News

NVC@30 Fireside Chat with Sebastian Rivas Explores Building Andes from NVC Winner to Real Estate Asset Platform

April 30, 2026

As part of the NVC@30 Fireside Chat series, the Polsky Center welcomed Sebastian Rivas, MBA ’21, founder and CEO of Andes, to discuss his entrepreneurial journey, his experience in the...

The Coasts Don’t Own Innovation. They Just Own the Capital.

April 24, 2026

Innovation is no longer confined to a few coastal cities. We know that well in the Midwest. Across the region, our universities, research labs, and entrepreneurs are launching companies in...

The Polsky Center Partners with Harmonic to Expand Data and Insights on Startup Ecosystem

April 24, 2026

The Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation has partnered with Harmonic, the startup intelligence platform that helps investors, corporates, and innovation programs discover and research startups. Through the partnership, Polsky...

For Founders, Venture Capital is a Trade-off, Not a Triumph

April 15, 2026

The following article was written by Chris Sell, cofounder of GrowthLoop and entrepreneur-in-residence at the Polsky Center, and originally published in Crain’s Chicago Business on March 23, 2026. For first-time founders, raising...

University of Chicago Announces Partnership with AI Research Commons, Microsoft, and NVIDIA to Accelerate Midwest AI Startups

April 14, 2026

Inception-stage startups to receive Microsoft for Startups’ technical and go-to-market support, up to $350K in Startup credits on eligible services, and AI model access; benefits from the NVIDIA Inception program for...

Corporate Collision Connects Quantum Startups and Corporate Partners

April 10, 2026

Last week the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation hosted Corporate Collision, a capstone Duality event designed to connect corporate partners with quantum startups to explore opportunities for collaboration, innovation,...

Polsky Center Announces 2026 E-Commerce Growth Blueprint Cohort

April 8, 2026

The Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation has announced the 2026 cohort for the Polsky Exchange’s E-Commerce Growth Blueprint Program, a hands-on program designed to help small businesses strengthen their...

NVC@30 Fireside Chat Explores Building Ben & Frank Across Latin America

April 7, 2026

As part of the NVC@30 Fireside Chat series celebrating the 30th anniversary of the Edward L. Kaplan, ’71 New Venture Challenge, the Polsky Center welcomed Mariana Castillo Lopez, MBA ’16,...

CavilinQ Secures $8.8M Seed Round to Unlock Utility-Scale Quantum Computing

April 2, 2026

CavilinQ has raised $8.8 million in seed funding to develop scalable quantum computing architecture based on pioneering research at the University of Chicago. The round was led by QVT, with...

UChicago Quantum Spin-Out memQ Closes $10M Series A Funding Round

March 31, 2026

Cofounded at the University of Chicago, Quantum spin-out memQ has raised $10 million in a Series A round to fuel new stage of growth. “UChicago was critical in the founding...

George Shultz Innovation Fund Announces 4 Finalists Pitching for Potential Investment

March 26, 2026

The 2026 George Shultz Innovation Fund finalists are developing novel software, medical devices, and therapeutics. Managed by the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, the George Shultz Innovation Fund provides up to...

6 Local Entrepreneurs Form Legal Businesses at Incorporation/Organization Day