Become a partner with Northeastern Illinois University's Business Innovation and Growth Center (BIG Center) with a donation. The BIG Center helps student and community entrepreneurs start new businesses, and helps existing businesses accelerate and grow.

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

Northeastern's BIG Center also paves a path for students, participants, 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
  • New revenue and revenue enhancement
  • 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)

Donation USES

Every dollar of your donation goes to support BIG Center student and community participants—many who are from under-represented groups (low-income, women, veterans, minorities, individuals with disabilities, and those aged 50+).

  • BIG Center participant scholarships
  • Prototyping Costs

Thank you for investing in the future and making a difference.