EnterpriseWorks Tenants

Aware AWARE (Accelerating Women And underRepresented Entrepreneurs) is programmed through the EnterpriseWorks incubator at the University of Illinois Research Park. The program exists to support entrepreneurship training, counseling, and networking.     AWARE offers resources and an enhanced infrastructure that make the current entrepreneurial ecosystem more accessible to all. Those resources include: a dedicated entrepreneur-in-residence familiar with the needs of those from underrepresented groups. small proof-of-concept grants for teams targeted mentorship, training, and networking opportunities AWARE events found on the Research Park calendar The AWARE program is led by Laura Bleill, director of  external engagement at the Research Park and EnterpriseWorks. For more information, please contact Laura Bleill at lwbleill@illinois.edu. JOIN THE AWARE MAILING LIST Proof of Concept Award The AWARE program seeks to aid women and underrepresented entrepreneurs through a proof-of-concept award. The AWARE proof-of-concept award provides funding to potential SBIR/STTR applicants to enable prototype development and accelerate the path toward commercialization. Awardees may receive up to $1,500 in proof-of-concept funds. The second round of Proof of Concept award applications is now closed. Stay tuned for future award opportunities. See the video below for a presentation from proof-of-concept award winner Amanda Smith of KAS Automotive. AWARE Workshop Series The AWARE program hosts a four-part workshop series to introduce researchers to the entrepreneurial ecosystem. Participants explore the commercialization process, engage with investment experts, and discover local resources for entrepreneurs. The spring workshop series is now complete. Please check our calendar for upcoming workshops and events. Workshop One: Visioning Impact from Research This workshop introduces the commercialization process and features successful women entrepreneurs at Illinois. Participants explore their own research programs, discuss potential ideas for commercialization and reflect upon the benefits and challenges of taking ideas to market. Workshop Two: Learning the Landscape This workshop introduces the entrepreneurship ecosystem at UIUC. Participants will learn of the entrepreneurial resources available within our community and engage with leaders within the ecosystem. Workshop Three: Building a Team Participants learn the importance of building an effective team to bring their innovation to market. They identify their role in the process and discover they don’t have to start a company or be the CEO. Workshop Four: Understanding the Funding Lifecycle Participants engage with experts from potential funding sources (public and private) to understand the available options that are most appropriate at each stage. (SBIR, Angel, Venture Capital etc.) History of AWARE The pilot program for AWARE was led by principal investigator Jed Taylor, director of operations at the Technology Entrepreneur Center, and co-PI Laura Bleill in a collaboration among the College of Engineering, the Office of Technology Management, and EnterpriseWorks. It was generously funded by a $100,000 grant from the National Science Foundation starting in late 2016 through early 2019. In the Fall of 2019, AWARE received a $50,000 Growth Accelerator Award from the U.S. Small Business Administration. AWARE was one of 60 accelerators and incubators to win the 2019 Growth Accelerator Fund Competition. The funds allow EnterpriseWorks to continue and strengthen the program by providing resources and support to female-founded tech companies. Read more about the SBA Growth Accelerator Award here. AWARE in the News Read what the University of Illinois Grainger College of Engineering wrote here. Read what The Daily Illini wrote here. Read the press release about the five winners of the proof of concept awards here.

EnterpriseWorks Shared Services Program The EnterpriseWorks incubator at the University of Illinois offers a Shared Services Program to help its clients with short-term project needs. Let our diverse team of student specialists help your company with of projects in areas such as graphic design, social media, and communications. Shared Services is a free service for eligible companies. To request a project, please apply online. If your application is approved, Shared Services will contact you and meet with you to start the project. Who is eligible? EnterpriseWorks tenants and affiliates I-Start recipients What are the guidelines? Fall & Spring: During the academic semester, only one project request per company will be approved. Summer: Multiple project requests from the same company may be approved. A company may submit one request at a time, and additional requests will not be considered until the deliverables from the previous project have been completed. Project Scope: Project requests must be short-term in nature, such that completion in 30 business days is reasonable, with specific deliverables. Note: As of 2024, we cannot offer web development as a service. Thank you for understanding.   Submit a Shared Services Request by filling out this application. Types of Projects Have a project in mind? See if it aligns with any approved project types here. Previous Projects View recent projects completed by our student specialists. Shared Services This program gives startups access to student talent for projects.

Designer-In-Residence EntrepriseWorks has engaged Dr. Deana McDonagh, Professor of Industrial Design in the School of Art + Design at the University of Illinois, as a Designer-in-Residence. In this role, she assists University of Illinois inventors and entrepreneurs to incorporate empathic design and design thinking in their technology development to help improve user experiences and performance of products to meet customer needs. She is an Empathic Design Research Strategist who focuses on enhancing quality of life for all through more intuitive and meaningful products, leading to emotional sustainability. Her research concentrates on emotional user-product relationships and how empathy can bring the designer closer to users’ authentic need. Specifically, McDonagh works with startup companies in EnterpriseWorks to further support transforming their inventions into innovations for wider impact. Support can include user research, initial form exploration, mood boards, brainstorming, field research, user evaluation and design strategy. A recent article in Wired spoke of the need, “So instead of competing on technology, people are competing on design. And now everyone seems to be trying to out-design each other.” EnterpriseWorks companies can receive assistance from our Designer-in-Residence at no charge. DESIGNER-IN-RESIDENCE REQUEST Deana McDonagh Designer-in-Residence Deana is our dedicated Designer-in-Residence.

Broader Tech Community In addition to the resources provided by Research Park, Champaign-Urbana is home to a broader tech community that supports innovation and entrepreneurship. Champaign County organizations help support entrepreneurship through programs including the SBDC, Urbana-Champaign Angel Network, First Friday mentoring, and TechMix social events. Urbana-Champaign Angel Network (UCAN) The mission of the Urbana-Champaign Angel Network (UCAN) is to provide a forum for accredited investors to access and review selected investment opportunities in a confidential, efficient and effective manner. UCAN’s emphasis is to further economic development in the Champaign County area by matching capital providers with some of the best startup business opportunities. Small Business Development Centers (SBDC) SBDCs provide assistance to new and existing small businesses. First Friday Business Review First Friday (formerly known as Second Saturday) is a group of local business people with a variety of backgrounds who get together the first Friday of each month to review business plans and give feedback to startup companies, primarily high-tech. For more information or to apply to pitch, contact First Friday organizer Don Elmore. The Champaign County Economic Development Corporation (EDC) The Champaign County Economic Development Corporation is a public-private partnership dedicated to fostering a cooperative, county-wide approach to economic development.  EDC is the force behind the You’re Welcome CU campaign that highlights the tech and innovations that are growing out of Champaign-Urbana. Learn More Learn more about the local tech community at yourewelcomecu.com. Explore our calendar for upcoming tech-focused events.

Illinois University Incubator Network The Illinois University Incubator Network supports entrepreneurship by providing resources, technical assistance, and guidance to university incubators. The Network assists incubators and the entrepreneurial ecosystems associated with higher education in 10 Illinois counties. These counties represent distressed regions in need of economic development assistance. Led by the EnterpriseWorks incubator at the University of Illinois Research Park and supported by a grant from the Economic Development Administration, the IUIN provides direct resources  to entrepreneurs and small businesses. Institutions and other incubators south of I-80 may join the EDA University Center Small Business Assistance Program. Cheri Soliday Cheri manages projects related to the IUIN.

University of Illinois EDA University Center The University of Illinois EDA University Center specializes in providing support for incubation, entrepreneurship, and technology-based economic development projects in Illinois with a primary focus on serving downstate communities. The Center provides support and programming for existing incubator development, growth, and expansion of resources throughout Illinois with priority focus on expanding entrepreneurship capacity, programming, services, and resources for technology-driven businesses. Submit a Small Business Assistance Application. EDA Services Small Business Assistance for qualified entrepreneurs through the Shared Services program. This assists entrepreneurs with short-term projects related to marketing, business development, branding, and communications. Expertise from the University of Illinois Department of Urban Planning and EnterpriseWorks incubator to provide assistance to communities seeking to strengthen their entrepreneurial ecosystem and add resources for startup companies. Assistance can be in the form of site visits, sharing of best practices from other comparable communities, and feasibility planning for new programs. Types of Projects Company name search Defined market research and assessment Logo design and visual branding Pitch deck review Social media strategy review Website development Referral Partners An incubator Small Business Development Center (SBDC) International Trade Center (ITC) Illinois University Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) University of Illinois Extension Offices Previous Projects View recent projects completed through this program. This program is supported by federal grant funding from the United States Economic Development Administration. For more information, please contact us at research-park@illinois.edu or 217-333-8324. Cheri Soliday Cheri coordinates projects related to the EDA funded programs.