The Polsky Accelerator gives student teams the opportunity to work intensively and solely on their businesses and social enterprises in a collaborative and dynamic environment over the summer. This summer, 14 teams were accepted into the program where they received funding, dedicated working space at the Polsky Exchange on 53rd Street in Hyde Park, coaching from Polsky Center staff, mentorship from alumni entrepreneurs and Chicago-area investors, and weekly programming designed to help them overcome many of the hurdles to launching a business. By talking with consumers, investors, and mentors, building prototypes, and continually refining their business models, these start-ups make notable progress over the course of the program and in many cases move from business plan to launch.

Join the Polsky Center for the culmination of the program on Thursday, September 5 for Demo Day. Each team will present their businesses and showcase the progress they have made during the 10-week program in a Demo Day held at the Gleacher Center in Downtown Chicago. This is an opportunity for the teams to celebrate all of their hard work and network with the broader entrepreneurial ecosystem in Chicago. Demo Day typically draws several hundred attendees, including Chicago-area investors and entrepreneurs, media from various local outlets, and UChicago students, faculty, and staff.