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)
Business Planning for Entrepreneurs
Thinking about starting your own business or nonprofit? With a plan, your start-up is more likely to succeed. In this 12-week noncredit mini-course, you will create your own pitch-ready business plan. Your course instructor will guide you through four main components: researching your industry and competitors; developing your marketing and sales plan; devising your income statement for an ideal year; and preparing your pitch presentation.
Main Campus, NEIU Training Center
3420 West Bryn Mawr Avenue, Chicago, Ill. 60625
Tuesdays 6 to 8 p.m., starting Feb. 4, 2020
Business Planning for Entrepreneurs, Main Campus, Tuesdays 2020
Carruthers Center for Inner City Studies
700 East Oakwood Boulevard, Chicago, Ill. 60653
Tuesdays 1 to 3 p.m., starting Feb. 4, 2020
Business Planning for Entrepreneurs, CCICS, Tuesdays 2020
Carruthers Center for Inner City Studies
700 East Oakwood Boulevard, Chicago, Ill. 60653
Saturdays 10 a.m. to noon, starting Feb. 8, 2020
Business Planning for Entrepreneurs, CCICS, Saturdays 2020
El Centro
3390 North Avondale Avenue, Chicago, Ill. 60618
Wednesdays 6 to 8 p.m., starting Feb. 5, 2020
Business Planning for Entrepreneurs, El Centro, Wednesday 2020
Strategies for Business Growth
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. 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.
Carruthers Center for Inner City Studies
700 East Oakwood Boulevard, Chicago, Ill. 60653
Tuesdays, 9 to 10:30 a.m.
Main Campus, NEIU Training Center
3420 West Bryn Mawr Avenue, Chicago, Ill. 60625
Thursdays, 8 to 9:30 a.m.
NEIU's big center is offering a 7-session business strategies for growth course
This seven-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.
Register for the 7-Session Business Strategies for Growth Course on the Main Campus
For more information contact the BIG Center.
(773) 442-6078
BIG-Center@neiu.edu
