I want to do that.” I thought I had to lear…
Amanda Lannert belongs to an exclusive club. Along with Kristi Ross of online investment company Tastytrade and Daphne Preuss of bio-agriculture company Chromatin, she is among a trio of female CEOs o…
Bunning Food Allergy Professor Cathy Nagler had been researching the physiological origins of food allergy and potential treatments for over 30 years without ever considering the possibility of transl…
The University of Chicago announced a partnership with Benchmark Analytics to commercialize an early intervention system for police officers. Benchmark Analytics is a provider of analytics-based polic…
ETA GROUP (FULL-TIME STUDENTS) — The ETA Group strives to accomplish two principal goals: Educate students and alumni about the entrepreneurship-through-acquisition process Create a community o…
Taught by industry experts, the Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition (“ETA”) course will give students frameworks and real world solutions to use if they decide to pursue an acquisition of and lead a…
On January 20, MBA teams from Chicago competed at the semi-finals of the 2018 Global New Venture Challenge (GNVC). Waverly Deutsch, academic director for university-wide entrepreneurship content and p…
Search Fund Alliance, tips for searchers, and 2017 ETA Conference.
First place team Manifest celebrates their victory and $10k prize. (From left: David Passavant, numo CEO; Meenakshi Lakshmanan and Anura…
On Feburary 9, MBA teams from Hong Kong competed at the semi-finals of the 2018 Global New Venture Challenge (GNVC). Thirty teams applied to participate in GNVC this year from Booth’s three global cam…
The Rustandy Center for Social Sector Innovation has announced the 17 teams advancing to the semifinals of the 2018 John Edwardson, ’72, Social New Venture Challenge (SNVC). The SNVC is the social imp…
The Polsky Center is thrilled to announce the 30 teams advancing to the semifinals of the 2018 Edward L. Kaplan, ’71, New Venture Challenge (NVC). The NVC is the University of Chicago’s nationally ran…
The University of Chicago has announced their next venture investments from the UChicago Startup Investment Program. Ascent Technologies, a regulation technology company that helps users build, manage…
The Polsky Center has officially announced the five teams advancing to the finals of the 2018 College New Venture Challenge (CNVC) on Wednesday, March 7. The CNVC is the college track of the Universi…
On Friday, February 23, MBA teams from Chicago Booth’s London campus competed at the semi-finals of the 2018 Global New Venture Challenge (GNVC). Thirty teams applied to participate in GNVC this year…
The Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the University of Chicago is pleased to announce the winners of the 2018 College New Venture Challenge (CNVC). The CNVC is the undergraduate tr…
In a joint effort to educate and develop the next generation of highly-successful business leaders, the University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business and its Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and…
Foxtrot, the popular food and alcohol delivery service with four storefront l…
By Xiaohe Grace Gu One Sunday afternoon, when David Rabie, MBA ’15, was trying to make food for the whole week, he realized that he was using four different appliances. So, he thought: Why isn’t there…
Business plan competitions, and the increasing amount of funding that top schools are awarding is at an all time high. Read Rattan Khosa, a Chicago Booth alum and member of the Polsky Council, who rec…
Autumn 2017 Cure me: a secure health care marketplace that matches qualified patients for phase 2 and phase 3 clinical trials to pharmaceutical company’s inclusion criteria. ForeseeABill: automates th…
Hundreds of college students pitched unique business ideas in front of judges in a two-day competition that champions socially conscious businesses. More than 50 entrepreneurs, investors and bankers s…
BallotReady announced that it has raised $1.5M in a seed round that will help the company expand its service to all 50 states by the fall midterm elections. Investors in the round include InvestHER Ve…
The Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the University of Chicago has announced the five companies moving on to the spring finals of the University of Chicago Innovation Fund. Each of…
Reliance is set to pick up a majority 72.69 percent stake in online education platform Embibe, which uses data analytics to deliver personalised learning outcomes to students. Reliance agre…
The Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the University of Chicago is pleased to announce the winners of the 2018 Global New Venture Challenge (GNVC). The GNVC is an expansion of the E…
Ascent is a software-as-a-service company that helps financial service firms track and comply with relevant regulations. The Ascent platform makes it easy for compliance officers in regulated industri…
Argonne National Laboratory has announced the second cohort of companies participating in the Chain Reaction Innovations (CRI) program. CRI is the Midwest’s first entrepreneurship program to embed inn…
The intestinal microbiome seems to influence how well some cancer drugs work. But is the science ripe for clinical trials? Read the full article here >>
Survey released as part of UChicago Innovation Fest shows Americans believe research universities drive U.S. innovation at a time of global competition. Read the full article >>
David Rabie, MBA ’15 and founder and CEO of Tovala, gave a keynote on how smart product technology is changing the way customers interact with products for the home. Read the full article >>
NETenergy, a finalist in the 2015 Edward L. Kaplan, ’71 New Venture Challenge, is one of 11 energy startups selected to participate in the VERGE Accelerate event in Hawaii in June. Read the full artic…
Rise Interactive, a finalist in the 2004 Edward L. Kaplan, ’71, New Venture Challenge, is highlighted as one of the marketing agencies to know in Chicago. Read the full article >>
LuminAID, winners of the John Edwardson, ’72, Social New Venture Challenge (SNVC), sells 2-in-1 solar inflatable lantern and phone charger. Read the full article >>
Evelo is dedicated to improving the lives of patients globally through the development of a new modality of medicines called monoclonal microbials
Alex Niemczewski, AB ’09, founder and CEO of BallotReady, speaks on the issues that women founders face in Chicago’s startup scene. Read the full article >>
Water Street Healthcare Partners is a longtime supporter of the Private Equity Case Challenge. In addition to financial sponsorship, the healthcare investment firm helps prepare the winning team for O…
Andi Hadisutjipto, MBA ’16, founder of New Venture Challenge alum Riviter, speaks on experience in L’Oreal-connected incubator. Read the full article >>
Polsky Build and Launch Accelerator Sponsors — Sharon Sadow Alper, AB ’80, JD ’84 & Andrew Alper, AB ’80, MBA ’81 John Edwardson, MBA ’72 Kenneth W. O’Keefe, MBA ’93 Ellen Rudnick, MB…
Quevos, the egg-white chip that won the 2018 College New Venture Challenge, selected for Kraft-Heinz’s incubator. Read the full article >>
Snapsheet, founded by CJ Przybyl, MBA ’11, is revolutionizing the way auto insurance companies process claims. Read the full article >>
Three energy innovators join the latest cohort of Argonne’s Chain Reaction Innovations program, will receive mentoring from Polsky Center. Read the full article >>
Polsky I-Corps alum Game Changer Chicago Design Lab uses video games to force users to think through important life and health decisions. Read the full article >>
The Rustandy Center and Polsky Center are pleased to announce the 7 teams advancing to the finals of the 2018 John Edwardson, ’72, Social New Venture Challenge (SNVC). The SNVC is the social impact tr…
Snapsheet, co-founded by CJ Przybyl, MBA ’11, makes list of fastest-growing Chicago companies. Read the full article >>
Polsky Innovation Indicator finds that most Americans look to universities for research innovation. Read the full article >>
Chicago Booth student-founded Rumi Spice provides an update since receiving $250,000 investment from Mark Cuban on ABC’s Shark Tank. Read the full article >>
Michael Polsky featured on a new UChicago podcast about his entrepreneurial background and investment in the Polsky Center. Read the full article >>
Social New Venture Challenge alum LuminAID ranked as Mark Cuban’s 31st biggest investment on ABC’s Shark Tank. Read the full article >>
NowPow, a Polsky Incubator company founded by UChicago’s Dr. Stacy Lindau, highlights partnership with Rush Medical Center to provide community-based resources for patients. Read the full article >…
Eleven teams have been selected to pitch their ventures during the finals of the Edward L. Kaplan, ’71, New Venture Challenge on Wednesday, May 30. The New Venture Challenge, a year-long, intensive bu…
Oxalo Therapeutics combines the research of UChicago Medicine professor with Chicago Booth student to compete in Polsky Center programs. Read the full article >>
The 2018 cohort of the John Edwardson, ’72, Social New Venture Challenge concluded with AIM Clinics taking home first place and $45,000, plus an additional $20,000 award supported by the Renee Adelson…
Two Polsky Center-connected companies, Oxalo Therapeutics and ImmunArtes, were accepted into the MassChallenge accelerator. Read the full article >>
2017 Social New Venture Challenge winner Pie for Providers aims to raise $500,000 from angel investors by June 2018. Read the full article >>
Three Polsky Center-connected companies (ChangEd, LuminAID, Rumi Spice) share their experiences on ABC’s Shark Tank. Read the full article >>
The Rustandy Center for Social Sector Innovation and Polsky Center are pleased to announce the winners of the John Edwardson, ’72, Social New Venture Challenge (SNVC). The SNVC is the social impact tr…
Evelo Biosciences, a biotech company based on technology licensed through the Polsky Center from UChicago Medicine’s Thomas Gajewski, debuted on Nasdaq. Read the full article >>
This award is open to any Full-Time, Evening, or Weekend MBA Program student who has overcome significant obstacles and demonstrated a spirit of entrepreneurship to launch or significantly grow a new…
The Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the University of Chicago is pleased to announce the winners of the 22nd annual Edward L. Kaplan, ’71, New Venture Challenge (NVC), a top-ranke…
Shyama Majumdar is the director of Science Accelerators and Investments at the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. In this role, she oversees numerous entrepreneurial functions, includi…
The Rattan L. Khosa Student Entrepreneurs Program is a multi-pronged program for students launching businesses, managed by the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation.
The University of Chicago Innovation Fund has announced plans to invest up to $250,000 into BiomeSense, a startup developing a fully-automated biosensor for low-cost, scalable microbiome testing. On T…
Technology slowdown in productivity and the 2018 Private Equity Conference.
The Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation is pleased to announce the latest cohort of the Polsky Accelerator, a 10-week intensive summer program designed for both for-profit and not-for-pr…
SPITC participants in the MBA program may request to earn course credit for the challenge through the Private Equity & Venture Capital Lab (BUS 34702) by contacting Megan Fox, Director, Svider Pri…
Through participation in SPITC, students are afforded the unique opportunity to develop an original investment thesis, receive personal mentorship from seasoned private equity professionals, and prese…
The Booth Polsky Private Equity Council is comprised of some of the world’s leading private equity investors who provide ongoing guidance and support to the Polsky Center’s Svider Private Equity Progr…
In 2017, the Polsky Center launched the Private Equity Digest, a biannual newsletter featuring cutting-edge research from Chicago Booth faculty, insights from UChicago alumni in private equity, recent…
The Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation has announced the newest cohort of the Polsky Founders’ Fund Fellowship (PF3). PF3 is a resource available to graduating University of Chicago stu…
A new UChicago research-backed mortgage offering may soon be hitting the housing market, and with it, comes hopes for a more stable and positive relationship between borrower and lender. The Polsky Ce…
Safe Rate is a new mortgage product for low down payment borrowers that reduces monthly payments in times of housing market distress.
Oxalo Therapeutics is developing first-in-class therapeutics to treat rare renal diseases and prevent recurrent kidney stones. University of Chicago assistant professor of medicine Hatim Hassan, MD, P…
AVnovum is developing a new class of antimicrobial therapy, AVpeptides, that maintain healthy fungal microbiomes by preventing virulence and infection. AVpeptides work through mechanisms that specific…
BiomeSense is developing a fully automated biosensor for low-cost, scalable microbiome testing. The device will solve the cost and patient adherence problems with current testing methods, making longi…
The Investor-in-Residence program provides mentorship and coaching to University of Chicago students interested in learning about and pursuing careers in private equity, venture capital, and entrepren…
New podcasts and getting creative with your resume.
For the past 10 weeks, 14 companies have participated in the 2018 Polsky Accelerator program. The annual program is designed for both for-profit and not-for-profit startups to develop their ventures.…
2018 Polsky Accelerator Demo Day, ChangEd pays off $1M in debt, Unhackable cryptowallet debuts, and more.
About Rattan Khosa, MBA ’79 Founder, President, and CEO of AMSYSCO Inc. Rattan Khosa, MBA ’79, started AMSYSCO in 1981 out of the basement of his home that he shared with his wife and young son,…
If you are interested in or have questions about the Rattan L. Khosa Student Entrepreneurs Program, please contact Erika Mercer, Executive Director of Booth Entrepreneurship, at the Polsky Center at e…
Even though summer is quickly coming to an end, one Polsky Center startup is just getting started. Summertime in Chicago always boasts a busy lineup of outdoor food festivals, featuring huge crowds o…
Bryan Johnson, MBA ’07, founder, OS Fund, and founder and former CEO of Braintree participates in a Chicago Booth “fireside chat” in th…
Clinton Global Initiative University coming to UChicago, New OS Fund round, Chicago’s top women in business, and more.
Participants in Argonne’s entrepreneurship program will showcase their innovative technologies at Chicago’s Gleacher Center on September 12. For 18 months entrepreneurs in the first cohort of Chain Re…
In August, fintech startup companies from Hong Kong visited Chicago Booth for a week of immersion in the Chicago start-up ecosystem.[/c…
The Industry Champion award is presented to the company or individual who actively and consistently supports the growth of the Illinois technology industry
Upcoming Investment Cycles // Spring 2024 Cohort Wednesday, January 29 12 – 1pm CT — Info Session Monday, February 14, 2025 3:00pm CT — Application deadline Week of March 3 – 7 — Finalist…
The George Shultz Innovation Fund invests in promising startups from an ecosystem that includes the University of Chicago, Argonne National Laboratory, Fermilab, and the Marine Biological Laboratory.…
Key dates and deadlines for the Innovation Fund Associates Program.
Polsky Center wins ITA CityLIGHTS award, Base CRM and CityBase get acquired, Lucidity raises $5M, and more.
BrewBike raises $800K, UChicago professors research addiction cure, Oxalo advances in MassChallenge, and more.
The Alumni New Venture Challenge (ANVC) was the track of the New Venture Challenge supporting all University of Chicago alumni who were in the process of launching early-stage ventures. The ANVC suppo…
The Polsky Center’s Edward L. Kaplan, ’71, New Venture Challenge (NVC) is a nationally-ranked accelerator program in the U.S.
BrewBike is an Evanston startup that sells cold brew coffee on Northwestern University’s campus via portable coffee stands housed in custom-made cargo bikes
PURPOSE OF THE CNVC To encourage the founding and growth of high-potential new ventures founded by UChicago College students. PHASES OF THE CNVC Most other universities host a single day or weekend b…
// Late September/First Week of School: CNVC Kickoff // October: Application Workshops and Teambuilding Events // Early November: Application Deadline // Late November: Announcement of selected teams…
Info Sessions and Workshops CNVC Kickoff Download Slides >> Application Workshop Download Slides >> Watch a recording >> Application Application Questions Sample Feasibil…
Feasibility Summary Students must develop a 8-page feasibility summary outlining a business or idea. Common elements of a feasibility summary include: What problem is it solving? – Value proposi…
// August: GNVC Kickoff // September: Office Hours w/ Professor Rapp // October: Application Opens on October 1, Application and Feasibility Summary Webinars on October 28 and 30 // November: Pitch Ev…
PLATINUM Venetia Kontogouris, MBA ’77 BRONZE LEGAL SPONSORS IN-KIND SPONSORS
24-25 GNVC Kickoff (Recording) 24-25 GNVC Application and Feasibility Summary Recording 24-25 GNVC Application and Feasibility Summary (Slide Deck) Creating a Compelling Feasibility Summary (PDF) Ho…
Application Deadline // The final SNVC application deadline is Wednesday, January 22, 2025, by 3:00 PM CT (no exceptions). However, we strongly encourage teams to submit an early interest form to rece…
TITLE John Edwardson, ’72 PLATINUM Ron Tarrson, 72 (XP-31), and Steve Tarrson David Wells, MBA ’98, MPP ’98 GOLD David, ’67, and Rosemary Good Roberto Servitje Labarrere, ’13 SILV…
24-25 NVC/SNVC Kickoff_Harper (Recording) 24-25 NVC/SNVC Kickoff_Gleacher (Recording) 24-25 NVC/SNVC Application Workshop and Quick Pitch (Recording) 24-25 NVC/SNVC Application Workshop and Qu…
Most other business schools and graduate entrepreneurship programs host a single day or weekend business plan competition as their New Venture Challenge. The NVC at the University of Chicago Booth Sch…
// October: NVC/SNVC Info Sessions and Kickoffs // Early January: NVC/SNVC Application Preparation Workshop & Quick Pitch // Late January: Application deadline // February: Announcement of selecte…
TITLE Edward L. Kaplan, ’71 FIRST PLACE PRIZE Rattan L. Khosa, ’79 PLATINUM Jim and Karen Frank Venetia Kontogouris, MBA ’77 Gregory J. Purcell, ’94, and Francine C. Purc…
Simple Agreement for Future Equity (SAFE) These sample SAFEs are behind password. Please reach out to Dr. Amber Bradley Williams at amber.bradley@chicagobooth.edu for access. The Polsky Center’s…
Participating in the NVC is a great way to gain first-hand experience as an entrepreneur or to be a part of a team that identifies a marketplace problem, offers a potential solution to that problem, a…
To learn more about College New Venture Challenge (CNVC) and how to apply, please contact Kate Turvy. Schedule time to meet with Kate
Attendees network during the 2018 UChicago-AbbVie Oncology Symposium held in the Knapp Center for Biomedical Discovery on Friday, July 20,…
The Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation is pleased to announce the latest cohort of the Polsky I-Corps program, a 7-week highly-experiential program designed to empower UChicago scientis…
Oxalo receives $2.3M grant, ZenLedger raises $1.5M, physIQ receives second FDA clearance, and more.
Polsky member Vanessa Steve…
The Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation is pleased to announce the teams moving into the Polsky Incubator, which is located at the Polsky Center’s 34,000 square foot coworking space, the…
Biggest challenges facing higher ed, Five to Nine receives $150K, New tech to prevent gun violence, and more.
The Polsky Small Business Growth Program has announced the Fall 2018 cohort, which is made up of small businesses located in the South and West Side of Chicago. Small teams of University of Chicago st…
The videos below are available to Chicago Booth students and alumni pursuing careers in private equity and venture capital. In order to view the videos, you will need to login with your CNET credentia…
Seurat Therapeutics, Inc. is a University of Chicago startup biotech company developing a nasal spray to treat and prevent migraines
Alums raise $1.5M and $2M, $510K for migraine cure, BTS of America’s renewable energy ops, and more.
New global program will help UChicago alumni jumpstart their business ventures.
Introducing the Alumni New Venture Challenge, Blockchain startup raises $3.4M, Oxalo wins $75K at MassChallenge, and more.
The Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the University of Chicago has announced the five companies moving on to the fall finals of the 2018 University of Chicago Innovation Fund. Each…
A Halloween inspired Weekly 10 from the Polsky Center.
The UChicago Innovation Fund will be renamed the George Shultz Innovation Fund in recognition of the honorable George P. Shultz.
The George Shultz Innovation Fund, U of I joins Quantum Exchange, BallotReady, and more.
Polsky Member Christine Saffold represents everything that makes the Polsky Exchange, as well as the South Side community as a whole, so strong.
The Polsky Center has officially announced the 21 teams moving on to phase II of the 2019 Global New Venture Challenge (GNVC).
A recent alum of the Polsky Accelerator and Argonne’s Chain Reaction Innovations (CRI) accelerator program, BTRFY worked tirelessly this summer to perfect both their business and their science simulta…
Grab raises $200M (on top of $2B), the Minte raises $2.25M, a look at the millennial voter push, and more.
Conventional wisdom would lead most people to conclude there’s a coffeehouse on every corner, but Randy Paris, MBA ’18 isn’t a conventional thinker.
On Thursday, November 1, the Polsky Center, along with the Hyde Park Art Center and Chicago-based artist Beth Kamhi, turned the Polsky Exchange into a postmodernist art gallery.
How NVC strengthens Chicago’s startup rep, Hippo raises $70M, Tovala releases next gen oven, and more.
Chicago researchers are trying to deal with one of the preemies’ most vexing problems: Choking while bottle-feeding.
For the UChicago doctors and molecular engineers working to enlist our own immune systems in the battle against cancer, successes and setbacks alike are critical to making the next leap.
Fertility startup raises $1.5M, UChicago’s immunotherapy rockstars, preemie-saving baby bottle, and more.
The Polsky Center has officially announced the 10 teams moving on to phase II of the 2019 College New Venture Challenge (CNVC).
Han Sun, PhD, CLP, is assistant director of Business Development and Licensing at the University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. In this role, Han works closely with in…
UChicago in Hong Kong, the worldwide quantum race, an African fintech startup to know, and more.
2026 Rattan L. Khosa SeedCon Conference In today’s fast-paced world, success isn’t just about launching—it’s about enduring. SeedCon 2026 explores what it takes to build purpose-driven businesses desi…
Polsky member Nwanyinma Nnodum first wandered into the Polsky Center with a slightly different intention than most new faces we see.
A look back at the most share-worthy, news-worthy, and innovative stories from 2018.
The Fall Finals took place on Thursday, December 6.
How top earners make their money and the 2019 Private Equity Conference.
The Polsky Center is pleased to announce the latest cohort of the Polsky I-Corps program.
Shultz Innovation Fund invests $600K, medical apparel startup raises $15M, new CNVC cohort, and more.
Polsky member Chareen Goodman is a certified project management professional with more than 20 years of experience in management consulting.
Supersonic commercial jet startup raises $100M, how Polsky helps bring new science to market, Quevos keeps heating up, and more.
A gift from David Kessenich, MBA ’96, and his wife, Colleen, will propel new groundbreaking work and faculty-led research at the Polsky Center.
Organic baby clothing startup Monica + Andy raises a $6M series A, NVC ’10 winner closes $20M round of funding, and more.
The Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation is pleased to announce the 35 teams advancing to Phase II of the 2019 Alumni New Venture Challenge (ANVC).
This health tech event marked the beginning of a new breakfast series that the Polsky Center has launched to coincide with the new year.
Inaugural ANVC cohort announced, Insurtech startup raises $25M, Manifest accepted into JPM Chase innovation lab, and more.
On Saturday, January 19, eight MBA teams from Chicago competed at the semifinals of the 2019 Global New Venture Challenge (GNVC).
Choosing investors wisely and record-breaking 2018 ETA Conference.
Polsky member Kwaku Owusu joined the Polsky Center almost a year ago in the Spring of 2018 while building his startup, Ilerasoft.
The George Shultz Innovation Fund awards $600K, Tao Pan develops tRNA sequencing technique, Thomas Gajewski talks immunotherapy treatments, and Bozhi Tian to create new kind of pacemaker.
PartySlate raises $3M, first 2019 GNVC finalists selected, healthtech startup wins $200K, and more.
Traditional // Activid Alameda ($25,000) Aluminate (formerly Reconnex) ($5,000) Ascent ($10,000) AttnGrabbers Briq CogentCare Dealrunnr (formerly Privvy) DP Training Solutions Earnist (formerly Abilit…
Traditional // BrewBike ($45,000) Coeus.ai ($90,000) FORESEEaBill ($10,000) Haystack ABI ($10,000) Manifest ($315,000) Mindful Urgent Care ($125,000) Muu ($45,000) nuBorn Medical ($15,000) Oxalo Thera…
Traditional // 4Women ($20,000) AMOpportunities ($100,000) AnySpace AutoMech Banyan ($15,000) ClostraBio ($40,000) ezza ($75,000) FA Specialty Foods Galilexo HelloHealthy Lancealot ($10,000) LemonBox…
Traditional // Advent Alcoat Anansi Beatbox ($10,000) Ben and Frank ($10,000) Ben’s Muffins Co. Coronado Conservation ($70,000) CurEasy Enabled Enlight ExoWear Firmitas Biotechnology Flag Analytics ($…
Traditional // Almond Toc Ameus ($2,500) Autobike ($20,000) Biobalmex ChiFX CreditServe ($10,000) HighStride ($5,000) Janus Choice ($2,500) MyCarePlace (formerly Cancernomics) RoomVa ($30,000) Simple…
The Polsky Small Business Growth Program has announced its Winter 2019 cohort, which is made up of small businesses located in the South and West Side of Chicago.
24th ANNUAL CHICAGO BOOTH PRIVATE EQUITY CONFERENCE Friday, February 28th, 2025 | Marriott Magnificent Mile, 540 N. Michigan Ave. Chicago, IL 60611 Registration in now open! Be sure to secure your tic…
24th ANNUAL CHICAGO BOOTH PRIVATE EQUITY CONFERENCE Friday, February 28th, 2025 | Marriott Magnificent Mile, 540 N. Michigan Ave. Chicago, IL 60611 AGENDA 7:30 am – 8:30 am: Registration &…
24th ANNUAL CHICAGO BOOTH PRIVATE EQUITY CONFERENCE Friday, February 28th, 2025 | Marriott Magnificent Mile, 540 N. Michigan Ave. Chicago, IL 60611
Alternative protein startup raises $33M, “PreHab” startup with proven results, Local small businesses get support from Polsky, and more.
The Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the University of Chicago serves as the innovation hub for the University bridges the gap between knowledge and practice, idea and action, and…
Founded in 2010, Yao Yuan—Academy for Pharma Innovation, is an independent, non-political, and not-for-profit organization. Yao Yuan’s mission includes: To develop increased U.S.-China trade and inve…
AbbVie Inc. (AbbVie), incorporated on April 10, 2012, is a research-based biopharmaceutical company. The Company is engaged in the discovery, development, manufacture, and sale of a range of pharmaceu…
Zebit experiences massive growth, AI revolutionizing healthcare, new skincare startup to watch, and more.
The Polsky Center has announced the 31 teams advancing to the semifinals of the 2019 Edward L. Kaplan, ’71, New Venture Challenge (NVC).
eFx ($10,000) Epotec (formerly Behavioral Solutions) ($5,000) ScanDX ($5,000)
Cambridge Metrology ($7,000) MedSpeed ($20,000) Plexys ($3,000)
BoxDirect brightroom ($15,000) eOTEX Implantable Micro Devices ($20,000) Leasing Point Media Mine Process Net Sarvega Wireless ($15,000)
AccessHub ClaimsExchange Central Bark Doggy Day Care ($5,000) Encode ($20,000) Optoelectronic Assembly ($10,000) Phase Optics ($15,000) Vital Control VolumeMax Wireless Ware XSP Software
Advanced Chromotography Systems ($10,000) AutoShop CUBIS ($2,000) InfoUnity Maroon Biotech ($5,000) Ocuity ($20,000) PinPoint Symphony Design ($2,000)
A-R Immuno Bobtail Ice Cream Cozy Sleep Clinic Exact Sport Sciences EZ Phone GreenHedges ($12,500) Iterative Therapeutics ($12,500) Strongmail Vicarious ($25,000)
HealthSource ($5,000) Infusion Interome ($5,000) Midway Pharmaceauticals ($15,000) Precision Ripula Financial Rise Interactive (formerly Internet Marketing Institute) ($10,000) ROAR TixNix ($10,000) W…
Crazy Waters ($5,000) Dream Garage eField Trip F2 ($15,000) HanPharma KineRx Micro Technology Devices Prep Me ($20,000) Rheox Tech ($5,000)
BB Catalyst Collectica ($17,500) GrubHub ($17,500) HybridTronics ($15,000) Identity Corp ($10,000) InnoSpace NiMed America RocketJot SunPhocus
Albion Software Braintree Payment Solutions ($25,000) EidoSearch HydraStats ($10,000) Jaya Peekaboo Intimates ($10,000) Septet Industries ($10,000) Smartalog The Perfect Dinner ($15,000) Varna Researc…
Traditional // Berlin Döner CaptainU ($25,000) Cure Particle ($25,000) Etoh MBA Nexus Nursync ($15,000) ProOnGo ReTel Technologies SoCore Energy ($10,000) Global // Be On Modocis Orange Internet Shop…
Traditional // Alltuition Bump Technologies ($25,000) InContext Solutions ($7,000) MasalaWala ($7,000) Mercardi ($7,000) Nine Naturals ($25,000) Optometra Power2Switch Renovatio Labs Virtual Lab ($7,0…
Traditional // Andreas Baking Company ($10,000) Base (formerly Future Simple) ($15,000) BenchPrep ($30,000) Bolder Thinking ($10,000) Playmonks ($2,000) Quantitative Insights ($2,000) Rogue Tech ($2,0…
Traditional // Agile MD (formerly Agile Diagnosis) ($25,000) Line I Jump ($2,000) mHealth Solutions ($2,000) NewDog Technologies ($2,000) Owl ($2,000) PrettyQuick ($10,000) RealTime Analytics Siblus (…
Traditional // Aquarius Biotechnologies ($4,000) ArborVita Associates ($15,000) BloomNation ($10,000) Cureeo GradMags ($4,000) MouseHouse ($30,000) Output Medical ($2,000) SH2 ($2,000) Site Diagnostic…
Traditional // AEOS Technology ($20,000) Arc Mobile ($10,000) CancerIQ ($10,000) FoxTrot Intelligent Widgets ($2,500) Khelo ($2,500) Kishr ($5,000) Matchist ($30,000) Project Fixup ($15,000) Serenity…
2019 NVC and SNVC cohorts announced, Part Analytics raises $625K, A look at AVnovum’s exciting research, and more.
In 2014, the Bunning Food Allergy Professor Cathryn Nagler and her team discovered a potential treatment for food allergies.
New party-planning startup Coterie has officially launched, Polsky launches a new program with the very specific goal of helping faculty and researchers in the life sciences launch startups, and more.
As Polsky Member David Dewane puts it, he was born with “entrepreneurship in his blood.”
The second semifinals of the 2019 Global New Venture Challenge (GNVC) took place in London on March 1.
The Polsky Center is pleased to announce the six teams advancing to the finals of the 2019 College New Venture Challenge (CNVC).
CNVC and GNVC finalists advancing, an innovative new breast cancer treatment, new tech revolutionizing online shopping, and more.
The Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the University of Chicago is pleased to announce the winners of the 2019 College New Venture Challenge (CNVC).
Arabic podcast startup wins CNVC, Polsky’s model as an example for success, new quantum-powered infrared tech, and more.
BuyersUnite Buymaterials ($10,000) Destination Zone eHealthRecords ($5,000) KnowledgeManagement Solutions NanoMedical ($15,000) ReelValue US Tubes
Companies that previously participated in the New Venture Challenge program can be found by clicking on a cohort year below: 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010…
Teams participating in the Hong Kong semifinals included ExpertEase, Fan Rice, Ukiyo Sparkling Sake, SoveNear, SurePromise (SPP), and STEORRA.
The Polsky Center has announced the latest cohort of the Polsky I-Corps program.
A University program dedicated to investing in startups that are raising Series A funding.
The Polsky Center has announced the four companies moving on to the spring finals of the 2019 George Shultz Innovation Fund.
AMOpportunities raises $2.2M, New Shultz Innovation Fund finalists, Foxtrot expansion, and more.
Polsky Member Soheil Ebadat is a second-year law student at the University of Chicago who became a member of the Polsky Exchange during his first year of law school.
“AVpeptides,” alternative breast cancer treatment, new way to manufacture infrared detectors, and University of Wisconsin-Madison joins the Chicago Quantum Exchange (CQE).
Upcoming Livestreams 3/7: College New Venture Challenge Finals 6/5: New Venture Challenge Finals 6/6: Global New Venture Challenge Finals
Quevos launches Kickstarter, Simple Mills on the Today Show , Care+Wear’s newest product launch, and more.
The Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation is pleased to announce the eight teams advancing to the first-ever finals of the Alumni New Venture Challenge (ANVC).
Luckily for those who work at the Polsky Center, an artist named Kara Cobb Johnson is adding a bit more fun to Polsky’s Hyde Park co-working space.
Seven University of Chicago Booth School of Business executive MBA teams presented their business plans at the finals of the 2019 GNVC.
Paire Health wins 2019 GNVC, first-ever ANVC finalists announced, BrewBike wins $100K+, and more.
BenchPrep is helping millions of people all around the world learn better and faster by leveraging the power of technology, data, and innovative instructional design models. Ashish Rangnekar and Ujjwa…
AMOpportunities connects international students and trainees to over 300 educational programs hosted by U.S. institutions, hospitals, clinics, and physicians. This marketplace platform between interna…
TAINA is a start-up with a mission to help financial institutions comply with their regulatory obligations while saving costs and cutting risk of fines. TAINA software will automate certain labor-inte…
Hello Tractor rents two-wheel tractors to small farmers in Nigeria to increase crop yields and combat against income and food insecurity. Their artificial intelligence powered tractors offer stronger…
BrewBike, a Chicago Startup, operates mobile coffee carts in an effort to make cold brew more accessible to students and faculty on college campuses nationwide. A partnership between undergraduate of…
Quevos is a high-protein chip that still maintain the tastiness of potato chips we know and love without the carbs and fat. On a mission to replace other protein snacks like protein bars, the Quevos t…
BeeNana makes Frönen, a banana based frozen dessert innovation that is tasty, pure, and simple. Since winning the 2017 College NVC and graduating from the Polsky Accelerator, Frönen has already expand…
Autism in Motion (AIM) Clinics provides the gold standard autism therapy to children in rural US communities. AIM Clinics seeks to purposefully focus on markets where the shortage of therapy is the mo…
Mindful Urgent Care aims to offer same-day, non-emergent mental health and substance abuse psychiatric services to insured and cash-paying clients. Frustrated by the countless number of mental health…
May 2019 will mark the 4 year anniversary of Mealflour, a social enterprise founded in 2016 by three University of Chicago alumnae.
BiomeSense is spending the next couple of months in San Francisco as part of IndieBio’s current accelerator class.
ExplORer Surgical raises $5M, CNVC alum Mealflour expands, BiomeSense joins IndieBio, and more.
UChicago Innovation Fest, the University’s annual celebration of pioneering discovery and entrepreneurial endeavors, will kick off Wednesday, May 1.
Ezza raises $1.5M, #InnoFest returns, NanoPattern Technologies joins CRI, and more.
Beatriz Gonzalez is the executive assistant for Bill Payne, executive director for science and technology at the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. She support executive administrative…
Eight finalist teams presented in front of 12 distinguished judges and investors and shared in a $125,000 cash prize pool.
Care Advisors wins first ANVC, Darby Smart gets acquired, Quevos wins Peapod contract, and more.
Polsky member Devshi Mehrotra joined the Polsky Exchange as a first-year undergraduate at UChicago. Now, Mehrotra’s interests in entrepreneurship and technology have only deepened.
Scientists, faculty, entrepreneurs and researchers gathered at UChicago’s Microbiome Research Symposium on April 16 at the Logan Center for the Arts.
A diverse roster of professionals, professors, and entrepreneurs all take to the stage at the Women and Entrepreneurship Conference.
The latest cohort of the Polsky Accelerator, a 10-week intensive summer program designed for both for-profit and not-for-profit startups, is announced.
The eighth annual Polsky Accelerator returns with 12 exciting new startups; UChicago’s Big Ideas Generator is returning this spring with a new round of funding for risky projects, and more.
24th ANNUAL CHICAGO BOOTH PRIVATE EQUITY CONFERENCE Friday, February 28th, 2025 | Marriott Magnificent Mile, 540 N. Michigan Ave. Chicago, IL 60611 PANELS
UChicago Trustee donates $24.1M to support education in Egypt; Ezza Nails raises a $1.5M round of funding just last month, and more.
For the first time in its 23 year history, 12 teams have been selected to advance to the finals of the Edward L. Kaplan, ’71, New Venture Challenge (NVC).
The 2019 NVC finalists are announced; Snapsheet has just closed a $29M series E; ANVC ’19 finalist Vroom Delivery takes first place in The MBA Fund’s pitch competition, and more.
Isra Omar, serves as the Senior Assistant Director, at the University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. Isra oversees the Small Business Growth & Financial Fundamenta…
Podcasts, buyouts, and emotional intelligence.
UChicago just received a $75M gift from the Pritzker Foundation; Grab has nabbed the #2 spot on Fast Company’s 2019 list of the “World’s 50 Most Innovative Companies,” and more.
Polsky member Mara Gleason joined the Exchange in March of 2018, and has played a very active role ever since.
Breakthrough in Alzheimer’s treatment, Nanopattern Technologies to Argonne’s accelerator, new cancer therapies from UChicago scientists, and IME becomes Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering (PME).
Winners of the ninth annual SNVC received a total of $140,000 in venture funding, the most prize money ever awarded at the startup competition.
Jay Schrankler, a technology commercialization expert and former business executive, has been appointed associate vice president and head of the Polsky Center.
private online matching platform for art industry professionals, dealers, and buyers won the Rattan L. Khosa First-Place Prize.
The 2019 New Venture Challenge winner is announced; Cannibidiol (CBD) delivery startup LeafyQuick officially starts dabbling in another incredibly trendy industry, and more.
Kaoshi wins second place in the 2019 Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation; NowPow works to help health care professionals change the way they prescribe and treat their patients, and more.
Finalists presented their proposals to the Innovation Fund advisory committee at the finals on June 5.
Anapneo Therapeutics has been selected to receive $250K from the George Shultz Innovation Fund; Israel-based startup Innoviz Technologies is making huge (light) waves in the lidar world, and more.
UChicago alum and Polsky member, Yvette Kaiser Smith, MFA ’94, joined the Exchange in May of 2016. Kaiser Smith is an artist, who makes “wall-based geometric abstractions.”
The Inaugural Biodesign Internship Program at the University of Chicago shows us innovation and originality at its greatest.
UChicago snags #6 spot in the rankings for “universities with world-class entrepreneurial ecosystems”; SNVC ’12 champ LuminAID is now an all-star name of the Shark Tank variety, and more.
A $1 million gift will establish the Duckworth Family Cancer Fund at the University of Chicago Medicine to accelerate the pace of cancer discoveries brought to market.
GNVC ’11 winner Taiger specializes in using “human-like logic” to automatically read, understand, and extract information; property management app called Mobile Doorman raises another $6.5M round of f…
Shakira Jones is the disclosure administrator at the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. She manages invention disclosure, patenting, and license agreement data and processes. Shakira b…
Megan is the director of the Svider Private Equity Program and in her role manages a portfolio of experiential programs that help students pursuing careers in investing gain access to training and men…
Pyxis Oncology is the sixth recipient of a venture investment from the UChicago Startup Investment Program.
Brian O’Connor, an assistant professor at Booth and founder of NextGen Growth Partners, along with the Polsky Center hosted the first-ever Alumni ETA Symposium on April 12.
Pyxis raises $22 million with $300,000 from the University of Chicago, NVC alum’s cancer diagnostic software gets acquired, Spruce raises $3 million, and more.
Millennials, podcasts, and Alumni ETA Symposium.
Global New Venture Challenge — The Global New Venture Challenge (GNVC) brings the New Venture Challenge business competition to Booth Executive MBA students worldwide. Over 80 coaches, judges, p…
Chicago Booth Angels Network (CBAN) Chicago Booth Angels Network is an angel investment network founded and run by alumni of the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. The group connects inve…
For any questions regarding the Polsky Center’s global work or to learn how you can tap into our resources, please contact Gorana Kolar, senior associate director at Gorana.Kolar@chicagobooth.edu.
Autumn 2018 Picque: using data and behavioral science to drive wellness using an app. Comprehensive Care Physician (CCP) Program: exploring commercial avenues for a tested, innovative model of care de…
Alums raise $100 million, $50 million, $4.8 million, $1.1, and more.
The program provide entrepreneurs with funding to sustain momentum on ventures.
AI startup snags Microsoft, Google as investors, Sokowatch expands, New PF3 cohort, and more.
Pyxis Oncology closes $22M series A, Anapneo Therapeutics receives $250K investment, novel RNA gene editing platform from Bryan Dickinson, and Quantitative Insights acquired.
Alameda’s LatAm expansion, SUD treatment startup secures PE partner, Altris AI gains CE Mark, and more.
SnapGene, a leading molecular biology software company based in Hyde Park, which announced it has been acquired by Insightful Science.
The Petricks’ latest gift also includes support for students pursuing summer internships at venture capital firms.
New gift to launch SF-based VC internships, SnapGene gets acquired, TimeDoc raises $2.5 million, and more.
Simmer graduates from YC, alums dominating in CBD, Inc.’s Fastest 500, and more.
The UChicago Startup Investment Program has invested in seven companies since launching in 2016.
Jill Kahane joined as a member of the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and…
Lowko, previously known as MUU, was a finalist at the 2018 New Venture Challenge and has since launched in Brazil.
Alums raise $165 million, $48 million, $47 million, $15 million, $2 million, and more.
For the past 10 weeks, 13 companies have participated in the 2019 Pols…
2019 Polsky Accelerator Demo Day, PeerWell raises $6.5 million, One alum’s world-saving mission, and more.
Photos of Xiaoyang Wu, from the Ben May Dept. for Cancer Research at the University of Chicago, in Chicago, IL on Monday June 24, 2019. (…
TAIGER partners with Microsoft, Entertainment startup patents tech, Drugviu wins pitch competition, and more.
APPLICATION & ELIGIBILITY This program is open to Chicago Booth MBA students only. Students must confirm that they meet eligibility requirements and then apply to take part in the PE/VC Lab. Part…
September – May September 2024: Firms complete a survey outlining their criteria for an intern. October 7, 2024 at 12:00pm CT: PE/VC Lab info session – VIEW RECORDING October 7, 2024: St…
If you have any questions regarding the Private Equity and Venture Capital Lab, please contact Juliet Twomey at juliet.twomey@chicagobooth.edu and Kylie Gilmore at kylie.gilmore@chicagobooth.edu.
ELIGIBILITY Entries must be the original work of the entrants and may be submitted by a single student or by a multiple-student team. Each team or student may submit as many entries as they wish. How…
Q: What is the ANVC? A: The Alumni New Venture Challenge (ANVC) was an accelerator program offered by the Polsky Center from 2018-2024. It was designed to support University of Chicago alumni from ar…
PURPOSE OF PROGRAM To encourage the founding and growth of high-potential new ventures by second year Chicago Booth Executive MBA students. PHASES OF THE PROGRAM Phase I: Current Chicago Booth…
PURPOSE OF PROGRAM To encourage the founding and growth of high-potential new ventures with a social mission. ELIGIBILITY There is no minimum or maximum team size, however, each team is requir…
First Polsky Global Forum Sessions Held in Hong Kong and London
The Polsky Small Business Growth Program has announced the Fall 2019 cohort, which is made up of small businesses located in the South and West Side of Chicago. Small teams of University of Chicago st…
The second Annual Halo Awards will take place Saturday, October 12, at 6:00 p.m. at the Museum of Science and Industry, celebrating the city’s “Heroes of Medicine” and the 40 Under 40 Chicago Scientis…
Highest valued woman-led startups in US, BrewBike expands to Miami, New research in skin grafts with enormous impact, and more.
The Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation is pleased to announce the latest cohort of the Polsky I-Corps program, a 7-week highly-experiential program designed to empower UChicago scientis…
SnapGene acquired, Xiaoyang Wu moves epidermal stem cell research into clinic, Patrick Wilson receives $2M to develop universal flu shot, and Juan de Pablo featured in UChicago News.
Polsky wins GCEC NASDAQ award, BiomeSense raises $2 million, Professor Kaplan discusses IPO questions, and more.
Polsky wins GCEC NASDAQ award, BiomeSense raises $2 million, Professor Kaplan discusses IPO questions, and more.
The Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the University of Chicago is proud to announce the newest cohort of companies moving into the Polsky Incubator. The Polsky Incubator provides a…
The Polsky Center caught up with Digital Adventures and learned more about their plans for the future as well as look at the Polsky Center’s role in the company’s development.
Memento founder Chelsie Patterson caught up with the Polsky Center and talk about Memento’s future, favorite Polsky moments, and more.
Darrell Hill shares how the Polsky Center has had a role in the development EternityGardens.com and where the company is headed in the future.
The Polsky Center caught up with founder and CEO of Prepmedians, Kalyan Ray-Mazumder, to learn about his plans for the future as well as look at the Polsky Center’s role in the company’s development.
The Polsky Center had the chance to speak with founder David Dewane on his experience bringing Mouse Book Club to life through the Incubator.
The Polsky Center had the opportunity to speak with John Stoops about his journey up to this point in building The Revival and his hopes for its future.
The Polsky Center caught up with Evelyn Shelton to learn more about her plans for the future as well as look at the Polsky Center’s role her the company’s development.
The Polsky Center spoke with founder Josh Aaronson about his time in the Summer Accelerator and College New Venture Challenge programs.
Allergy platform secures investment from “Elevator Pitch” show, small business loan lender’s European growth, Care + Wear wins $500,000, and more.
Brigitte Anderson a Principal at Orange Vista LLC, a boutique consulting firm focused on market research for growing enterprises joined the Polsky exchange back in Summer 2016.
Four companies will move on to the fall finals of the 2019 George Schultz Innovation Fund.
New Shultz Innovation Fund finalists, ANVC returns, Unisex children’s clothing startup breaks down stereotypes, and more.
The Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business has officially announced the 19 teams moving on to phase II of the 2020 Global New Venture…
Many UChicago and Polsky-affiliated scientists and researchers were among the honorees.
Meet the 2020 GNVC semifinalists, Cubii wins Chicago Innovation Award, Tovala partners with celebrity chef, and more.
Ascent raises $19.3 million, Immunotherapy pioneer receives award, Professor Kaplan explains CEO conundrum, and more.
Marketing platform Punchh just closed a $40 million series C round. Founded in 2010 by Shyam Rao, MBA ’08, and Sastry Penumarthy, MBA ’00, Punchh has grown from an online loyalty card service to a pla…
Punchh raises $40 million, BrewBike raises $2 million, new $17 million fund ready to invest, and more.
BlueVine raises $102.5 million, QuantX named TIME Best Invention, WSJ Women to Watch in VC, and more.
The College New Venture Challenge is expanding to partner with the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
RNA-editing startup Korro Bio launches, QuantX featured in TIME magazine’s “100 Best Inventions of 2019”, Jiwoong Park creates extremely thin films that could enable new electronics, research effort b…
This Polsky Incubator alum provides healthcare access through micro-grants to India’s working poor during a medical crisis.
NephroPlus raises $45 million, CNVC welcomes U of I, UChicago alum receives Nobel Prize, and more.
PE/VC Lab to San Francisco, 2020 Private Equity Conference, and new Investors-in-Residence.
New $25K NVC fintech prize, Antibody access enabled by Polsky license, Website management for everyone, and more.
As a Patent Docketing Administrator, Kim supports administrative processes related to technology commercialization, including coordinating and overseeing the activities, reports, and filings associate…
Traditional // My Art Cache ($415,000) GG Leagues ($220,000) Aegis AI ($155,000) Five to Nine ($30,000) Africana Airlines ($10,000) Airspace ($10,000) Apollo Foods ($10,000) Beltech ($10,000) Digital…
During the fall quarter, the Polsky Center continued its successful bootcamp series with a two- day deep dive into the world of sales and marketing.
Shultz Innovation Fund commits $500,000, ZenLedger raises $3.4 million, and Steve Kaplan and Starr Marcello talk startup culture.
The Polsky Small Business Growth Program has announced its Winter 2020 cohort, which is made up of small businesses located in the South and West Side of Chicago.
The Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation is pleased to announce the 29 teams advancing to Phase II of the 2020 Alumni New Venture Challenge (ANVC), a new track of its nationally-r…
Precision med startup Inflammatix raises $32 million, New ANVC semifinalists, Lender Lidya announces global expansion, and more.
The Polsky I-Corps program is a 7-week highly-experiential program designed to empower UChicago scientists, researchers, and students to test the commercial potential of their STEM research and ideas.
New Polsky I-Corps cohort, PhysIQ receives $500,000, Cancer-detecting smart toilets, and more.
Melissa Fassbender serves as the director, content and science communications at the University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. In this role, she works closely with the…
As a way to kickstart the next year,…
Foxtrot raises $17 million, Infervision fights coronavirus, UC prof receives $500,000 NSF award and more.
Panelists left to right: Elizabeth Koprucki (moderator), Chandra Brown, David Johnson, Melissa Lederer, Mark O’Halloran, and Gian Ricco…
Professor Cathy Nagler featured in National Geographic, Professor Chuan He’s breakthrough shakes up our understanding of gene expression, George Shultz Innovation Fund invests $500,000 into DrLullaby…
On the surface, it might not seem like impact investing, artificial intelligence, and cannabis have much in common. But, at the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation’s annual SeedCon even…
A special Valentine’s Day edition of the Weekly 10.
PF3 Info Session: · Wednesday, April 9, 2025 (12:00-12:30 p.m. CT). Register here. Application: Opens: Wednesday April 9 Deadline: Wednesday, June 4, 2025 (by 3PM CT).
On Thursday, 17 teams advanced to the next round of the 2020 John Edwardson, ’72, Social New Venture Challenge (SNVC). With the announcement, teams advance to Phase II of the startup competition, whi…
31 teams have advanced to the next phase of the 2020 Edward L. Kaplan, ’71, New Venture Challenge.
New NVC and SNVC cohorts, Alexa-blocking bracelets, Kids Science Labs expansion, and more.
Sokowatch raises $14 million, PartySlate raises $5.5 million, OpenWater replaces plastic bottles, and more.
Dean Madhav Rajan introduces a new forthcoming initiative called the UChicago Global Entrepreneurs Network (GEN) at an alumni event in Me…
UChicago researchers map COVID-19 protein, Polsky licenses financial curriculum, AMOpportunities helps foreign doctors work in the US, and more.
The Polsky Center, Chicago Booth, and the Kellogg Innovation & Entrepreneurship Initiative at Northwestern University late last year hosted the sixth annual Booth-Kellogg Entrepreneurship Through…
Trevor Lwin, MBA ’12, and his partner Bruce Mosczcelt worked together for nearly a decade at BMO Capital Markets prior to pursuing the traditional search fund career path. The two formed Gestalt Equit…
New CNVC winner, COVID-19 update, BallotReady here to help, and more.
ETA in NYC and exiting your acquisition.
During a fireside chat at the Economist’s Innovation Summit 2020, City of Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot discussed the future of the city, including the opportunities and challenges to transforming nei…
Seven teams have been selected to advance to the finals of the 2020 Global New Venture Challenge.
We’re with you.
Entrepreneurial stories of innovation and inspiration during the COVID-19 outbreak.
The Polsky Center’s annual Beecken Petty O’Keefe & Company Private Equity Conference attracted 400 students, alumni, and private equ…
Decoding the coronavirus, mitigating migraines, turntables to teach STEM, and financial fundamentals.
UChicago’s community impact, the startup that launched in a week, FDA approval for COVID-19 monitoring system, and more.
Between April 13 and 19, 2020, the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation hosted a week-long Small Business Bootcamp to provide resources for small business owners and entrepreneurs affect…
George Chellapa, PhD, a technology commercialization manager at the University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, was recently recognized with AUTM’s 2020 Volunteer of th…
Booth economists weigh in on COVID-19, students work to save small businesses, a Spring Quarter to remember, and more.
A seasoned business and technology executive from the telecommunications industry, Bill Payne recently joined the University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation as the new…
Nature’s Fynd raises $80M, UChicago’s COVID-19 plasma study, TAIGER scores University investment, and more.
In the wake of Coronavirus, the Polsky Center has organized its first virtual Small Busi…
On the first day of the Small Business Bootcamp series, panelists, Manuel Flores, Marcus Yancey, and Merly Thomas, shared the many capital resources availab…
We are at a unique time in human history, and while we are all living our own reality, we also are experiencing a global sense of connectivity – and grief.…
Business owners and entrepreneurs are facing uncharted territory and a situation that is unparalleled to anything that the majority of us have seen througho…
During a crisis, there are three essential components to effective communication on which to focus: Ideas, tactics, and tone. “The goal as a communicator is…
In the current environment, there is a need to solve new problems, find new opportunities, and learn new ways of doing things – all at a time when the futur…
Right now, many decisions faced are unprecedented; there’s no history to evaluate them, and there’s no clear path forward. Last week, Professor George Wu of…
Polsky Exchange mentor Kenyata Martin, MBA ’09, last week discussed various ways in which business owners can support their brands and add value during a ti…
https://youtu.be/xiAodqsvbL4 University of Chicago Booth School of Business Director of Brand Strategy Nicole Yelsey, MBA ’12, recently shared strategies, tactics, and best practices for businesses du…
You can’t embark on cash management until you ask the questions: What is cash management and where does the cash even go? Adjunct Associate Professor of Str…
GNVC 2020 finalists, one step closer to supersonic air travel, new immunoengineering center, and more.
University of Chicago grad Querida Qiu has launched a new “live learning” business – bringing a variety of…
The Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation is pleased to announce the latest cohort of its Polsky I-Corps program, a 7-week highly-experiential program designed to empower UChicago scientis…
Oriente raises $50M, Equilibria raises $2M, alums aid restaurants and frontline, and more.
Researchers at the Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering at the University of Chicago developed a new platform technology for improving the efficiency of vaccines. Jeffrey Hubbell, Eugene Bell Pro…
COVID-19 Research: disinfecting N95 respirators, antibodies, clinical trials, and immunoengineering.
New Inno Fund finalists, physIQ partners with DOD, UChicago’s new COVID-19 licensing option, and more.
Researchers have developed a novel vaccine platform with fewer side-effects and shelf-stability, which addresses the significant challenge of distributing vaccines to developing countries.
When the coronavirus pandemic and state-wide stay-at-home orders in mid-M…
TimeDoc raises $5.7M, Kernel’s brain-analyzing helmets, Bionic Breast project, and more.
A biologic drug delivery platform targets the treatment of inflammatory diseases by honing in on collagen exposed by inflammation. “Enhancing the therapeutic efficacy of drugs for inflammatory diseas…
Ellen Zatkowski serves as the director of science programs and student engagement at the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. She oversees a portfolio of programs supporting graduate and…
Paul Cavalieri serves as the director, entrepreneurial coaching and engagement at the University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. Paul manages and builds the educational…
The Rustandy Center for Social Sector Innovation and Polsky Center are pleased to announce the seven teams advancing to the finals of the 2020 John Edwardson, ’72, Social New Venture Challenge (SNVC)…
Nick Hamburger and his company, Quevos – a low-carb, high-protein egg white chip brand – are taking the world by storm. The idea arose from Hamburger’s original business partner and co-founder, Zack…
2020 SNVC finalists, a new way to disinfect masks, UChicago GEN launches, and more.
Eleven teams have been selected to advance to the finals of the 24th annual Edward L. Kaplan, ’71, New Venture Challenge (NVC) on Thursday, June 4. The NVC is the University of Chicago’s nationally r…
Quevos hits Whole Foods.
2020 GNVC winner, 2020 NVC finalists announced, Quevos hits grocery milestone and more.
We stand with you – now and always.
…
Just keep cycling, just keep cycling…
Advancing early-stage research, ‘supercharging’ quantum computers, expanding industry relations, and driving innovation in Illinois
2020 NVC & SNVC winners, Grubhub acquired, Juneteenth reflections, and more.
Researchers have developed a highly-optimized recombinant antibody phage-display library to accelerate drug development.
$150K investment in Super.tech, largest-ever Polsky Accelerator, Hippo’s newest acquisition, and more.
Researchers, including Aaron Esser-Kahn, an associate professor at UChicago’s Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, have filed a patent application for a novel additive that limits undesirable va…
The COVD-19 pandemic is changing the way business is conducted, notes Polsky Center Investor-In-Residence Tim Kelly, MBA ’00, who in this Q&A discusses evolving strategy in times of crisis – and…
Antibody fragments, including Fabs, which bind to immune response-triggering substances, or antigens, have demonstrated utility in various research and diagnostic applications. However, their structu…
2024 Cohort Truman Pierson – Theta Neurotech Shreya Kalva and Mittul Patel – Zaars Christian Gaona – TexChange Unbrokered Athena Savino – Owler Ai Catalina Castañeda and Olive…
Jüsto raises $12M, TAINA’s biggest raise yet, 500K Cubiis, and more.
The Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation has announced the 2020-21 Polsky Founders’ Fund Fellowship Cohort (PF3). PF3 is a resource available to any graduating University of Chicago stude…
Every year, at least 2.8 million people in the US get an antibiotic-resistant infection – and more than 35,000 people die, according to the CDC. In this week’s featured patent, researchers describe m…
The Polsky Center ran its National Science Foundation (NSF)-supported I-Corps program virtually during the Spring quarter and accepted the largest number of teams of any cohort managed to-date. Polsky…
In May, the Polsky Center ran a special four-week program for Argonne’s Chain Reaction Innovations (CRI) accelerator. Six teams participated in this virtual I-Corps program, which included researchers…
With the COVID-19 pandemic forcing many small businesses to change their business models overnight, the Polsky Center expanded its Small Business Growth Program, accepting the largest-ever cohort of 2…
Wessam Abozeid, AB ’19, won the Polsky Center’s 2019 College New Venture Challenge (CNVC) with his startup, podU, the world’s first platform for podcasts in Arabic. After winning the $15,000 prize, h…
Zing Health’s $150M raise, FDA approves Infervision, NETenergy joins climate change initiative, and more.
University of Chicago researchers, including Patrick Wilson, PhD, professor of medicine, UChicago Biological Sciences Division, have filed a patent for a panel of antibodies that neutralize a range o…
The Recombinant Antibody Network (RAN), a consortium comprising research groups from UC San Francisco (UCSF), the University of Chicago, and the University of Toronto have expanded a previous researc…
Hippo raises $150M | Homee raises $4.57M | Kaplan explains what VCs still want
Many antibiotic-resistant infections in humans can be traced to food and animals due to the widespread use of antibiotics on farms. Because of this, there is an urgent need to develop alternative met…
Ezza Nails, co-founded by Booth alums Ale Breuer (CEO) and Kim Marsh (COO), specializes in manicures for the professional woman. The 2017 Edward L. Kaplan, ’71, New Venture Challenge finalist runs on…
AI-designed proteins | A.M. Money helps new grads | A solve for growing health disparities
Many diseases, including Parkinson’s and irregular heartbeat, can be treated by electrically stimulating organs using an implantable device. However, the use of these devices is often high risk, as i…
The Executives’ Club of Chicago recently held a conversation discussing what differentiates Chica…
Talis receives $25M for rapid COVID test | New facial “cloaking” tech | First Women’s Bank approaches launch
Sandalphon Capital has announced the “midwest.tech/connect” virtual summit – a three-day event that aims t…
University of Chicago Medicine doctor Seon-Kyu Lee has patented a novel surgical mallet design that enables biopsy needles to be positioned in place and imaged simultaneously. Surgical biopsy needles…
With a record-breaking 20 teams accepted into the 2020 Summer Accelerator Program, the Po…
President Zimmer’s new role | Polsky Accelerator Demo Days | Alums raise $35M and $4.8M
TEST3
An artificial neural network (ANN) is a computer program designed to operate similarly to the human brain and the ways in which it processes information. However, while the brain is (most often) able…
Trista Li, MPP ’16, MBA ’18, co-founded KitcheNet as a policy student at the Harris School participating in the 2016 John Edwardson, ’72, Social New Venture Challenge (SNVC). Today, the company sells…
Prof. Kaplan on VC’s COVID-19 resiliency | New quantum discovery | $200M more for Impossible Foods
Microfluidic chips are useful in several applications, such as drug discovery, because of their ability to automatically replicate various cellular environments. As opposed to traditional dish-and-pi…
Chicago’s new $115M quantum centers | Pandemic collaborations | Prof. Deutsch on changing biz relationships
The George Shultz Innovation Fund invests in promising startups from an ecosystem that includes the University of Chicago, Argonne National Laboratory, Fermilab, and the Marine Biological Laboratory.…
Launched in 1996, the Edward L. Kaplan, ’71, New Venture Challenge (NVC) is recognized as one of the top-ranked accelerator programs in the nation. Through the NVC, the Polsky Center has graduated mor…
The Polsky Center Accelerators give teams the opportunity to work intensively and solely on their businesses and social enterprises in a collaborative and dynamic environment over the summer. The prog…
The University of Chicago’s Office of Research and National Laboratories Joint Task Force Initiative ea…
Two cancer researchers at the University of Chicago in 1995 hypothesized that there was an intermediate state for patients with metastatic cancer. They called this state “oligometastasis,” which is G…
The Hacking for Defense class was started by Steve Blank at Stanford University and has spread to more t…
In 2009, Nicole Doucet, MBA ’16, and Jess Page watched a documentary on ocean pollution that inspired them to co-found Open Water (previously Green Sheep Water), the first bottled water company to us…
The Polsky Center is pleased to invite you to the 2020 Alumni New Venture Challenge (ANVC), the alumni track of the nationally-ranked Edward L. Kaplan, ’71, New Venture Challenge, on Thursday, Septem…
Illinois Ignite 2020 will feature technologies and startups from the University of Chicago, Northwestern University, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, University of Illinois-Chicago, and Illin…
2020 ANVC finalists | New class for solving DoD challenges | Quantum’s Chicago roots
Aleksander Prominski (left), a graduate student at UChicago, and associate professor Bozhi Tian (right), have together developed severa…
Cardiogenic shock occurs when the heart has been damaged and is unable to pump enough blood. It is a common cause of death, usually brought on by a severe heart attack. It also can occur after a pati…
All UChicago undergraduate students, Chicago Booth students, PhD students, law school students, and post-docs are eligible to apply to the Polsky Science Innovation Fellows Program. Eligibility: Enro…
If you have questions about the Polsky Science Innovation Fellows Program, please contact Ellen Zatkowski, senior associate director at the Polsky Center, at ellen.zatkowski@chicagobooth.edu.
Sketch-n-Sketch is an output-directed programming system for creating programs that generate vector graphics. (Image credit: Ravi Chugh)…
The Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the University of Chicago, in partnership with Argonne National Laboratory and Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, is hosting a webinar as…
New gift will establish the Alumni Venture Support Fund at the Polsky Center and support the Harry L. Davis Center for Leadership.
When Jessica Gartenstein, AB ’17, and Erik Nadeau, AB ’18, entered the 2017 College New Venture Challenge (CNVC), Frönen (formerly BeeNana) was just an idea. “We weren’t really thinking about it long…
The increasing use of renewable energy and…
The Illinois Science and Technology Coalition (ISTC) this week released its latest R&D Index – as…
$1M gift supports alumni | New Booth London campus | Polsky at Chicago Water Week
Monica Weaver, MBA 07, acquired TGI Direct in July. After years as a product manager and marketing manager with Owens Corning and USG, Monica decided to launch Carmel Hill Acquisitions with the hopes…
Professor James LaBelle is translating findings in his lab at the University of Chicago to pediatric and adult patients with cancer and…
Advanced imaging p…
Thin fibers made from wood, cellulose nanofibers are apt for use in materials applications because of their desirable chemical, mechanical, and environmental properties. However, isolating these mate…
The Park Group is conducting research on the synthesis, assembly, and characterization of nanoscale materials and devices using a varie…
Xiaoyang Wu is using genetically modified skin as an engineering platform to provide a solution for diseases beyond skin disorders.[/cap…
The Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the University of Chicago is pleased to announce the winners of the 2020 Alumni New Venture Challenge (ANVC). The alumni track of the national…
$125K awarded in ANVC finals | Foxtrot outperforms | AIM Clinics expands
The Polsky Cent…
Sophia Wagner, AB ’18, co-founder, was a sophomore at the University of Chicago when she got involved with Mighty Deposits – a comparison website for banks that enables users to find the ones that be…
The Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the University of Chicago, in partnership with Argonne National Laboratory and Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, recently hosted a webina…
Alum’s $872M exit | UChicago appoints new VP | Inno Fund announces new cohort
Small businesses in Chicago and across the US have been hit hard during the shutdowns and changes affecting our economy as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Yelp estimates, for example, more than a…
Lactic acid bacteria has uses in the food and feed industries, as well as in medicine and chemistry applications. The bacteria is used as a source of probiotics and as a functional ingredient in dair…
$100M for Cubii, Prof. Kaplan on Chicago’s tech future, and Google awards three Polsky companies.
Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is the most aggressive type of breast cancer and has the least favorable prognosis, as there are fewer targeted medicines available. Accounting for about 10-20% o…
More than 15 million Americans have turned 18 since the 2016 election, and 63% of Americans ages 18 – 29 plans to vote in the 2020 General Election, according to Forbes. To register these younger vot…
Researchers recently asked more than 200 private equity (PE) managers about the performance of their portfolio during the COVID-19 pandemic – inquiring about their decision-making and other activitie…
Ben Cox, PhD, serves as manager of intellectual property and technology development at the University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. He manages a diverse intellectual…
Anna Dembo, PhD, serves as a manager, intellectual property and technology development, at the University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. She manages patent filings and…
Prof. Kaplan’s new PE research | Students supporting small businesses | BallotReady to reach 50 million voters
Held via Zoom, Debate It Forward is hosting a “Kid Presidential Debate” with Senator Amy Klobuchar on Tuesday, October 20th. (Image: iSto…
More than 150,000 breast cancer survivors were living with metastatic disease, three-fourths of whom were originally diagnosed with stage I-III, as of January 1, 2019, according to the American Cance…
Madhav Rajan is Dean of the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and George Pratt Shultz Professor of Accounting. His primary area of research interest is the economics-based analysis of man…
DIF hosts debate with US Senator | Actuate monitors safe distances | GGLeagues launches national league
Inventors, including University of Chicago researcher Edwardine Labay, have patented a seven-gene signature that can be used to assess the risk of breast cancer progression and treatment response. Th…
Boyede Sobitan is the CEO and co-founder of OjaExpress, the same-day ethnic grocery delivery platform. Sobitan and his co-founder, Fola Dada, are first- and second-generation Nigerian immigrants. The…
Mike Hinton, PhD, serves as a senior manager, technology marketing, at the University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. Mike’s responsibilities include sourcing industry…
University of Chicago researchers have developed an algorithm and prototype software package that successfully generates radiation beam angles for more precisely delivering treatment to multiple tumo…
Varuna raises $1.5M | A path to custom plastics | Most disruptive MBA startups
A graduate student in Sl…
A lumpectomy specimen of invasive ductal carcinoma imaged with conventional 2D X-ray imaging (left) and Clarix Imaging’s True 3D imagin…
The director of epilepsy research at the University of Chicago and an assistant professor of neurology, Naoum Issa focuses on detecting and diagnosing neurologic disorders – applying techniques used…
South Side Pitch, hosted by the Institute for Justice Clinic on Entrepreneurship in partnership with the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation and the University of Chicago Office of Civi…
University of Chicago Booth School of Business alums Dylan Hall, MBA ’13, and Shima Rayej, MBA ’13, launched Safe Rate in 2018. The company offers a mortgage that doesn’t require the traditional 20%…
On November 20, The Executives’ Club of Chicago will present their Tech Outlook event, led by Neubauer Family Distinguished Service Professor of Entrepreneurship and Finance at the University of Chic…
…
University of Chicago Professor, Juan de Pablo, with Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker at the third annual Chicago Quantum Summit.[/capti…
Prof. Kaplan speaks on Chicago tech | Pritzker sees quantum future | Crave Natural’s $650K raise
Researchers – including Ernst Lengyel, Arthur L. and Lee G. Herbst Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Chicago – have developed a 3D culture system that enables users to evalu…
The Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation is pleased to announce t…
Co-founded by University of Chicago Booth School of Business alum Ben Harris, MBA ’09, and…
Amber Bradley, Ed.D., PPS, serves as the associate director, New Venture Challenge (NVC) at the University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. She oversees and grows the NV…
New quantum partners | Weekly 10 leads to alum investment | 11 new STEM startups
University of Chicago researchers have created a wearable device that disables microphones from listening in to surrounding conversation. According to the researchers, including Pedro Lopes, an assis…
Care Advisors won first place and $65,000 at the inaugural Alumni New Venture Challenge finals in 2019. The company helps hospitals get p…
In recognition of the disproportionately negative effect that COVID-19 has had on women-owned businesses, citing research published by the University of California at Santa Cruz, Business Insider rece…
The Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the University of Chicago has officially announced the 15 teams moving on to phase II of the 2021 College New Venture Challenge (CNVC). The CN…
Daniel Rogers graduated from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business with his MBA in 2013. He then worked in the finance and technology sectors. “[I] got to a point in my career,” Rogers s…
The Wall Street Journal’s Private Equity Analyst has named two University of Chicago Booth School of Business alums, Katie Ossman, MBA ’13, and Amy Christensen, MBA ’11, to its annual list of women “…
Robert Nelsen, MBA ’87, is a co-founder and a managing director of ARCH Venture Partners. (Image credit: ARCH Venture Partners)[/captio…
PE’s most influential women | New CNVC teams | How to Start Up with Prof. Deutsch
A recently published research paper presents new evidence on the persistence of US private…
The past year was unlike any we’ve experienced before. Despite the many challenges caused by the global COVID-19 pandemic, we stayed focused on advancing our Polsky Center mission. We authored a bo…
The Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the University of Chicago recently partnered with World Business Chicago’s ChicagoNEXT, an organization focused on driving inclusive growth an…
As we near the end of 2020, the holiday season is officially here. While things will feel quite a bit different this year, we wanted to highlight some of our Polsky Center alums and their compa…
Prof. Kaplan researches persistence in PE | Polsky partners with ChicagoNEXT | LemonBox raises $2.5M
The Polsky C…
Image (left) of a bird created with multiple patterning of red, green, and blue-emitting quantum dots. NanoPattern can use this pattern…
As we begin the New Year, join the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at our annual Entrepreneurial Outlook series to discuss important emerging trends in select industries. During thes…
The Polsky C…
Wine and lifestyle brand Love Cork Screw is going national. Chrishon Lampley, founder and CEO of Love Cork Screw, first became involved in the wine space while owning an art gallery and bar in the So…
It’s a New Year and the Polsky Center kicks it off with a full line-up of events and programs, including our milestone 25th anniversary celebration of our nationally-ranked Edward K. Kaplan, ’71, New…
New Polsky Science Ventures lead | Polsky invests $300K in startups | Polsky On Demand launches
F3 Platform Biologics is developing a low dose of the FDA-approved drug Amifostine. The solution helps prevent radiation-induced genomi…
Electrochaea continues to maintain and operate the BioCat Plant (above) as a demonstration site for the power-to-gas energy storage tec…
The Collaboratorium unites UChicago students with researchers, technologists, and faculty. (Image: iStock.com/Natalia Shabasheva)[/capt…
The Polsky Center’s annual Entrepreneurial…
Connecting PhDs with MBAs | Base Genomics sells for $410M | One Way Ventures closes second fund
The Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation recently launched the Compass – a first-of-its-kind deep tech accelerator program for early-stage startups and technologies. “Backed by a 25-year…
University of Chicago Booth School of Business alum, Shamus Hines, MBA ‘15, and Steve Morrissette, a visiting professor of business administration at Booth, first met in 2013 when Hines was a student…
Quevos received $15,000 at the College New Venture Challenge (CNVC) in the Harper Center on Wednesday, March 7, 2018. Photography Eddie…
The esports tournament and league management platform GGLeagues is designed to make gaming a social experience. Structured like an outdoor recreational sports league, GGLeagues hosts teams and compet…
The Chicago:Blend board recently provided an update on their recent initiatives, including demographic data collection among Chicago-ba…
Quevos on Shark Tank | Polsky’s new deep tech accelerator | Chicago emerges as life sciences leader
On Friday, January 22, Q…
The initiative is part of the NSF I-Corp program, which aims to empower scientists, researchers, and students to test the commercial pot…
The Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the University of Chicago has announced the 28 teams advancing to phase II of the 2021 Alumni New Venture Challenge (ANVC), the alumni track o…
Alumna secures top VC role | Quevos scores a Shark Tank deal | Oak Street Health’s big moves
The Polsky Small Business Financial Fundamentals focuses on supporting small businesses owners and help gain better financial management knowledge and skills.
The Polsky Center seeks existing small business owners who can benefit from the classroom knowledge and personalized, no-cost consultation that this program will offer. The goal is to better position…
If you have additional questions about the Polsky Small Business Financial Fundamentals, please contact Isra Omar, Assistant Director at the Polsky Exchange, at isra.omar@chicagobooth.edu or 773.702.1…
The Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation kicked off its 2021 Entrepreneurial Outlook series with a session examining the state and potential of sustainable energy. John Carlisle, PhD, di…
Tovala, which won the Edward L. Kaplan, ’71, New Venture Challenge in 2015, is led by Bryan Wilcox (left), cofounder and chief technolog…
The Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the University of Chicago has announced the 19 teams advancing to phase II of the 2021 Global New Venture Challenge (GNVC). The GNVC is the gl…
Founded by the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and Harris Public Policy alum Derek Weng, MBA/MPP ’16, LemonBox in December 2020 announced the close of a $2.5 million pre-series A round…
Tovala raises $30M | Talis raises $150M for IPO | Kernel’s psychedelic partnership
The Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the University of Chicago is putting the ‘buy and build’ model of entrepreneurship on a global stage, hosting a first-ever ETA Week February 1…
Dan Sachs is the executive director of the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. In this role, he oversees the education a…
The annual Entrepreneurial Outlook series continued last week with a discussion about health diagnostics and the state of the industry in 2021. The discussion was moderated by Christine Karslake, MBA…
BloomNation raises $11M for new parent co. | Polsky’s role in the “State of Innovation” | Prof. Kaplan’s advice for entrepreneurs
University of Chicago researcher Christopher Gomez is developing a gene therapy to treat a rare, neurodegenerative disease – and conducting a clinical trial, backed by Pfizer and Biogen, to establis…
The University of Chicago’s Becker Friedman Institute, the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, and the Coase-Sandor Institute for Law and Economics recently held a conversation between…
Crave Natural in November raised a $650,000 pre-seed round of funding. Founded by Chicago Booth MBA candidate Lin Jiang, Crave Natural is a healthy food company with an East Asian influence. Using nu…
Simple Mills on NPR podcast | Jüsto raises $65M | Sapphire Ventures brings in $1.7B
The Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation has continued its Entrepreneurial Outlook series with a discussion about the state of the media and entertainment industry – how it has had to ad…
The Polsky C…
The University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation has announced the 31 teams advancing to Phase II of the 2021 Edward L. Kaplan, ’71, New Venture Challenge (NVC). This yea…
Foxtrot Market this week…
This week, 16 teams advanced to the next round of the 2021 John Edwardson, ’72, Social New Venture Challenge (SNVC). With the announcement, teams move on to Phase II of the startup competition, which…
Graduate students in degree programs in business at Chicago Booth are eligible to apply to be a Business Development Fellow. Eligibility: Ability to work full-time during the summer quarter and part-…
If you are interested in applying to or have questions about the Business Development Fellows Program, please contact Ellen Zatkowski, senior associate director at the Polsky Center, at ellen.zatkowsk…
Pivotal Ventures, the investment and incubation company created by Melinda Gates, has together with its partners Break Through Tech and SecondMuse, launched Gender Equality in Tech (GET) Cities – a n…
For more information on the 7th Annual ETA Conference hosted February 16th – 19th, 2021, please visit our website. // ETA Conference Opening Remarks // Panel: Current State of Search Download…
2020 was a year unlike any other. The effects of COVID-19 reverberated across the world and while the challenges each industry faced were different, similar themes and narratives emerged from panels…
2021 NVC and SNVC teams announced | Foxtrot raises $42M | Steve Kaplan researches VC decisions
Cofounded by University of Chicago Booth School of Business alumnus, Tom Keck, MBA ’97, the StepStone Group is a global private markets investment firm that last year went public with an IPO totaling…
The Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation began its Distinguished Entrepreneur Speaker Series with Reid Hoffman, cofounder of LinkedIn. In a discussion with University of Chicago Booth Sc…
UChicago researchers aim to identify antibodies that are shared over multiple coronavirus strains to try and develop more broadly prote…
Subli, a peer-to-peer subletting marketplace, took home first place at the 2020 College New Venture Challenge finals. Photo credit: Polsk…
UChicago appoints next president | 2021 CNVC finalists | Alums raise $32.5M and $5.7M
Lynx has distributed one million digital keys. Cofounded by Chicago Booth School of Business alum Dipen Gala, MBA ’16, Lynx makes it easier for property managers to rent out a short-term vacation ren…
Esya Lab’s unique organelle-targeted assays facilitate drug discovery for lysosomal storage disorders and numerous other neurocognitive…
David A. Daigle, MBA ’94 and Elizabeth Daigle Carl Meyer, AB ’91, MBA ’92 and Kristin Meyer Nikhil Thukral, MBA ’98 and Alka Thukral
The University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation is launching DeepTechU, a venture conference convening investors and faculty innovators to showcase deep tech innovation.…
fillow, a feminine hygiene product, took home first place at the 2021 College New Venture Challenge Finals. Photo credit: Polsky Center.[…
Traditional // Pippin Title ($450,000) Lighten ($280,000) ETALYC ($130,000) Ollipsis Fertility ($50,000) Ruby ($20,000) Tharzen ($20,000) Crave Natural ($10,000) Neesh ($10,000) Modern Reliance ($1…
The I-Corps program is specifically designed for participants working on projects related to the STEM (science, technology, engineering…
Fillow wins 2021 CNVC | Turtlemint raises $46M | Fi raises $30M
Kate Turvy is the director, entrepreneurship programs at the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, where she leads the strategic growth and execution of entrepreneurship initiatives for g…
Less than a year after launching its software, elphi has closed a funding round and formed an advisory board of mortgage industry veterans as it looks to being a new, fresh perspective to the space.…
Switched Source receives $8.56M | Open Water named fastest growing biz in Midwest | Booth entrepreneurs lead new VC firm
On World Water Day 2021, people and organizations come together to celebrate water and raise awareness of the global water crisis – foc…
The George Shultz Innovation Fund invests up to $250,000 in promising startups from an ecosystem that includes the University of Chicago,…
Alums raise $30M, $3.5M, $1M | A quantum startup’s story | New Inno Fund teams
K4 Mobility has developed a digital platform that makes it easier to connect to the internet at sea. (Image credit: iStock.com/aapsky)[…
Pyxis raises $152M | Inflammatix raises $102M | UChicago invests $500K in K4 Mobility
The University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation and the Chicago Quantum Exchange today announced the launch of Duality, the first accelerator program in the nation that i…
When Alexandra Koys’ uncle died, about four years ago, she took charge of the funeral planning to relieve her grief-stricken mother of the burden. She didn’t like her options: gloomy, impersonal fune…
Esya Labs was co-founded by Dhivya Venkat, CEO, (image left), and Dr. Yamuna Krishnan, Chief Scientific Officer, (image right).[/captio…
First quantum startup accelerator | Punchh acquired for $500M | UChicago’s COVID-19 treatment research
To mark the 25th anniversary of the Edward L. Kaplan ’71 New Venture Challenge, the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation is hosting a series of fireside chats with alums of the program to…
Produced by the Polsky Center and hosted by Chicago Booth faculty, tune in for expert advice, inspiring stories, and real-world entrepreneurial wisdom.
Episode 1: The Story of NVC April 15, 2021 When it launched 25 years ago, the University of Chicago’s New Venture Challenge (NVC) was a pioneer in helping business school students get their startups o…
Startups weren’t so…
$40B SPAC deal for Grab | Booth alums make the Midas list | ExplORer Surgical raises $2.5M
Deep tech is an interdisciplinary approach to solving fundamental issues – one that leverages several advanced technologies to reimagine…
Access the report full screen using the controls above. >>To download DEEP TECH // DEEP DIVE, click here. This special report is presented in part with the 2021 DeepTechU venture confer…
Juan de Pablo, Vice President for National Laboratories, Science Strategy, Innovation, and Global Initiatives at the University of Chicago, kicked off the first day of DeepTechU – which attracted a g…
The Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation is pleased to announce the finalists of the 2021 Alumni New Venture Challenge (ANVC), a global program dedicated to supporting all University of C…
Da…
Episode 2: ExplORer Surgical April 22, 2021 Jennifer Fried, MBA ’15, started her MBA at Chicago Booth with dreams of a career in venture capital. By the time she graduated, she had launched a healthca…
The Private Equity Alumni/Student Coaching Program matches Chicago Booth MBA students pursuing careers in private equity with members of the Polsky Center Private Equity Council and Chicago Booth alum…
Application Dates // Application Opens: Thursday, April 24, 2025 Application Closes: Thursday, May 15, 2025 at 3:00 pm CT
Eligibility // Chicago Booth students who meet the following criteria are eligible to apply: MBA students in the full-time program are eligible to participate beginning the summer between their first…
If you have questions about the Private Equity Alumni/Student Coaching program, please contact Megan Fox, Director, Svider Private Equity Program at megan.fox@chicagobooth.edu.
AMOpportunities raises $5.4M | Celebrating 25 years of the NVC | Innoviz goes public at $1.4B
Day 3 of DeepTechU featured a panel discussion that brought together founders and investors to discuss the fundraising process.[/captio…
Episode 3: BenchPrep April 29, 2021 Ashish Rangnekar, MBA ’11, grew up in a sleepy town in India where success looked like a white-collar job, not entrepreneurship. But early on he encountered a probl…
DeepTechU highlights Midwest’s leadership in tech | Actuate raises $8M | Offblak on Dragons’ Den
Researchers at the University o…
Dr. Thomas Gajewski with graduate student Jason Williams at the Gordon Center for Integrative Science on the University of Chicago camp…
To mark the 25th anniversary of the Edward L. Kaplan ’71 New Venture Challenge, a top-ranked accelerator at the University of Chicago, the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation is hosting…
Episode 4: Simple Mills May 6, 2021 Katlin Smith, founder and CEO of Simple Mills, wowed her first buyer with a muffin recipe using almond flour. Now the Chicago-based natural baking brand is the cate…
Rosita Longevity cofounders Juan Cartagena, MBA’12, and Clara Fernandez, MBA ’19, won first place in the 2021 Alumni New Venture Challe…
Rosita Longevity wins 2021 ANVC | Eventnoire wins $100K+ at MTN Dew challenge | Tovala founder shares advice
Episode 5: Foxtrot May 13, 2021 Foxtrot cofounder and CEO Mike LaVitola, MBA ’14, has become expert at hearing “no.” He was not initially accepted into the New Venture Challenge, and after he talked h…
Kin Insurance raises $64M | M25’s new $32M fund | Tovala on CNBC
Rattan Khosa, MBA ’79, and his son Neel Khosa, MBA ’07, engaged in a fireside chat with the Polsky Center’s Dan Sachs about running a f…
Episode 6: Power2Switch May 20, 2021 As a Black founder, Seyi Fabode, MBA ’10, has experienced the challenge of investors taking him seriously. Fabode, an immigrant from Nigeria, recalls an investor c…
MobieTrain raises €4M | AgileMD receives $750K from BARDA | Manifest wins MIT competition
As Airbnb neared the end of its first year in business, its prospects looked grim. The San Francisco-based startup — at the time called AirBed & Breakfast — wasn’t making money, wasn’t growing,…
The Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation is pleased to announce the 12 teams selected to compete in the finals of the 25th annual Edward L. Kaplan, ’71, New Venture Challenge (NVC), one…
Episode 7: Braintree May 27, 2021 Growing up in a small, religious town in Utah, Bryan Johnson felt he existed in a video game where the rules were all mapped out. His favorite part of the day as a k…
The Polsky Center for En…
Arnaud Bonzom Matt Botha Keith Breslauer, ’88 Vlad Cara, ’07 Vanessa Chan Cornel Chiriac, ’12 Carlos Covarrubias Lephate Cunningham Steven Dudash, ’22 Anh Duong Nguyen, ’…
Episode 8: PrettyQuick June 3, 2021 Coco Meers’ career has centered on helping women look and feel their best. When she caught the entrepreneurship bug and looked for a pain point to solve in that sp…
The Polsky Center’s deep tech accelerator program, the ‘Compass,’ was launched publically in January after the completion of its first…
The Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the University if Chicago has announced a record-breaking investment of $1.6 million in the winners of the 2021 Edward L. Kaplan, ’71, New Ven…
Immunoengineering 2021 will feature expert speakers from industry and academia, including an afternoon pitch and networking session wit…
The University of Chicago in 2018 announced a partnership with Benchmark Analytics to commercialize an early intervention system for po…
The inventors have developed a method to enhance skin wound repair and prevent scarring after wounding and surgery. (Image credit: iSto…
Onchilles Pharma is developing a pipeline of first-in-class biologic and small molecule drug candidates that have the potential to be b…
A prominent journal in academic finance has awarded top honors to a research paper that…
The Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the University…
Episode 9: Grubhub June 10, 2021 Matt Maloney admits he had a bit of an ego when he entered the New Venture Challenge. He had already launched Grubhub, had a few customers, and had landed at a top bu…
The record investment pool in the 25th annual Edward L. Kapl…
The I-Corps program is specifically designed for participants working on projects related to the STEM (science, technology, engineering…
Kenneth Gayosa Onishi, PhD, serves as manager for business development and licensing at the University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. Ken works with faculty in the Duc…
The George Shultz Innovation Fund invests in promising startups from an ecosystem that includes the University of Chicago, Argonne Nati…
Chuck Vallurupalli, MBA ’05, (left) has been named the inaugural senior director of Duality and Preeti Chalsani, PhD, (right) will take on…
The University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation has granted InFlect…
In this special report, presented in part with the Immunoengineering 2021 conference and Takeda Pharmaceuticals, the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation explores work from across the Un…
(Click the “View in full screen” button to enlarge the image) >> To view as a PDF, click here. The report with also be sent to you via email. For any questions or comments, please reach out to…
Episode 10: Andes STR June 17, 2021 Growing up in Chile in a family of entrepreneurs, Sebastian Rivas since childhood has been on the lookout for problems that need solving. He launched his first bus…
The Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation is pleased to announce the 17 team…
Chicago Booth last month recognized six outstanding MBA students who demonstrated leadership in entrepreneurship, venture capital or private equity during their time at school. The annual Student Ent…
The Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2021 Polsky Founders Fund Fellowship (PF3), a resource for graduating students who are committed to w…
Duality will help quantum startups bridge the gap between the laboratory and the marketplace through entrepreneurship training and acce…
Kin Insurance this week announced plans to go public and expand across the U.S., supercharging its eff…
Shane Thomas Peace, PhD, is a manager, intellectual property and technology development, at the University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. He manages patent filings and…
A virtual place where alumni founders can connect with fellow founders and receive coaching from an expert.
Depiction of CPI-300 nanoparticles with multiple therapeutic agents for combination therapy of colorectal and pancreatic cancer. (Image…
Andrei Papayanopulos started at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business with the aspiration to raise a venture capital fund in his native Mexico, where at the time, he said, VC “was pretty…
The 2021 Researchers to Know represent 10 institutions of higher education leading innovationin Illinois. (Image credit: iStock.com/ser…
A University of Chicago spin-out company, AccuraDX is developing…
The Polsky Center has several newsletters targeted to different audiences. Learn more and sign up using the link below. Polsky 10 Available to everyone! — Polsky 10 – Our flagship biweek…
Questions? Please contact Paul Cavalieri, senior associate director.
Stellatus Solutions was acquired by Slingshot Aerospace, which is launching the space industry’s first centralized communications platf…
Super.tech, a participant in the inaugural cohort of the quantum tech startup accelerator Duality, announced the launch of a software platform endeavoring to make quantum computing commercially viabl…
Urinary incontinence is a common ailment among women that often goes unspoken – and…
An Illinois startup that has developed a more affordable bionic hand has been racking up accolades as it prepares for the nationwide rollout of its high-tech prosthetic. Psyonic, which this summer pa…
Anna Wislocki, PhD, serves as the associate director of accelerators and investments at the University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. She supports the quantum, clean t…
YaQuavia (Yaya) Gooden is the Compliance Manager at the Polsky Center. Yaya will support Polsky’s compliance strategy, by optimizing invention reporting for technologies spawned from federal grants an…
The I-Corps Hubs form the National Innovation Network, which brings together universities, NSF-funded researchers, established entrepre…
Learn more about the presenters here. >> Agenda 5:00 p.m.: Welcome & Opening Remarks Dan Sachs, executive director, education & programs Melissa Byrn, director, innovation programs 5:1…
Renee Lowers serves as a financial analyst at the University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. Renee supports the finance team with a particular focus on financial mainte…
The AI system improves the prognosis of surviving patients with Hypoxic Ischemic Brain Injury (HIBI) after cardiac arrest by allowing a…
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Entrepreneurship The Polsky Center offers a variety of programs and resources to help you on your entrepreneurial journey. In addition, you can visit our office, which is located on the second floor o…
The Illinois Clean Tech Coalition will establish a clean tech cluster in the Midwest region through focused investment in innovation ar…
Welcome to the Polsky Center. Are you a Booth student interested in launching a company? Or acquiring an existing one? Want to get into PE or venture capital? Looking to help commercialize new technol…
A University of Chicago spin-out compa…
Several teams from the University of Chicago and Duality – the world’s first accelerator focused exclusively on quantum technologies – pitched at the 2021 Chicago Venture Summit. The venture capital…
Steven Gould, MD, serves as the Consulting Director for Polsky Technology Ventures and is responsible for leading the formation and launch of new science-based ventures from University of Chicago facu…
Private Equity The Polsky Center supports the aspirations of students interested in a career in private equity through the Svider Private Equity Program. The program is supported through a generous gi…
Venture Capital The Polsky Center supports the ambitions of students interested in pursuing a career in venture capital through a variety of experiential learning opportunities, coursework, and career…
Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition The Polsky Center offers a suite of Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition (ETA) resources designed to provide students and alumni access to the education, capital,…
Science and Technology Commercialization The Polsky Center connects Chicago Booth students with University of Chicago faculty and researchers at the National Laboratories who are specifically looking…
Small Business Consulting The Polsky Center connects Chicago Booth students with entrepreneurs and small business owners on Chicago’s South and West sides. Students play an important role in advising…
STAY CONNECTED WITH THE POLSKY CENTER Engage with us and follow us online at: LinkedIn Twitter Instagram YouTube
Welcome to the Polsky Center. Are you a College student interested in launching a startup company? Looking to get involved with groundbreaking research coming out of the University of Chicago or the N…
Entrepreneurship and Venture Capital The Polsky Center offers a variety of programs and resources to help you on your entrepreneurial journey and get experience in venture capital. The front door of t…
Science and Technology Commercialization The Polsky Center connects ambitious College students with University of Chicago faculty and researchers at the National Laboratories who are specifically look…
Business Consulting and Internships The Polsky Center connects College students with entrepreneurs and small business owners on Chicago’s South and West sides. Students play an important role in advis…
Welcome to the Polsky Center. If you are a Chicago Booth student, please visit our dedicated section for Booth. If you are a graduate student or PhD student in the Harris School of Public Policy, Biol…
Entrepreneurship The Polsky Center offers a variety of programs and resources to help you on your entrepreneurial journey. In addition, you can visit our office, which is located on the second floor o…
Science and Technology Commercialization The Polsky Center connects graduate students with University of Chicago faculty and researchers at the National Laboratories who are specifically looking for t…
Business Consulting The Polsky Center connects graduate students with entrepreneurs and small business owners on Chicago’s South and West sides. Students play an important role in advising community b…
Founder and Chief Innovation Officer Stacy Lindau and CEO Rachel Kohler. (Photography by Lucy Hewett for the University of Chicago Booth…
Seven t…
Welcome to the Polsky Center. Are you an alumni interested in launching a startup company? Looking to get involved with groundbreaking research coming out of the University of Chicago or the National…
Entrepreneurship The Polsky Center offers a variety of programs and resources to help you on your entrepreneurial journey. Have questions? Book an appointment with a member our Polsky Center program t…
Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition The Polsky Center offers a suite of Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition (ETA) resources designed to provide students and alumni access to the education, capital,…
RECRUIT TALENT The Polsky Center connects alumni with highly qualified and vetted students looking to intern or work in a startup setting.
The Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation manages all technology transfer operations at the University of Chicago. Our Polsky Science and Technology group serves as the central resource fo…
Teams from across the US are invited to apply for the Jumpstart workshop to test the commercial viability of their quantum technology. (…
AMOpportunities, founded to help international medical students find clinical training rotations in the U.S., now is also helping hospi…
Dr. Thomas Gajewski with graduate student Jason Williams at the Gordon Center for Integrative Science on the University of Chicago camp…
1 in 5 US adults experiences mental illness each year, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness. (Image credit: Mindful Car…
For entrepreneurial stud…
Below is a listing of ventures open to recruiting team members and collaborators. This subset of the Polsky Center’s team-building listing hilights teams interested in the New Venture Challenge.…
Below is a listing of people open to working on entrepreneurial ideas. Feel free to contact potential team members by clicking the connect button in the gallery below. You will receive a warm introduc…
Amazon Web Services will work to advance quantum innovation in Illinois; other supporters, including Caruso Ventures, Lathrop GPM LLP, Mc…
Traditional // Andes STR ($666,250) phlaxis ($278,750) Vetted ($198,750): Resette ($96,250) Aina ($95,000) ML Tech ($77,500) Annuity Risk ($50,000) StoryEasel ($45,000) PainNavigator ($32,500) deet…
A layout of a general operating room and Explorer Live’s integration with imaging devices, navigation systems, and minimal footprint in…
An assistant professor in the department of chemistry at…
Experts in quantum science and technology from around the globe will gather on November 4 for the fourth annual Chicago Quantum Summit.[…
By all measures, 2021 has been a banner year for tech investment and returns. And money increasingly is flowing into markets like Chicago, thanks in part to a remote business environment that is enco…
The mentorship program is a valuable resource offered at the Polsky Center in which entrepreneurs and business owners meet one-on-one meetings with industry leaders. Our mentors bring decades of exper…
Tiffany Joi, owner of Hemp Heals Body Shop, started making CBD lotions to ease her mom’s knee pain. (Photo credit: Silver Room/Angela M…
AMOpportunities CEO Kyle Swinsky, MBA ’19, accepts the President’s “E” Award for Exports from US. Deputy Secretary of Commerce Don Grav…
The University of Chicago and AbbVie in 2016 entered into a collaboration agreement that has been extended to 2025 with the goal of imp…
An annual list spotligh…
The Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation is pleased to announce the launch of Custom…
The Highly Cited Researchers list from Clarivate identifies scientists who have demonstrated significant influence through the publicat…
Quevos receives $15,000 at the College New Venture Challenge (CNVC) in the Harper Center on Wednesday, March 7, 2018. (Photo Credit: Ed…
Peter Gaona, founder of ReformedSchool, speaks at the grand opening of the L1 Retail Store in Washington Park. (Photo credit: Angie Sta…
The Duality Accelerator is pleased to announce the members of its Technical Advisory Committee, which will support participating startups with business know-how as well as deep expertise in quantum s…
The Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation is the central resource for transferring groundbreaking ideas and discoveries outs…
The 2025 Clean Tech Economy Coalition was selected from 529 national applicants to develop an Illinois regional growth cluster around t…
The I-Corps teams seen here at the fall Collaboratorium, which brings together Chicago Booth students with researchers and faculty who…
Compass participants receive ecosystem introductions, mentorship, and educational training, and have the opportunity to access addition…
Designed for early-stage startups and technologies, Compass draws on expertise from across the University ecosystem with the goal of pr…
AddGraft has developed a platform that uses skin epidermal progenitor cells to deliver one or more therapeutic agents. (Image: iStock.c…
When Boyede Sobitan wo…
Foxtrot on Tuesday announced $100 million in new funding and plans to open 50 stores over the next tw…
The Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation is pleased to announce the 16 teams selected to participate in the 2022 Global New Venture Challenge (GNVC), a startup competition for students e…
When Yesenia Arteta was applying to business schools, looking to sharpen her sk…
Seen here in the Guha Lab, Molecular Beam Epitaxy (MBE) equipment is used for the thin-film deposition of various quantum materials.[/c…
Andrea Polk always considered herself a spiritual person. But it took time for her to see the deeper meaning when her body suddenly went into revolt. At 38, the normally active and healthy Polk becam…
The NIBR Global Scholars Program (NGSP) is a competitive program designed for innovators from invited institutions to gain funding for…
Rosita Longevity cofounders Juan Cartagena, MBA’12, and Clara Fernandez, MBA ’19, won first place in the 2021 Alumni New Venture Challe…
Jasmine Shells, MBA ’21, founded her startup in Chicago with the intention of building it in Chicago as well. But when it came time to raise money, the checks were elusive. So she moved the company t…
The Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship a…
LAUNCH YOUR CAREER IN STEM ENTREPRENEURSHIP New innovations — spanning fields as diverse as agriculture, biotechnology, engineering, green energy, and healthcare — have the potential to transform hum…
The Prototype for Success program explores career paths at the intersection of business and emerging technologies.
Benchmarking is a keystone of the computing industry and is especially important for quantum computing at this stage of development. (I…
The Polsky Center’s Distinguished Entrepreneur speaker series this month featured Aga Sekalala Jr., a prominent Ugandan businessman who founded Radio Simba, one of the most popular broadcasters in Ea…
The Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innova…
Since the initiative launched in 2018, the University has committed significant resources in support of lab programs and mission suppor…
Ozge Guney-Altay, PhD, has joined the Polsky Center as the new Director of Polsky S…
The Collaboratorium unit…
The Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation is pleased to announce the seven finalists selected to compete in the 10th Anniversary Finals of the College New Venture Challenge (CNVC), an und…
Raphael Lee holds appointments in surgery (plastic), medicine (dermatology), molecular medicine, and organismal biology and anatomy (bi…
When Keewa Nurullah, a performing artist, had her first ch…
The Polsky Cen…
A University of Chicago startup, 4SR…
Application deadline: April 4, 2022, 10:00 a.m.
Application — The 2025 Polsky LAUNCH Accelerator application is open and you can apply here. Applications are due on March 31, 2025 at 3:00 pm. Eligibility — The LAUNCH ACCELERATOR…
Sponsors — Sharon Sadow Alper, AB ’80, JD ’84 & Andrew Alper, AB ’80, MBA ’81 John Edwardson, MBA ’72 Kenneth W. O’Keefe, MBA ’93 Ellen Rudnick, MBA ’73 & Paul Earle Thomas W. We…
Contact — Paul Cavalieri Associate Director and LAUNCH Accelerator Program Director
The Polsky Center Build and Launch accelerators give teams the opportunity to work intensively on their businesses over the summer.
Polsky Build and Launch Accelerator Teammate Gallery — Join this listing. >> Teambuilding Galleries — Startups Currently Recruiting Potential Teammates Join the…
Teammate Gallery — Join this listing. >> Teambuilding Galleries — Startups Currently Recruiting Potential Teammates Join the Listings — Startups Listing…
Startup Gallery — Join this listing. >> Teambuilding Galleries — Startups Currently Recruiting Potential Teammates Join the Listings — Startups Listing…
Abigail Ingram is executive director of the Polsky Exchange, a 34,000-square-foot incubator space that leads the Polsky Center’s engagement with the South Side community through programs and initiativ…
Polsky Build and Launch Accelerator Investment — Key resources include: $10,000 SAFE investment in the startup Education — Optional educational content on sales, marketing, f…
The Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation has hired Abigail Ingram to be the new executive director of the Polsky Exchange, where she spearheads initiatives to bring the University of Chi…
FLOW Medical founders Jonathan Paul, MD, (image left), director of the pulmonary embolism response team at UChicago Medicine, and Osman…
Seventeen scientists and staff from Argonne National Laboratory and Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory make up the first cohort of th…
Antonio Castano perked up at the first discussion question posed to the inaugural cohort of Prototype for Success, a new program designed to prepare University of Chicago undergraduates for careers a…
The University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation is once again hosting DeepTechU, a venture conference that brings together global investors and deep tech startups in the…
The 8th Annual Booth-Kellogg Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition (ETA) Conference returns to downtown Chicago this month as an in-person event, continuing its tradition as the premier gathering for…
Makaia Smith serves as the Assistant Director of Events at the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. She will be supporting the Education and Programs team with the planning and execution…
Chicago Booth team wins 2022 Venture Capital Investment Competition (VCIC). Left to right: Duncan McGillivary, Peter Pilone, Sophia Lamm…
Inventors have evaluated a technique to simplify the Ad vector-making process by developing a one-step construction of an adenovirus (O…
The DeepTechU venture conference will showcase 50 startups during the three-day virtual e…
“We’re excited to unite the science and investor communities to advance innovation,” said Juan de Pablo, executive vice president for science, innovation, national laboratories, and global initiative…
The Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation is pleased to announce the eight finalist teams that will vie for investment in the 2022 Alumni New Venture Challenge (ANVC), a global competitio…
The second day of DeepTechU featured practical advice for deep tech startups seeking funding, including when to start conversations with venture capitalists and how to use federal government grants t…
Day 3 of DeepTechU featured advice for entrepreneurs developing deep tech innovations, a look at the current and future immunotherapy market, and a Fireside Chat about growing the quantum ecosystem.…
Angela…
Super.tech was founded in 2020 based on pioneering quantum computing research from EPiQC, an NSF Expedition in Computing at the Univers…
2025 Agenda: — 9:15-9:30 A.M. // Welcome 9:30-10:00 A.M. // ReLive 10:00-10:30 A.M. // Exactics 10:30-10:45 A.M. // Break 10:45-11:15 A.M. // Emerging Donor Alliance (EDA) 11:15-11:45 A.M. /…
Previous finalists have built exciting technologies across a wide range of industries representative of the core strengths of the Unive…
The I-Corps program empowers UChicago scientists, researchers, and students to test The Ithe commercial potential of their research and…
The end of spring quarter is…
The winner of the Polsky Center’s 4th annual Alum…
Clinical Trials Day is celebrated annually on May 20th to recognize and raise awareness of clinical research and the profession. (Image…
The Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and I…
A recent analysis entit…
Seven social impact startups will vie for investment June…
The Polsky Center for Entrepr…
Blueline Blueline creates the throughline between campaigns, retaining Democrats’ best talent in the off-year, by matching staff with participating employers for a short-term contract. It ensures that…
Check out this year’s finalists >> 2025 Finals Agenda 8:30 a.m. – 8:45 a.m. // Welcome Remarks 8:45 a.m. – 9:10 a.m // Pitch 1: relos 9:13 a.m. – 9:38 a.m. // Pitch 2: GovChime 9:41 a.m.…
The Unive…
UPDATE: The investment totals have b…
Experts came together on Clinical Trials Day to discuss why early and frequent discussions among all stakeholders are necessary, how COVID forced the industry to think “more clearly and sharply about…
The Rustandy Center for Social Sector Innovation…
After moving back home to…
Researchers from the University of Chicago and representatives from the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation will be atten…
All investing is a bet on uncertainty. But venture capital investing, often in fledgling companies…
The Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation is pleased to announce the 18 startups selected…
Compass participants receive ecosystem introductions, mentorship, and educational training, and have the opportunity to access addition…
Polsky Science Ventures and the Compass deep tech accelerator team at the University of Chicago are hosting a “demo day” to highlight innovative research and technologies seeking growth opportunities…
Duality, the nation’s first accelerator exclusively for quantum companies, has accepted five startups from across the globe into the second cohort of the year-long accelerator based in Chicago, IL. D…
For the second year in a row, a team of Chicago Booth students took the top prize at a global privat…
The core mission of the Shultz Innovation Fund is to help researchers turn their innovations into ventures that advance cutting-edge te…
The Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation is pleased to announce the six recipients of…
Sylvia and Augie Emuwa founded Dinobi Detergent as a premium plant-based laundry soap brand safe for sensitive skin. (All photos credit…
A year after taking first place in Chicago Booth’s Edward L. Kaplan, ’71, New Venture Challenge (NVC), proptech startup Andes STR has $25 million in the bank to acquire investment properties to manag…
Thank you for your payment to the Polsky Center. Your transaction is now complete. Click here to return to the Polsky Exchange page.
OrisDX recently took home first place at the Polsky Center’s 2022 Edward L. Kaplan, ’71, New Venture Challenge. (Photo by Matt Marton)[…
Fermilab, located just outside Batavia, Illinois, near Chicago, is a US Department of Energy national laboratory specializing in high-e…
Reid Tileston, MBA ’15, calls himself a “grit it done” kind of guy. An endurance athlete – ultramarathons, an Ironman, mountaineering, open-water swims, competitive stair climbing – Tileston introduc…
The UChicago-AbbVie Research Symposium celebrates another successful year of strategic partnership, showcasing select innovative research efforts in oncology. Taking place Friday, August 19, 2022, th…
Comprised of leading operators, investors, and academics in the ETA space, the Polsky Center ETA Advisory Committee is instrumental in providing guidance to the growth and impact of our ETA program. M…
Led by the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and In…
Recordings from Demo Day are available below: The LAUNCH Accelerator allows students to spend their summer fundraising for their venture, selling, and gaining/maintaining momentum.
The Sihong Wang Research Group focuses on the development of soft polymeric materials and devices that can merge electronics with biolo…
Drawing from cutting-edge laboratory research, memQ d…
Inclusive+ cofounder Monika Lach, left, speaks with Booth student Anna Jacobs at the Fall 2021 Collaboratorium. (Photo credit: eClarke…
University of Chic…
The Polsky Exchange, a University of Chicago initiative that offers business educa…
Henry Gosebruch, AbbVie executive vice president and chief strategy officer, presents at the UChicago-AbbVie Research Symposium, on Aug…
Researchers from the University of Chicago are showcasing novel technologies and innovative startups at the third biennial Illinois Ignite. The event takes place on September 22, 2022, from 9:00 a.m.…
Real estate has historically been a white man’s game, and continues to be so at leadership level…
After 30 years in corporate America, Rachel Kohler, MBA ’89, resolved to redirect her career to have greater social impact. “If anyone could take risk in their life, I could,” said Kohler, part of th…
Last week, W…
The Customer Discovery Bootcamp is intended for early-stage, student ventures to explore their problem-solution fit by engaging directly with potential customers and industry stakeholders.
Participants are required to attend four sessions and complete in-class and out-of-class assignments. A minimum of two team members must attend these sessions. Sessions will be held in person at the C…
Team eligibility requirements include: Minimum of two teammates who are committed to attending all three required workshops and completing out-of-class assignments. Team members fully participating i…
If you are interested in applying or have questions about the Customer Discovery Bootcamp, please contact Lucas Peralta.
ClostraBio will use the Series A funding to build out its team and move to lab space seen here at Portal Innovations. (Image credit: Co…
Teams are listed alphabetically.
The University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneur…
Chicago Inno’s annual list of rising young innovators found plenty of entrepreneurial talent to celebrate at the University of Chicago. The 2022 “Inno Under 25” list featured seven recent graduates o…
We have a dedicated team of scientists and operations professionals with deep technical expertise who are exclusively focused on managing intellectual property and negotiating partnerships and license…
This step-by-step guide is the “who, what, when, why, and how” for commercializing discoveries and innovations with the Polsky Center.
The Polsky Center manages the University of Chicago’s technology portfolio and can help you find new technologies to add to your product developent pipeline. Our team will work closely with you throug…
The Polsky…
After a decade working as a consu…
Melissa Harris, MBA ’16, is founder and CEO of M. Harris & Co., a Chicago-based marketing consultancy. She formerly was an accomplished journalist who spent 15+ years at the Chicago Tribune, the B…
Dan Sachs is the executive director of Polsky Deep Tech Ventures. In this role, he oversees all aspects of the University’s effort to apply Chicago Booth’s 25-year history of accelerating companies to…
Jamie Shah, MBA ’13, is an entrepreneur-in-residence at the Polsky Center and an assistant adjunct professor at Chicago Booth. She is managing director of her family’s business, Chem-Impex, and…
Michael Alter is a clinical professor of entrepreneurship at Chicago Booth. He was previously the executive chairman (and former interim CEO) of Vanco, the largest provider of electronic payment solut…
Michael Frankel, JD, MBA ’95, MA, AB ’90, is president and CFO of Trajectory Capital Acquisition Corporation NYSE (TCOA) and founder and managing partner of Trajectory Capital Partners. Mi…
Duane Jackson is the founder of Author Capital Partners, a private investment firm that provides long-term, flexible capital to founder- and family-led businesses with less than $20M in EBITDA. Duane…
Ozge Guney-Altay, PhD, is the director of Polsky Science Ventures. In this role, she is responsible for leading and managing the startup initiatives for science and technology at the University of Chi…
Shilpa Gadhok, MBA ’13, is passionate about building and re-energizing brands focused on changing the world for the better. In her present capacity as VP of Brand Marketing at HumanCo, Shilpa is…
Abigail Ingram is executive director of the Polsky Exchange, a 34,000-square-foot incubator space that leads the Polsky Center’s engagement with the South Side community through programs and initiativ…
The Polsky Center draws on the University of Chicago’s leading research in the sciences, robust national laboratory affiliations, and partnership with the top-ranked Booth School of Business to transl…
We have a dedicated team of scientists and operations professionals with deep technical expertise who are exclusively focused on managing intellectual property and negotiating partnerships and license…
Recycled Modern, an alumnus of the Polsky Cent…
Abigail Prescott serves as the Executive Director of Marketing & Communications for the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. In this role, she leads the Polsky Center’s internal and…
The Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation is pleased to announce that Abigail Prescott has joined the executive leadership team as executive director of marketing and communications. She…
Transform is a unique 16-week program that focuses on solving complex problems, in partnership with the University of Chicago Data Science Institute.
Transform, a data science and AI accelerator, is powered by Deep Tech Ventures at the University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation.
August 19, 2024: APPLICATIONS OPEN for Cohort 4 (Apply) September 18, 2024: Virtual Info Session (See Deck and Recording Here) October 8, 2024: Hybrid Info Session (Register) October 21, 2024: Applica…
Transform is a data science and AI accelerator powered by Deep Tech Ventures at the University of Chicago’s Polsky Center.
Transform is a data science and AI accelerator powered by Deep Tech Ventures at the University of Chicago’s Polsky Center.
The Polsky Center for Entrepr…
Private equity has become an increasingly popular investment vehicle as it outperforms other asset classes and ac…
Researchers at t…
The Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation last year launched several new initiatives – expanding access to its entrepreneurial training and programming, and setting records across the boa…
Jeff Osuji kne…
The $20M initiative will include a new venture fund and a series of sector-specific accelerators to provide startups with technical and market expertise. The Polsky Center is announcing Deep…
One of the nation’s first social venture competitions, the John Edwardson, ’72, Social New Venture Challenge (SNVC) has helped jump-start more than 150 companies and nonprofits since 2011. The SNVC is…
Transform is powered by Deep Tech Ventures at the University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation in partnership with UChicago’s Data Science Institute. This unique 16-week p…
Hear from and meet GrubHub & Fixer co-founder Mike Evans. Mike founded Grubhub in his spare bedroom and grew it into the multi-billion-dollar online food delivery colossus that is a household name…
Hear from Invenergy founder and CEO, Michael Polsky as he digs into the special challenges he faced as a trailblazer in the energy industry, and how cultivating an entrepreneurial mindset helped him f…
Transform launches at UChicago, a new accelerator for startup companies focused on the breakthrough technologies of data science and ar…
Is your goal to land a summer internship at a startup or are you pursuing your own business as a founder? Are you pursuing an internship in social impact or in venture capital? The Community Catalyst…
Join us for our Duality Accelerator info session where you will learn about our accelerator program, the application process for Cohort 3, and have the opportunity to meet with our Duality leaders…
“We suck at telling our story!” Ever said that to yourself? You have this great product, maybe you’re even securing a patent, but you’re either too technical, too in the weeds, or just say too muc…
The George Shultz…
TERT expression helps maintain the telomere caps at the ends of chromosomes. As cells differentiate, TERT is repressed and telomeres wi…
The George Shultz Innovation Fund provides up to $250,000 in co-investment funding for early-stage tech ventures. (Image: iStock)[/capt…
Join the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the University of Chicago for a Distinguished Entrepreneur Speaker Series Event featuring Apax Partners Founder and Greycroft Cofounder, A…
When Liz Abunaw, MBA’14, stepped off the No. 66 bus in Chicago’s Austi…
SPIN is open to any National Laboratory. We require one contact from the National Lab to serve as a program liaison to manage and facilitate the nomination and selection process. Each laboratory is re…
The South Side Business Development Internship Program creates an opportunity for College students at the University of Chicago to complete paid internships with Polsky Exchange community business mem…
Student Eligibility — All Full-Time College Students at the University of Chicago (students in UChicago graduate programs are not eligible) Preference Given to Students with experience in Web…
Key Dates & Deadlines — Spring Quarter Application Opens: January 20, 2025 Application deadline: February, 2 2025, 11:59 p.m. Student Interviews: Early February Final acceptances: Late Febr…
Mike LaVitola, MBA ’14, co-founder and CEO of Foxtrot contemporary corner stores, served as the Rattan L. Khosa SeedCon keynote speaker…
UChicago Professor J. Michael Millis designed a new device to remove surgical smoke from operating rooms (Image credit: iStock.com)[/ca…
The Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation is pleased to announce the 24 startups accepted into the 2023 Alumni New Venture Challenge (ANVC), a global competition dedicated to supporting a…
The George Shultz Innovation Fund (GSIF) co-invests up to $250k in seed funding for deep tech startups affiliated with the University of Chicago, Argonne National Laboratory, Fermilab, and the Marine…
Join the Polsky Center and Entrepreneur in-Residence Melissa Harris for this workshop where you’ll learn how to produce and publish content on social media and company websites. In this E2 workshop, w…
Throughout the afternoon, the CNVC finalists will present to a panel of judges comprised of investors, entrepreneurs, and industry experts. Prizes – which include at least $150,000 in cash prizes and…
memQ, a Chicago-based quantum memory startup, announced today a $2 million seed funding round. Funding came from the lead investor Quantonation, Exposition Ventures, and the George Shultz Innovation…
The tech transfer landscape is changing and operations teams are seeing new types of agreements, financial terms, royalty payments, equ…
The Polsky Center hosted the 22nd annual BPOC Private Equity Conference February 3, 2023, at the Chicago Marriott Downtown. Keynote spe…
Join us for our Duality Accelerator info session where you will learn about our accelerator program, the application process for Cohort 3, and have the opportunity to meet with our Duality leaders…
Duality is the first accelerator program in the U.S. exclusively focused on supporting innovative quantum startups. Led by the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the University of Ch…
Jimmie Williams, owner of…
The CNVC is open to returning undergraduate students from UChicago, as well as students in the entrepreneurship track of the City Schol…
The Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation is pleased to announce the 25 Phase II teams advancing in the 2023 Edward L. Kaplan, ’71, New Venture Challenge (NVC), the University of Chicago’…
From Chicago, Singapore, and London, 19 teams are advancing to Phase II of the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation’s 2023 Global New Venture Challenge (GNVC). The GNVC is the gl…
The winter Collaboratorium will connect innovators from UChicago Medicine, the Physical Science…
The Center will be the first dedicated to supporting professional services and tec…
Top Tier Lessons and quail.ai have each been awarded $35,000 in investment after presenting their business plans to a judging panel com…
This event is a great opportunity for Booth and Data Science students to connect with these startups and potentially serve as interns within the accelerator program. The event will showcase pitches fr…
For many students pursuing ent…
How did Grubhub grow from a startup to a $7 billion food delivery giant? How did Braintree get a jump on the mobile payment market? The founders of those and other successful companies delve into thei…
Produced by the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation and hosted by Brian O’Connor, MBA ’08, the ETA Insider Podcast series features all things related to entrepreneurship through ac…
Browse a complete collection of ETA Insider episodes from its inception in 2016. Click the episode titles below to listen, or search for “Entrepreneurship through Acquisition” on Spotify, Apple Podcas…
Ukrainian-born serial entrepreneur and energy visionary Michael Polsky, MBA ’87 r…
Curious about the Fab Lab? Got an idea and don’t know where to start with the design process? Learn about the Fab Lab’s hardware, software, and prototyping tools and why they are useful, as well as Fa…
Learn how to cut and engrave a variety of materials with our laser cutter to prototype packaging, enclosures, and more! This class will get you started using the laser cutter safely. Prerequisite: Pol…
Create intricate designs in adhesive-backed vinyl for custom graphics and branding on the Fab Lab’s vinyl cutter! This class introduces the software and basic operations of the machine. Prerequisite:…
A non-technical founder’s job is not to learn to code, but to successfully manage the technology production process and make sure it aligns with business goals. To do this, non-technical founders n…
Learn to use our Lulzbot Taz5 desktop 3D Printer to make your own plastic prototypes. This session will cover basic 3D design in TinkerCAD, and the printing process with Cura. Bring your laptop to des…
Join the Polsky Center for a fireside chat with Jeremie Bacon. Jeremie is a CEO and entrepreneur in the FinTech software and recreation industries and has worked in these industries for 20 years. He h…
Curious about the Fab Lab? Got an idea and don’t know where to start with the design process? Learn about the Fab Lab’s hardware, software, and prototyping tools and why they are useful, as well as Fa…
Build large prototypes on the Shopbot! This computer numerically controlled router can cut and engrave large sheets of plywood and plastic as well as precisely carve soft metal like aluminum and coppe…
Curious about the Fab Lab? Got an idea and don’t know where to start with the design process? Learn about the Fab Lab’s hardware, software, and prototyping tools and why they are useful, as well as Fa…
The initial Polsky Center Summer Accelerator launched in June 2012 to give student teams the opportunity to work intensively and solely on their businesses and social enterprises in a collaborative an…
Join the Polsky Center and IIR Tim Kelly for an exciting and rare look at real private equity deals that didn’t work as expected. Real stories and the valuable lessons they offer for anyone interested…
The first event in this series will include an overview of the different types of capital available to businesses: debt (loans), equity investment (venture capital or angel investment), revenue-based…
The Polsky Founders’ Fund Fellowship (PF3) is a resource available to graduating University of Chicago students who are committed to growing a company after graduation, and have a viable plan for grow…
Introducing the Polsky Exchange Breakfast Series Start your day right with coffee and treats at the Polsky Exchange. Members and prospective members are welcome to join us.
Join Trevor Lwin, MBA ’12 (Partner, Blue Frame Capital Partners) and Nathan Dey, MBA ’16 (Managing Partner, Northspring Partners) for part one of an ETA workshop on traditional search. This interactiv…
Learn to use our Lulzbot Mini desktop 3D Printer to make your own plastic prototypes. This session will cover basic 3D design in TinkerCAD, and the printing process with Cura. Bring your laptop to des…
Learn to carve 3D shapes out of materials like wood, plastic, and soft metals like aluminum. The X-Carve is also great for etching custom circuit boards. We’ll work with the easy-to-use Easel software…
Draw down your revolvers and batten down the hatches!” is the advice many savvy PE investors offer portfolio companies in a downturn. Savvy PE investors, however, also go looking for opportunities. In…
Speaker: Sterling Neely, Community Development Specialist II, CIBC Bank. CIBC Bank offers simplified products, transparent terms and a dedicated team so that you can spend more time on your business a…
Join the Polsky Center for an interactive workshop that provides an introduction on building out your beta. Are you stuck in the beta stage? Not sure what to do next? Well, join the Polsky Center and…
Curious about the Fab Lab? Got an idea and don’t know where to start with the design process? Learn about the Fab Lab’s hardware, software, and prototyping tools and why they are useful, as well as Fa…
Learn to safely use the Fab Lab’s wood shop support tools: the table saw, bandsaw, chop saw, spindle sander, and drill press. This session will cover the basics of using these tools to create prototyp…
Create intricate designs in adhesive-backed vinyl for custom graphics and branding on the Fab Lab’s vinyl cutter! This class introduces the software and basic operations of the machine. Prerequisite:…
Speaker: Landon W. Campbell, Chicago General Manager, Drive Capital. Drive Capital is a venture capital firm in Columbus that invests in world-class founders building the next generation of market-def…
Join the Polsky Center as we explore topics on operating and CXO within private equity and entrepreneurship through acquisition. The first lecture in the Driving Growth Speaker Series will feature Boo…
Curious about the Fab Lab? Got an idea and don’t know where to start with the design process? Learn about the Fab Lab’s hardware, software, and prototyping tools and why they are useful, as well as Fa…
Learn how to cut and engrave a variety of materials with our laser cutter to prototype packaging, enclosures, and more! This class will get you started using the laser cutter safely. Prerequisite: Pol…
Learn to use our Lulzbot Taz5 desktop 3D Printer to make your own plastic prototypes. This session will cover basic 3D design in TinkerCAD, and the printing process with Cura. Bring your laptop to des…
Speaker: Yi Wei, Senior Director, Capital Deployment Initiatives, Momentus Capital. Momentus Capital is a non-profit organization that builds inclusive and equitable communities by providing people ac…
Join us for a special edition, live episode of the ETA Insider Podcast featuring host Brian O’Connor, MBA ’08, in conversation with Brian Vanderheyden, MBA ’14, founder and CEO of Glass Lake Holdings.…
Curious about the Fab Lab? Got an idea and don’t know where to start with the design process? Learn about the Fab Lab’s hardware, software, and prototyping tools and why they are useful, as well as Fa…
Build large prototypes on the Shopbot! This computer numerically controlled router can cut and engrave large sheets of plywood and plastic as well as precisely carve soft metal like aluminum and coppe…
Speaker: Bernita Johnson Gabriel, Director, Strategic Relationships, CAST US – A Cleveland Avenue Fund. CAST US is a $70 million initiative that will bridge the capital and resource gap impacting Blac…
Learn to use our Lulzbot Mini desktop 3D Printer to make your own plastic prototypes. This session will cover basic 3D design in TinkerCAD, and the printing process with Cura. Bring your laptop to des…
Join the Polsky Center and IIR Dipa Mehta for a panel discussion on post-transaction management. She will be joined by recent Booth alumni panelists including : Patrick Harmon, B Capital Gr…
Curious about the Fab Lab? Got an idea and don’t know where to start with the design process? Learn about the Fab Lab’s hardware, software, and prototyping tools and why they are useful, as well as Fa…
Speaker: Marcus Yancey, Economic Development & Special Projects Officer, LISC. LISC Chicago provides technical assistance, capital, and contracting opportunities to small businesses across the cit…
Join Trevor Lwin, MBA ’12 (Partner, Blue Frame Capital Partners) and Nathan Dey, MBA ’16 (Managing Partner, Northspring Partners) for the second part of a two-part series on traditional search in ETA.…
Topics of discussion will include defining an MVP in the product life cycle, validating your product market fit, and creating user personas. About the Speaker Brigitte Anderson, Principal, is a profes…
Join the Polsky Center and Investor in-Residence Kim Vender Moffat for an engaging panel discussion on impact investing. Kim will be joined by three experienced investors – Jason Rosenberg (Avathon Ca…
Curious about the Fab Lab? Got an idea and don’t know where to start with the design process? Learn about the Fab Lab’s hardware, software, and prototyping tools and why they are useful, as well as Fa…
Learn to carve 3D shapes out of materials like wood, plastic, and soft metals like aluminum. The X-Carve is also great for etching custom circuit boards. We’ll work with the easy-to-use Easel software…
Speaker: Ronald Milsap, Director, BMO Harris Bank. BMO is the 8th largest bank in North America by assets. They provide personal and commercial banking, global markets, and investment banking services…
Curious about the Fab Lab? Got an idea and don’t know where to start with the design process? Learn about the Fab Lab’s hardware, software, and prototyping tools and why they are useful, as well as Fa…
Learn to safely use the Fab Lab’s wood shop support tools: the table saw, bandsaw, chop saw, spindle sander, and drill press. This session will cover the basics of using these tools to create prototyp…
Speaker: Savannah Boren, Senior Business Consultant, JPMorgan Chase – Minority Entrepreneur Initiative. JP Morgan Chase’s Minority Entreprenur Initiative supports business owners in growing their busi…
Speaker: John C Thrasher, VP of Relationship Manager Minority Business Development, PNC Bank. PNC Bank offers a wide range of personal banking services including checking and savings accounts, credit…
The George Shultz Innovation Fund (GSIF) Finals will feature four startup teams who have been selected as finalists for potential investment from the George Shultz Innovation Fund (GSIF). Each team wi…
The PF3 is a resource available to graduating University of Chicago students who are committed to growing a company after graduation. The goal of the program is to provide entrepreneurs with funding t…
SBDC Day, held this year on March 15, is an annual celebra…
The Physical Products Incubator is a six-week long program designed to help inventors and innovators go from idea to prototype. Instructional sessions are held in-person at the Polsky Exchange North,…
It was a dare that brought Javon Nicholas, founder and president of Egg Rolls Etc.™…
Agenda — 8:00 – 8:20 a.m. Welcome Remarks and Judge Intros Gorana Kolar, Senior Associate Director, Polsky Center Erika Mercer, Executive Director of Booth Entrepreneurship, Polsky Center 8…
This workshop will provide entrepreneurs real time strategies on how to successfully engage with your customers. The following topics will be covered: Why is having a customer service strategy importa…
The first event in this series will include an overview of the different types of capital available to businesses: debt (loans), equity investment (venture capital or angel investment), revenue-based…
Speaker: John Bodnar, Small Business Community Lender, Community Reinvestment Fund, USA. CRF is a leading Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI). CRF supports mission-driven organizations,…
Entrepreneurs who have been operating their businesses, as well as those with brand new ideas and ventures, are welcome to join licensed attorneys to establish their legal Illinois entities. Attorneys…
The accelerator kicked off with a networking event that brought together the three startups with students interested in learning more.[…
With three young children and a full-time job as a technology…
The new director of Duality, Ezunial “Eze” Burts III, brings two decades of industry experience to the role – and is excited to be fully immersed in the Chicago ecosystem again. Born and raised in Lo…
Learn how to navigate networks to support your primary needs as a founder: funding, talent, customer acquisition, mentorship and knowledge share. This talk is based on the in-program talk we give at o…
In 2018, Chicago Booth alumnus, Rattan L. Khosa, MBA ’79, established the Rattan L. Khosa Student Entrepreneurs Program structured to directly support Chicago Booth student entrepreneurs. Rattan has…
Serial entrepreneur Jeremie Bacon will be holding student advising sessions for any students interested in entrepreneurship. Please sign up for a 25 minute slot to meet with Jeremie. These sessions wi…
Jan Lach serves as a Data Manager for the University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. In this role, Jan leads data governance, systems optimization and special projects…
Speaker: Jason Swan, Assistant Vice President & Relationship Manager, Hyde Park Bank/Beverly Bank (Wintrust). Beverly Bank & Trust provides Illinois with the resources of a big bank while main…
Covira discovers and develops novel therapeutics for modulating the gut microbiome to prevent diseases. (Image: istock/ClaudioVentrella)[…
The Illinois Small Business Development (SBDC) Center at the Polsky Exchange offers no-cost, one-on-one confidential business advice to pre-venture entrepreneurs and existing business owners s…
Transform is powered by Deep Tech Ventures at the University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation in partnership with UChicago’s Data Science Institute. This unique 16-week p…
Onchilles Pharma is developing a pipeline of first-in-class biologic and small molecule drug candidates that have the potential to be b…
The George Shultz Innovation Fund Finals will feature the startups that are finalists for investment from the Fund. The morning program…
It is estimated that only 16.2% o…
Transform is powered by Deep Tech Ventures at the University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation in partnership with UChicago’s Data Science Institute. This unique 16-week p…
Transform is powered by Deep Tech Ventures at the University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation in partnership with UChicago’s Data Science Institute. This unique 16-week p…
The eight Alumni New Venture Challenge finalists will be pitching for $100,000 in investment on May 11 via livestream, with the winners a…
The Polsky Center and the Rustandy Center are thrilled to welcome students, faculty, and staff to our newly renovated space – perfect for ideation and collaboration! Enjoy afternoon refreshments, visi…
Speaker: Song Chae, Regional Development Manager, Founders First Capital Partners. Founders First Capital Partners provides revenue-based funding, term loans and advisory services to service-based sma…
Sarah Harris is the Senior Assistant Director, Operations at the University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. Part of the Education and Programming team at the Polsky Cen…
A startup in the inaugural cohort of Transfo…
A startup in the inaugural cohort of Transform, a data science and AI accelerator, Drip is working to solve chronic dehydration in athletes with its unique sweat-sensing wearable device. “Taking leap…
A startup in the inaugural cohort of Transform, a data science and AI accelerator, Notoros is working to solve blockchain technology security issues. “We are aiming for a world in which we can better…
The Deep Tech Ventures Showcase will feature cutting-edge technologies coming out of the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. More details on the event and full agenda are available here…
Agenda — 9:00 – 9:30 a.m.: Registration 9:30 – 9:45 a.m.: Welcome & Opening Remarks Samir Mayekar, Associate Vice President and Managing Director, Polsky Center for Entrepreneu…
In collaboration with 37 Oaks, E-Commerce Learning Lab is for businesses seeking to add or increase e-commerce capabilities as a strategy for growth.
5/5/23: E-Commerce Learning Lab Info Session 5/8/23: E-Commerce Learning Lab Application Deadline 5/23 – 4/24: Programming with Polsky & 37 Oaks
If you have additional questions about E-Commerce Learning Lab, please contact Abigail Ingram, Executive Director of the Polsky Exchange, at aingram@uchicago.edu
The Private Equity Alumni/Student Coaching Program matches Chicago Booth MBA students pursuing careers in private equity with members of the Polsky Center Private Equity Council and Chicago Booth alum…
The E-Commerce Learning Lab will launch in May 2023 to help entrepreneurs add e-commerce capabilities to their businesses. Business owners are invited to attend this information session to learn more…
This program is for small businesses seeking to add or increase e-commerce capabilities as a strategy for growth. Funded by GET Cities and Verizon, the E-Commerce Learning Lab involves diverse-owned,…
The quantum games research group is an interdisciplinary team playing and analyzing existing games as well as inventing, prototyping, a…
The UChicago Private Markets Program is a one-week immersive academic and career-oriented program to educate students in the Private Markets through theory, cases, and modeling workshops, and position…
The UChicago Private Markets Program is a one-week immersive academic and career-oriented program to educate students in the Private Markets through theory, cases, and modeling workshops, and position…
The UChicago Private Markets Program is a one-week immersive academic and career-oriented program to educate students in the Private Markets through theory, cases, and modeling workshops, and position…
Three years ago, Watchen Nyanue, MBA ’22 had a dream job as the senior vice president of…
Institutions that understand how to collect, store, and share data while adhering to ethical and legal guidelines will have an advantage across many facets of healthcare delivery. Collecting and shari…
Four startups received investment at the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation’s 2023 Alumni New Venture Challenge (ANVC). The ANVC, which launched in 2019, is the alumni track of the New…
Michael Batalia currenty serves as senior director, business development and licensing. Michael leads a Business Development team that negotiates and manages intellectual property (IP) licenses and op…
This workshop will introduce entrepreneurs to certifications that can help secure contracts, focusing on the available certifications in the state of Illinois. Speaker Bruce Montgomery is an active co…
University of Chicago researchers are advancing innovations in every discipline – leading the development of cutting-edge technologies and conducting field-defining research for the betterment of hum…
The Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship…
Curious about the Fab Lab? Got an idea and don’t know where to start with the design process? Learn about the Fab Lab’s hardware, software, and prototyping tools and why they are useful, as well as Fa…
Adobe Illustrator is a powerful, flexible program for making 2D vector graphics. Learn the basics to create designs you can cut with the Fab Lab’s vinyl cutter, laser cutter, and computer numerically…
Create intricate designs in adhesive-backed vinyl for custom graphics and branding on the Fab Lab’s vinyl cutter! This class introduces the software and basic operations of the machine. Prerequisite:…
Curious about the Fab Lab? Got an idea and don’t know where to start with the design process? Learn about the Fab Lab’s hardware, software, and prototyping tools and why they are useful, as well as Fa…
Learn how to cut and engrave a variety of materials with our laser cutter to prototype packaging, enclosures, and more! This class will get you started using the laser cutter safely. Prerequisite: Pol…
Curious about the Fab Lab? Got an idea and don’t know where to start with the design process? Learn about the Fab Lab’s hardware, software, and prototyping tools and why they are useful, as well as Fa…
Learn to use our Lulzbot Mini desktop 3D Printer to make your own plastic prototypes. This session will cover basic 3D design in TinkerCAD, and the printing process with Cura. Bring your laptop to des…
Learn to carve 3D shapes out of materials like wood, plastic, and soft metals like aluminum. The X-Carve is also great for etching custom circuit boards. We’ll work with the easy-to-use Easel software…
Build large prototypes on the Shopbot! This computer numerically controlled router can cut and engrave large sheets of plywood and plastic as well as precisely carve soft metal like aluminum and coppe…
Curious about the Fab Lab? Got an idea and don’t know where to start with the design process? Learn about the Fab Lab’s hardware, software, and prototyping tools and why they are useful, as well as Fa…
Curious about the Fab Lab? Got an idea and don’t know where to start with the design process? Learn about the Fab Lab’s hardware, software, and prototyping tools and why they are useful, as well as Fa…
Learn to safely use the Fab Lab’s wood shop support tools: the table saw, bandsaw, chop saw, spindle sander, and drill press. This session will cover the basics of using these tools to create prototyp…
Learn to use our Lulzbot Taz5 desktop 3D Printer to make your own plastic prototypes. This session will cover basic 3D design in TinkerCAD, and the printing process with Cura. Bring your laptop to des…
Curious about the Fab Lab? Got an idea and don’t know where to start with the design process? Learn about the Fab Lab’s hardware, software, and prototyping tools and why they are useful, as well as Fa…
Adobe Illustrator is a powerful, flexible program for making 2D vector graphics. Learn the basics to create designs you can cut with the Fab Lab’s vinyl cutter, laser cutter, and computer numerically…
Create intricate designs in adhesive-backed vinyl for custom graphics and branding on the Fab Lab’s vinyl cutter! This class introduces the software and basic operations of the machine. Prerequisite:…
Curious about the Fab Lab? Got an idea and don’t know where to start with the design process? Learn about the Fab Lab’s hardware, software, and prototyping tools and why they are useful, as well as…
Learn how to cut and engrave a variety of materials with our laser cutter to prototype packaging, enclosures, and more! This class will get you started using the laser cutter safely. Prerequisite: Pol…
Curious about the Fab Lab? Got an idea and don’t know where to start with the design process? Learn about the Fab Lab’s hardware, software, and prototyping tools and why they are useful, as well as Fa…
Learn to use our Lulzbot Mini desktop 3D Printer to make your own plastic prototypes. This session will cover basic 3D design in TinkerCAD, and the printing process with Cura. Bring your laptop to des…
Learn to carve 3D shapes out of materials like wood, plastic, and soft metals like aluminum. The X-Carve is also great for etching custom circuit boards. We’ll work with the easy-to-use Easel software…
Build large prototypes on the Shopbot! This computer numerically controlled router can cut and engrave large sheets of plywood and plastic as well as precisely carve soft metal like aluminum and coppe…
Curious about the Fab Lab? Got an idea and don’t know where to start with the design process? Learn about the Fab Lab’s hardware, software, and prototyping tools and why they are useful, as well as Fa…
Curious about the Fab Lab? Got an idea and don’t know where to start with the design process? Learn about the Fab Lab’s hardware, software, and prototyping tools and why they are useful, as well as Fa…
Learn to safely use the Fab Lab’s wood shop support tools: the table saw, bandsaw, chop saw, spindle sander, and drill press. This session will cover the basics of using these tools to create prototyp…
Learn to use our Lulzbot Taz5 desktop 3D Printer to make your own plastic prototypes. This session will cover basic 3D design in TinkerCAD, and the printing process with Cura. Bring your laptop to des…
Supported with funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF) and run by the Polsky Center, the I-Corps program is specifically designed for participants working on projects related to the STEM (s…
This event will showcase teams participating in the University of Chicago’s Build and Launch Accelerators. The Polsky Build and Launch Accelerators give student teams the opportunity to work intensive…
The Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation & the Harry L. Davis Center for Leadership at the University of Chicago present the Polsky Founders’ Circles, a virtual place where early-stag…
Veronica Haywood-Ragland, DPT, PT, PhD, serves as a manager, intellectual property and technology development, at the University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. She man…
On May 20, MBA teams…
Fei Li, Ph.D., serves as a senior manager in venture partnership at the University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. Fei supports science faculty with startup formation a…
The 16…
The Polsky Exchange is a 34,000-square-foot startup incubator featuring work and meeting spaces, a Fabrication Lab for prototyping phys…
Vote for your favorite here! Voting opens at 3:10pm CDT.
Alnair Therapeutics wins $585,000 at the 27th Annual Edward L. Kaplan, ’71, New Venture Challenge on Thursday, June 1, 2023. (Photo by…
Traditional // OrisDX ($665,000) BlackCurrant ($352,000) Canopy Aerospace ($172,500) Block Rank ($165,000) Earthi ($150,000) Flights ($90,000) Softmed Technologies LLP ($35,000) TrueToForm ($35,000) M…
Traditional // Alnair ($585,000) reOrbital ($280,000) EverLeather ($315,000) Marview ($85,000) Flashforward ($15,000) inclusive+ ($35,000) Kadia Health ($10,000) WattShift ($10,000) Zaars ($10,000) Z…
A suite of programs and resources designed to provide graduating students and alumni access to the education, capital, and mentorship necessary to acquire and grow small businesses.
A suite of programs and resources designed to provide graduating students and alumni access to the education, capital, and mentorship necessary to acquire and grow small businesses.
The Polsky Center for Entrep…
The Resurgence cleantech accelerator is a 9-month hybrid program designed to support ventures in the cleantech industry.
The Resurgence cleantech accelerator is a 9-month hybrid program designed to support ventures in the cleantech industry.
The Resurgence cleantech accelerator is a 9-month hybrid program designed to support ventures in the cleantech industry.
The Resurgence cleantech accelerator is a 9-month hybrid program designed to support ventures in the cleantech industry.
The Resurgence cleantech accelerator is a 9-month hybrid program designed to support ventures in the cleantech industry.
The Resurgence cleantech accelerator is a 9-month hybrid program designed to support ventures in the cleantech industry.
Flow Medical founders Jonathan Paul, MD, (image left), director of the pulmonary embolism response team at UChicago Medicine, and Osman…
The Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation recently…
“Some people talk about…
The Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation is pleased to announce the 18 startups selected to participate in the 2023 Polsky Accelerator, a competitive 10-week summer program open to all U…
It was for an assignment at Chicago Booth that Roopa Gandhi, MBA ’96, first…
The University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation is pleased to announce the launch of Resurgence, a new cleantech accelerator powered by Deep Tech Ventures. Polsky…
Amelia Salter is the Director, Corporate Advisory & Sponsorships for Polsky Deep Tech Ventures. In this role, she is responsible for engaging with corporate and philanthropic partners in support o…
The Resurgence cleantech accelerator is powered by Deep Tech Ventures at the University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. Startups will gain access to business training a…
Alnair cofounder and CBO, Ryan Meyers, explains some of the science behind Alnair’s innovations at the 2023 Edward L. Kaplan New Ventur…
(Image: Duncan McGillivary, Andrew Lee, Tanvi Mago, and Greg Caraway at the celebration luncheon. Maya Shaposhnik joined the luncheon via…
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The Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation is pleased to announce the eight recipient…
The Resurgence cleantech accelerator is powered by Deep Tech Ventures at the University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. Startups will gain access to business training a…
The Chicago-based Duality quantum accelerator has accepted its latest cohort of four startups, which are developing solutions for a secure quantum internet, enabling the manufacture of products in mi…
The Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the University of Chicago applies world-class expertise from Chicago Booth to…
The Resurgence cleantech accelerator is powered by Deep Tech Ventures at the University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. Startups will gain access to business training a…
Curious about making a physical product but don’t know where to start? Want to take the first steps to make your idea real? Join the Polsky Exchange’s Physical Product Incubator for twelve weeks of in…
Kylie Gilmore serves as the Senior Assistant Director, ETA Program at the University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. Kylie manages a portfolio of programs under the Svi…
The L3 Agency is a full-service integrated influencer marketing and communications consulting firm focused on creating authentic engage…
Managed by the Polsky Center, the George Shultz Innovation Fund provides up to $250,000 in co-investment funding for early-stage science-based ventures coming out of the University of Chicago, Argonne…
Join us for a frozen treats social at the Polsky Exchange where both existing members and potential ones are warmly invited. Our gracious host for this event will be Larvetta Loftin, the visionary beh…
Graduate students, post-doctoral scholars, researchers, and faculty conducting scientific research and study at UChicago, Argonne, Fermilab, and Marine Biological Laboratory are encouraged to apply fo…
Blackcurrant is a B2B marketplace to buy and sell hydrogen and obtain market and other data for hydrogen products. Blackcurrant applies…
A new robotic platfo…
Celdara Medical partners with inventors and their institutions, providing the developmental, financial, and business acumen required to…
The Polsky Exchange is a 34,000-square-foot startup incubator featuring work and meeting spaces with a calendar of programming and work…
The ETA Group at Chicago Booth, the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, and the Kellogg Innovation & Entrepreneurship Initiative are delighted to host the 10th Annual Booth-Kellog…
The Polsky Center seeks highly motivated UChicago graduate students looking to apply to be a small business growth consultant. Candidates will possess: // Interest in business management, entrepreneur…
The Polsky Center seeks highly motivated Chicago Booth students looking to gain experience in business finance consulting by helping clients grow profitable businesses and manage their finances. Quali…
The Visiting Entrepreneurship through Acquisition (ETA) Advisors provides additional mentorship and coaching support to Chicago Booth students who are interested in learning more about ETA as a career…
The ETA Visiting Advisors provides additional mentorship and coaching support to Chicago Booth students who are interested in learning more about ETA as a career path.
The Visiting Entrepreneurship through Acquisition (ETA) Advisors provides additional mentorship and coaching support to Chicago Booth students and alumni who are interested in learning more about ETA…
The Entrepreneurship through Acquisition (ETA) Discovery Cohort provides curated opportunities for students at Chicago Booth to explore ETA. This program is open to Chicago Booth MBA students, Master…
The Entrepreneurship through Acquisition (ETA) Discovery Cohort provides curated opportunities for Chicago Booth students in the MBA Full-Time and Part-Time programs, EMBA program, Master in Managemen…
The Entrepreneurship through Acquisition (ETA) Discovery Cohort provides curated opportunities for Chicago Booth students in the MBA Full-Time and Part-Time programs, EMBA program, Master in Managemen…
The Entrepreneurship through Acquisition (ETA) Discovery Cohort provides curated opportunities for Chicago Booth students in the MBA Full-Time and Part-Time programs, EMBA program, Master in Managemen…
Darwin Minnis serves as the senior associate director of media relations and external communications at the University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. In this role he i…
Anthos Training Clubs Team featuring co-founders Clifton Hempstead (far left) and Shaka Mitchel (far right). Photo courtesy of Anthos T…
The Polsky I-Corps program helps scientists, researchers, and students test the commercial potential of their research and ideas. Supported with funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF) thr…
About Rattan Khosa, MBA ’79 Founder, President, and CEO of AMSYSCO Inc. Rattan Khosa, MBA ’79, started AMSYSCO in 1981 out of the basement of his home that he shared with his wife and young son,…
An open house event to meet and greet new and returning students and inform them about all of the great programming happening at the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation and the Rustand…
The Collaboratorium provides the opportunity for scientists and researchers who want to explore commercialization opportunities to showcase their work and network with students and alumni who may be i…
Introducing the Polsky Exchange Breakfast Series. Start your day right with headshots, coffee, and treats at the Polsky Exchange. Members and prospective members are welcome to join us. If you would l…
Join Polsky Entrepreneur-in-Residence, Alex Hodgkin, MBA ’14 for a general information session on Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition (ETA). Learn about the ETA programming at Chicago Booth and caree…
Join the Polsky Center for networking and pizza in advance of the CNVC Kickoff event, which will follow directly afterwards. Students will have the opportunity to talk with other students interested i…
Join us for a kickoff event for the College New Venture Challenge, UChicago’s flagship entrepreneurship program. Students interested in jump-starting their entrepreneurship journey at UChicago are enc…
Chicago Booth Adjunct Professor of Entrepreneurship and Polsky Center Investor-in-Residence (IIR), Chris McGowan, will present on and discuss the changing PE landscape and the necessary skills for car…
Join us for the E-Commerce Learning Lab Showcase! Interact with locally made products and the entrepreneurs who make them, and order direct to homes or businesses for gifting or personal use. No regis…
The Tech Enablement series, powered by GET Cities, provides an eight workshop overview of how adoption of tech products and services increases market reach and automates operational tasks. Busines…
University of Chicago researchers are advancing innovations in every discipline – leading the development of cutting-edge technologies and conducting field-defining research for the betterment of hum…
Following the success of its first cohort, Transform expands to seven early-stage companies utilizing advances in data science and AI.[…
An early-stage healthcare investor, founder, and oper…
Curious about the Fab Lab? Got an idea and don’t know where to start with the design process? Learn about the Fab Lab’s hardware, software, and prototyping tools and why they are useful, as well as Fa…
Learn to safely use the Fab Lab’s wood shop support tools: the table saw, bandsaw, chop saw, spindle sander, and drill press. This session will cover the basics of using these tools to create prototyp…
Learn how to cut and engrave a variety of materials with our laser cutter to prototype packaging, enclosures, and more! This class will get you started using the laser cutter safely. Prerequisite: Pol…
Curious about the Fab Lab? Got an idea and don’t know where to start with the design process? Learn about the Fab Lab’s hardware, software, and prototyping tools and why they are useful, as well as Fa…
Create intricate designs in adhesive-backed vinyl for custom graphics and branding on the Fab Lab’s vinyl cutter! This class introduces the software and basic operations of the machine. Prerequisite:…
Build large prototypes on the Shopbot! This computer numerically controlled router can cut and engrave large sheets of plywood and plastic as well as precisely carve soft metal like aluminum and coppe…
Curious about the Fab Lab? Got an idea and don’t know where to start with the design process? Learn about the Fab Lab’s hardware, software, and prototyping tools and why they are useful, as well as Fa…
The Tech Enablement series, powered by GET Cities, provides an eight workshop overview of how tech adoption increases market reach and automates operational tasks. Business owners who attend at least…
The Tech Enablement series, powered by GET Cities, provides an eight workshop overview of how tech adoption increases market reach and automates operational tasks. Business owners who attend at least…
The Tech Enablement series, powered by GET Cities, provides an eight workshop overview of how tech adoption increases market reach and automates operational tasks. Business owners who attend at least…
The Tech Enablement series, powered by GET Cities, provides an eight workshop overview of how tech adoption increases market reach and automates operational tasks. Business owners who attend at least…
The Private Equity and Venture Capital (PE/VC) Lab was created for Chicago Booth students to learn firsthand about the private equity and venture capital industries. Through the combination of an inte…
Learn to use our Lulzbot Taz5 desktop 3D Printer to make your own plastic prototypes. This session will cover basic 3D design in TinkerCAD, and the printing process with Cura. Bring your laptop to des…
No experience required! Get an introduction into computer-aided design (software) through a few guided exercises. The course will be taught using OnShape (free accounts available), and attendees are e…
Curious about the Fab Lab? Got an idea and don’t know where to start with the design process? Learn about the Fab Lab’s hardware, software, and prototyping tools and why they are useful, as well as Fa…
Learn to safely use the Fab Lab’s wood shop support tools: the table saw, bandsaw, chop saw, spindle sander, and drill press. This session will cover the basics of using these tools to create prototyp…
Session 2 of 2. No experience required! Get an introduction into computer-aided design (software) through a few guided exercises. The course will be taught using OnShape (free with a .edu address), an…
The Private Equity Case Challenge (PECC) is a case competition that enables teams from Chicago Booth to assess the potential for a leveraged buyout of a publicly-listed company. The Challenge includes…
Adobe Illustrator is a powerful, flexible program for making 2D vector graphics. Learn the basics to create designs you can cut with the Fab Lab’s vinyl cutter, laser cutter, and computer numerically…
Create intricate designs in adhesive-backed vinyl for custom graphics and branding on the Fab Lab’s vinyl cutter! This class introduces the software and basic operations of the machine. Prerequisite:…
Curious about the Fab Lab? Got an idea and don’t know where to start with the design process? Learn about the Fab Lab’s hardware, software, and prototyping tools and why they are useful, as well as Fa…
This is the student application for the Winter Quarter of the Southside Development Internship program. We will accept 15 students for winter internships.
Learn to create your own files for 3D printing with Tinkercad, a simple browser-based 3D design program. Participants will need to make a free Autodesk account at www.tinkercad.com. No experience nece…
Learn to use our Lulzbot Taz5 desktop 3D Printer to make your own plastic prototypes. This session will cover basic 3D design in TinkerCAD, and the printing process with Cura. Bring your laptop to des…
Learn to carve 3D shapes out of materials like wood, plastic, and soft metals like aluminum. The X-Carve is also great for etching custom circuit boards. We’ll work with the easy-to-use Easel software…
Curious about the Fab Lab? Got an idea and don’t know where to start with the design process? Learn about the Fab Lab’s hardware, software, and prototyping tools and why they are useful, as well as Fa…
Build large prototypes on the Shopbot! This computer numerically controlled router can cut and engrave large sheets of plywood and plastic as well as precisely carve soft metal like aluminum and coppe…
Curious about the Fab Lab? Got an idea and don’t know where to start with the design process? Learn about the Fab Lab’s hardware, software, and prototyping tools and why they are useful, as well as Fa…
The Chicago Booth Venture Capital Investment Competition (VCIC) is a VC simulation that allows students to think and act as venture capitalists and helps the school identify top student representative…
Learn how to cut and engrave a variety of materials with our laser cutter to prototype packaging, enclosures, and more! This class will get you started using the laser cutter safely. Prerequisite: Pol…
Curious about the Fab Lab? Got an idea and don’t know where to start with the design process? Learn about the Fab Lab’s hardware, software, and prototyping tools and why they are useful, as well as Fa…
Learn to safely use the Fab Lab’s wood shop support tools: the table saw, bandsaw, chop saw, spindle sander, and drill press. This session will cover the basics of using these tools to create prototyp…
The Private Equity Case Challenge (PECC) is a case competition that enables teams from Chicago Booth to assess the potential for a leveraged buyout of a publicly-listed company. The Challenge includes…
The Private Equity and Venture Capital (PE/VC) Lab was created for Chicago Booth students to learn firsthand about the private equity and venture capital industries. Through the combination of an inte…
The Tech Enablement series, powered by GET Cities, provides an eight workshop overview of how tech adoption increases market reach and automates operational tasks. Business owners who attend at least…
The Tech Enablement series, powered by GET Cities, provides an eight workshop overview of how tech adoption increases market reach and automates operational tasks. Business owners who attend at least…
The Tech Enablement series, powered by GET Cities, provides an eight workshop overview of how tech adoption increases market reach and automates operational tasks. Business owners who attend at least…
Starting a business is like starting on a blank canvas. Without a solid business model, your business idea can easily become a business flop. Mapping out your business allows you to test out key assum…
The Innovation Fund Associates program is a venture capital apprenticeship during which teams of students from a variety of academic programs perform due diligence on startups applying for the George…
The Customer Discovery Bootcamp is intended for early-stage ventures to explore their problem-solution fit by engaging directly with potential customers and industry stakeholders. Over five weeks, tea…
The Chicago Booth Venture Capital Investment Competition (VCIC) is a VC simulation that allows students to think and act as venture capitalists and helps the school identify top student representative…
Virtual info session for Transform’s cohort 3 application cycle. — Transform is powered by Deep Tech Ventures at the University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation in part…
During the 2023-24 year, early stage Booth founders will have the opportunity to convene monthly as a group with Entrepreneur in-Residence Mia Saini Duchnowski. These monthly meetups will help founder…
The Alumni New Venture Challenge (ANVC) is the track of the Edward L. Kaplan, ’71, New Venture Challenge supporting all University of Chicago alumni who are in the process of launching early-stage ven…
The Alumni New Venture Challenge (ANVC) is the track of the Edward L. Kaplan, ’71, New Venture Challenge supporting all University of Chicago alumni who are in the process of launching early-stage ven…
Undergraduate students looking to apply for the College New Venture Challenge (CNVC) are encouraged to attend this workshop to ask any questions you may have about the application. During the workshop…
The Sterling Partners Investment Thesis Challenge (SPITC) encourages students to form teams to conceive and propose an original investment thesis they wish to work on. Selected teams work with mentors…
If you’re considering participating in the 28th annual Edward L. Kaplan, ’71, New Venture Challenge or the 14th annual John Edwardson, ’72, Social New Venture Challenge, join us for this in-person kic…
Join the Polsky Center and Entrepreneur in-Residence Melissa Harris for a workshop on public speaking. In this workshop, you will learn how to captivate your audience and clearly communicate your idea…
If you’re considering participating in the 28th annual Edward L. Kaplan, ’71, New Venture Challenge or the 14th annual John Edwardson, ’72, Social New Venture Challenge, join us for this in-person kic…
Join the Polsky Center for a workshop on Finding a Co-Founder and Understanding Equity Splits, led by Entrepreneur in-Residence Mia Saini Duchnowski. This workshop will provide key strategies and insi…
Applications are due for the College New Venture Challenge by Tuesday, November 7th at 11:59pm CST.
Sign up here for a 30 minute slot. Booth alum Jordan Tepper, MBA ’13, will be holding virtual office hours over Zoom and can help answer your questions related to entrepreneurship. Jorda…
Join us for an application preparation workshop and Quick Pitch event for the ANVC!
Join Polsky Center Entrepreneur in Residence CJ Przybyl for a workshop on hiring the right people and establishing a strong team culture. Geared towards entrepreneurs and startup founders who are look…
The Polsky Small Business Financial Fundamentals begins with a nine week intensive program occurring January – March 2024 for South or West side businesses to receive tailored technical assistance and…
Join the Polsky Center for a workshop led by Jamie Shah, Polsky EIR and Adjunct Assistant Professor of Entrepreneurship, and Mark Agnew, Adjunct Associate Professor of Entrepreneurship, for a workshop…
Join the Polsky Center and facilitator Emily Underwood for a workshop that explores options and the process of incorporation for startups. This workshop will cover: • The types of business entities, a…
Virtual info session for Transform’s cohort 3 application cycle. — Transform is powered by Deep Tech Ventures at the University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation in part…
Virtual info session for Transform’s cohort 3 application cycle. — Transform is powered by Deep Tech Ventures at the University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation in partn…
The Polsky Small Business Growth Program is a nine-month program that supports small business owners to help them grow and scale their businesses through consulting work completed by top University of…
The Private Equity Case Challenge (PECC) is a case competition that enables teams to assess the potential for a leveraged buyout of a publicly-listed company. The winning team of the PECC will advance…
This lecture focused on CXO will feature Booth alum Jack Fitzgibbons MBA ’15, Jack is the Chief Executive Officer of Assembly Health, a technology enabled services provider to thousands of nursing hom…
The George Shultz Innovation Fund Finals will feature startup teams who have been selected as finalists for potential investment from the George Shultz Innovation Fund. Each team will pitch to the Inn…
Join us for the Small Business Showcase! Interact with locally made products and the entrepreneurs who make them, and order direct to homes or businesses for gifting or personal use. There’s going to…
Join us for the E-Commerce Learning Lab Showcase! Interact with locally made products and the entrepreneurs who make them, and order direct to homes or businesses for gifting or personal use. There’s…
Barbara Agyapong serves as the Program Manager at Polsky Exchange. She manages community-facing programs and completes research on program effectiveness. She is responsible for planning, directing, co…
Connecting researchers with business expertise, the Fall 2023 Collaboratorium will feature teams participating in the Polsky I-Corps program in addition to startups from the Transform and Duality acc…
Check out our listing of ventures looking to recruit talented teammates. This tool is open to ALL startups, ventures, and ideas, including non-profits and social impact ideas. There is no stage or pro…
Illinois is a to…
Amazing Edibles Catering specializes in transforming any event into something amazing. Pictured here steak frites: grilled steak cooked…
Schedule time to meet with a Polsky Center staff member for support or advice.
Sean Harper, AB ’03, MBA ’09, knew his passion from an early age. “Going back to high scho…
*This event has reached full capacity and is no longer accepting new registrations.* Is Illinois emerging as the next clean energy hub? The clean energy transition in the U.S. has presented a…
Vince Beachum is Senior Program Manager and Illinois Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Director at Polsky Exchange. In this role, Vince is responsible for setting the strategic direction for th…
A follow-on to the September 28 Collaboratorium event, this event provides the opportunity for technical founders participating in the Polsky Center’s new cleantech accelerator, Resurgence, to showcas…
Is your goal to land a summer internship at a startup or are you pursuing your own business as a founder? Are you pursuing an internship in social impact or in venture capital? The Community Catalyst…
Launched in 2019, the Alumni New Venture Challenge (ANVC) is the newest track of the New Venture Challenge – the top-ranked university accelerator that has been helping seed businesses for 27 years.…
The University of Chicago Innovation Fund Associates (IFA) are an interdisciplinary group of students and post-docs who aid the George Shultz Innovation Fund in its Spring investment cycle. Associates…
The University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation in partnership with the Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering (PME) are pleased to announce the launch of Resurgence,…
Narayan Subramanian currently serves as senior manager, Intellectual Property and Technology Development at the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the University of Chicago. In this…
The Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation recently welcomed Vince Beachum as senior program manager and director of the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at the Polsky Exchange. […
A showcase of select IP and research capabilities at the University of Chicago, Argonne National Laboratory, and Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory. View event booklet >> This technology sho…
Join Polsky Investor in-Residence Tim Kelly for an interactive workshop on building effective slide decks. Tim will cover ways to build a presentation that communicates your ideas and inspires your au…
Join the Polsky Center’s Investor in-Residence Tim Kelly for a workshop that explores the private equity industry. Students interested in a career in private equity often think “Venture versus Buyout/…
Sebastian Vrouwe and Ronak Patel with the new device, which is simple, portable, sterile, and can be used with readily accessible mater…
University of Chicago spinout Clarix Imaging has received $10 million in funding from kineo finance, a Swiss-headquartered investment firm, to advance its novel imaging-based solution for surgical on…
Don’t miss Hacking for Defense’s kickstart event. The event will be an inf ormation session, networking event, and simulation game focused on innovation. Hacking for Defense is both a class and an opp…
The following article was written by Jamie Shah, entrepreneur-in-residence at the Polsky Center, and originally published in Crain’s Chicago Business on October 16, 2023. Read the original article on…
Samir Mayekar, an accomplished leader with a track record of driving innovation and impact across the public, private, and not-for-profit sectors, has been named managing director of the University o…
In 2019, Chri…
Join the Polsky Center and Career Services for a workshop featuring Chicago Booth Adjunct Professor of Entrepreneurship and Polsky Center Investor-in-Residence (IIR), Chris McGowan. Chris will discuss…
Want to take your small business brand to the next level? Join us for a hands-on workshop to learn about graphic design with Canva. Transform your brand’s visual identity, create logos, social posts,…
Alyssa Rapp has been named the faculty leader of the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation’s Global New Venture Challenge (GNVC), a dedicated track of the New Venture Challenge pro…
The mission of the Chicago Biomedical Consortium (CBC) is to stimulate collaboration among scientists at Northwestern University, The Uni…
The Opportunity Zone (OZ) Incentives Info Session will include a presentation by OZ expert Jeff Goldman and introduce startup founders and business owners to the incentives available related to real e…
Most other business schools and graduate entrepreneurship programs host a single day or weekend business plan competition as their New Venture Challenge. The NVC at the University of Chicago Booth Sch…
Quick Pitch: 5 – 5:30 p.m. CT Application Preparation Workshop/Q&A: 5:30 – 6:30 p.m. CT Networking: 6:30 – 7 p.m. CT Join us for an application preparation workshop and Quick Pitch event for the E…
Join us for the finals of the 28th annual Edward L. Kaplan, ’71, New Venture Challenge (NVC). NVC finalists will present to a panel of judges comprising of top investors, entrepreneurs, and others. Pr…
Join us at the Polsky Center as we launch our inaugural ‘Founder Stories’ event series. Engage with founders, operators, and top venture capitalists as they share the triumphs and trials from their un…
Hosted b…
The Polsky Center, in collaboration with the Chicago Booth School of Business and Northwestern K…
Students with ventures that are admitted to the College New Venture Challenge should plan to attend the College New Venture Challenge class orientation. If you are an individual looking to join a team…
Join us for the finals of the 12th Annual College New Venture Challenge (CNVC). Throughout the afternoon, the CNVC finalists will present to a panel of judges comprised of investors, entrepreneurs, an…
The University of Chicago Booth School of Business and the Col…
Samir is an accomplished leader with a track record of driving innovation and impact across the public, private, and not-for-profit sectors. Most recently, he was deputy mayor for the city of Chicago,…
The hub brings together nine local institutions, including the University of Chicago at which the Polsky Center is responsible for adva…
The Global New Venture Challenge (GNVC) is the dedicated track of the Edward L. Kaplan, ’71, New Venture Challenge program that supports Chicago Booth Executive MBA students worldwide. Second-year stu…
The Alumni New Venture Challenge (ANVC) is the track of the Edward L. Kaplan, ’71, New Venture Challenge supporting all University of Chicago alumni who are in the process of launching early-stage ven…
The Rattan L. Khosa SeedCon is Chicago Booth’s flagship entrepreneurship and venture capital conference. Through keynote fireside chats, panel discussions, and various networking sessions, SeedCon pro…
Who Should Attend: NVC/SNVC teams that are looking to add teammates for Phase II and students looking to join NVC/SNVC Phase II teams Hosted By: Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation and t…
The Chicago Booth Private Equity Conference, hosted by the Chicago Booth Private Equity Group and the Polsky Center, is an annual event that brings together investors, students, and entrepreneurs to n…
Join us virtually for the 2024 Alumni New Venture Challenge (ANVC)! ANVC is the track of the Edward L. Kaplan, ’71, New Venture Challenge supporting all University of Chicago alumni who are in the pro…
Join us for the Finals of the Global New Venture Challenge, the Executive MBA track of the Edward L. Kaplan, ’71, New Venture Challenge. 2024 Agenda: 9:00 – 9:15 A.M: Welcome and Dean’s Remarks 9:15…
The final three teams will pitch to the Innovation Fund Advisory Committee, which consists of advisors, entrepreneurs, and industry exp…
The Collaboratorium unites UChicago students with researchers, technologists, and faculty who want to explore the commercialization opportunities and business applications of their work. A great oppor…
The George Shultz Innovation Fund Finals will feature four startup teams who have been selected as finalists for potential investment from the George Shultz Innovation Fund. Each team will pitch to th…
The Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the University of Chicago is the central resource for transforming groundbreaking ideas and discoveries into new products, services, and ventur…
You should submit a confidential invention disclosure to the Polsky Center before talking about your translational work publicly. This includes: Publishing (including on arXiv, bioRxiv, medRxiv, Chem…
What is intellectual property? Patents, copyrights, and trademarks are legal methods of protecting different forms of intellectual property. The commercialization process involves contractually licens…
The Polsky Center consists of 60 professional staff members supporting all University of Chicago students, faculty, staff, alumni, and community small business owners. We are ready to assist faculty i…
Why is patent protection so important? Without patent protection, anyone is free to copy an invention. For certain types of inventions and discoveries, patent protection is necessary to justify the in…
Protecting your work starts with submitting an invention disclosure to the Polsky Center. To do, this, click on the “Inventor Portal” link on the top of the Polsky Center website, polsky.uchicago.edu.…
Faculty interested in launching a startup company can engage with the Polsky Center in a number of ways through the Polsky Center’s numerous programs and resources. The following Polsky Center…
Our Polsky Center team is here to serve you. Visit our office on campus or set up a meeting with a member of our team: 6054 S. Drexel Ave., Ste. 405 Chicago IL 60637 Phone: 773.702.1692 Email: polskyl…
Transform is a data science and AI accelerator powered by Deep Tech Ventures at the University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation.
(Ibis Computing Logo) Team Members Hugh Hoford – CEO Mark Kumleben – COO Ross Hackshaw – Operations Manager What does your company do? We are making a platform for users to scale common GPU-…
Team Members Tim Markison – CEO, Co-chairman, & Cofounder Dave Fallon – COO & Cofounder Dave Larsen – Chief SW Architect Jesse Woghin – Principal Product Manager Jim Dugan – Co-chairman &…
Team Members Avi Yashchin – Founder and CEO Susannah Griffee – Chief Operating Officer Megan Lott – Chief Technology Officer Howard Moskowitz – Chief Science Officer Matt Sekerke – Chief Developmen…
Team Members John Sexton Abrams – Founder and CEO What does your company do? Nutrad removes friction and complexity from the supply chain using AI. Every manufacturer has their own data foundation,…
Team Members Gerardo Chaquinga – Chief Executive Officer & Cofounder Tarun Gulrajani – Chief Strategy Officer & Cofounder Raul Albertti C. – Chief Technology Officer & Cofounder Martin C…
Team Members Aarthi Koripelly – Cofounder and CEO Jackson Lee…
Team Members Edward Aguilar – Cofounder and CEO Sahan Creddy – Cofounder and CTO What does your company do? We are building the first AI capable of human-level transcription that is better than any…
In September, the University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation and Data Science Institute announced the seven early-stage companies accepted into the second cohort of its…
Heyward Harrison serves as the Assistant Director of Entrepreneurship Programs and Outcomes. In this role, he assists the entrepreneurship programs team in administering a series of student founder-fo…
The following article was written by Tim Kelly, investor-in-residence at the Polsky Center, and originally published in Crain’s Chicago Business on November 20, 2023. Read the original article on Crai…
Graduate students, post-doctoral scholars, researchers, and faculty conducting scientific research and study at UChicago, Argonne, Fermilab, and Marine Biological Laboratory are encouraged to apply fo…
The Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, in partnership with Universi…
Starting a travel accessory company at the beginning of a global pandemic isn’t easy. Just ask Tracey McGhee, founder of Ms. Jetsetter. “There were times when I thought that my business wouldn’t succ…
The Sterling Partners Investment Thesis Challenge (SPITC) encourages students to form teams to conceive and propose an original investment thesis they wish to work on. Selected teams work with mentors…
This panel will discuss self-funded searches with three panelists who will share their journey & insights of conducting a self-funded search post-graduation. Panelists include Shawn McCoy, MBA ’15…
Learn how to build a marketing strategy that drives sales and customer satisfaction in this seminar with Polsky Center Entrepreneur-in-Residence Melissa Harris. Melissa is the founder and CEO of marke…
Join Trevor Lwin, MBA ’12, partner at Blue Frame Capital Partners, and Nathan Dey, MBA ’16, managing partner at Northspring Partners, for an ETA workshop on traditional search. This interactive worksh…
Chicago Booth teams compete in the Venture Capital Investment Competition (VCIC) competition day. The Chicago Booth VCIC is a VC simulation that allows students to think and act as venture capitalists…
This session is designed for those with little to no sales experience looking for some quick, actionable tips to get better immediately. We will discuss the different types of sales skills necessary f…
This hour-long Fab Lab orientation allows you to access the Fab Lab’s workspace and basic tools. Curious about the Fab Lab? Got an idea and don’t know where to start with the design process? Learn abo…
This hour-long Fab Lab orientation allows you to access the Fab Lab’s workspace and basic tools. Curious about the Fab Lab? Got an idea and don’t know where to start with the design process? Learn abo…
Calling all students! Looking to make your entrepreneurial ventures a reality? Unlock the full potential of a Polsky Exchange membership. This orientation demystifies how to maximize our startup resou…
This workshop has been postponed. Rescheduled date TBD. Join the Polsky Center and Entrepreneur-in-Residence Jamie Shah for a hands-on workshop designed for emerging leaders. We will explore the vita…
Join the Polsky Center during the lunch break for an info session and founder talk. Polsky staff from the student programs team and the Deep Tech Ventures team will present on ways to engage with Pols…
The Polsky Center I-Corps Program is a National Science Foundation-funded entrepreneurial program for teams working on ideas in the science, technology, mathematics, and engineering (STEM) fields. Tea…
The Polsky Center is pleased to host Raam Jani, partner at BakerHostetler, for an interactive presentation on the legal side of Entrepreneurship through Acquisition investments and deals. A partner in…
Lisa Hearon is the Associate Director of Science Programs and Student Engagement at the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. In her role, Lisa leads strategic programming that bridges sc…
Join the Polsky Center and the ETA Club for a panel discussion & Q&A featuring moderator Kim Vender Moffat with panelists Beth LaBossiere, Jessica Palfrey, and Ashley Quisol, MBA ’20. Topics i…
Deadline for the Spring Quarter Southside Business Development Internship program. Like this past quarter, the applications will be on handshake. The South Side Business Development Internship provide…
Team Members Mei He – CEO and Founder Rui Deng – CFO and Cofounder Jianan Zheng – CIO and Cofounder Matthew Forquer – CTO and Cofounder What does your company do? Stranergy is revolutionizing the f…
Team Members Kevin O’Sullivan – Cofounder and CEO What does your company do? Alpha Nur is pioneering nuclear fuel recycling technologies to bolster American national security and clean energy develop…
Team Members Weikang Li – Chief Technology Officer Benson Lam – Chief Executive Officer Zheng Chen – President Shirley Meng – Chief Strategy Officer What does your company do? ExPost is creating a…
Team Members Arden Warner – Cofounder and partner, scientist, and inventor of the technology John Nelson – Cofounder and partner, business development, logistic and operations Gary Cullen – Partner,…
Team Members Hamed Heidari, PhD – Founder and CEO. Prof. Mohammad Asadi – Cofounder and CTO What does your company do? C+UP’s breakthrough carbon capture utilization technology converts renewable e…
Team Members Sagar Pande – Cofounder and CEO Dr. Arun Kumar – Cofounder and CTO What does your company do? Blaze Power is championing the power of lithium manganese iron phosphate (LMFP) and iron-b…
In October, the University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, in partnership with the Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, announced the launch of Resurgence, a new…
The Alumni New Venture Challenge (ANVC) is the track of the Edward L. Kaplan, ’71, New Venture Challenge supporting all University of Chicago alumni who are in the process of launching early-stage ven…
The Idea Lab is an eight-week program designed to help community members who have a business idea and want to proceed to move from idea to launch. Idea-stage stagnation is often due to psychological b…
“We have a recipe for the extraordinary – and the opportunities are endless,” said Juan de Pablo, Executive Vice President for Science, Innovation, National Laboratories, and Global Initiatives at th…
UPDATE: Zoom link for today’s session: https://uchicago.zoom.us/j/93145696107?pwd=dWtYRHYyZnNJN0VPRHJJbFVoNFZMdz09 A non-technical founder’s job is not to learn to code, but to successfully manage the…
Join us for a live episode of the ETA Insider Podcast feat. host Brian O’Connor, MBA ’08, in conversation with Aizik Zimerman MBA ’23. In 2022, Aizik acquired a Chicago-based plumbing business after a…
The Global New Venture Challenge (GNVC) is the dedicated track of the Edward L. Kaplan, ’71, New Venture Challenge program that supports Chicago Booth Executive MBA students worldwide. Second-year stu…
The Global New Venture Challenge (GNVC) is the dedicated track of the Edward L. Kaplan, ’71, New Venture Challenge program that supports Chicago Booth Executive MBA students worldwide. Second-year stu…
This event is listed for informational purposes and is not public. The Global New Venture Challenge (GNVC) is the dedicated track of the Edward L. Kaplan, ’71, New Venture Challenge program that suppo…
This event is listed for informational purposes and is not public. The Global New Venture Challenge (GNVC) is the dedicated track of the Edward L. Kaplan, ’71, New Venture Challenge program that suppo…
The Global New Venture Challenge (GNVC) is the dedicated track of the Edward L. Kaplan, ’71, New Venture Challenge program that supports Chicago Booth Executive MBA students worldwide. Second-year stu…
The Global New Venture Challenge (GNVC) is the dedicated track of the Edward L. Kaplan, ’71, New Venture Challenge program that supports Chicago Booth Executive MBA students worldwide. Second-year stu…
The Idea Lab is a twelve-week program designed to help community members who have a business idea and want to proceed to move from idea to launch.
The Idea Lab is an eight-week program designed to help community members who have a business idea and want to proceed to move from idea to launch.
The Idea Lab is an eight-week program designed to help community members who have a business idea and want to proceed to move from idea to launch.
The Idea Lab is an eight-week program designed to help community members who have a business idea and want to proceed to move from idea to launch.
The following article was written by Dr. Steven Gould, consulting director for Polsky Science Ventures, and originally published in Crain’s Chicago Business on December 18, 2023. Read the original art…
Speakers: Miguel Gomez, Managing Director – Sales Manager, CIBC Bank. Alberto Moreno, Associate Managing Director, CIBC Bank. CIBC Bank offers simplified products, transparent terms and a dedicated…
Speaker: Roy Nunez, Senior Business Consultant, JPMorgan Chase – Minority Entrepreneur Initiative. JPMorgan Chase’s Minority Entreprenur Initiative supports business owners in growing their businesses…
Speaker: Marcus Yancey, Economic Development & Special Projects Officer, LISC. LISC focuses on bolstering entrepreneurs whose lack of access to capital and services reflects deep, longstanding str…
Speaker: Song Chae, Regional Development Manager, Founders First Capital Partners. Founders First Capital Partners provides revenue-based funding, term loans and advisory services to service-based sma…
Speaker: Yi Wei, Senior Director, Capital Deployment Initiatives, Momentus Capital. Momentus Capital is a non-profit organization that builds inclusive and equitable communities by providing people ac…
Speaker: Amanda Askew, Senior Community Lender, Allies for Community Business. Allies for Community Business supports entrepreneurs from any background to start and grow their businesses and create ge…
Speakers: Kimberly Brisky, Managing Director of Communications and Engagement, Somercor. Manny Flores, President & CEO, Somercor. Somercor assists entrepreneurs in realizing their business visio…
This Polsky Exchange Capital Series features presentations by capital providers and information about how to access different forms of capital. The series will commence with presentations from traditi…
Resurgence is supported by its partners, including Breakthrough Energy, Constellation, ExxonMobil Corporation, and Invenergy.
This Polsky Exchange Capital Series features presentations by capital providers and information about how to access different forms of capital. The series will commence with presentations from traditi…
This Polsky Exchange Capital Series features presentations by capital providers and information about how to access different forms of capital. The series will commence with presentations from traditi…
Are you thinking of starting a Business? What does it cost to run a business and to become a client of the Illinois Small Business Development Center (SBDC). Discover the essential steps to take, the…
Speaker: Jason Mercer, Principal – CAST US Due Diligence, CAST US – A Cleveland Avenue Fund. CAST US is a $70 million initiative that will bridge the capital and resource gap impacting Black, Latinx,…
UPDATE: The application deadline has been extended to 3/25 Duality is the first accelerator program in the U.S. exclusively focused on supporting innovative quantum startups. Led by the Polsky Center…
Things in life often don’t just line up perfectly. But for Melinda Herron, founder of 103 Collection – an eco-beauty company rooted in nature – the inspiration for her company sort of did. “I was in…
Join the Rustandy Center for a workshop on applying to the John Edwardson, ’72, Social New Venture Challenge (SNVC). During this SNVC-specific workshop, Professor Rob Gertner will share best practices…
Join us for our Duality Accelerator info session where you will learn about our accelerator program, the application process for Cohort 4, and have the opportunity to meet with our Duality leadership…
Managed by the Polsky Center, the George Shultz Innovation Fund provides up to $250,000 in co-investment funding for early-stage science-based ventures coming out of the University of Chicago, Argonne…
Attend this in-person workshop to learn the things you need to consider and requirements to start and own a business in Illinois. Learn the basic elements of starting a successful business such as cho…
Speaker: John C Thrasher, VP of Relationship Manager Minority Business Development, PNC Bank. PNC Bank offers a wide range of personal banking services including checking and savings accounts, credit…
Jack Crewse serves as an Associate Manager of Intellectual Property and Technology Development as part of the Polsky Science and Technology team. In this role, he collaborates with a diverse group of…
Speaker: Mike McCracken, Senior Vice President, Hyde Park Bank/Beverly Bank (Wintrust). Beverly Bank & Trust provides Illinois with the resources of a big bank while maintaining the personalized s…
Are you stuck in the beta stage? Not sure what to do next? Well, join the Polsky Center and EIRs Mia Duchnowski (co-founder of Oars + Alps a men’s skin care brand) and CJ Pryzbyl (co-founder of Reserv…
Join us for an info session at the beginning of the application window for teams that want to know more about the Build and Launch Accelerator. This session will be virtual. Zoom link: https://uchicag…
Application deadline for both the Build and Launch Accelerator.
The following article was written by Ellen Rudnick, senior adviser and adjunct professor for entrepreneurship at Booth, and originally published in Crain’s Chicago Business on January 15, 2024. Read t…
Alyssa Jaffee, MBA ’16, is a partner at 7wire Ventures where she invests in companies that empower everyone to be better stewards of their health. Her portfolio includes Caraway Health, NOCD, MedArriv…
This event in this series will include an overview of the different types of capital available to businesses: debt (loans), equity investment (venture capital or angel investment), revenue-based finan…
Entrepreneurship Essentials (E2) is designed to help you launch your startup successfully, with workshops ranging in everything from marketing strategy, sales, competitive analysis, financial modeling…
Entrepreneurship Essentials (E2) is designed to help you launch your startup successfully, with workshops ranging in everything from marketing strategy, sales, competitive analysis, financial modeling…
Entrepreneurship Essentials (E2) is designed to help you launch your startup successfully, with workshops ranging in everything from marketing strategy, sales, competitive analysis, financial modeling…
Entrepreneurship Essentials (E2) is designed to help you launch your startup successfully, with workshops ranging in everything from marketing strategy, sales, competitive analysis, financial modeling…
Join the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the University of Chicago for a Distinguished Entrepreneur Speaker Series Event featuring Marc Lore, CEO of Wonder Group & Owner of th…
How do I get into the Polsky Exchange? Your membership swipe card remains active; please use it to enter the building. The building has security personnel available to monitor access to the Polsky Exc…
The goal of the Polsky Center’s Proof-of-Concept Fund is to validate technologies and increase the potential for industry interest and…
This visualization is a simulation’s prediction of what ultra-low-dose images could look like. The example shows a 20 mm diameter spher…
The finalists (including Nick Feamster, pictured here) pitched to the Innovation Fund Advisory Committee, which consists of advisors, e…
22 teams from across the world are advancing to Phase II of the Polsky Center’s 2024 Global New Venture Challenge (GNVC). The GNVC is the global track of the New Venture Challenge, the Univer…
Join the Polsky Center and Career Services for a workshop featuring Polsky Investor-in-Residence Dipa Mehta, MBA ’12, Managing Partner, Cobalt Ventures. Dipa will cover the process of interviewing and…
The Resurgence Fellowship program will offer a limited number of fellowships to University of Chicago students and provide them with an opportunity to support innovation and business development in th…
The Resurgence cleantech accelerator is a 9-month hybrid program designed to support ventures in the cleantech industry.
Speaker: Amalesh Sanku, Board Director, Chicago Booth Angels Network of Chicago and New York. The Chicago Booth Angels Network of Chicago (CBAN Chicago) is a nonprofit, affinity organization founded a…
Is your goal to land a summer internship at a startup or are you pursuing your own business as a founder? Are you pursuing an internship in social impact or in venture capital? The Community Catalyst…
Update 2/6/2025: KindWorks is featured in Season 7 of Meet The Drapers, a global pitch competition hosted by venture capitalist Tim Draper. Their pitch airs on March 14, and audience voting is now op…
NetMicroscope is cofounded by CEO Nick Feamster, Neubauer Professor of Computer Science at UChicago, and Francesco Bronzino, chief tech…
Info Session: Duality Cohort #4 Join us for our Duality Accelerator info session where you will learn about our accelerator program, the application process for Cohort 4, and have the opportunity to m…
Info Session: Duality Cohort #4 Join us for our Duality Accelerator info session where you will learn about our accelerator program, the application process for Cohort 4, and have the opportunity to m…
Info Session: Duality Cohort #4 Join us for our Duality Accelerator info session where you will learn about our accelerator program, the application process for Cohort 4, and have the opportunity to m…
The Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation is pleased to announce the 20 startups accepted into the 2024 Alumni New Venture Challenge (ANVC), a global competition dedicated to supporting a…
The University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation will…
Katherine Rhodes, PhD ’21, CellCipher cofounder, presented at the George Shultz Innovation Fund finals where the team was awarded $150,0…
This year’s Chicago Booth Healthcare Conference will explore the theme of how healthcare organizations across the board are balancing questions of cost, quality and the patient experience. O…
Harrison Paul, PhD, serves as an associate manager, technology marketing, at the University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. Harrison’s responsibilities include sourcing…
The following article was written by Abigail Ingram, executive director of the Polsky Exchange. Entrepreneurs and those who work with entrepreneurs know that most do not pay themselves the sala…
Last week, the Polsky Center and Chicago Booth’s Entrepreneurship and Venture Capital (EVC) Group co-hosted Rattan L. Khosa SeedCon 2024, Booth’s annual flagship entrepreneurship and venture capital…
Welcome to the Venture Gallery! The Polsky Center at UChicago provides “first look” and early access to startups with proprietary technology in your industry research area. Here you can vi…
Today, the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation announced the 30 Phase II teams advancing in the 2024 Edward L. Kaplan, ’71, New Venture Challenge (NVC), the University of Chicago’s sign…
This event in this series will include an overview of the different types of capital available to businesses: debt (loans), equity investment (venture capital or angel investment), revenue-based finan…
The Entrepreneurship through Acquisition (ETA) Fellows Program is designed to provide tailored opportunities and resources to Chicago Booth students who plan to enter the ETA space immediately or with…
The following article was written by Melissa Harris, entrepreneur-in-residence at the Polsky Center, and originally published in Crain’s Chicago Business on February 19, 2024. Read the original articl…
The Entrepreneurship through Acquisition (ETA) Fellows Program is designed to provide tailored opportunities and resources to Chicago Booth students who plan to enter the ETA space immediately or with…
The Entrepreneurship through Acquisition (ETA) Fellows Program is designed to provide tailored opportunities and resources to Chicago Booth students who plan to enter the ETA space immediately or with…
The Entrepreneurship through Acquisition (ETA) Fellows Program is designed to provide tailored opportunities and resources to Chicago Booth students who plan to enter the ETA space immediately or with…
The Entrepreneurship through Acquisition (ETA) Fellows Program is designed to provide tailored opportunities and resources to Chicago Booth students who plan to enter the ETA space immediately or with…
The Resurgence Fellowship program will offer a limited number of fellowships to University of Chicago students and provide them with an opportunity to support innovation and business development in th…
The Polsky Center is proud to launch the Entrepreneurship through Acquisition (ETA) Fellows Program in the 2024-25 academic year. This program is designed to provide tailored opportunities and resourc…
For media inquiries contact Darwin Minnis at darwin.minnis@chicagobooth.edu or 630.923.2038
Led by faculty advisors Mark Agnew MBA ’06 and Brian O’Connor, MBA ’08, the ETA Fellows Program will provide access to exclusive, curated opportunities and resources, including educational deep dives…
Deep Tech Ventures Corporate Collision provides a unique opportunity for companies to discover, connect and collaborate with some of the nation’s top quantum, data science & AI, and cleantech star…
In response to the growing interest in Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition (ETA), the Polsky Center is launching the ETA Fellows Program. Made possible by a generous donation from Booth alum A. Mich…
To equip participants with the knowledge, tools, and resources necessary to successfully initiate and navigate the process of starting a business in the state of Illinois. PLEASE NOTE: This workshop i…
The Booth Education Group is hosting its fifth Chicago Booth Education Management Conference next month on Friday, March 29th. This critical convening of education leaders, professionals, and graduate…
The Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation and The University of Illinois’ Grainger College of Engineering is pleased to announce the seven finalists selected to compete in the College New…
Speaker: Kwasi K Appiah Jr, Branch Manager, The Huntington National Bank. Huntington Bancshares Incorporated is a $189 billion asset regional bank holding company headquartered in Columbus, Ohio. Foun…
Come get to know more about the ecosystem of ETA in Latin America with top operators, searchers, and investors in the region! During 1-hour our speakers will share their valuable insights and experien…
AI is seemingly everywhere, so why not your closet? Zelia, an AI-powered personal stylist and shopper, aims to bridge the gap between the fashion and the tech worlds. Through its app, Zelia can curat…
Delivering drugs to th…
Flexible, skin-like electronics seamlessly integrate with the body – analyzing data locally in real time with the power of AI. Drawing on inn…
Eight startups with roots in the Polsky Center or the University of Chicago have been included in an annual list featuring the top Chicago startups to watch for the year. Now in its 10th year, Chicag…
Lynkr was award $160,000 after presenting their business plans to a judging panel composed of investors, entrepreneurs, alumni, and facul…
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Last week the Polsky Cen…
The Polsky Center’s Build and Launch Accelerators are 10-week summer programs that provide a unique opportunity for founders to focus solely on their businesses and social enterprises in a collaborati…
The Entrepreneurial Internship Program (EIP) enables first-year Booth students in the Full-Time MBA program who demonstrate continued interest in entrepreneurship the opportunity to gain experiential…
The Visiting Entrepreneurship through Acquisition (ETA) Advisors provides additional mentorship and coaching support to Chicago Booth students who are interested in learning more about ETA as a career…
The Polsky Exchange Breakfast is an event to facilitate networking among Exchange members across the professional services and management industry, gather feedback, and foster a sense of community.
The Investing Essentials workshop series continues Thursday, March 21 at 12:00 pm with an in-person workshop at the Harper Center on Sourcing and Thematic Investing. Polsky Investor-in-Residence Dipa…
Join Polsky Center’s Private Equity Investor-in-Residence (IIR), Duane Jackson, Founder, Author Capital Partners, for a workshop focused on building a strong investment thesis. Topics will include the…
Join the Polsky Center and Matt Meltzer, an immigration attorney and entrepreneur, in a workshop focusing on immigration paths in the US for entrepreneurs, employers, and employees. Tune in for an int…
Join the Polsky center and Melissa Harris, Adjunct Professor of Entrepreneurship at Booth and Entrepreneur in Residence, for a workshop on delivering an effective pitch. In this workshop, Melissa will…
Corporate Collision provides a unique opportunity for companies to discover, connect and collaborate with some of the nation’s top quantum, data science & AI, and cleantech startups.
Deep Tech Ventures Corporate Collision provides a unique opportunity for companies to discover, connect and collaborate with some of the nation’s top quantum, data science & AI, and cleantech startups…
The following article was written by Abigail Ingram, executive director of the Polsky Exchange. Many business owners express interest in franchising their businesses, and it is easy to understa…
Transform presents: Founder spotlight with Mark Achler, Managing Director at MATH Venture Partners. Prior to MATH, Mark was the Senior Vice President of New Business, Strategy and Innovation for Redbo…
Transform Presents: Founder Spotlight with Jared Golden, Co-founder, CEO, Leap. Jared Golden is a builder of, investor in and advisor to high growth technology companies. Businesses Jared has founded…
Transform Presents, Founder Spotlight with Orazio Buzza, Founder and CEO, Fooda. Since its founding in 2011, Orazio Buzza has been the Founder & CEO of Fooda. Headquartered in Chicago, Fooda manag…
Join Transform and Polsky Deep Tech Ventures for an engaging evening that will highlight the work of emerging data science and AI startups. The event also will feature a fireside chat with Andre Tost,…
Attend this no-cost in-person workshop to learn the things you need to consider and requirements to start and own a business in Illinois. Learn the basic elements of starting a successful business suc…
This in-person workshop is for aspiring entrepreneurs who are thinking of starting a business and want to learn some good first steps prior to launching. This workshop will provide a realistic view of…
Join us to learn about The Polsky Founders’ Fund Fellowship (PF3), which is a resource available to graduating University of Chicago students who are committed to growing a company after graduation. T…
Entrepreneurs who have been operating their businesses, as well as brand new ideas and ventures, are welcome to join licensed attorneys at the Polsky Exchange to establish their legal Illinois entitie…
Join the Polsky Center and Career Services for a workshop featuring Polsky Investor-in-Residence Dipa Mehta, MBA ’12, Managing Partner, Cobalt Ventures. This workshop is an introduction to Corporate V…
How do you identify investments that have a high probability of achieving growth and returning capital over the long-term? How do you separate short-term fads from industries and sectors with sustaina…
Join the Polsky Center Investor-in-Residence Dipa Mehta, MBA ’12, Managing Partner, Cobalt Ventures for a panel discussion on post-transaction management. Dipa will be joined by panelists Kelsey Tsai,…
Join Trevor Lwin, MBA ’12 (Partner, Blue Frame Capital Partners) and Nathan Dey, MBA ’16 (Managing Partner, Northspring Partners) for part two of an ETA workshop on traditional search. This interactiv…
The Polsky Founders’ Fund Fellowship (PF3) is a resource available to graduating University of Chicago students who are committed to growing a company after graduation. The goal of the program is to p…
The Deep Tech Ventures Summit is a signature event at the convergence of deep tech innovation and investment in the Midwest spurring collaboration between founders, investors, industry experts, and ot…
The Booth-Kellogg Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition (ETA) Conference, cohosted by Chicago Booth and Kellogg, is the first-of-its-kind conference aimed at educating and inspiring students, alumni, a…
Javon Nicholas from Egg Rolls Etc will discuss the essential strategies, industry insights, and practical tips necessary to navigate the complex landscape of bringing your food-based product to market…
A new mobile health tool for patients with obstructive sleep apnea uses a novel CPAP adherence metric and tracks lifestyle features to…
Qui Solutions – a global member-based remote staffing…
iTrials is a participant in Cohort 3 of Transform, a data science and AI startup accelerator powered by Deep Tech Ventures at the University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innova…
Complete Wellness Solutions is a participant in Cohort 3 of Transform, a data science and AI startup accelerator powered by Deep Tech Ventures at the University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepr…
Leaf Automation is a participant in Cohort 3 of Transform, a data science and AI startup accelerator powered by Deep Tech Ventures at the University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship an…
Healee is a participant in Cohort 3 of Transform, a data science and AI startup accelerator powered by Deep Tech Ventures at the University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovat…
Autonoma is a participant in Cohort 3 of Transform, a data science and AI startup accelerator powered by Deep Tech Ventures at the University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship an…
Bettor Vision is a participant in Cohort 3 of Transform, a data science and AI startup accelerator powered by Deep Tech Ventures at the University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and…
Legman is a participant in Cohort 3 of Transform, a data science and AI startup accelerator powered by Deep Tech Ventures at the University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovat…
This lecture focused on CXO will feature Booth alum Alex Panosian, MBA ’18. Alex Panosian obtained his undergraduate degree at the United States Military Academy at West Point and an MBA from Booth in…
Following the success of its first and second cohorts, Transform adds seven new early-stage companies utilizing advances in data scienc…
Join the Polsky Center and Anna Maria Viti-Welch, President of the Viti Companies, in an informative workshop focusing on protecting your business with the proper insurance. In this session you can ex…
In 2018, Chicago Booth alumnus, Rattan L. Khosa, ’79, established the Rattan L. Khosa Student Entrepreneurs Program structured to directly support Chicago Booth student entrepreneurs. Rattan has an in…
The Polsky Science and Technology Associates Program is an opportunity for current University of Chicago graduate students to work with the Polsky Center’s technology and business development teams.
Polsky Science and Technology Associates is an opportunity for current University of Chicago graduate students to work with the Technology Development, Market Intelligence and Innovation Growth, and B…
Polsky Science and Technology Associates is an opportunity for current University of Chicago graduate students to work with the Technology Development, Market Intelligence and Innovation Growth, and B…
Polsky Science and Technology Associates is an opportunity for current University of Chicago graduate students to work with the Technology Development, Market Intelligence and Innovation Growth, and B…
The Polsky Science and Technology Associates Program will participate in many aspects of the technology commercialization process, with a focus on screening new invention disclosures and evaluating th…
Join the Polsky Center’s Investor in-Residence for private equity, Tim Kelly, MBA ’00, for an interactive workshop to discuss special topics in EQ. Tim has been involved in private equity for nearly t…
Join the Polsky Center’s Investor in-Residence for private equity, Tim Kelly, MBA ’00, for an interactive workshop to discuss special topics in EQ. Tim has been involved in private equity for nearly t…
Join the Polsky Center’s Investor in-Residence for private equity, Tim Kelly, MBA ’00, for an interactive workshop to discuss special topics in EQ. Tim has been involved in private equity for nearly t…
Nicolas Chevrier in his lab, which develops interdisciplinary approaches and tools to study how the immune system functions across biol…
Dr. Charlie Shaw assumes the role of Associate Director of Business Development and Licensing with a rich tapestry of experience and expertise. Driven by his passion for bridging the gap between acade…
NanoPattern Technologies has raised $1.5 million in a seed round to scale its photopattern…
Two years after Russian’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the loss of life and the work of recovery and rebuilding continue to pose deep challenges. At the same time, Ukraine faces increasing scrutiny…
Polsky Science and Technology Fellows will participate in many aspects of the technology commercialization process, with a focus on screening new invention disclosures for potential intellectual prope…
The University of Chicago’s Polsky Center runs two cohorts of its I-Corps Program during the academic calendar year. Each cohort presen…
The Market Navigator is a customer discovery and market insight program designed to help Business-to-Consumer (B2C) businesses that have achieved product-market fit and initial traction to better unde…
The Polsky Center’s Ozge Guney-Altay, director of Resurgence, was a judge for the regional EnergyTech UP competition, which is sponsore…
The Market Navigator is a customer discovery and market insight program designed to help Business-to-Consumer (B2C) businesses that have achieved product-market fit and initial traction to better unde…
The Market Navigator is a customer discovery and market insight program designed to help Business-to-Consumer (B2C) businesses that have achieved product-market fit and initial traction to better unde…
The Market Navigator is a customer discovery and market insight program designed to help Business-to-Consumer (B2C) businesses that have achieved product-market fit and initial traction to better unde…
The Market Navigator is a customer discovery and market insight program designed to help Business-to-Consumer (B2C) businesses that have achieved product-market fit and initial traction to better unde…
The following article was written by Mia Saini Duchnowski, entrepreneur-in-residence at the Polsky Center, and originally published in Crain’s Chicago Business on April 15, 2024. Read the original art…
ExPost Technology is backed by a team of leading researchers, including battery expert Shirley Meng from the University of Chicago, see…
Attend this no-cost in-person workshop to learn the things you need to consider and requirements to start and own a business in Illinois. Learn the basic elements of starting a successful business suc…
This roundtable is for small business owners and entrepreneurs to have an interacting and engaging discussion focused on sharing experiences, insights, and best practices for business growth and succe…
Join us at the 14th Annual John Edwardson, ’72, Social New Venture Challenge Finals as teams compete for over $150,000 in startup funding. Additional details on participating ventures will be shared s…
In a conversation moderated by Institute of Politics director Heidi Heitkamp, Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal discussed the impact of war on the country’s economy, including his thoughts on wh…
Corporate Collision featured a panel discussion followed by a networking reception and opportunities to meet with startups. Speakers in…
Earlier this month the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation hosted its second annual Incorporation/Organization Day, a unique event that connects West and South Side entrepreneurs with at…
The Polsky Center manages the IP portfolio for all University of Chicago innovations and technologies and works to foster collaboration…
The University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation has announced the inaugural cohort of the Resurgence Fellowship – a new program connecting students with startups in its…
The Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation is pleased to announce the eight finalist teams that will vie for investment in the 2024 Alumni New Venture Challenge (ANVC), a global competitio…
The Private Equity Alumni/Student Coaching Program matches Chicago Booth MBA students pursuing careers in private equity with members of the Polsky Center Private Equity Council and Chicago Booth alum…
Attend this no-cost in-person beginner’s workshop on QuickBooks, an accounting software for small businesses. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to improve your bookkeeping skills, this works…
Speaker: Annamarie Galante, Head of Growth, Honeycomb Credit. Honeycomb Credit provides a platform for growing local businesses to borrow money from everyday investors. By launching an offering on Hon…
Manish Kothari, MBA ’90 is a serial entrepreneur and advisor. Early in his career, he co-founded AlphaSmart, an edtech company where he led worldwide sales, marketing, and operations. While there, he…
Seven teams have been selected for the 17th annual Global New Ventur…
Flexible, skin-like electronics seamlessly integrate with the body – analyzing data locally in real time with the power of AI. Drawing on inn…
About Edward L. Kaplan Edward L. Kaplan, MBA ’71, is chairman emeritus and cofounder of Zebra Technologies Corp. In 1969, he and partner Gerhard Cless founded the company, then known as Data Specialti…
The Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation is excited to announce the eleven teams advancing to the finals of the 28th annual Edward L. Kaplan, ’71, New Venture Challenge (NVC), the Univer…
“The world loves tequila and Mexican beer, so now it’s time for them to try the drink of the gods.” During the reign of the Aztec empire, priests and royalty consumed a mystical drink from the gods…
Flexible, skin-like electronics seamlessly integrate with the body – analyzing data locally in real time with the power of AI. Drawing on inn…
Four startups received investment at the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation’s 2024 Alumni New Venture Challenge (ANVC) finals. The ANVC, which launched in 2019, is the alumni track of…
The following story was originally published by the Rustandy Center for Social Sector Innovation. Seven mission-driven teams with innovative ideas, including leveraging AI to aid career development,…
Organized and promoted by the Association of Clinical Research Professions, Clinical Trials Day is recognized annually on May 20.[/capt…
Speaker: Monica Rubio, Community Lending Market Executive, Old National Bank. Old National Bank is proud to help minority-owned businesses succeed! The Empowerment program expands access to capital fo…
2025 Finals Agenda 8:30 a.m. – 8:45 a.m.: Welcome Remarks 8:45 a.m. – 9:10 a.m.: Pitch 1: relos 9:13 a.m. – 9:38 a.m.: Pitch 2: GovChime 9:41 a.m. – 10:06 a.m.: Pitch 3: Ampable 10:06 a.m. – 10:26 a.m…
Autonoma is using Generative AI to help development teams observe and understand any codebase, avoid legacy code generation, and escape vendor lock-in traps. From any source code, we provide a platfor…
Bettor Vision is the only app that syncs consumers’ sports betting, season-long fantasy, and daily fantasy sports accounts on one platform. We also serve as a marketplace for sports betting and daily…
Blackcurrant is a B2B marketplace to buy and sell hydrogen and obtain market and other data for hydrogen products. Blackcurrant applies advanced machine learning to predict hydrogen pricing and demand…
CWS delivers complete, configurable, and data-driven population health solutions with our technology and analytics platform. Our technology serves as the backbone for wellness program delivery while o…
Drip is a sweat monitoring device that combines sodium concentration data from sweat with biometric information from wearable devices to provide a customized hydration plan to endurance athletes in re…
Echo Labs is building the first AI capable of human-level transcription. Echo labs aims at making accessibility affordable for the ~6,000 US higher-ed institutions that need to caption their content.
Healee’s leading patient experience platform enables independent specialty practices to offer their patients convenient, differentiated, frictionless digital experience with the simplicity they crave.…
Ibis Computing is a GPUaaS compute trading house. It creates efficiency by optimally directing buyers to multi-cloud bare-metal compute, and GPU operators to jobs, reducing prices and streamlining sca…
iTrials is an AI platform transforming clinical trial patient enrollment. It precisely matches patient data to trial criteria, speeding up the process. By automating participant matching and reducing…
Leaf Automation develops next-generation AI-enhanced CAD plugins that expedite and optimize the design of commercial electrical and mechanical systems. By using our plugin, professionals can automate…
Legman is an AI powered data managment solutuion that optimizes sales, general and administrative (SG&A) activities for industiral, manufacturing, and construction firms.
MPP’s platform uses data science, machine learning, and AI to examine millions of documents to identify, create, data populate, catalog, and value “Market-Tech Units.” Its mission is to revolutionize…
Notoros is a distributed ledger platform for a new generation of zero-trust applications. Notoros decouples application and ledger state, allowing for a system that is both immutable and decentralized…
nuTRAD is a SaaS model AI infrastructure for commerce. The platform links brands, distributors, and retailers digitally – creating new trade paths and machine-driven processes that unlock value trappe…
Quail.ai is a machine learning toolkit for small and midsize businesses as they transition to the AI-driven economy. The toolkit, a plug-and-play solution that minimizes infrastructure investment, int…
RadioLogical.ai creates AI solutions to optimize educational programs in universities, provide continuous training, and enhance the performance of radiology residents and graduate radiologists in heal…
Subconcious.AI is developing a platform that enables users to measure demand, market share, and price elasticity for never-before-seen products and services. Users can perform segmentation, policy des…
Transform is a data science and AI accelerator powered by Deep Tech Ventures at the University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation.
FreshX, a startup developing a supply chain software that helps food companies and freight brokers easily book and manage cold chain transportation and storage, has won first place in the 28th Annual…
The 17th Annual Global New Venture Challenge (GNVC) has awarded first place to Investable, an automated robo-advisor app linked to your payroll which makes investing effortless. The app deducts a sma…
Traditional // FreshX ($1,000,000) Encore Marketplace Inc. ($375,000) Herriot ($170,000) Decimal Code ($75,000) Owler AI ($110,000) Slosh Dynamics ($125,000) Ark Health ($30,000) ORO Intelligence ($10…
Anthos Training Club is an award-winning training club locate…
Virtual information session for Resurgence’s cohort 2 application cycle. — The Resurgence cleantech accelerator is powered by Deep Tech Ventures at the University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entr…
Virtual information session for Resurgence’s cohort 2 application cycle. — The Resurgence cleantech accelerator is powered by Deep Tech Ventures at the University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entr…
Virtual information session for Resurgence’s cohort 2 application cycle. — The Resurgence cleantech accelerator is powered by Deep Tech Ventures at the University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entr…
The Resurgence cleantech accelerator is powered by Deep Tech Ventures at the University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. Startups will gain access to business training a…
Attend this no-cost in-person workshop on QuickBooks, an accounting software for small businesses. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to improve your bookkeeping skills, this workshop is for…
The Collaboratorium unites UChicago students with researchers, technologists, and faculty who want to explore the commercialization opportunities and business applications of their work. A great oppor…
The Private Equity and Venture Capital (PE/VC) Lab was created for Chicago MBA Booth students to learn firsthand about the PE and VC industries. Through the combination of an intensive internship at a…
The Letter of Intent was signed by Samir Mayekar (Polsky Center), Martin Enault (Distriq), and Preeti Chalsani (Chicago Quantum Exchang…
Explore new investment opportunities, learn how deep tech is reshaping industries on a global scale, and engage with a diverse community of tech leaders at the Deep Tech Ventures Summit, hosted by th…
The following article was written by Abigail Ingram, executive director of the Polsky Exchange, and originally published in Crain’s Chicago Business on May 20, 2024. Read the original article.…
I-Corps is a highly-experiential, extracurricular eight-week-long program designed to empower UChicago scientists, researchers, and students to test the commercial potential of their research and idea…
Chicago Booth School of Business recently recognized six outstanding MBA students who demonstrated leadership in entrepreneurship, venture capital, or private equity during their time at school. The…
The following article was written by Alex Hodgkin, entrepreneur-in residence at the Polsky Center, and originally published in Crain’s Chicago Business on June 17, 2024. Read the original article.…
The Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation today announced the 15 startups selected to participate in the 2024 Polsky Accelerators, 10-week summer programs open to all University of Chicag…
Supported by joint funding from the University of Chicago and UIUC through the Inclusive Innovation initiative, the Innovate2Market program is designed to empower community inventors and innovators to…
Supported by joint funding from the University of Chicago and UIUC through the Inclusive Innovation initiative, the Innovate2Market program is designed to empower community inventors and innovators to…
Supported by joint funding from the University of Chicago and UIUC through the Inclusive Innovation initiative, the Innovate2Market program is designed to empower community inventors and innovators to…
Supported by joint funding from the University of Chicago and UIUC through the Inclusive Innovation initiative, the Innovate2Market program is designed to empower community inventors and innovators to…
Nearly 350 attendees, 23…
Attend this no-cost in-person workshop on QuickBooks, an accounting software for small businesses. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to improve your bookkeeping skills, this workshop is for…
The Polsky Center is welcoming five new faces this summer taking on roles across two new fellowship programs. The Polsky Innovation Fellowship features three 4+1 students with technical backgrounds t…
A New Venture Challenge alum, AgileMD was founded by a team from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and University of Ch…
The Resurgence cleantech accelerator is powered by Deep Tech Ventures at the University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. Startups will gain access to business training a…
The Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation announced the seven recipients of the 2024…
Meet the notable alumni of the Small Business Growth Program!
The current Good Manufacturing Practices Facility at the University of Chicago’s Duchossois Family Institute features anaerobic chamber…
PAC Dynamic Founder and CEO Jonathan Grinstein, an associate professor of medicine at the University of Chicago School of Medicine, is…
Emily J. McFadden, PhD, serves as manager of business development and licensing at the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the University of Chicago. Prior to joining Polsky, Emily wo…
The Polsky Exchange is a startup incubator featuring work and meeting spaces, and a full calendar of programming and workshops designed…
Growing up on his family’s Christmas tree farm in Ohio, Nick Oberhouse, MBA ’20, was no stranger to small business entrepreneurship. From a young age, he was brought into the family business, earning…
The Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation & the Harry L. Davis Center for Leadership at the University of Chicago present the Polsky Founders’ Circles, a virtual place where early-stag…
The strategic partnership between the Polsky Center and Orange Grove Bio represents a significant step forward in bridging regional gap…
Virtual information session for Transform cohort 4 application cycle. APPLY HERE — Transform is powered by Deep Tech Ventures at the University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and In…
Transform is powered by Deep Tech Ventures at the University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation in partnership with UChicago’s Data Science Institute. This unique 16-week p…
Dima Elissa and Major Purnell join the Polsky Exchange’s Small Business Development Center (SBD…
The following article was written by Kim Vender Moffat, investor-in residence at the Polsky Center, and originally published in Crain’s Chicago Business on July 15, 2024. Read the original article.…
The Chicago-based Duality quantum accelerator has accepted its fourth cohort of startups into its program as the quantum revolution arrives in Illinois. The five startups in this cohort are developin…
The UChicago Science Incubator will be located at Hyde Park Labs, a state-of-the-art advanced sciences building driven by the Universit…
Duality is the first accelerator program in the US exclusively focused on supporting innovative quantum startups. The program is based in Chicago, the world’s leading hub for quantum innovation.
Join the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation and Rustandy Center for Social Sector Innovation in an open house event to meet and greet staff. Take the opportunity to learn about all of…
The Polsky Center is proud to launch the Entrepreneurship through Acquisition (ETA) Fellows Program in the 2024-25 academic year. This program is designed to provide tailored opportunities and resourc…
Information session for Transform cohort 4 application cycle. A Zoom link will be provided for those that cannot attend in-person. — Transform is powered by Deep Tech Ventures at the University of C…
The Orange Grove Bio (OGB) Senior Associate Program is designed to expose promising scientists to a world of venture capital and biotech.
Are you a University of Chicago PhD or postdoctoral researcher interested in leveraging your scientific training toward innovation and entrepreneurship?
In a ceremony at the Polsky Exchange, mentors, sponsors, and participants gathered to celebrate the completion of the program, which expanded from 10 weeks to nine months this year. The Polsky Small…
Graduate students, post-doctoral scholars, researchers, and faculty conducting scientific research and study at UChicago, Argonne, Fermilab, and Marine Biological Laboratory are encouraged to apply fo…
Chocolat Uzma is a retail chocolate shop located in Chica…
On Deck Pitch is aimed at entrepreneurs who are preparing to seek investment, enter pitch competitions, or just want to improve their pitch skills. Observers are welcome to register, watch the present…
On Deck Pitch is held every 4th Wednesday of the month from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. Two presenters will be chosen each month. Observers are welcome to register, watch the presentations, and provide constru…
Questions? Please contact Vince Beachum, Illinois SBDC Director at the Polsky Exchange.
Designed to develop and refine pitching skills to effectively present to potential investors or lenders.
Supported by joint funding from the University of Chicago and University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign through the Inclusive Innovation initiative, the Innovate2Market program is designed to empower co…
This series is to equip entrepreneurs with fundamental business knowledge and skills essential for running and growing a business. Business Acumen Series will focus on plugging the “profit holes” in y…
Matthew Kaufman studies neural activity and develops new mathematical methods to understand how brain areas generate the signals needed…
This month’s Exchange member breakfast aims to bring together our community of entrepreneurs and innovators in the Food and Consumer Packaged Goods sector for an exchange of ideas, networking, and col…
This series is to equip entrepreneurs with fundamental business knowledge and skills essential for running and growing a business. The Business Acumen Series – Sales 101 Workshop will cover: The art…
On Deck Pitch is an SBDC initiative designed to help entrepreneurs develop and refine their pitching skills and prepare to effectively present their businesses to potential investors. Join as an obser…
On Deck Pitch is an SBDC initiative designed to help entrepreneurs develop and refine their pitching skills and prepare to effectively present their businesses to potential investors. Join as an obser…
On Deck Pitch is an SBDC initiative designed to help entrepreneurs develop and refine their pitching skills and prepare to effectively present their businesses to potential investors. Join as an obser…
Attend this no cost in-person workshop to learn the things you need to consider and the requirements to start and own a business in Illinois. Learn the basic elements of starting a successful business…
This series is to equip entrepreneurs with fundamental business knowledge and skills essential for running and growing a business. Business Acumen Series: Business Model Canvas + Customer Discovery wi…
This is an opportunity to bring together local businesses and civic, educational, and elected members of the Chicago Hyde Park Business Community to discuss key issues affecting the community and prov…
The following article was written by Narayan Subramanian, PhD, senior manager, Front End of Innovation, at the Polsky Center, and originally published in Crain’s Chicago Business on August 19, 2024.…
Juliet Twomey is the Assistant Director of Student Programs at the University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. She supports a variety of programs for students pursuing c…
Join the Polsky Center for an exciting kickoff event for the College New Venture Challenge (CNVC) program! This event will consist of two parts: 12:30-3 p.m. // CNVC Info Session, Quick Pitches and N…
The Water Street Private Equity Case Challenge (PECC) is a case competition that enables teams from Chicago Booth to assess the potential for a leveraged buyout of a publicly-listed company. To partic…
The Business Acumen Series – Financial Planning Fundamentals workshop is tailored for small business owners to address the unique financial challenges and opportunities they face. *This is a hybrid ev…
Join Polsky Entrepreneur-in-Residence, Alex Hodgkin, MBA ’14, for a general information session on Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition (ETA). Learn about ETA programming at Chicago Booth and how to m…
Join Chicago Climate Connect and the Polsky Center’s Resurgence cleantech accelerator for a discussion on energy, sustainability, and climate tech innovation. As part of the event, the incoming cohort…
2023-24 Annual Report From providing world-class entrepreneurship e…
During the 2024-25 year, early-stage Booth MBA founders will have the opportunity to convene monthly as a group with Entrepreneur in-Residence Mia Saini Duchnowski. These monthly meetups will help fou…
Business Acumen Series – Marketing Fundamentals marketing fundamentals for small business owners with practical strategies and/or tools.
Join the Polsky Center and Emily Underwood, Clinical Professor of Law at The University of Chicago Law School, for an informative session on incorporation specifically as it relates to startups. In th…
The Innovation Fund Associates program is a venture capital apprenticeship during which teams of students from a variety of academic programs perform due diligence on startups applying for the George…
Join the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation and the Kilts Center for Marketing for a workshop led by adjunct professor of entrepreneurship and EIR Melissa Harris and her co-author, M. H…
Join us for a workshop that explores options and the process of incorporation for startups. This workshop will cover: The types of business entities, and factors that might cause a founder to choose…
The Polsky Center seeks highly motivated UChicago graduate students looking to apply to be a small business growth consultant. Candidates will possess: Interest in business management, entrepreneursh…
The Polsky Center seeks highly motivated Chicago Booth students looking to gain experience in business finance consulting by helping clients grow profitable businesses and manage their finances. Quali…
The University of Chicago Innovation Fund Associates (IFA) are an interdisciplinary group of students and post-docs who aid the George Shultz Innovation Fund in its Spring investment cycle. Associates…
The Polsky Exchange will provide a number of resources for a Women’s Business Development Center-led program, including workshops led by Polsky Center staff, space to work, market research carried ou…
University of Chicago Assistant Professor Chibueze Amanchukwu and PhD candidates Pengju Li and Shawn Shan were recently recognized for their groundbreaking innovations. Shawn Shan, 26, has been named…
This series is to equip entrepreneurs with fundamental business knowledge and skills essential for running and growing a business. Business Acumen Series – Sales 101 Workshop will cover: The art of s…
Join the Polsky Center and Melissa Harris, adjunct professor of entrepreneurship at Booth and entrepreneur in residence, for a workshop on public relations and media. In this informative session, Meli…
Kickoff for the 29th annual Edward L. Kaplan, ’71, New Venture Challenge, and 15th annual John Edwardson, ’72, Social New Venture Challenge. Agenda: 5:00 – 5:30 pm CT – Team Building & Networking…
Join us for an engaging session in the “Driving Growth” series, focusing on strategies for operating and scaling businesses within the Private Equity (PE) and Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition (ETA…
Entrepreneurs who have been operating their businesses, as well as those with brand new ideas and ventures, are welcome to join licensed attorneys to establish their legal Illinois entities. Attorneys…
Kickoff for the 29th annual Edward L. Kaplan, ’71, New Venture Challenge, and 15th annual John Edwardson, ’72, Social New Venture Challenge. Agenda: 12:15 – 1:15 pm CT – Faculty Presentation an…
Join Polsky Entrepreneur in Residence Doug Monieson, MBA ’89 and Michelle Cao, MBA ’24 in a fireside chat about being a first-year venture capitalist. Michelle is a Senior Associate on the healthcare…
The Water Street Private Equity Case Challenge (PECC) is a case competition that enables teams from Chicago Booth to assess the potential for a leveraged buyout of a publicly-listed company. To partic…
Join the Polsky Center and Michelle Aronson, Owner of Culture and Strategy Lab, for an engaging workshop on building workplace culture. In this interactive session, Michelle will discuss the critical…
Polsky Small Business Financial Fundamentals begins with a nine week intensive program occurring January – March 2025 for South or West side businesses to receive tailored technical assistance and con…
The Polsky Small Business Growth Program is a nine-month program that supports small business owners to help them grow and scale their businesses through consulting work completed by top University of…
Join the Polsky Center for a networking event for college students interested in participating in the College New Venture Challenge. Admitted teams who are still recruiting team members will deliver q…
Students with ventures that are admitted to the College New Venture Challenge should plan to attend this class orientation. If you are an individual looking to join a team, you can also join to hear s…
Join us for a panel discussion on the self-funded search process, featuring Mark Jackson, MBA ’11, Darrin Shillair, MBA ’16, Lia Majid. Each will discuss their experiences conducting a self-funded sea…
The Private Equity and Venture Capital (PE/VC) Lab was created for Chicago Booth students to learn firsthand about the private equity and venture capital industries. Through the combination of an inte…
The Sterling Partners Investment Thesis Challenge (SPITC) encourages students to form teams to conceive and propose an original investment thesis they wish to work on. Selected teams work with mentors…
The Chicago Booth Venture Capital Investment Competition (VCIC) is a VC simulation that allows students to think and act as venture capitalists and helps the school identify top student representative…
Chicago Booth Adjunct Professor of Entrepreneurship and Polsky Center Investor-in-Residence (IIR), Chris McGowan, will present on and discuss the changing PE landscape and the necessary skills for car…
Connecting researchers with business expertise, the Fall 2024 Collaboratorium will feature teams participating in the Polsky I-Corps program in addition to startups from the Duality and Resurgence ac…
If you are pursuing PE as a career changer, join the Polsky Center and Career Services for a workshop featuring Chris McGowan, a Polsky Center investor-in-residence focused on private equity and adjun…
The Polsky Center will feature a different staff member at the Gleacher Center campus one day each week of the fall quarter! These office hours will take place at Booth 455 (across the street from Gle…
The Entrepreneurship through Acquisition (ETA) Discovery Cohort provides curated opportunities for students at Chicago Booth to explore ETA. This program is open to Chicago Booth MBA students, Master…
The Polsky Center will feature a different staff member at the Gleacher Center campus one day each week of the fall quarter! These office hours will take place at Booth 455 (across the street from Gle…
The Entrepreneurship through Acquisition (ETA) Discovery Cohort provides curated opportunities for students at Chicago Booth to explore ETA. This program is open to Chicago Booth MBA students, Master…
The Polsky Center will feature a different staff member at the Gleacher Center campus one day each week of the fall quarter! These office hours will take place at Booth 455 (across the street from Gle…
The Polsky Center will feature a different staff member at the Gleacher Center campus one day each week of the fall quarter! These office hours will take place at Booth 455 (across the street from Gle…
The Polsky Center will feature a different staff member at the Gleacher Center campus one day each week of the fall quarter! These office hours will take place at Booth 455 (across the street from Gle…
The Polsky Center will feature a different staff member at the Gleacher Center campus one day each week of the fall quarter! These office hours will take place at Booth 455 (across the street from Gle…
The Polsky Center will feature a different staff member at the Gleacher Center campus one day each week of the fall quarter! These office hours will take place at Booth 455 (across the street from Gle…
The Polsky Center will feature a different staff member at the Gleacher Center campus one day each week of the fall quarter! These office hours will take place at Booth 455 (across the street from Gle…
The Polsky Center will feature a different staff member at the Gleacher Center campus one day each week of the fall quarter! These office hours will take place at Booth 455 (across the street from Gle…
The Chicago Booth Private Equity Conference, hosted by the Chicago Booth Private Equity Group and the Polsky Center, is an annual event that brings together investors, students, and entrepreneurs to n…
32 Biosciences is advancing field-defining research to build clinically useful, validated, precision tools to diagnose and correct Dysb…
Join the Polsky Center and Career Services for a workshop featuring Dipa Mehta who will cover the process of interviewing, and building out your thesis and story, for roles in venture capital. She wil…
Join Polsky Center’s Private Equity Investor-in-Residence (IIR), Duane Jackson, for a workshop focused on building a strong investment thesis. Topics will include the foundations of an investment thes…
Join Polsky Center Investor-in-Residence Dipa Mehta, MBA ’12, cofounder and managing partner, Valeo Ventures for an engaging panel discussion on thematic investing.
Are you interested in acquiring and operating a business? The Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition (ETA) Workshop provides an in-depth introduction to the fundamentals of a traditional search fund. Le…
Come hear from Erika Mercer, Executive Director of Booth Entrepreneurship, and Paul Cavalieri, Senior Associate Director, Small Business Operations about how the students in the Specialized Master Pro…
The Water Street Private Equity Case Challenge (PECC) is a case competition that enables teams from Chicago Booth to assess the potential for a leveraged buyout of a publicly listed company. To partic…
Join Polsky Entrepreneur-in-Residence, Alex Hodgkin, MBA ’14, for a general information session on Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition (ETA). Learn about ETA programming at Chicago Booth and how to m…
The Chicago Booth Venture Capital Investment Competition (VCIC) is an investment simulation that allows students to think and act as venture capitalists and helps the school identify top student repre…
The Chan Zuckerberg Biohub Chicago announced its first cohort of Investigators, 48 innovative scientists and engineers from the Biohub’…
The following article was written by Shyama Majumdar, interim executive director of Deep Tech Ventures at the Polsky Center, and originally published in Crain’s Chicago Business on September 17, 2024.…
The Small Business Market Research Clinic pairs Booth students with businesses that are part of the Women’s Business Development Center to carry out market research
The Polsky Center seeks highly motivated students from across all University of Chicago programs (Graduate and Undergraduate) looking to gain experience in market and industry research and analysis th…
The deadline to apply is Monday, October 15, at 3:00 p.m. If you need any assistance or clarification while completing the application, please contact Paul Cavalieri at paul.cavalieri@chicagobooth.edu…
Launched in 1996, the Edward L. Kaplan, ’71, New Venture Challenge (NVC) is recognized as one of the top-ranked accelerator programs in the nation. Through the NVC, the Polsky Center has graduated mor…
Join Polsky Investor-in-Residence Tim Kelly for an interactive workshop on building effective slide decks. Tim will cover ways to build a presentation that communicates your ideas and inspires your au…
Join the Polsky Center’s Investor-in-Residence Tim Kelly for a workshop that explores the private equity industry. Students interested in a career in private equity often think “Venture versus Buyout/…
Join the Polsky Center’s Investor-in-Residence Tim Kelly for a workshop on due diligence on PE Funds for employment or investment. This workshop will explore how one diligences the merits of a partner…
Application is due by 3:00 pm on 10/15. You can apply here. The Polsky Center seeks highly motivated University of Chicago students looking to gain experience in market and industry research and analy…
The Polsky Center is pleased to host Raam Jani, partner at BakerHostetler, for an interactive presentation on the legal side of Entrepreneurship through Acquisition investments and deals. A partner in…
Identifying and assisting individuals at risk for suicide is key to suicide prevention. QPR training increases the number of people in the community who can recognize the warning signs of suicide and…
Undergraduate students looking to apply for the College New Venture Challenge (CNVC) are encouraged to attend this virtual workshop to ask any questions you may have about the application. During the…
The Customer Discovery Bootcamp is intended for early-stage ventures to explore their problem-solution fit by engaging directly with potential customers and industry stakeholders. Over five weeks, tea…
The Rattan L. Khosa SeedCon is Chicago Booth’s flagship entrepreneurship and venture capital conference. Through keynote fireside chats, panel discussions, and various networking sessions, SeedCon pro…
Join the Polsky Center and Ben Schmuck, innovation manager at Caterpillar, for an informative session about customer discovery. For over five years, Ben has applied his “lean innovation” methodology a…
Canva Workshop for Small Business Owners. Boost Your Brand with Canva! Want to take your small business brand to the next level? Join us for a hands-on workshop to learn about graphic design with Canv…
Launched in partnership with 37 Oaks, supported by GET Cities’ Tech Equity Working Group (now part of World Business Chicago), and with additional funding provided by Verizon, the E-Commerce Learning…
Registration for this event is now closed. Join the Polsky Center and Steven Mayer, Cofounder of Atari, for a lunch session where he will discuss his career and be available to answer questions. We a…
In his role, Jacob manages patent filing and prosecution for a diverse portfolio of inventions, including those related to chemistry and therapeutics. He also participates in faculty outreach efforts…
Graduate students, post-doctoral scholars, researchers, and faculty conducting scientific research at UChicago, Argonne, Fermilab, or the Marine Biological Laboratory are encouraged to apply for Intro…
Quick Pitch: 5 – 5:30 p.m. CT Application Preparation Workshop/Q&A: 5:30 – 6:30 p.m. CT Networking: 6:30 – 7 p.m. CT Join us for an application preparation workshop and Quick Pitch event for the E…
The University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, in partnership with the UChicago Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, is pleased to announce the second cohort of s…
The following article was written by CJ Przybyl, associate adjunct professor of entrepreneurship, entrepreneur-in-residence, and cofounder and CEO of Reserv, and originally published in Crain’s Chica…
“There’s a missing piece in how the grid interacts with smart devices, that’s where WattShift comes in.” In the moments between classes at the University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business,…
Dania Baig serves as the Associate Director for Events and Facilities at the Polsky Center. In her role, she plays a pivotal role in optimizing the usage of the Polsky Exchange, a multidisciplinary co…
Investing Essentials is designed for students interested in learning about and pursuing careers in the private equity and venture capital space.
Investing Essentials is designed for students interested in learning about and pursuing careers in the private equity and venture capital space.
Investing Essentials is designed for students interested in learning about and pursuing careers in the private equity and venture capital space.
The Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovat…
Earlier this month, the Polsky Center, ETA Group at Chicago Booth, and Northwestern Kellogg Innovation and Entrepreneurship Initiative hosted the annual Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition Conferenc…
The award recognizes centers that creatively…
The Sterling Partners Investment Thesis Challenge (SPITC) encourages students to form teams to conceive and propose an original investment thesis on which they wish to work. Selected teams work with m…
NOTE: This event is hosted by the National Science Foundation (NSF). You can view the original event listing on the NSF website here. — The U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) invites you to jo…
Air Energy is a participant in cohort 2 of Resurgence, a cleantech accelerator led by the University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation in partnership with the UChicago Pr…
Materium is a participant in cohort 2 of Resurgence, a cleantech accelerator led by the University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation in partnership with the Pritzker Scho…
Inertial is a participant in cohort 2 of Resurgence, a cleantech accelerator led by the University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation in partnership with the Pritzker Scho…
Tanda Biotech is a participant in cohort 2 of Resurgence, a cleantech accelerator led by the University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation in partnership with the Pritzker…
AGC Carbon is a participant in cohort 2 of Resurgence, a cleantech accelerator at the University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation in partnership with the Pritzker School…
Join the Polsky Center and Entrepreneur in-Residence Mia Saini Duchnowski for a workshop on finding your cofounder and understanding equity splits. Whether you already have a business idea or are just…
Join the Polsky Center and intellectual property attorney Kate Berezutskaya for an informative session about intellectual property assets and the value that they may provide for your company and inves…
Who Should Attend: NVC/SNVC teams that are looking to add teammates for Phase II and students looking to join NVC/SNVC Phase II teams Hosted By: Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation and t…
Join the Polsky Center and CJ Pryzbyl, cofounder of Snapsheet and Reserv, for an engaging and informative session on Understanding AI. AI is complex and often misunderstood, so CJ will clarify some im…
Join the Polsky Center and Managing Partner of All Rise Legal Counsel, Leslee Cohen, for an informative session about early stage fundraising. In this workshop, Leslee will discuss the legal perspecti…
Join us for the finals of the 13th Annual College New Venture Challenge (CNVC). Throughout the afternoon, the CNVC finalists will present to a panel of judges comprised of investors, entrepreneurs, an…
The following article was written by Duane Jackson, investor-in-residence at the Polsky Center and founder and managing partner at Author Capital Partners, and Nick Brand, partner at Author Capital P…
Alonna Dray serves as the associate director of digital marketing and communications at the University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. In this role, she drives digital…
The Polsky Center and Entrepreneurship & Venture Capital (EVC) Group will host the Venture Capital Investment Competition (VCIC) in-person on January 10, 2025, at the Gleacher Center. We invite yo…
The Entrepreneurship through Acquisition (ETA) Discovery Cohort provides curated opportunities for students at Chicago Booth to explore ETA. This program is open to Chicago Booth MBA students, Master…
Join the Polsky Center’s Investor-in-Residence and organizational psychologist, Tim Kelly, MBA ’00, for an interactive workshop to discuss the transition of associate to partner and the neuroscience b…
Are you interested in a career in private equity, particularly in the exciting and dynamic early-stage sector? Join us for an insightful workshop led by Duane Jackson, Investor-in-Residence at the Pol…
Join us for the Finals of the 29th annual Edward L. Kaplan, ’71, New Venture Challenge (NVC). NVC finalists will present to a panel of judges comprising of top investors, entrepreneurs, and others. Pr…
Join us for the finals of the Global New Venture Challenge, a track of the New Venture Challenge designed for students in Chicago Booth’s Executive MBA program. Following competitive semi-finals hoste…
24th ANNUAL CHICAGO BOOTH PRIVATE EQUITY CONFERENCE Friday, February 28th, 2025 | Marriott Magnificent Mile, 540 N. Michigan Ave. Chicago, IL 60611 Featured Book Talk Keynote Private Capital: T…
Join Polsky Center entrepreneurs-in-residence Mia Duchnowski and Jamie Shah for an informative workshop on the differences between a founder operator and a “brought-in” COO. Mia, cofounder of Oars + A…
Two startups born out of the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation are showing how collaborations can create impact in unexpected ways. Open Water, the sustainability-focused canned water…
Managed by the Polsky Center, the George Shultz Innovation Fund provides up to $250,000 in co-investment funding for early-stage science-based ventures coming out of the University of Chicago, Argonne…
This Entrepreneurship through Franchise Ownership workshop will be facilitated by Tim Lanai, a francishe owner and a current fellow of the University of Chicago Leadership and Society Initiative. This…
The National Science Foundation’s I-Corps program supports teams working on ideas in the science, technology, mathematics, and engineering (STEM) fields. I-Corps provides educational training and expe…
Join the Polsky Center and Tom Chowaniec, Certified FocalPoint Business and Executive Coach specializing in wealth managers and financial planners, for an informative workshop on negotiations.
The Collaboratorium unites UChicago students with researchers, technologists, and faculty who want to explore the commercialization opportunities and business applications of their work. A great oppor…
The following article was written by Ale Breuer, adjunct professor of entrepreneurship at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, and originally published in Crain’s Chicago Business on D…
Resurgence Cohort 2 >> AGC Carbon // AGC Carbon Inc. is an early-stage, deep tech startup focused on carbon capture and grid energy storage technologies. Air Energy // Air Energy is driving the…
Join Booth alum Darrin Shillair, MBA ’16, for an insightful workshop on deal structuring as a self-funded searcher. Darrin will share his expertise on how to structure acquisition deals, balance risk…
Join us for a panel featuring several second-year leaders from the ETA Club as they share their personal journeys in navigating ETA while at Booth. Hear how they explored different ETA models, what fa…
The Resurgence Fellowship program will offer a limited number of fellowships to University of Chicago students and provide them with an opportunity to support innovation and business development in th…
Join Chris Conti, managing partner at Lancor, for an engaging workshop exploring the expanding role of PE operating partners. Gain insights into this critical function and learn actionable steps to di…
“Draw down your revolvers and batten down the hatches!” is the advice many savvy PE investors offer portfolio companies in a downturn. Savvy PE investors, however, also go looking for opportunities. I…
The George Shultz Innovation Fund Finals will feature four startup teams who have been selected as finalists for potential investment from the George Shultz Innovation Fund. Each team will pitch to th…
Join Alex Hodgkin, MBA ’14, Senior Advisor for ETA and Polsky Center Entrepreneur-in-Residence, and co-teacher Dan Cremons, for a sneak peek into their Spring course on Value Creation in Small Busines…
The $795 million acquisition represents one of…
The Resurgence Fellowship Program offers University of Chicago graduate students the opportunity to support startups in Resurgence, the Polsky Center’s cleantech accelerator, with key aspects of busin…
Rayni helps scientists in the life sciences operate their instruments with complete confidence through fast, reliable, and personalized AI-powered guidance.
Cyclical is revolutionizing the way female hormonal cycles are understood in society as part of the rapidly-growing FemTech industry that has taken off in recent years. Female hormonal cycles affect o…
BRAIV is eliminating the guessing game of prescribing psychiatric medications for conditions such as Depression and Anxiety through Machine Learning and Big Data. Get better, faster, with BRAIV.
Rayni helps scientists in the life sciences operate their instruments with complete confidence through fast, reliable, and personalized AI-powered guidance.
Cyclical is revolutionizing the way female hormonal cycles are understood in society as part of the rapidly-growing FemTech industry that has taken off in recent years. Female hormonal cycles affect o…
The Virtual Patient Simulator (VPS) by PAC Dynamic uses a patients unique cardio-energetic profile to accurately identify and model the trajectory of patients living with heart failure. Using hemodyna…
BRAIV is eliminating the guessing game of prescribing psychiatric medications for conditions such as Depression and Anxiety through Machine Learning and Big Data. Get better, faster, with BRAIV.
relos facilitates residential real estate transactions by converting purchase contracts into actionable, interactive timelines for realtors, their clients, and other stakeholders resulting in faster,…
Carpe Diem is a snack company that seizes the day to wipe out invasive species by turning them into the tastiest treats. We create the best tasting protein snacks that also happen to be sustainable by…
Doulala is a virtual AI-powered pregnancy companion that is a woman’s one-stop shop for reliable and personalized information, recommendations, and resources through guided prompts and conversational,…
MOOJ Foods is a South Asian health foods company focused on reimagining traditional staples with a modern, nutritious twist. Our first product is a high-protein paneer, which will be the highest prote…
Mudita Earth is a clean, plant-based skincare brand focused on the needs of melanin-rich skin. We are currently sold in 200 stores and Amazon.
ORO Intelligence is a healthcare tech startup that empowers provider organizations to increase annual revenue and see more patients by maximizing provider utilization. Our AI-powered Digital Assistant…
Saply offers a plant-based caffeine alternative drink crafted with superfood ingredients to enhance focus and mental clarity without the jitters, driven by the mission to “be simple, be natural.”
Speaker: Kwasi K Appiah Jr, Branch Manager, The Huntington National Bank. Huntington Bancshares Incorporated is a $189 billion asset regional bank holding company headquartered in Columbus, Ohio. Foun…
Speakers : Shawn Boone, VP Business Banker , PNC Bank. Nicholas Reyes, Relationship Manager, PNC Bank. PNC Bank offers a wide range of personal banking services including checking and savings accounts…
Speaker: Song Chae, Regional Development Manager, Founders First Capital Partners. Founders First Capital Partners provides revenue-based funding, term loans and advisory services to service-based sma…
The Chicago Booth Angels Network of Chicago and New York (CBAN Chicago & New York ) is a nonprofit, affinity organization founded and run by alumni of the University of Chicago Booth School of Bus…
Speaker: Mike McCracken, Senior Vice President, Hyde Park Bank/Beverly Bank (Wintrust). Beverly Bank & Trust provides Illinois with the resources of a big bank while maintaining the personalized s…
Speaker: Marco Garcia, VP Business Relationship Manager, BMO Harris Bank. BMO is the 8th largest bank in North America by assets. They provide personal and commercial banking, global markets, and inve…
Speaker: Jonathan Thrasher, Senior Vice President, Government Guaranteed Lending and Commercial Lending, First Women’s Bank. First Women’s Bank is the only women-founded, women-owned and women-led com…
Speaker: Roy Nunez, Senior Business Consultant, JPMorgan Chase – Coaching For Impact. JPMorgan Chase’s Minority Entrepreneur Initiative supports business owners in growing their businesses through acc…
Speakers: Miguel Gomez, Managing Director – Sales Manager, CIBC Bank. Alberto Moreno, Associate Managing Director, CIBC Bank. CIBC Bank offers simplified products, transparent terms and a dedicated…
The Polsky Exchange “On Deck Pitch” is an SBDC initiative designed to help entrepreneurs develop and refine their pitching skills and prepare to effectively present their businesses to potential inves…
The South Side Business Development Internship provides an opportunity for University of Chicago College students to gain valuable consulting experience working on projects with local community busine…
Attend this no-cost in-person workshop to learn the things you need to consider and the prequirements to start and own a business in Illinois. Learn the basic elements of starting a successful busines…
Leaders from the University of Chicago and Deerfield Management came together to formalize the agreement and establish Hyde Park Discov…
Corporate Collision provides a unique opportunity for companies to discover, connect, and collaborate with some of the nation’s top quantum, data science and AI, and cleantech startups. A panel of exp…
Designed to develop and refine pitching skills to effectively present to potential investors or lenders.
Requirements Applicants must be current Chicago Booth students who are located in Chicago during the Spring Quarter Applicants are required to meet with their teams a total of four times in March and…
1/31 Application Opens 2/10 3:00PM Application Closes Week of 2/10 Applicant Interviews Week of 3/3 Booth students matched with LaunchPad teams Coaching Meetings will occur (4 total): Week of 3/3 or 3…
Questions? Please contact Paul Cavalieri.
The Polsky Center is thrilled to partner with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Chicago and offer students at Chicago Booth the opportunity to coach and mentor young, local entrepreneurs participating in…
Boys & Girls Clubs of Chicago, a non-profit dedicated to providing innovative programs in a safe and positive environment to empowe…
The following article was written by Jamie Shah, entrepreneur-in-residence at the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation and an adjunct professor at Chicago Booth School of Business, and…
Join the Polsky Center for an inspiring fireside chat with Doug Monieson, Entrepreneur in Residence at the Polsky Center, and Mohamed Ata, Sr. Content Acquisition Manager at Amazon Prime Video, as the…
From Chicago, Hong Kong, and London, 20 teams are advancing to the classroom portion of the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation’s 2025 Global New Venture Challenge (GNVC). The GN…
Rattan L. Khosa provides opening remarks to and audience of students, entrepreneurs, investors, and key members of the startup ecosystem.…
ORO Intelligence is a participant in Cohort 4 of Transform, a data science and AI startup accelerator powered at the University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation and Innov…
PAC Dynamic is a participant in Cohort 4 of Transform, a data science and AI startup accelerator powered at the University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation and Innovatio…
The Dev Difference is a participant in Cohort 4 of Transform, a data science and AI startup accelerator powered at the University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation and In…
Slideflow Labs is a participant in Cohort 4 of Transform, a data science and AI startup accelerator powered at the University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation and Innovat…
Legion Space is a participant in Cohort 4 of Transform, a data science and AI startup accelerator powered at the University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation and Innovati…
Asters is a participant in Cohort 4 of Transform, a data science and AI startup accelerator powered at the University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation and Innovation in…
The University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation and Data Science Institute today announced the six early-stage companies accepted into the fourth cohort of the Transform…
The Polsky Center’s Build and Launch Accelerators give teams the opportunity to work intensively and solely on their businesses and social enterprises in a collaborative and dynamic environment ov…
Today, the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation announced the 25 teams advancing to the classroom portion of the 2025 Edward L. Kaplan, ’71, New Venture Challenge (NVC), the University o…
Connecting researchers with business expertise, the Winter 2025 Collaboratorium will feature teams participating in the Polsky I-Corps program in addition to startups from the Duality and Transform a…
Join the Polsky Center and Investor-in-Residence Dipa Mehta, MBA ’12, for a hands-on workshop exploring key strategies for conducting thorough due diligence. This session will cover best practices for…
Researchers in the lab of UChicago Pritzker School of Engineering Assistant Professor Sihong Wang (left), including PhD student Yahao D…
The Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation and The University of Illinois’ Grainger College of Engineering are pleased to announce the six finalists selected to compete in the Colle…
Join us March 12th to hear authentic entrepreneurial stories that rarely make the spotlight In the startup world, we celebrate successes loudly but whisper about failures quietly—yet it’s those failu…
Join us for a workshop that explores options and the process of incorporation for startups. Facilitator: Beth Kregor, IJ Clinic Director This workshop will cover: The types of business entities, and…
Calling all Polsky Exchange Members. Start your day right with coffee and treats at the Polsky Exchange. You don’t want to miss it! This month’s Exchange member breakfast aims to bring together our co…
Entrepreneurs who have been operating their businesses, as well as those with brand new ideas and ventures, are welcome to join licensed attorneys to establish their legal Illinois entities. Attorneys…
The Polsky Exchange “On Deck Pitch” is a Small Business Development Center (SBDC) initiative designed to help entrepreneurs develop and refine their pitching skills and prepare to effectively present…
The Polsky Center Build and Launch Accelerators give teams the opportunity to work intensively and solely on their businesses and social enterprises in a collaborative and dynamic environment over the…
The conference brings together investors, students, and entrepreneurs to network and share insights into the dynamics of investing in a constantly changing economy. The conference began with opening…
Historically, less than 5% of homes in the U.S. are listed for sale at any given time. Combine tha…
The Verizon Small Business Digital Ready Program supports entrepreneurs with customized learning opportunities, incentives and networking to thrive in the digital economy. This workshop is to show bus…
The Polsky Commercialization Fellowship offers PhD STEM students at the University of Chicago the opportunity to create new ventures around promising research and develop leadership skills during a co…
Led by faculty advisors Mark Agnew MBA ’06 and Brian O’Connor, MBA ’08, the ETA Fellows Program will provide access to exclusive, curated opportunities and resources, including educational deep dives…
Join the Polsky Center and Career Services for a workshop featuring Polsky Investor-in-Residence Dipa Mehta, MBA ’12, cofounder and managing partner, Valeo Ventures. This workshop is an introduction t…
Join Polsky Entrepreneur-in-Residence, Jamie Shah, MBA ’13, for a workshop covering small & family businesses. In addition to teaching Outperform & Outlast: Operating and Investing in Closely…
Join the Polsky Center and Nell Compernolle, PhD, and Tanya Treptow, PhD, in an informational workshop on how to talk to people to understand your existing or potential business audiences. Nell and Ta…
Join the Polsky Center’s Investor in-Residence for private equity, Tim Kelly, MBA ’00, for an interactive workshop to discuss special topics in EQ. Tim has been involved in private equity for nearly t…
Join Elliott Holland, Managing Director of Guardian Due Diligence, for an in-depth discussion on the critical role of due diligence in the acquisition process. With years of experience guiding entrepr…
This info session will feature information on Polsky programs for PhD students and postdocs at the University of Chicago, with a specific focus on the Commercialization Fellows Program and Polsky Scie…
Join the Polsky Center and Nell Compernolle, PhD, and Tanya Treptow, PhD, in an informational workshop on how to leverage survey data to understand your existing or potential business audiences. Nell…
Join the Polsky Center Investor-in-Residence Dipa Mehta, MBA ’12, cofounder and managing partner, Valeo Ventures for a panel discussion on post-transaction management. Dipa will be joined by panelists…
How do you identify investments that have a high probability of achieving growth and returning capital over the long-term? How do you separate short-term fads from industries and sectors with sustaina…
Join Jason Ehrlich, Managing Partner of Fruition Capital, for a workshop on investor perspectives in self-funded search acquisitions. He will discuss what investors look for in target businesses, deal…
Join us for an exclusive evening of innovation with Greg Hughes, president and CEO of Suntory Global Spirits. Hosted by the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation and the Kilts Center for M…
Raymond Svider, MBA ’89, is chairman and a partner at BC Partners, a private equity firm focusing mainly on the upper mid-market in Europe and North America. The firm also invests in credit and real e…
Join Skyler Almquist, Founder and Managing Partner of Alliance Growth Partners for an ETA Workshop on Tech Stack Setup & Best Practices. This session will provide essential insights into selecting…
The Exactics team (from left to right): Devin Singh, Miranda Thomson, Zachary Sarmoen, Julian Kage, Dylan Murray, Sean Greeby, Maxwell Al…
Join members of Redpath and Company for a workshop on the tax implications of common M&A transaction structures. This session will explore the tax consequences of asset and stock/share deals and s…
Nicole Bell serves as Chief of Staff at the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. In this role, she leads strategic initiatives and operations, including HR, finance, corporate partnershi…
This is a virtual info session for the Polsky Founders’ Fund Fellowship (PF3) The Polsky Founders’ Fund Fellowship (PF3) is a resource available to graduating University of Chicago students who are co…
The Polsky Center will feature staff members at the Gleacher Center campus a few times during the spring quarter! These office hours will take place at Booth 455 (across the street from Gleacher in th…
Join the Polsky Center and Sophia Matveeva, CEO & founder of Tech For Non-Techies, for an informative workshop on Fundraising for Non-Technical Founders. Investors are often skeptical about tech v…
Join the Polsky Center and Sophia Matveeva, CEO & founder of Tech For Non-Techies, for an informative workshop on Tech for Non-Technical Founders. Do you have an idea for an app or a web-based bus…
Jonathan Grinstein | PAC Dynamic – Developing advanced models to better understand heart failure, paving the way for more personalized and effective treatments. Brian Martin (Senior Research Fellow)…
Calling all Polsky Exchange Members. Start your day right with coffee and treats at the Polsky Exchange. You don’t want to miss it! This month’s Exchange member breakfast aims to bring together our co…
For Ray Chery and his wife Dana, entrepreneurship has always been in their DNA. Both grew up in families whe…
Join the Polsky Center for a fireside chat between Michael Polsky, MBA ’87 and Andy Karsner, moderated by Dean Madhav Rajan, where they will discuss their careers and leadership journeys as well as th…
The incubator is a space for startups, researchers, and industry experts to work together. Learn more about programming, equipment, and amenities.
Every family has a story worth telling. The Family Business Podcast shines a light on the inspiring, often unconventional journeys of family-owned businesses. Through rich conversations and reflection…
University of Chicago PhD candidates who have completed qualifying exams and will be enrolled as full-time students throughout the fellowship Candidate is currently working on research project or tec…
The Polsky Commercialization Fellowship offers PhD STEM students at the University of Chicago the opportunity to create new ventures around promising research and develop leadership skills during a co…
Questions? Contact Ellen Zatkowski, Director, Science Programs and Student Engagement.
Christopher Basile Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering Technology: Platform using split RNA polymerase system to encode genes for protein in bacteriophage to select and replicate specific protei…
The Polsky Commercialization Fellowship offers PhD students at the University of Chicago the opportunity to create new ventures around promising research and develop leadership skills during a compet…
The Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation is set to significantly expand its support and offerings for students interested in energy transition innovation thanks to a generous $12.5 milli…
The Tech Enablement series provides an eight workshop overview of how adoption of tech products and services increases market reach and automates operational tasks. This session will focus on “Digital…
The Tech Enablement series provides an eight workshop overview of how adoption of tech products and services increases market reach and automates operational tasks. This session will focus on “Marketi…
The Tech Enablement series provides an eight workshop overview of how adoption of tech products and services increases market reach and automates operational tasks. This session will focus on “E-comme…
The Polsky Exchange “On Deck Pitch” is an SBDC initiative designed to help entrepreneurs develop and refine their pitching skills and prepare to effectively present their businesses to potential inves…
The Tech Enablement series provides an eight workshop overview of how adoption of tech products and services increases market reach and automates operational tasks. This session will focus on “Financi…
The Tech Enablement series provides an eight-workshop overview of how adoption of tech products and services increases market reach and automates operational tasks. This session will focus on “Utilizi…
The Tech Enablement series provides an eight workshop overview of how adoption of tech products and services increases market reach and automates operational tasks. This session will focus on “Brand D…
The Tech Enablement series provides an eight-workshop overview of how adoption of tech products and services increases market reach and automates operational tasks. This session will focus on “Leverag…
Speakers: Alex Felton, Vice President, Sr. Business Development Officer, Pursuit. Our mission is simple: to provide businesses with affordable loans and resources so that they can reach higher and g…
The Polsky Exchange “On Deck Pitch” is an SBDC initiative designed to help entrepreneurs develop and refine their pitching skills and prepare to effectively present their businesses to potential inves…
The Tech Enablement series provides an eight workshop overview of how adoption of tech products and services increases market reach and automates operational tasks. This session will focus on “Tech-Po…
The spring 2025 George Shultz Innovation F…
If you have additional questions about Focus Group, please contact Barbara Agyapong, Program Manager, Polsky Exchange at bagyapong@uchicago.edu
The Polsky Exchange offers focus groups for our members and program participants in support of their businesses.
One of six Polsky Commercialization Fellows, Shankar Menon (image right), is working to commercialize work from the lab through his sta…
Prior to selection of focus group participants, each business owner should provide a narrative identifying their target market and desired objective they hope to achieve from the focus group. The narr…
This Polsky Exchange Capital Series features presentations by capital providers and information about how to access different forms of capital. The series will commence with presentations from traditi…
If you have additional questions about Tech Enablement Series, please contact Barbara Agyapong, Program Manager, Polsky Exchange at bagyapong@uchicago.edu
The Polsky Exchange Business Acumen Series offers targeted workshops designed to help small business owners strengthen their core business knowledge and decision-making skills.
If you have additional questions about Business Acumen Series, please contact Barbara Agyapong, Program Manager, Polsky Exchange at bagyapong@uchicago.edu
The Polsky Exchange Tech Enablement Series offers workshops for small business owners seeking to leverage technology to grow and improve their operations.
The following article was written by Michael Curry, co-CEO and co-chairman of Lullwater, a Baltimore-based operations-focused investment company, and an adjunct assistant professor of entrepreneurshi…
Michael Polsky, CEO of Invenergy, and Andy Karsner, senior strategist at Alphabet’s X, came together in a fireside chat moderated by Chicago Booth School of Business Dean Madhav Rajan to examine the…
Join us for a fireside chat with Federico Ranero, MBA, ’12, CEO, Draiver, and general partner, Bridge, as we explore his journey leading high-growth companies and investing in startups across Latin Am…
In 2018, Chicago Booth alumnus, Rattan L. Khosa, ’79, established the Rattan L. Khosa Student Entrepreneurs Program structured to directly support Chicago Booth student entrepreneurs. Rattan has an in…
The Deep Tech Demo Day will spotlight 20 startups from the University of Chicago, Northwestern University, and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
This Polsky Exchange Capital Series features presentations by capital providers and information about how to access different forms of capital. The series will commence with presentations from traditi…
The UChicago Tech Ventures Demo Day is a signature event at the convergence of deep tech innovation and investment in the Midwest.
Cofounded by Jolene Bernagene, Jovanay Carter, and Moyosore Okeremi, The Dev Difference is…
The Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation in March hosted Corporate Collision at TechNexus, bringing together more than 120 startup founders, innovation leaders, investors, and subject-ma…
For more than two decades, Sara Gregory has been the head of Diversity Connected, a boutique consulting firm that specializes in operational excellence, project management, event execution, and data…
The University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation has announced Cohort 2 of the Resurgence Fellowship – a program connecting students with startups in its cleantech accele…
The Private Equity Alumni/Student Coaching Program matches Chicago Booth MBA students pursuing careers in private equity with members of the Polsky Center Private Equity Council and Chicago Booth alum…
The UChicago Tech Ventures Demo Day, hosted by the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, is a signature event highlighting the next generation of deep tech startups emerging from the Midw…
For more information, contact Anna Wislocki.
The Polsky Center will feature staff members at the Gleacher Center campus a few times during the spring quarter! These office hours will take place at Booth 455 (across the street from Gleacher in th…
Healthcare investment firm Deerfield Management recently visited the University of Chicago to meet with researchers and discuss Hyde Park Discovery, a new collaboration to advance discoveries from th…
The Polsky Energy Transition Leadership Program was established to accelerate Chicago Booth’s offerings related to energy transition, renewable energy infrastructure, and entrepreneurial leadership.
About Michael Polsky, MBA ’87 Michael Polsky is a visionary entrepreneur, business leader, and energy industry pioneer whose work has defined the global energy landscape. He is the founder and CEO of…
The conversation spanned from creating value in portfolio companies to the evolving impact of AI and geopolitical uncertainty on global investing. Raymond Svider, MBA ’89, chairman and partner at BC…
Join us for an insightful panel discussion that delves into the diverse and dynamic world of biomedical innovation. This event will feature experts and leaders from various sectors, including startups…
Rahul Singal is a Program Manager at the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the University of Chicago, where he manages accelerator programming for pre-seed startups in Cleantech, Qu…
The Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation today announced the 16 startups selected to participate in the 2025 Build and Launch summer accelerators, 10-week summer programs open to all Uni…
Beacon is harnessing Far-UVC technology to make indoor spaces safer, and shaping the future of public health in the process. When the world shut down in March 2020, most people stocked up on grocerie…
Join us for a fireside chat with Matt Byington, investor at General Catalyst, moderated by Will Gossin, adjunct assistant professor of entrepreneurship at Chicago Booth, as we explore the rapidly evol…
The I-Corps program is designed to empower scientists, researchers, and students to test the commercial potential and impact of their r…
Join us for the 15th John Edwardson, ’72, Social New Venture Challenge Finals, where teams will compete for over $250,000 in startup funding. Throughout the day, our finalists will present their innov…
Overview The Private Equity and Venture Capital Lab lets students combine an intensive internship at a PE or VC firm with an academic course. Students selected for the Lab intern with their firm for a…
Quantum Photon Queue is introducing efficient quantum memories to expedite the adoption of quantum communication, computing, and metrology technologies. Artificial Brain is a quantum computing co…
Seven teams have been selected for the 18th annual Global New Venture Challenge (GNVC) finals, taki…
A team of four students from the Universi…
Speaker: Johnny H Wilbon IV, Vice President, Bank of America. Bank of America’s mission is to improve people’s financial lives through connections. They aim to help clients achieve their goals by prov…
Speaker: Amanda Askew, Senior Community Lender, Allies for Community Business. Allies for Community Business supports entrepreneurs from any background to start and grow their businesses and create ge…
Speakers: Andrew Leon Hanna, Co-Founder, Mona Ventures. Anny Dow, Co-Founder, Mona Ventures. We will be joined by Andrew Leon Hanna and Anny Dow. They are the co-founders of Mona, a platform that help…
Chicago Booth School of Business recently recognized five outstanding MBA students who demonstrated leadership in entrepreneurship, venture capital, or private equity during their time at school. The…
The Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation is excited to announce the 10 teams advancing to the finals of the 29th annual Edward L. Kaplan, ’71, New Venture Challenge (NVC), the University…
8:30 – 9:15 a.m.: Registration 9:15 – 9:30 a.m.: Welcome and Opening Remarks Shyama Majumdar, Director, Accelerators and Investments, Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation 9:30 – 11:30…
Led by C…
Calling all Polsky Exchange Members. Start your day right with coffee and treats at the Polsky Exchange. You don’t want to miss it! This month’s Exchange member breakfast aims to bring together our co…
Speaker: Jason Mercer, Principal, Cleveland Avenue. Cleveland Avenue is a Chicago-based global venture capital firm that invests in lifestyle consumer brands and technology companies that positively…
FreshX is a supply chain software company that helps food companies and freight brokers easily book and manage cold chain transportation and storage. The complexity of the cold supply chain has grown…
Rayni, a B2B SaaS company, has won first place in the 29th Annual Edward L. Kaplan, ’71, New Venture Challenge (NVC), during which a record-breaking more than $2.2 million was awarded to the finalist…
Th…
The Polsky Exchange “On Deck Pitch” is an Small Business Development Center (SBDC) initiative designed to help entrepreneurs develop and refine their pitching skills and prepare to effectively present…
As a college athlete at the University of Chicago, Tom Zhang always made health and wellness a priority. A track and field runner who later competed in triathlons, he became known for his early-morni…
The Polsky Center is welcoming three new faces this summer taking on roles as Innovation Fellows. The Polsky Innovation Fellowship features three students with technical backgrounds to support analy…
The finalists pitched to the Innovation Fund Advisory Committee, w…
The Collaboratorium unites UChicago students with researchers, technologists, and faculty who want to explore the commercialization opportunities and business applications of their work. A great oppor…
Entrepreneurship and Innovation Minor The Polsky Center is proud to support the Entrepreneurship and Innovation minor—an exciting opportunity for undergraduates to blend liberal arts learning with ent…
The Market Navigator is a customer discovery and market insight program designed to help Business-to-Consumer (B2C) businesses that have achieved product-market fit and initial traction to better unde…
Planar laser imaging of frozen CO2 in a Mach 6 dry airflow captured by Sergey Leonov and Philip Lax at the University of Notre Dame. Flo…
The University of Chicago, University of Illinois Urba…
Sakshi Nag came to Booth with a clear goal: start a c…
Supported by funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF), the Innovation Corps (I-Corps) program is designed to empower scientists, researchers, and students to test the commercial potential an…
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