This month's Exchange Member Breakfast brings together a community of entrepreneurs and innovators in the tech space for an exchange of ideas, networking, and collaboration. Connect with fellow members, share insights, and foster meaningful connections within the Polsky Exchange network. Guest Speaker: Syeda Ahmed, Cofounder & CEO of… Read More
This session opens with the customer data most small businesses already collect but underutilize transaction records, CRM entries, point-of-sale history, and purchase logs. Participants will first connect the data they collect to the outcomes they care about distinguishing activity metrics from true outcome metrics then learn to use AI to… Read More
The Polsky Exchange On Deck Pitch is a Small Business Development Center initiative designed to help entrepreneurs develop and refine their pitching skills and prepare to effectively present their businesses to potential investors or lenders. Join as an observer to watch small businesses pitch. Your feedback on the pitches is… Read More
This hands-on workshop shows founders how to use AI as a strategic writing partner for proposals and customer communications, without losing their business voice. Participants will learn how to teach AI who they are, who they serve, and how they sound so every draft feels more on-brand and more useful… Read More
Join us as we celebrate the 1-Year Anniversary of the UChicago Science Incubator, a milestone marking a year of innovation, collaboration, and groundbreaking discovery. This special celebration will feature networking, community recognition, and an opportunity to reflect on the incredible partnerships, achievements, and innovators who have helped shape and grow… Read More
This session addresses one of the most common pain points for growing businesses: the gap between customer expectations for immediate responsiveness and the reality of limited staff and bandwidth. Participants will explore how AI can bridge that gap, handling routine inquiries, answering after-hours questions, and keeping customers informed without requiring… Read More
The session opens with a focus on data-driven decision-making for business operations. Participants will learn how to use AI to analyze their own sales and customer traffic data by hour and day of the week, identifying peak periods, slow stretches, and hidden patterns that inform smarter decisions about staffing, open… Read More
This spring, the Polsky Center is pleased to offer a legal workshop for international entrepreneurs through our Polsky Mentorship Program. On Wednesday, May 13, from 12:00–1:00 p.m., Polsky Center Mentor Matt Meltzer, Immigration Attorney and co-founder of Meltzer Hellrung, works with entrepreneurs focused on employment-based immigration. This… Read More
The UChicago Deep Tech Demo Day is a premier showcase of next-generation deep tech ventures, taking place on July 20th during TechChicago Week. Set against the backdrop of a city rapidly establishing itself as a national hub for quantum infrastructure and advanced research, the event convenes… Read More
Practical Skills for Small Businesses and Workforce Partners This half-day summit is designed to help small business owners and community partners build practical digital and AI skills they can immediately apply to their work. Participants will leave with tangible tools, simple workflows, and real outputs that… Read More
This series features presentations by capital providers and information about how to access different forms of capital. The speakers for this event are Jason Mercer, principal, Cleveland Avenue; Fernando Carranza, venture investor, Cleveland Avenue; J. Vincent Williams, executive director, The Entrepreneurial Development… Read More
This series features presentations by capital providers and information about how to access different forms of capital.This speaker for this event is Humberto Huerta, senior business relationship manager, Chase Bank. Chase Business Banking provides a comprehensive suite of financial products and services tailored to small and mid-size businesses, including checking… Read More