Because the director of Innovate Springfield, the College of
Illinois Springfield’s enterprise incubator, I’m excited to share the momentum
we’re constructing inside our entrepreneurial neighborhood. Since becoming a member of iSPI in
August final 12 months, our crew has labored to ignite Springfield’s startup scene
with recent, dynamic programming. Right this moment, I’m proud to say we’re reaching that
imaginative and prescient.
Our “Founders, Failure & Enjoyable” speaker sequence launched in
September and has grow to be a cornerstone of our mission to deliver world-class
entrepreneurial insights to our yard. Along with internet hosting these occasions,
we’re creating significant connections.
We partnered with NPR Illinois’ “Group Voices” to share
useful conversations with our broader neighborhood. I’ve had the privilege of
interviewing inspiring founders, akin to Paul Couston, CEO of Ascent
Built-in, who captivated our viewers together with his journey from working in his
dad and mom’ dental workplace to securing protection contracts. Extra not too long ago, Mark
Achler – founder, CEO, writer and enterprise capitalist – shared Redbox’s
outstanding story of reworking Walmart’s preliminary rejection right into a nationwide
partnership, providing a grasp class in empathy and delivering buyer worth.
One in every of our thrilling achievements has been our complete
eight-week workshop program, the Startup Roadmap, the place we information entrepreneurs
by means of each essential step of their startup journey. From growing their
startup canvas to perfecting their pitch, we offer the sensible instruments and
data to assist them rework revolutionary concepts into profitable ventures.
I’m particularly proud to share that in our inaugural pitch
competitors, native entrepreneur and UIS pupil Kayode Ojedele received the $10,000
grand prize for his firm, Tredbase. Kayode’s success validates our mission
at Innovate Springfield and highlights the distinctive entrepreneurial expertise
we’re fostering in central Illinois. I wish to thank our sponsor, Sommer Household
Workplace, for generously offering the prize cash.
We have fun each victory, massive and small. Lately, we
applauded our member Harry Elston for publishing his guide, “Thrive Solo,” a
testomony to the depth of entrepreneurial experience inside our neighborhood. Harry
will probably be offering a workshop on the right way to run an organization as a solo entrepreneur.
These achievements contribute to Illinois’ spectacular monitor
document – greater than 550 firms spawned from the College of Illinois alone,
elevating greater than $21 billion. Our universities rank among the many high 5
nationally for alumni founders. We’re pleased with our partnership with Illinois
Ventures, the enterprise arm of the College of Illinois. By way of its Angel
Community, we supplied angel investing training to our neighborhood. By buying
this information, extra household places of work can take part in and assist the
entrepreneurial journeys of our members.
We additionally welcomed new company members and companions:
Accenture, a worldwide consulting group; DivIHN Integration Inc., a expertise
consulting service; Krasan and PS2G, two authorities expertise consulting
teams; and the Workplace of Medicaid Innovation.
We will’t overlook about our highschool applications, together with
the beloved Sangamon CEO program and the newly established Engineering for Excessive
Tech program. We cherish our partnership with the Capital Space Profession Middle
and space excessive faculties. By way of these applications, we educate greater than 80 excessive
college college students on entrepreneurship and robotics, strengthening our neighborhood’s
tech and entrepreneurial expertise.
We thank our sponsors who helped us launch the Engineering
for Excessive Tech Program, together with Richard and Charlene Osborne; Horace Mann;
Levi, Ray & Shoup and the Springfield Sangamon Progress Alliance. Extra
assist was supplied by the UIS Chancellor’s Fund for Innovation and
Alternative.
I am extending you a private invitation to hitch our thriving
neighborhood. Whether or not you are a seasoned entrepreneur or simply starting to discover
what you are promoting concept, Innovate Springfield has a spot for you. Our subsequent
“Founders, Failure & Enjoyable” occasion, scheduled for Dec. 12, will characteristic
Brandon Yates, co-founder and CEO of DeepWalk. I’d like to see you there.
What excites me most is proving that you just don’t must be in
Silicon Valley to construct a profitable startup. As Couston shared from his
expertise, the decrease price of working in our area could be a vital
benefit for rising companies. We’re constructing one thing particular in
Springfield – a supportive ecosystem the place entrepreneurs can entry skilled
steerage, join with like-minded innovators and discover the sources they want
to succeed.
In the event you’ve ever thought-about beginning a enterprise, enhancing
your present one or just wish to be a part of Springfield’s entrepreneurial
neighborhood, I encourage you to succeed in out. Attend our occasions, be part of our workshops
and grow to be a member. Collectively, let’s construct the way forward for Springfield’s enterprise
panorama.
The door at Innovate Springfield is at all times open, and I look
ahead to personally welcoming you to our neighborhood of makers and doers.
Ben Hage is the director of the College of Illinois
Springfield’s enterprise incubator, Innovate Springfield. He’s a pacesetter in
entrepreneurship, management improvement and enterprise training. Study extra
about iSPI at uis.edu/innovation.
