Digital Dipstick Wins SBIR Funding Using Resources Throughout Illinois

July 02, 2018

Digital Dipstick Company, a fluid-monitoring technology startup, was recently awarded $224,000 in Phase 1 Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) funding from the National Science Foundation. Digital Dipstick received guidance and help from resources provided by the Illinois University Incubator Network, designed to help entrepreneurs affiliated with University-based entrepreneurship centers. But their story starts long before that.

Entrepreneurial Fellowship Winners Create Unity Threads

June 15, 2018

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — United by their civic-minded entrepreneurial talents and empowered by Illinois Wesleyan University’s $5,000 bi-annual Entrepreneurial Fellowship grant, Liam Keffer ’20 (Evergreen Park, Illinois), Benjamin Sestak ’19 (Springfield, Illinois) and Zachary Walsh ’20 (Lombard, Illinois) are developing an online specialty clothing store – Unity Threads – which caters to the needs of children with disabilities.

Launching A Food or Beverage Business In This City Can Help Determine Its Success

June 15, 2018

Entrepreneurs across the country are constantly testing their food and beverage offerings, but where they test them matters. Just because something works on either coast doesn’t mean it’ll take off nationwide, says Alan Reed, executive director of Chicagoland Food and Beverage Network. “But if things work in Chicago, you probably have a nationwide success on your hands ,” Reed says.