Business Innovation & Growth Center | Northeastern Illinois University

Northeastern Illinois University's College of Business and Management is pleased to announce the upcoming opening of its Business Innovation & Growth Center.

Northeastern Illinois University's Business Innovation & Growth Center (BIG Center) aids start-ups and existing businesses to fuel their entrepreneurial growth.

The BIG Center supports businesses from pre-launch to exit:

Entrepreneurial mindset, ideation and proof of concept
Commercialization and financing
Rapid growth through new products, new markets, sales and marketing channels with a focus on technology and digital marketing
Scaling of operations
Non-organic growth such as vertical integration, acquisitions, and joint ventures

NEIU's BIG Center also paves a path for students, alumni and the area's local start-ups into Chicago's entrepreneurship pipelines, educational programs and mentoring.

Measurable outcomes

Entrepreneurial new venture launches (both for-profit and not-for-profit)
New jobs, internships and apprenticeships
Customer revenue gains
Financing secured (debt, equity and grants)
Business growth projects with measurable results (tech commercialization, proof of concept, digital marketing, new product, new market, acquisition, generational transfer)
NEIU revenue (tuition, grants, ROI-seed money, business project fees, incubator fees, finance and vendor lead generation commissions)

NEIU's big center is offering a 7-session business strategies for growth course

This 7-session noncredit course was custom-designed to help business owners and their senior management teams develop comprehensive growth strategies for surviving economic downturns and thriving during economic expansions. The focus is on capturing opportunities that make your competition irrelevant.

Classes are on Thursdays from 7:30-9 a.m. Sept. 5 and 19; Oct. 3, 17 and 31; and Nov. 14 and 21.

If your business is located in an eligible City of Chicago TIF district, the City of Chicago could partially reimburse you for your successful completion of the course through the TIFWorks 50/50 program.

Business Planning for Entrepreneurs

Research shows making a plan for your business can mean the difference between success and failure.You are invited to register for Business Planning for Entrepreneurs noncredit mini-courses, which start in September. They are open to entrepreneurs of all ages.