Description
This brief description pertaining to entrepreneurship task force report findings and recommendations.
IWIB Entrepreneurship Task Force Final Report
ENTREPRENEURSHIP TASK FORCE REPORT:
FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Illinois Workforce Investment Board
Entrepreneurship Task Force
Mark Harris, ISTC, Co-Chair
Shelley Stern Grach, Microsoft, Co-Chair
December 5, 2012
IWIB Entrepreneurship Task Force Final Report
Executive Summary
The Illinois Workforce Investment Board (IWIB) established the Entrepreneurship Task Force to
provide a deeper analysis into the role that entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial learning can
and should play in our education and workforce systems in Illinois. Given the significance of
entrepreneurship not only as a driver of new economic growth, but as the backbone of the U.S.
and Illinois economy, the group was tasked with evaluating how to expand entrepreneurship as
a focus in education and workforce development.
The Task Force represented collaboration between state agencies, business and corporate
leaders, non-profits, educators and entrepreneurs who volunteered their time to discuss
strategies to advance more student engagement with entrepreneurship in Illinois. Ultimately,
the goal of the task force was to develop recommendations and actionable items about how to
elevate the importance of entrepreneurial learning to students, teachers, administrators and
the broader community, and how to increase greater access to developing entrepreneurial skills
across P-20 and adult education.
The Task Force approached entrepreneurship within the context of education and developed a
framework to collectively define what comprises ‘entrepreneurial skills’ through a multi-
disciplinary lens. Fundamentally, entrepreneurship is a process by which ideas are turned into
action. Among the group there was much discussion about an entrepreneurial mindset that is
inherent in critical thinking, problem solving, creativity and taking action. This entrepreneurial
mindset cuts across disciplines and classroom subjects, and is cultivated by learning that takes
place across and beyond the curriculum – from math and science to the arts and business.
Therefore, it was determined that the skills tied to entrepreneurial learning involve not only
business foundations and digital/technological skills, but also communications, interpersonal
ability, and an ethos involving traits and behaviors such as curiosity, owning your work, being
resourceful and persistence.
The Task Force structured its work into three key areas, and created working groups that
addressed: Entrepreneurship Advocacy and Visibility; Teacher and Faculty Professional
Development; and Improving Entrepreneurial Linkages & Workforce Alignment. Each working
group developed specific goals and recommendations to comprise the Task Force’s action plan,
which included describing a specific set of challenges in each of these areas and laying out
objectives, deliverables and proposed next steps to address each challenge.
IWIB Entrepreneurship Task Force Final Report
? Entrepreneurship Advocacy and Visibility addressed the need to change the way
entrepreneurship is talked about in education by providing a common vocabulary and
awareness around entrepreneurial learning and the related core competencies and
experiences. This working group also focused on how to more sustainably embed
entrepreneurship across the P-20 curriculum and better engage real-world linkages and
the entrepreneurial community. Key recommendations included:
- Work with the Illinois Pathways network to demonstrate how entrepreneurial
skills and activities are included as part of orientation and advanced pathway
courses across each of the targeted STEM areas, and commit each of the
Learning Exchanges to engage a target number of start-up firms or entrepreneurs
into their consortiums;
- Work with the Illinois State Board of Education on more formally integrating
financial literacy coupled with an orientation to entrepreneurship as part of the
core curriculum;
- Launch a suite of free and open entrepreneurial applications as part of the
state’s Illinois Shared Learning Environment (ISLE) that focus on curriculum tools
and resources, problem-based learning challenges, mentorships, social
networking and career exploration.
? Teacher and Faculty Professional Development examined the importance of
empowering teachers to recognize the connections that exist to entrepreneurial
learning in their coursework and supporting the use and integration of real world,
problem-centered learning opportunities in the classroom. The group also targeted
existing networks and resources statewide to leverage. Key recommendations included:
- Develop a series of branded workshops statewide for interested educators,
administrators, and community partners) to promote and advance
entrepreneurial skills development in the classroom and better connections
between industry, community groups and schools;
- Connect university-affiliated entrepreneurship centers statewide to talk about
their efforts, successful programs, new ideas, best practices, challenges and
opportunities to collaborate.
IWIB Entrepreneurship Task Force Final Report
? Improving Entrepreneurial Linkages & Workforce Alignment targeted the scope,
linkages and quality of services provided throughout the Illinois entrepreneurship
ecosystem to address entrepreneurial skill needs at each stage of development. Key
recommendations included:
- Explore how existing resource platforms or existing frameworks and grids can
support a comprehensive entrepreneurship resource inventory and identify key
gaps and develop a strategy to address them;
- Propose a strategy and plan for using the identified platform and the revised
framework or grid to increase access to entrepreneurship resources and how
this will be coordinated with platforms for supporting educational programs at
the secondary and postsecondary levels.
IWIB Entrepreneurship Task Force Final Report
Introduction
Entrepreneurship is critical to the present and future economic growth of Illinois. The state will
increasingly depend on a growing number of entrepreneurs, inventors and innovators to create
and rapidly grow new businesses, which will employ more workers in good jobs across the
state. In addition – and equally as important – will be the need for a workforce that possesses
an entrepreneurial mindset that can help advance breakthrough business models, disruptive
innovations, and new, effective value propositions across all industry sectors, including the
public/non-profit sector. This applies to managers and front-line workers alike.
The next generation of these entrepreneurial thinkers and doers are sitting in a classroom right
now, and many more are currently working within corporations and other organizations.
Though there are many examples of successful programs of study in entrepreneurship across
the state, there has not been a statewide strategy to cultivate and embed entrepreneurial
learning.
While entrepreneurship and entrepreneurship education has
traditionally been thought about as an exclusively business
discipline and discussed principally through the lens of launching
new enterprises and raising capital, the Task Force sought to
address entrepreneurship more broadly across disciplines
through its fundamental definition of creating value and the
process of turning ideas into action.
Entrepreneurship is interdisciplinary in nature driven by a
process of identifying problems, thinking critically and creatively
about solutions, and executing on new ideas that ultimately
make things better and more efficient – in the marketplace,
within a start-up firm, existing corporation, or non-profit organization, etc.
Education at all levels and workforce development, in combination with related
entrepreneurship programs and services, play a critical role in providing more students with the
technical skills, connections and opportunities to cultivate an entrepreneurial mindset
regardless of one’s chosen field. Step one for the Task Force recognized a need to change the
way entrepreneurship is talked about in education, focusing on critical thinking, problem-
solving, creativity, interpersonal skills, and interdisciplinary and real-world linkages.
The timing of the Task Force’s work aligned well with larger education reform efforts taking
place in the State of Illinois, as well as during a time of great entrepreneurial energy and
excitement in Chicago and across the state, both from the public and private sectors. In
“If you were to ask me, from all of
Gallup’s data and research on
entrepreneurship, what will most
likely tell you if you are winning or
losing your city, my answer would
be, ‘5
th
to 12
th
graders’ image of
and relationship to free enterprise
and entrepreneurship.’ The better
the image, the more likely your city
will win.” – Jim Clifton, The Coming
Jobs War
IWIB Entrepreneurship Task Force Final Report
particular, Governor Quinn launched Illinois Pathways earlier in the year, an innovative $10.3
million public-private STEM-based education initiative to better prepare students for today and
tomorrow’s jobs.
Pathways represents unprecedented collaboration from across education, industry,
government, non-profits and the entrepreneurial community to leverage our collective
resources to advance science, technology, engineering and mathematics-based fields of study.
Funding has been distributed to develop Learning Exchanges, managed by organizations
selected through a competitive process, to coordinate investments and resources that will
create more hands-on, real-world experiences for students to enhance college and career
readiness across nine sectors: Agriculture; Energy; Manufacturing; Information Technology;
Architecture and Construction; Transportation, Distribution, and Logistics; Research and
Development (R&D); Health Science; and Finance. This new infrastructure will provide a unique
and effective platform to test and address many of the ideas and recommendations developed
through the work of this Task Force.
Further, federal, state and city leaders have made renewed commitments in promoting
targeted entrepreneurship and innovation-driven policies and investments. This includes
Governor Quinn’s $2.3 million investment in 1871, a 50,000 square foot communal tech center
for digital technology start-ups and hub for entrepreneurial activity and collaboration, which is
now home to more than 200 start-up firms; and Advantage Illinois, a $78 million federally-
funded program to spur institutional lending and small business growth, which is expected to
generate more than $800 million in private investment in Illinois' small businesses.
It is within this context that the Entrepreneurship Task Force was convened and situated its
work in developing and promoting new strategies to promote entrepreneurship through
improved coordination between education, workforce development, economic development
and the momentum taking place in the entrepreneurial ecosystem statewide.
IWIB Entrepreneurship Task Force Final Report
Background
The Illinois Workforce Investment Board (IWIB) is a Governor-
appointed board charged with reviewing the progress of the
state’s workforce planning efforts. It facilitates workforce
development services and programs to assist government and
the private sector in meeting the workforce needs of Illinois
employers and workers.
The IWIB is also tasked with addressing skill needs for key
sectors of the Illinois economy and for targeting specific
population groups through the use of Task Forces, which provide
a platform to engage leaders from outside of the IWIB to offer
guidance and recommendations in a specific area.
In December 2011, the IWIB voted to create the
Entrepreneurship Task Force, which was co-chaired by Mark
Harris, Deputy Chief of Staff in the Governor’s Office (now
President and CEO of the Illinois Science and Technology Coalition) and Shelley Stern Grach,
Citizenship and Public Affairs Director, Central Region at Microsoft Corp.
Appendix A lists the full Task Force members, which included leaders and representatives from
state agencies, corporations, non-profits, schools, universities and foundations, in addition to a
number of entrepreneurs. The year-long Task Force met approximately every other month
starting in early February 2012. Task Force members served on one of the three working
groups, which met separately to discuss their respective goals and potential strategies. Their
work comprised the bulk of the recommendations and action items that are part of this report,
which will be presented to the IWIB and Governor by December 15, 2012.
“Preparing today’s students for
success and eventual leadership in
the new global marketplace is the
most important responsibility in
education today…
Entrepreneurship education is an
important tool to achieving these
objectives [and]… should be
universally available to provide all
students with opportunities to
explore and fulfill their potential.”
-Stephanie Bell-Rose, President,
Goldman Sachs Foundation
IWIB Entrepreneurship Task Force Final Report
Findings and Recommendations
Skills Assessment
The imprecise nature of entrepreneurship led to a lengthy discussion on how best to define it.
Instead of choosing to reinvent entrepreneurship or establish strict parameters on what it
means or does not mean, this Task Force instead sought to establish a framework for talking
about entrepreneurship; that is, building a common vocabulary around the discipline.
With this new focus, the Task Force agreed on the need to map out the skills they perceived are
associated with entrepreneurial learning, as well as the resources and programs already in
place that seek to help students develop those skills. Members were charged with providing
this information which was consolidated into an Entrepreneurial Skills and Resources matrix.
For the skills portion, the suggestions by Task Force members generally fell into one (or more)
sub-categories.
I. Technical Skills – There was broad consensus that a base level of mathematic,
technological and communicative expertise is required in order to be a successful
consumer or contributor in the entrepreneurial space. They include a general grasp
of rudimentary accounting principles and strong writing abilities.
II. Interpersonal Skills – Beyond the technical acumen is the emphasis on interpersonal
or "people" skills. It was generally stated that successful entrepreneurs are able to
comfortably network, effectively communicate and successfully work in team
settings.
III. Ethos – The final sub-category can be defined as the entrepreneurial mindset, which
is a subject that has been written about extensively in other publications. The
suggestions provided by the Task Force members reinforce the notion that – beyond
technical and interpersonal skills – there is an additional cognitive level at which
successful entrepreneurial learning and thinking occurs. Traits such as curiosity,
passion, resourcefulness and work ethic were repeatedly cited as fundamental to
the practice of entrepreneurial learning.
After compiling and consolidating the many submissions form the Task Force, DCEO created a
document entitled "Skills Tied to Entrepreneurial Learning" (Appendix B). Borrowing from the
National Content Standards for Entrepreneurship Education developed in 2004 by the
Consortium for Entrepreneurship Education, these responses noted above were incorporated
into these pre-established buckets:
IWIB Entrepreneurship Task Force Final Report
I. Entrepreneurial Skills – The processes and traits or behaviors associated with successful
entrepreneurial performance.
II. Ready Skills – The basic business knowledge and skills that are prerequisites or co-
requisites for becoming a successful entrepreneur.
III. Business Functions – The business activities performed by entrepreneurs in managing
the business.
Other source materials were provided to buttress the skills assessment exercise including:
? Curriculum Revitalization Project's list of teaching lessons that support entrepreneurship
(provided by the Career and Technical Education Division of the Illinois State Board of
Education)
? Program summaries from the Future Founders Foundation (based in the city of Chicago)
? Illinois Innovation Talent Program (ILIT) 2010-11 Summary Report
Finally, some Task Force members also cited selected readings and theories to help build the
repository of entrepreneurial skills, including:
? Invisible Capital, How Unseen Forces Shape Entrepreneurial Opportunity (Chris Rabb)
? The Entrepreneurial Mindset: Strategies for Continuously Creating Opportunity in an Age
of Uncertainty (Rita Gunther McGrath; Ian MacMillan)
? The Lean Startup: How Today's Entrepreneurs Use Continuous Innovation to Create
Radically Successful Businesses (Eric Ries)
Asset/Resource Mapping
The second component to this exercise was the resource assessment. The Task Force members
recognized that there are a number of existing efforts statewide that are promoting
entrepreneurship across the P-20 pipeline through competitions, mentorship opportunities,
problem-based learning, and other special and experiential programs. Many of these efforts
are being driven by the organizations of those on the Task Force. Therefore, a goal of the group
was to compile and categorize the existing resources in place across Illinois that are cultivating
entrepreneurial learning.
Appendix C, while not exhaustive, provides a robust and diverse set of programs and resources
for enriching entrepreneurial learning experiences. Task Force members cited dozens of
organizations, foundations, academic institutions and government entities that are operating
programs to advance the various entrepreneurial skills outlined above. Their respective scopes
were equally varied and included:
IWIB Entrepreneurship Task Force Final Report
? General programming;
? Apprenticeships, internships and other immersion learning;
? Camps;
? Competitions;
? Network development;
? Course curriculum;
? Other training and mentorship;
? Workshops, seminars and symposia;
? Online resources;
? Professional development for teachers;
? Business assistance and referrals;
? Advocacy.
These various initiatives fell into one or multiple demographical cohorts:
I. K-12 – Programs or initiatives targeted at elementary, intermediate and high school
students;
II. Post-secondary – Programs and initiatives targeted at students attending university,
community college or other degree or certification-seeking students;
III. Workforce professionals – Programs and initiatives (especially training) targeted at
adults already in the workforce or labor-ready individuals.
Recommendations
The Task Force structured its work into three key areas, and created working groups that
addressed: Entrepreneurship Advocacy and Visibility; Teacher and Faculty Professional
Development; and Improving Entrepreneurial Linkages & Workforce Alignment. Each working
group developed specific goals and recommendations, which included describing a specific set
of challenges in each of these areas and laying out objectives, deliverables and proposed next
steps to address each challenge.
Entrepreneurship Advocacy & Visibility
Goal #1: Fully embed entrepreneurship across the P-20 curriculum in a sustainable way by
defining the range of core competencies, skills and certifications that span secondary and
postsecondary programs and are measured by customized growth and accountability measures.
Challenge: There is an increasing need for better awareness of what “entrepreneurship” is and
how it relates to both formal education and life-wide learning. Entrepreneurship is ill-defined
in our education system and does not share a common language. In addition, it is unclear how
IWIB Entrepreneurship Task Force Final Report
entrepreneurship today is best captured in existing curriculum or as part of the adoption of the
Common Core State Standards. Also, the current certification system and accountability metrics
do not fully capture the core competencies and experiences connected with entrepreneurial
learning.
Objective: Change the way entrepreneurship is talked about in education – focusing on critical
thinking, problem-solving, creativity, interpersonal skills, and interdisciplinary and real-world
linkages. Begin embedding entrepreneurship across the P-20 curriculum by infusing core
competencies—including financial literacy and technology/digital skills —and entrepreneurial
activities as part of Illinois Pathways and related STEM Programs of Study. In addition, define
entrepreneurship metrics as part of postsecondary performance systems and work to develop
broad consensus around certificates, digital badges, and other forms of recognition for
entrepreneurial learning.
Deliverables & Next Steps:
1) Develop a uniform vocabulary around entrepreneurial learning, catalogue existing
best practices and formally present Task Force recommendations to the respective
organizations for adoption, including key leaders at the Illinois State Board of
Education.
2) Work with Illinois Pathways network to demonstrate how entrepreneurship skills
and activities are included as part of orientation and advanced pathway courses
across each of the targeted STEM areas.
3) Work with the Illinois State Board of Education on more formally incorporating
financial literacy coupled with an orientation to entrepreneurship as part of the core
curriculum.
4) Work with the Statewide Longitudinal Data System, Illinois Higher Education
Consortium, and Illinois Board of Higher Education on incorporating metrics that
measure program accountability and results and index the entrepreneurial
ecosystem.
Goal #2: Support entrepreneurship in the curriculum by developing new public-private
partnerships that reduce the transaction cost with connecting educators and learners to
practitioners in the entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Challenge: There are currently only ad hoc connections between new venture start-ups and
employers to the education community, particularly at the K-12 level. There is a need for a
more formalized partnership network that connects learners and educators to individuals,
groups and organizations involved in entrepreneurial practice and a more structured and
standardized approach defining how to best connect and derive value from the engagement.
IWIB Entrepreneurship Task Force Final Report
Objective: Identify entrepreneurship as a key component of the
newly launched STEM Learning Exchanges, which bring together
statewide networks of public-private partners to support teaching
and learning tied to a career cluster. In addition, investigate other
potential public-private partnership networks that can be vehicles
for the dissemination and adoption of entrepreneurial learning.
Deliverables & Next Steps:
1) Work with each of the designated STEM Learning
Exchanges to create a cross-cutting approach to defining
and supporting entrepreneurship through resources and
activities as part of their scopes of work. This could
include a commitment from each of the Learning
Exchanges to engage a target number of start-up firms or
entrepreneurs into their consortiums.
2) Formally present the Task Force recommendations to the Illinois Pathways Advisory
Council and organize follow-up meetings with leadership of each of the STEM Learning
Exchanges to secure their commitment to incorporate entrepreneurs and start-ups.
Goal #3: Empower public-private partnerships with innovative applications and collaboration
tools that facilitate and deliver transformative entrepreneurial learning experiences through
resources, social networking, and career exploration.
Challenge: We often pursue education technology initiatives that focus on access and
connectivity (e.g. broadband and devices), but if you are not connecting to transformative
learning resources on the other end, then you are only addressing half the equation. 21
st
Century learning requires access to customized and personalized tools that make learning more
effective. In addition, connecting educators and learners to public-private networks will require
collaboration tools that facilitate and structure their engagement. Likewise, educators and
learners need equitable access to collaboration tools and networks to not perpetuate or
deepen an “entrepreneurship gap.” As we continue to promote 21
st
century learning in a
digital age we need to focus as much on developing the next generation of innovative
collaboration tools as we do on promoting access and connectivity.
Objective: Develop an innovative entrepreneurial application layer as part of the planned
Illinois Shared Learning Environment (ISLE) that is available to all educators and learners and
incorporates free, open-source, and vendor applications. Include applications specific to
entrepreneurial learning (Curriculum Tools & Resources; Problem-Based Learning; Mentorships;
Peer-to-Peer Social; Career Exploration, etc.)
“We live in a knowledge economy
that is driven by access to
information and new ideas…..
Our mission is to prepare our
students for the 21st Century
workforce. These new Learning
Exchanges will provide students
with real-world experience and
advanced educational
opportunities to ensure they are
ready to compete for the jobs of
tomorrow.”
- Illinois Governor Pat Quinn
IWIB Entrepreneurship Task Force Final Report
Deliverables & Next Steps:
1) Launch a suite of free and open entrepreneurial applications as part of ISLE that focus
on curriculum tools & resources, problem-based learning challenges, mentorships, social
networking, and career exploration. These tools can be available to the statewide,
public-private STEM Learning Exchange networks as well as other communities of
practice.
2) Embed the Task Force recommendations in the ISLE application layer design
requirements documentation for inclusion in any solicitation or application build-out
using capital bill funding. The Learning Exchanges will launch this fall so there will be as
ready-made audience to pilot and test use these tools.
Teacher & Faculty Professional Development
Goal #1: Move entrepreneurship across the curriculum by empowering engaged teachers to
integrate entrepreneurial skills development in their coursework
Challenge: Many educators in a variety of disciplines don’t recognize the connections that exist
to entrepreneurial learning in their coursework or understand the importance and benefits of
connecting experiential, global (and local) issues inside the classroom. While some are
reluctant to change, others are interested but need the tools (and a nudge).
Objective: Help more teachers think about their subject matter in a more entrepreneurial and
interdisciplinary context; support the use and integration of real world, problem-based
learning opportunities in the classroom, tapping into networks of employers/practitioners and
guidance on what that engagement looks like. Leverage the capabilities of entrepreneurship
centers and experts to showcase successful learning models and facilitate ideas and access to
resources.
Deliverables & Next Steps:
1) Develop a series of branded workshops statewide for interested educators,
administrators, and community partners (businesses, non-profits and other
organizations) to promote and advance entrepreneurial skills development in the
classroom and better connections between industry, community groups and schools.
2) Identify workshop “hosts” – look to institutions of higher education, especially those
with entrepreneurship programming (Millikin, SIU, NIU, U of I, DePaul, U of C,
Northwestern) to collaborate on series of smaller scale events. Develop parameters and
structure of workshops with input from leading educators in this space, including the
use and utility of problem-based learning from the Illinois Math and Science Academy,
who can provide input and perspective from their existing efforts. Also need to assess
IWIB Entrepreneurship Task Force Final Report
budget requirements and funding partners. Many
businesses are already involved in supporting this kind of
programming or have been engaged with previous
programs like Innovation Talent – would need to connect
with these engaged private sector partners.
Goal #2: Share information, ideas, and resources across our post-
secondary institutions and community colleges to advance more
robust entrepreneurship education.
Challenge: Illinois has some of the nation’s leading post-
secondary entrepreneurship educators and institutions, but there
is not a forum or platform to connect the efforts of these
institutions.
Objective: Connect – even if informally – the university-affiliated
entrepreneurship centers statewide to talk about their efforts,
successful programs, new ideas, best practices, challenges, and
opportunities to collaborate. This exchange of information will
ideally facilitate improved entrepreneurial programming and a more connected statewide
approach to cultivating and keeping talent in Illinois. In addition, the work of more established
centers can help to provide guidance and build capacity at those institutions developing an
entrepreneurial presence.
Deliverables & Next Steps:
1) Host a semi-regular meeting of entrepreneurship center directors and key faculty/staff.
2) Identify coordinating entity (ideally DCEO); put together list of invitees; develop
agenda/presentations, etc.
Improving Entrepreneurial Linkages and Workforce Alignment
Goal: Improve the scope, linkages and quality of services provided throughout the Illinois
entrepreneurship network to address entrepreneurship skill needs at each stage of
development.
Challenge: Illinois has a well-developed network for supporting entrepreneurs throughout the
state. There are many high-quality resources on the basics of startups and early
entrepreneurship stages, but it is not clear whether there are sufficient high-quality resources
at all stages in all areas of the state and how these resources are being accessed, used, and
“ We are facing a transition, and
we must take this opportunity to
provide today’s students and
entrepreneurs with the tools and
the thinking that is required for the
future. Collaborative technologies
can fundamentally transform both
how we teach and learn. We need
to harness the power of the
Internet and these new
technologies for creating and
sharing knowledge that will
prepare students with the skills to
compete in the 21st century.”
- John T. Chambers, Chairman and
CEO, Cisco
IWIB Entrepreneurship Task Force Final Report
connected. In addition, there are communications challenges in disseminating existing
information in the most effective way.
Objective: Illinois should work with the Illinois Science and Technology Coalition (ISTC), the
Illinois Innovation Network, and the statewide entrepreneurship network to leverage existing
platforms (such as start-up Illinois/America, the Illinois Innovation Network website, 1871) to
improve awareness of and access to entrepreneurship resources in Illinois.
This effort should identify and build on existing frameworks or grids that define the major skills
or competencies at each stage of entrepreneurship and the resources currently available to
entrepreneurs throughout the state. This grid should be based on stages of development
rather than level of education. This effort should also address how people can prepare for and
access jobs at startup and early-stage companies.
Finally, this effort should be coordinated with related efforts to develop a platform to support
entrepreneurship programs for students at the secondary and postsecondary levels.
Deliverables & Next Steps:
1) Explore how existing platforms, networks and frameworks/grids can support a
comprehensive entrepreneurship resource inventory.
2) Identify key gaps in existing frameworks and grids and develop a strategy to address
them.
3) Propose a strategy and outreach plan for using the identified platform and the
revised framework or grid to increase access to entrepreneurship resources and how
this will be coordinated with platforms for supporting educational programs at the
secondary and postsecondary levels.
4) Present the plan to the key stakeholders in the Illinois entrepreneurship network
and make revisions as necessary.
IWIB Entrepreneurship Task Force Final Report
Appendix A: Entrepreneurship Task Force Member Listing
Co-Chairs
Shelley Stern Grach
Citizenship and Public Affairs Director, Central Region
Microsoft Corp.
Business Phone: (312) 920-5421
Email: [email protected]
Mark Harris
President & CEO
Illinois Science & Technology Coalition
Business Phone: (312) 239-0324
Email: [email protected]
Members
Alya Adamany Woods
Director of Innovation and Special Initiatives
Illinois Science and Technology Coalition
Phone: (312) 239-0311
Email: [email protected]
Sharon Alpi
Director
Millikin University-Entrepreneurship Center
Phone: (217) 424-6298
Email: [email protected]
Leslie Beller
Manager, Career Services
Chicago Public Schools
Business Phone: (773) 553-2476
Email: [email protected]
Linda Darragh
Director, Levy Institute
Kellogg School of Management
Email: [email protected]
Emilia Dimenco
Chief Operating Officer
WBDC
Phone: (312) 502-5037
Email: [email protected]
Laura Frerhics
Director
EnterpriseWorks Research Park
University of Illinois
Phone: (217) 333-8323
Email: [email protected]
Ruben Garcia
CEO
Innovative Exams
Phone: (312)804-9919
Email: [email protected]
David E. Goldberg
Founder
Three Joy Associates, Inc.
Phone: (217)621-2645
Email: [email protected]
Fred Hoch
President
Illinois Technology Association
Business Phone: (312) 435-2805
Email: [email protected]
IWIB Entrepreneurship Task Force Final Report
Scott Issen
President and CEO
Future Founders Foundation
Business Phone: (312) 350-0334
Email: [email protected]
Ocheng Jany
Associate Director for Academic Affairs
Illinois Board of Higher Education
Business Phone: (217) 557-7361
Email: [email protected]
Sandee Kastrul
President
i.c. stars
Business Phone: (312) 640-3850
Email: [email protected]
Craig Lindvahl
Executive Director; and Teacher
Midland Institute for Entrepreneurship
Phone: (217)343-1614
Email: [email protected]
Nicole Loftus
CEO
Zorch
Phone: (312) 254-1060
Email: [email protected]
Starr Marcello
Director of Operations
Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship
Chicago Booth
Business Phone: (773) 834-2838
Email: [email protected]
Dr. Max McGee
President
Illinois Math and Science Academy
Business Phone: (630) 907-5000
Email: [email protected]
Deb Gerdes
Email: [email protected]
630-907-5957
Francisco Menchaca
Board of Directors
MacNeal Hospital
Email: [email protected]
Sandeep Nain
President
SNtial Technologies
Phone: (312) 863-8633
Email: [email protected]
Lavon Nelson
Senior Director for Workforce Development
Illinois Community College Board
Business Phone: (217) 557-2742
Email: [email protected]
Christine Poorman
Executive Director
Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship
(NFTE) Illinois
Business Phone: (773) 938-8700
Email: [email protected]
Ann Reed
VP, Educate
iBIO Institute
Phone: (312) 422-1111
Email: [email protected]
Jay Rowell
Director
Illinois Department of Employment Security
Phone: (312) 793-4870
Email: [email protected]
Evelina Loescher
Email: [email protected]
Shari Runner
Senior Vice President
Chicago Urban League
Phone: (773) 451-3509
Email: [email protected]
IWIB Entrepreneurship Task Force Final Report
Orlando Saez
Deputy Director
Office of Entrepreneurship, Innovation, &
Technology
DCEO
Phone: (312) 814-2266
Email: [email protected]
Neal Sales-Griffin
Co-Founder and CEO
The Starter League
Phone: (773) 272-5734
Email: [email protected]
Marc Schulman
President and CEO
The Eli's Cheesecake Factory
Phone: (773) 308-7037
Email: [email protected]
Julia Stasch
Vice President, Human and Community
Development
John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur
Foundation
Phone: (312) 726-8000
Email: [email protected]
Dave Stoecklin
Executive Director
Illinois Workforce Partnership, LWIA 22
Phone: (618) 296-4310
Email: [email protected]
Greg Sutton
Director - Education and Workforce Programs
TEC Services, Inc.
Phone: (630) 417-3898
Email: [email protected]
Howard Tullman
President and CEO
Tribeca Flashpoint Media Arts Academy
Phone: 312.506.0737
Email: [email protected]
Grover Webb
Owner
Tanglefoot Ranch
Phone: (618) 695-2640
Email: [email protected]
Kevin Willer
President & CEO
Chicagoland Entrepreneurial Center
Phone: (646)232-1157
Email: [email protected]
Una Pipic
Managing Director of Client Services
Chicagoland Entrepreneurial Center
Phone: (312) 775-2320
Email: [email protected]
Mark Williams
Division Administrator
Illinois State Board of Education
Phone: (217) 782-4620
Email: [email protected]
Deborah Hopper
Email: [email protected]
STAFF
Joey Mak
Assistant Deputy Director
Office of Entrepreneurship, Innovation &
Technology
DCEO
Phone: (312) 814-2384
Email: [email protected]
Jason Tyszko
Deputy Chief of Staff
Illinois Department of Commerce and
Economic Opportunity
Phone: (312) 814-2316
Email: [email protected]
Bob Sheets
Policy Advisor
Illinois Department of Commerce and
Economic Opportunity
Phone: (312) 814-8764
Email: [email protected]
IWIB Entrepreneurship Task Force Final Report
19
Appendix B:
Skills Tied to Entrepreneurial Learning
Members of the Illinois Workforce Investment Board’s Entrepreneurship Task Force were asked
to submit a list of skills they believed were critical to entrepreneurial learning and success.
Borrowing from the National Content Standards for Entrepreneurship Education (developed in
2004 by the Consortium for Entrepreneurship Education), these responses were then
consolidated into one of three buckets:
1) Entrepreneurial Skills – The processes and traits or behaviors associated with
successful entrepreneurial performance.
2) Ready Skills – The basic business knowledge and skills that are prerequisites or co-
requisites for becoming a successful entrepreneur.
3) Business Functions – The business activities performed by entrepreneurs in managing
the business.
Entrepreneurial Skills
Just over three quarters of the responses related to entrepreneurial skills were tied directly to
Processes. Examples of responses were diverse and included things like:
- Know what problem you are trying to address or what need you are trying to fulfill
- Ask questions
- Network!
- Don’t take criticism personally
- Know how to work both independently and collaboratively
- Know that it’s okay to fail
- Take care of your mental and physical health
The other 24 percent of responses in this category dealt with entrepreneurial Traits and
Behaviors. The key themes provided here by respondents include:
- Take responsibility for your work and your behavior
- Curiosity, passion and enthusiasm
- Resourcefulness
IWIB Entrepreneurship Task Force Final Report
20
- Creativity and innovation
- Know how to work collaboratively and independently
- Know how to read or gauge and audience
- Experiential learning is key
Ready Skills
The second category, Ready Skills, as established by the National Content Standards for
Entrepreneurship Education, deals with the business acumen and basic prerequisites and co-
requisites needed to become a successful entrepreneur. These are skills that could be
impressed on students and youth, as well as post-secondary students. Of the responses
provided by Task Force members, a majority stressed the importance of
interpersonal/communication skills, and also the basic business foundations. Here are the
recurring themes among respondents:
Business Foundations
- Basic understanding of core business principles (drafting a business plan, etc.)
- Know what intellectual property is and how to protect it
- Understand your competition
Communications & Interpersonal Skills
- Communicate effectively (includes writing skills and public speaking skills).
- Be a good listener and know how to take directions
- Negotiating skills and powers of persuasion
- Be extroverted and put yourself out there; entrepreneurism is not for the shy
Digital Skills
- Be literate in cloud computing, social media and other technologies that will increase
your reach and efficiency
- Programming skills
- Using technology not only to sell your product or service, but also to run your
business/enterprise more efficiently and effectively
IWIB Entrepreneurship Task Force Final Report
21
Economics
- Ability to research and understand market needs
Financial Literacy
- Understanding of basic finance and financial modeling
Business Functions
The final category deals with Business Functions, or the business activities performed by
entrepreneurs that go into managing a successful business.
Business Functions are separated into seven subcategories. One-third of the responses
centered on Human Resource Management and the intricacies of developing and managing a
successful team. Another 29 percent focused on the strategic management (big picture)
elements of running a business. The common themes provided by Task Force respondents are
consolidated below:
Financial Management
- Financial investments and breaking even
Human Resource Management
- Build a strong team and recognize the strengths of others and use those strengths to
complement your own weaknesses
- Be a good leader, mentor and coach
- Everyone has a boss!
Information Management
- Understanding trends and ability to organize information pertinent to your business
activities
Marketing Management
- Presentation skills
Operations Management
- Project management skills
- Goal setting
- Time is more important than perfection
IWIB Entrepreneurship Task Force Final Report
22
Risk Management
- Be fearless
- Take (smart) risks often
- Instead of thinking about profit margins, think about how best to sell one product or one
service hour
Strategic Management
- Execution, execution, execution!
- Understand the nuances of scalability
- Recognize and seize opportunities
IWIB Entrepreneurship Task Force Final Report
23
http://www.careeronestop.org/CompetencyModel/pyramid.aspx?ENTRE=Y
IWIB Entrepreneurship Task Force Final Report
24
Program Location(s) Mission Scope
Target
Demographic
Sponsoring
Organization(s)
Website
K-12
After School
Matters
Chicago Non-profit organization for teens to
become paid apprentices or club members
in arts, sports, technology, and
communications programs. Mission of
providing Chicago public high school teens
opportunities to explore and develop their
talents, while gaining critical skills for
work, college and beyond.
Programs;
apprentices-
hips
K-12 After School
Mattershttp://www.af
terschoolmatt
ers.org/
CampCEO Statewide Camp to teach kids about starting a
business.
Camp;
competition;
immersion
program
K-12 Southern Illinois
University -
Carbondalehttp://www.c
ampceo.biz/
Collegiate
Scholars
Program
Chicago Three-year enrichment program offered by
the University of Chicago to prepare
talented Chicago Public School students for
academic success. Waverly Deutsch,
clinical professor of entrepreneurship at
Chicago Booth, teaches Elements of
Entrepreneurship, where CPS students get
real-world exposure to starting a business.
3-year
program
K-12 University of
Chicagohttp://collegia
tescholars.uc
hicago.edu/
Communities in
Schools
Chicago
Chicago Plays matchmaker between schools and
non-profit organizations; helps to
determine which schools would be good
partners. Communities In Schools of
Chicago makes a big difference in the
social, emotional, health and academic
well-being of students throughout Chicago.
Programs;
network
development
K-12 Supported
through donationshttp://www.c
hicagocis.org/
home/index.a
sp
IWIB Entrepreneurship Task Force Final Report
25
Program Location(s) Mission Scope
Target
Demographic
Sponsoring
Organization(s)
Website
Connect to the
Future
Chicago -
South &
West
Created in 2006 to unite middle school and high
school students with successful entrepreneurs
and business professionals from a variety of
fields. Program gives students a chance to ask
questions, explore possibilities, and engage
with potential role models who can validate the
importance of hard work and the relevance of
education to career success.
Training;
mentorship
K-12 Future Founders
Foundationhttp://www.c
ttfuture.com/
Connect_To_
The_Future/
Welcome.ht
ml
Eastern Illinois
University Center
for
Entrepreneurship
& Innovation
Central
Illinois
Through the "Coles County Entrepreneurship
Class," modeled after the Effingham CEO class,
teaches entrepreneurship to junior and senior
Charleston, Mattoon and Oakland High School
students.
Class K-12 Eastern Illinois
Universityhttp://www.e
iu.edu/~bsc/
CoolHub by IMSA Chicago -
Suburbs
TALENT is an extra-curricular program with no
classes or grades. Students in all high school
grades meet together, learning from business
projects of their own creation and interest.
Network
development;
advising;
K-12 Illinois Math &
Science Academyhttp://coolhu
b.imsa.edu/w
eb/talent/wh
at-is-talent
Effingham CEO
(Creating
Entrepreneurial
Opportunities)
Effingham Program covering the basics of conceptualizing,
starting and running a small business. Concepts
such as supply and demand, cost/benefit
analysis, competitive advantage, and
opportunity recognition are covered.
Coursework includes: innovative thinking
strategies, product development, business
structure, marketing, financial strategies,
record keeping, and preparing an income
statement, balance sheet, income and cash
flow statements. Entrepreneurial thinking
(outside-the-box problem solving) is utilized
throughout the course. The course is built
around the National Entrepreneurship
Standards and is linked to the Illinois Learning
Standards.
Meets daily
each
morning; a
year-long,
two credit
high school
course with
pending
college dual
accreditation
K-12 Effingham CEOhttp://www.e
ffinghamceo.
com/
IWIB Entrepreneurship Task Force Final Report
26
Program Location(s) Mission Scope
Target
Demographic
Sponsoring
Organization(s)
Website
Future Founders Chicago -
South &
West
Launched in 2005 to give motivated public high
school students in Chicago’s underserved
neighborhoods the opportunity to learn about
and experience entrepreneurship from some of
the city’s most successful entrepreneurs
through a week-long "Taste of Chicago"-style
summer entrepreneurship camp.
Training;
mentorship;
camp
K-12 Future Founders
Foundationhttp://www.f
uturefounder
s.com/
Hive Learning
Network
Chicago The Hive Learning Network is a community of
civic and cultural institutions dedicated to
transforming the learning landscape, and
creating opportunities for youth to explore their
interests in virtual and physical spaces.
Through the Hive, youth will have multiple,
continuous and connected opportunities to
explore their intellectual and skill-based
interests. Uses techniques like "connected
learning" to integrate integrated, hands-on
approach to education. Also provides education
in STEM, Science, Robotics, Innovation, Media,
Gaming, Civic Engagement, Social Media, Arts,
Do-It-Yourself (DIY)
Workshops;
entrepreneurs
hip-based
coursework;
programs
K-12 MacArthur
Foundationhttp://hivele
arning.org/
Illinois
Innovation Talent
Program – IMSA
Problem-based
Learning
Resources
Statewide The Innovation Talent Program was a
successful public-private initiative that connects
high school students with external partners to
solve complex, real-world problems. Students
work in project management teams and apply
what they learn in math, science, engineering
and social science to solve challenges over the
course of a semester. By examining real-world
problems and networking with outside
professionals, students are able to experience
firsthand a variety of career
opportunities. IMSA carries on is Problem-
Based Learning activities with partnerships with
schools and external partners statewide.
Hands-on,
experiential
learning
6-12 DCEO / ISBE / IDOT
/ IL Math & Science
Academy / iBIO
http://pbln.
mrooms.org/
course/categ
ory.php?id=1
5
IWIB Entrepreneurship Task Force Final Report
27
Program Location(s) Mission Scope Demographic Sponsor(s) Website
Science WoRx National
(with
Deerfield
office)
“Science Pro,” a hands-on education and
mentoring program, connects Astellas scientists
with students in the classroom through live
demonstrations. ScienceWoRx.org, an online
resource network, aims to provide science
teachers with valuable information on human
health and medicine and access to resources
from our leading science education partners –
NSTA and iBIO Institute. Online communities
including @ScienceWoRx and Facebook,
www.facebook.com/ScienceWoRx, serve as a
portal for science teachers to connect with
peers, exchange insights and learn about the
latest science breakthroughs. Astellas hosts
online contests for science teachers to win lab
equipment and gift certificates for their schools.
Mentoring and
education
programs;
live
demonstration
s; online
resource for
teachers;
K-12 Collaboration with
iBIO Institute and
National Science
Teachers
Associationhttp://www.a
stellas.us/soc
ial/communit
y/sciencewor
x.html
The Network for
Teaching
Entrepreneurship
(NFTE)
Chicago The Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship
(NFTE) is a nonprofit that provides a first-class
entrepreneurship education for at-risk high
school students from low-income communities,
is launching new programs supporting young
entrepreneurs and their teachers
Entrepreneurs
hip
Curriculum
K-12 NFTEhttp://www.n
fte.com
iSmartGirls Decatur Through Millikin University's Center for
Entrepreneurship, offers sessions in the fields
of design, chemistry, engineering, and
sustainability for young girls.
Hands-on
laboratory for
young girls
K-12 (6th-8th
grade girls)
Millikin Universityhttp://www.
millikin.edu/a
cademics/tab
or/entrepren
eurship/isma
rt/Pages/defa
ult.aspx
EDUCATE - iBIO
Institute
Chicago The iBIO Institute’s EDUCATE Center connects
Illinois classrooms with the real world of
biotechnology and science-based industry,
hands-on biotechnology lab activities, tours of
industry research and development facilities
and authentic, interdisciplinary problem-based
learning experiences. As teachers and districts
develop new curricula to meet the Common
Core State Standards, the iBIO Institute’s
EDUCATE programs bring cutting-edge science
from regional biotech companies to develop
world-competitive educators and inspire
student interest in science.
TalentSparks!
Program;
tours;
presentations;
professional
development
for teachers
K-12
(immersion
program for
teachers to
become better
educators in the
bio field)
iBIOhttp://http://
www.ibioed.o
rg/
IWIB Entrepreneurship Task Force Final Report
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Program Location(s) Mission Scope
Target
Demographic
Sponsoring
Organization(s)
Website
Illinois Institute
for
Entrepreneurship
Education
Chicago The Illinois Institute for Entrepreneurship
Education (IIEE) provides college-level
entrepreneurship education courses to K–14
teachers and to the staff of nonprofit
organizations. The mission of the Illinois
Institute for Entrepreneurship Education is to
spread the message and potential of
entrepreneurship to citizens of Illinois, primarily
through providing two college-credit teacher-
education courses to practicing classroom
teachers and agency staff. The institute works
with schools and other organizations to develop
proposals and programs that further its mission
to foster self-sufficiency and economic
development for residents of Illinois.
Training
program
K-12 (program
for faculty and
staff)
Consortium for
Entrepreneurship
Education (funded
by General
Assembly and
private donations)http://www.ii
ee.org/
CodeNow Washington,
D.C
Teaches youth foundational skills in computer
programming. Focus on underserved
populations to narrow the digital divide. Mission
of creating a pipeline of talent for the
government, nonprofit, and corporate sectors.
Weekend
trainings;
programs;
bootcamps;
network
development
and alumni
networking
opportunities
K-12
(specifically,
grades 10-12)
JumpstartLab,
Team Treehousehttp://coden
ow.org/
Teen
Entrepreneurship
Academy,
Roosevelt
University
Chicago An innovative program for incoming high school
juniors and seniors who have an interest in
entrepreneurship, green technology, and
having FUN
Program K-12
(specifically,
grades 11-12)
Roosevelt Universityhttp://www.r
oosevelt.edu/
Business/Aca
demy.aspx
The Science and
Entrepreneurship
Exchange (SEE)
Chicago SEE is a new experiential, mentor-driven STEM
program that has already shown its
effectiveness in inspiring elementary students
to become the inventors, engineers and
entrepreneurs of tomorrow. In the near-term,
the program plans to deliver these programs to
Chicagoans across the city, through schools,
libraries and special events. Ultimately, SEE will
bring together mentors form the professional
and university worlds, helping create a
population that has the confidence, business
and engineering skills and entrepreneurial
spirit to invent their own futures.
Initial pilot
with
Nettlehorst
K-8; SEE, Northwestern
Universityhttp://www.s
ee-
chicago.com/
IWIB Entrepreneurship Task Force Final Report
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Program Location(s) Mission Scope
Target
Demographic
Sponsoring
Organization(s)
Website
Post-Secondary
Bradley
University -
Turner Center for
Entrepreneurship
Peoria The Turner Center for Entrepreneurship is a
not-for-profit program located at Bradley
University. The centers which make up the
Turner Center for Entrepreneurship provide
business counseling, technical assistance,
training, and educational activities for
individuals interested in owning their own
businesses. Works with individuals, existing
entrepreneurs and businesses in the
community, as well as students hoping to start
their own businesses.
Business
assistance
Post-Secondary Bradley Universityhttp://www.b
radley.edu/a
cademic/colle
ges/fcba/cent
ers/turner/
DePaul
University -
Coleman
Entrepreneursh
ip Center
Chicago Helps students launch and grow their own
ventures through a virtual incubator and
an annual new venture competition. Also
provides assistance to entrepreneurs and
business owners through peer-to-peer
educational programs and roundtables.
Connects entrepreneurs with opportunities
to collaborate and receive assistance from
students in entrepreneurship courses.
Symposia;
workshops;
seminars;
business
owner peer
roundtables
Post-
Secondary
DePaul Universityhttp://cole
man.depaul
.edu/
Illinois State
University -
George R. and
Martha Means
Center for
Entrepreneurial
Studies
Bloomingto
n-Normal
Provides learning experiences in
entrepreneurship, intrapreneurship, and
small business to the university students
and the business communities of the
Midwest. The Center supports many
different entrepreneurship programs
involving both student consulting and
entrepreneurship research.
Education;
assistance to
businesses
via IL SBDC
Post-
Secondary
Illinois State
Universityhttp://www
.cob.ilstu.ed
u/means/
Illinois Institute
of Technology -
Knapp
Entrepreneurs-
hip Center
Chicago The Academy organizes a full array of activities
that provide opportunities for undergraduate
and graduate students to have a real-world
experience in innovation and entrepreneurship.
Programs include IdeaShop (where students
from all disciplines collaborate in teams to solve
real-world problems), Knapp Lab (to promote
mobile application development) and the
Sustainable Entrepreneurial Economic
Development (or SEED) to assist small towns
without sufficient resources in creating new
sustainable economic development initiatives.
Internships;
competitions
; student
clubs;
seminars;
programs
Post-
Secondary
Illinois Institute of
Technologyhttp://www
.stuart.iit.e
du/entrepre
neurship_ac
ademy/kna
pp_center/
IWIB Entrepreneurship Task Force Final Report
30
Program Location(s) Mission Scope
Target
Demographic
Sponsoring
Organization(s)
Website
International
Institute for
Nanotechnology
Chicago/
Evanston
Provides opportunities for student and
postdoctoral exchange programs and joint
workshops in the growing field of
nanotechnology. The IIN has sponsored over
200 seminars, workshops, and symposia;
supported over 300 undergraduates and 88
pre-college teachers in nanotechnology-related
research; and launched two new journals.
Education;
workshops;
seminars;
symposia
Post-Secondary Northwestern
Universityhttp://www.ii
nano.org/
Millikin University
Entrepreneurship
Center
Central
Illinois
Provides programs to students including a
summer immersion program in Italy, an
"Interactive Marketing Today" workshop and
Ideas inc. to help students take ideas and
develop actual business models.
Programs Post-Secondary Millikin Universityhttp://www.
millikin.edu/a
cademics/tab
or/entrepren
eurship/Page
s/default.asp
x
Moraine Valley
Community
College -
Business and
Development
Resource Center
Chicago
South
Suburbs
The Business Development Resource Center
(BDRC) of Workforce Development and
Community Services facilitates economic
growth, job creation, job retention, and greater
business success by providing support,
resources, solutions, referrals, and training
opportunities for start-up to established
businesses.
Provides
support,
resources,
solutions,
referrals, and
training
opportunities
Post-Secondary Moraine Valley
Community Collegehttp://www.
morainevalle
y.edu/bdrc/
Northern Illinois
University
Technology
Enterprise Center
Dekalb-
surrounding
Suburbs
The Northern Illinois Technology Enterprise
Center (NITEC) was formed to support the
commercialization of new technologies and the
growth of technology-based enterprises
affiliated with Northern Illinois University (NIU).
Helps researchers, inventors, and
entrepreneurs as well as early-stage and
existing companies build the infrastructure to
support the development of groundbreaking
technologies. Works with early-stage
companies to foster the growth of the Illinois
science and technology industry by providing
entrepreneurs the networking, capital,
advocacy, recognition, and skilled workforce
needed to be successful in building their
business within Illinois.
Technical
assistance to
businesses;
network
development
Post-Secondary Northern Illinois
Universityhttp://www.n
itec.niu.edu/
nitec/
IWIB Entrepreneurship Task Force Final Report
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Program Location(s) Mission Scope
Target
Demographic
Sponsoring
Organization(s)
Website
Northwestern
University -
Farley Center for
Entrepreneurship
and Innovation
Evanston Helps evolve engineering beyond the
application of the sciences to the creation of
businesses that capitalize on innovations. FCEI
is bringing together faculty from a number of
schools to develop courses where students
experience the entire innovation/business life
cycle from ideation to prototyping and business
plan development to create innovative
curriculum like NUvention which offers courses
in creating Web, Medical and Energy
companies.
Entrepreneur-
based curricula
for
Northwestern
students
Post-
Secondary
Northwestern
Universityhttp://www.c
ei.northweste
rn.edu/
Southern Illinois
University
Research Park
Carbondale Non-profit corporation affiliated with Southern
Illinois University Carbondale (SIUC) promoting
technology and knowledge-based enterprise
development within the Park and the southern
Illinois region. As a knowledge-based high-tech
and research-oriented business park, SIRP is a
member of the Association of University
Research Parks (AURP). Central activity is
enterprise development to locate and expand
knowledge-based, technology, and research
oriented enterprises at the SIRP's site through
recruitment and expert technical assistance to
eligible existing and startup enterprises.
Incubator;
research park
Post-
Secondary
Southern Illinois
Universityhttp://resear
chpark.siuc.e
du/
Tribeca
Flashpoint Media
Arts Academy
Chicago Founded in 2007 and accredited by ACICS in
2011, Tribeca Flashpoint Media Arts Academy in
the heart of downtown Chicago provides a two-
year, career-focused alternative to traditional
four-year media arts colleges. Our five
disciplines, including Film + Broadcast,
Recording Arts, Animation + Visual Effects,
Game + Interactive Media, and Design + Visual
Communication are designed to erase the
boundaries between the classroom and the real
world. Through a combination of hands-on
learning, expert instruction, and an emphasis
on collaboration and professionalism, we
develop well-rounded, highly skilled
professionals who are ready to hit the ground
running after graduation.
Education
program
Post-
Secondary
Tribeca Flashpoint
Media Arts Academyhttp://www.t
fa.edu/
IWIB Entrepreneurship Task Force Final Report
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Program Location(s) Mission Scope Demographic Sponsor(s) Website
Udacity Web Online program built on the premise that
university-level education can be both high
quality and low cost. Using the economics of
the Internet, connects teachers directly to
students from all over the world.
Online class Post-
Secondary
Udacityhttp://www.u
dacity.com/
UIC Innovation
Center
Chicago The UIC Innovation Center is a community of
industry entrepreneurs and academic
researchers working in partnership to instigate
breakthroughs: fusing the uncommon, taking
risks, thinking big. Situated in one of the
country's leading universities, the UIC
Innovation Center is a hub of education
programs and projects that bridge traditional
disciplines and leverage effective innovation
methods. During each engagement, companies,
educators, experts and students collaborate on
real world problems and deliver real world
results.
Entrepreneur-
based
curricula;
programs and
projects;
collaboration
between
students and
industry pros
Post-
Secondary
University of Illinois
at Chicagohttp://www.u
ic.edu/depts/
innovationce
nter/
University of
Chicago Booth
School of
Business - Polsky
Center for
Entrepreneurship
Chicago The Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship at
Chicago Booth advances the knowledge and
practice of entrepreneurship and innovation.
The center supports entrepreneurial learning
and collaboration through its cutting-edge
curriculum, innovative hands-on learning
experiences, leading faculty research,
conferences, mentorship, and community and
global outreach programs.
Entrepreneursh
ip curriculum;
externships;
faculty
research;
conferences;
mentorships;
outreach
programs
Post-
Secondary
University of
Chicagohttp://www.c
hicagobooth.
edu/entrepre
neurship/
University of
Illinois -
Academy for
Entrepreneurial
Leadership
Urbana,
Champaign
Supports and promotes curricular as well as
extracurricular activities and opportunities for
students, faculty and staff of the University of
Illinois related to the field of entrepreneurship.
In addition, the University provides
entrepreneurship resources to the community
in order to foster economic development.
Education;
assistance to
local business
community
Post-
Secondary
University of
Illinois- Urbana
Champaignhttp://busine
ss.illinois.edu
/ael/atillinois
/index.html
University of
Illinois -
Springfield
Center for
Entrepreneurship
Springfield The University of Illinois Springfield (UIS)
Center for Entrepreneurship launched January
27, 2005, and is a part of the Illinois
Entrepreneurship Network along with twelve
other centers in the State.
Training;
mentorship
Post-
Secondary
University of
Illinois-Springfieldhttp://www.u
is.edu/cbam/
featured/
IWIB Entrepreneurship Task Force Final Report
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Program Location(s) Mission Scope
Target
Demographic
Sponsoring
Organization(s)
Website
Workforce
1871 Chicago Tenants and members of 1871 have priority
access to hundreds of classes, lectures,
seminars and other programs designed to
educate and inspire. From classes specifically
designed to empower entrepreneurs, to talks
from leading business-builders, technologists
and designers, to inspirational sessions from
artists and others, 1871 offers a full range of
content and programming.
Incubator Workforce Chicagohttp://www.187
1.com/
Ashoka
Innovators for
the Public
Global Focus
(N. American
HQ in
Arlington,
VA)
Beginning with the first Ashoka Fellows elected
in India in 1981, Ashoka has grown to an
association of over 2,000 Fellows in over 60
countries on the world's five main continents.
Invests in new solutions for the world's
toughest problems.
Advocacy;
network
development
Workforce Ashokahttp://www.ash
oka.org/
Built in Chicago Chicago Built In Chicago is a resource for "digital
professionals" working to build great web and
mobile businesses. Strives to connect, educate
and promote the growing digital community in
Chicago.
Network
development;
direct
assistance;
promotion and
outreach
Workforce Built in Chicagohttp://www.buil
tinchicago.org/p
age/about-us
Career
Information
System
Statewide Helps individuals of all ages understand careers
and the training/skills/interests needed to get
there.
Job & skills
resource
Workforce IL Dept. of
Employment
Securityhttp://www.ides
.illinois.gov/
Catapult Chicago Chicago Not-for-profit collaborative start-up community
focused on providing resources for
entrepreneurs about scaling up their company.
Mentorship;
assistance with
accessing
capital; network
development;
Workforce Private sponsors
(including
companies,
organizations
and individuals)http://catapultc
hicago.com/
Center for
Emerging
Entrepreneurs
Bloomington-
Normal
The Center for Emerging Entrepreneurs,
formerly the ISU/EDC Business Incubator,
seeks to foster economic development by
addressing the educational and business
development needs of emerging entrepreneurs.
Services include coaching, direct assistance,
individualized consultation, mentoring and
educational service.
Management
assistance;
education;
network
development;
mentorship; direct
assistance;
coaching;
consultation
Workforce lllinois State
University;
Economic
Development
Council of the
Bloomington-
Normal Areahttp://ceebiz.or
g/
Chicago Fashion
Incubator
Chicago One-year program for six up-and-coming
designers.
Training
program
Workforce Macy'shttp://www.chicag
ofashionincubator.
org/index.html
IWIB Entrepreneurship Task Force Final Report
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Program Location(s) Mission Scope
Target
Demographic
Sponsoring
Organization(s)
Website
Chicago
Innovation
Awards
Chicago Provide the knowledge transfer and intellectual
capital needed to help today’s innovators turn
their ideas into multi-million dollar companies
and successful models.
Year-round
events; awards
and
recognition;
network
development
Workforcehttp://www.chic
agoinnovationa
wards.com/
Chicago West
Side
Entrepreneurship
Center
Chicago -
West
The center provides high growth potential
companies with a broad set of business tools
including matching Challenge Grants, direct
consulting, access to debt financing, facilitation
of equity financing, early stage valuations,
assistance with SBIR/STTR grant writing and
various training. The center also serves as a
coordinating hub for entrepreneurial
development activity within the Illinois
Entrepreneurship Network.
Training;
mentorship;
matching
grants;
consultation;
access to debt
financing;
Workforce University of
Illinois at
Chicago, DCEO,
Chicago
Community
Ventureshttp://www.uic.
edu/cba/ies/wse
c.html
Chicagoland
Entrepreneurial
Center
Chicago The Chicagoland Entrepreneurial Center (CEC)
identifies the region's most promising
entrepreneurs and helps them build high-
growth, sustainable businesses that serve as
platforms for economic development and civic
leadership for the Chicagoland area.
Business
advice and
consultation;
network
development
Workforcehttp://www.chic
agolandec.org/
Clean Energy
Trust
Chicago The Clean Energy Trust was created to
accelerate the development of Midwest clean
energy businesses by connecting
entrepreneurs, researchers and early stage
companies with the expertise and capital
needed to become sustainable.
Convening top
minds and
entrepreneurs;
competitions;
network
development
Workforce Clean Energy
Trusthttp://www.clea
nenergytrust.or
g/
Entrepreneurs
Unplugged
Chicago The events seek to create an intimate,
engaging environment for entrepreneurs to
learn actual lessons from actual experiences.
Speaking
series;
network
development
Workforce Entrepreneurs
Unpluggedhttp://www.entr
epreneursunplu
ggd.com/
Entrepreneurs'
Organization
Chicago
Global
(Chicago
office)
Dynamic global network of more than 8,000
business owners in 40 countries. Founded in
1987 by a group of young entrepreneurs, EO is
the catalyst that enables entrepreneurs to learn
and grow from each other, leading to greater
business success and an enriched personal life.
Programs Workforce Entrepreneurs'
Organizationhttp://eoaccess.
eonetwork.org/
Chicago/Pages/
default.aspx
IWIB Entrepreneurship Task Force Final Report
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Program Location(s) Mission Scope
Target
Demographic
Sponsoring
Organization(s)
Website
Fermi National
Accelerator
Laboratory
(Fermilab)
Batavia Fermilab is the largest high-energy physics
laboratory in the U.S. and the second largest in
the world. Its innovative accelerator research,
superconducting magnet development, and
advancements in particle physics technology
have led to societal benefits in health, security,
and economic well-being. With 2,100
employees, and almost 3,000 national and
international scientists and students who take
part in the lab’s experiments, Fermilab builds
and operates the accelerators, detectors, and
other facilities necessary to conduct research in
high-energy physics.
R&D Workforce Fermi National
Accelerator
Laboratory
(Fermilab)
www.fnal.gov
Greater
Southside
Entrepreneurship
Center
Chicago -
South
The Greater Southside Entrepreneurship Center
(GSEC) is part of the Illinois Entrepreneurship
Network.GSEC functions as a comprehensive
resource center for high growth potential small
businesses located on Chicago’s South Side.
GSEC seeks to make a positive economic
impact on this geographic area by helping these
businesses to increase the profitability of their
enterprises, thereby expanding local job
opportunities. As a strategic partner to these
businesses, GSEC links them with advisory
services, skills workshops, and other
professional resources essential for success in
today’s ultra-competitive economy.
Mentorship;
network
development;
workshops;
other
professional
resources
Workforce Chicago State
University, DCEOhttp://www.csu.
edu/gsec/index.
htm
IWIB Entrepreneurship Task Force Final Report
36
Program Location(s) Mission Scope
Target
Demographic
Sponsoring
Organization(s)
Website
Hyde Park Angels Chicago Hyde Park Angels is an organization that
provides a forum for entrepreneurial-minded
members to invest in seed and early stage
businesses, primarily located in the Midwest.
HPA is a group of current and former
executives, entrepreneurs, and venture
capitalists who are interested in investing their
time and money into outstanding startups. HPA
also provides domain expertise, strategic advice
and coaching to its companies. The Chicago-
based Hyde Park Angel Network was founded in
2006 by a group of classmates from the
University of Chicago Booth School of Business
Executive MBA Program.
Direct
investment
Workforce Hyde Park
Angelshttp://www.hyd
eparkangels.co
m/
I2A Statewide I2A is a Seed/Early Stage Venture Capital Fund
focused on catalyzing and partnering with the
next wave of successful entrepreneurial
companies in the Illinois region.
Direct
investment;
consultation
Workforce I2Ahttp://www.i2af
und.com/
iBIO Institute’s
PROPEL Center
Chicago The mission of iBIO Institute’s PROPEL Center
is to increase the number and success rates of
life sciences start-ups in Illinois.
Direct
assistance;
consultation;
programs
Workforce iBIOhttp://www.ibio
propel.org/
Ignite Chicago Chicago Ignite Chicago is a high-energy evening of five
minute presentations by people who have an
idea - and the guts - to get onstage and share
it with fellow creative folks. Each presentation
is composed of 20 slides that automatically
advance every 15 seconds. Presentations can
range from how to build a resume to a history
of the Samurai sword to a manifesto on boxes.
Speaking
series;
network
development
Workforce Ignite Chicagohttp://ignitechi.
org/
Illinois Science +
Technology Park
Skokie/
Chicago
A full-service corporate research campus with
facilities to meet the needs of early stage
companies, growing firms, large established life
sciences companies, and related institutional
research
R&D; incubator Workforce Illinois Science +
Technology Parkhttp://www.scie
nceparkillinois.n
et/
Madison County
Employment and
Training
East St.
Louis
Employment resource for SW Illinois region. Job & skills
resource
Workforce Madison County
Employment and
Traininghttp://www.mce
td.org/
IWIB Entrepreneurship Task Force Final Report
37
Program Location(s) Mission Scope
Target
Demographic
Sponsoring
Organization(s)
Website
Minority Business
Development
Agency (MBDA)
Chicago Federal agency specifically created to
encourage the creation, growth, and expansion
of minority-owned businesses in the United
States. The centers provide minority
entrepreneurs with one-on-one assistance in
writing business plans, marketing, management
and technical assistance, and financial planning
to assure adequate financing for business
ventures. The centers are staffed by business
specialists who have the knowledge and
practical experience needed to run successful
and profitable businesses.
Direct
assistance;
consultation
Workforce U.S. Dept. of
Commercehttp://www.mb
da.gov/
Peoria NEXT
Innovation
Center
Peoria An organization of the Heartland Partnership,
aims to facilitate Discovery, Innovation and
Commercialization of new technologies through
collaboration and creativity for economic
development. Serve as a business incubator to
increase economic growth, diversity, and
opportunities in the Peoria area. Strives to
become the preferred location in the Midwest
for research, innovation, development, and
commercialization in the areas of engineering,
medicine, bio-engineering, and agriculture.
Network
development
Workforce Heartland
Partnership of
Companieshttp://www.hea
rtlandpartnershi
p.org/content/p
eoria-next
Quincy
Entrepreneurship
Center
Quincy Provides direct business development
assistance and consultation.
Training;
coaching;
counseling;
network
development
Workforce Great River
Economic
Development
Foundationhttp://www.gre
df.org/entrepren
eurs/entreprene
urship-center/
Sandbox
Industries
Chicago Provides direct investment and other support
services for start-ups.
Direct
investment;
consultation
Workforce Sandbox
Industrieshttp://www.san
dboxindustries.c
om/about/
SIU -
Edwardsville
Entrepreneurship
Center
Southern
Illinois
The Entrepreneurship Center works with
entrepreneurs who have business, business
concepts, or an idea that would result in a high-
growth, high-market business opportunity. The
center can assist with providing services in
market research, product development, R & D,
business planning and identification of capital
resources.
Technical
assistance to
businesses;
network
development
Workforce Southern Illinois
University -
Edwardsvillehttp://www.siue
.edu/business/e
c/
IWIB Entrepreneurship Task Force Final Report
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Program Location(s) Mission Scope
Target
Demographic
Sponsoring
Organization(s)
Website
StartingBloc -
Chicago Chapter
Chicago The StartingBloc Fellowship begins with the
Institute for Social Innovation. The Institute is
a five-day transformative experience during
which young leaders learn to increase their
impact, exponentially. Institute curriculum
includes a survey of social innovation, an
innovative case-study competition and sessions
with industry leaders.
Competitions;
mentorships;
network
development;
entrepreneursh
ip-based
curricula
Workforce StartingBlochttp://www.star
tingbloc.org/
Startup Illinois Statewide Startup Illinois enables mentors, advisors,
funders, major corporations, service providers
and government organizations to collaborate in
order to help entrepreneurs start and scale
companies in our state. We are focused on
serving young companies with high growth
potential. Driven by the Illinois Innovation
Network, Startup Illinois is leveraging the best
practices and national network of the Startup
America Partnership, which celebrates and
accelerates entrepreneurs across the country,
to expand opportunities for Illinois
entrepreneurs and startups.
network
development;
collaboration;
Workforce Startup Americahttp://il.s.co/ab
out
TechCocktail Chicago Tech Cocktail has morphed over the years into
a full-fledged tech news blog and media
company with thousands of fans, followers and
supporters across the globe. Tech Cocktail has
hosted local mixers, breakfasts, conferences,
festivals and other events across the country
that have attracted thousands of attendees,
helping entrepreneurs by educating as they
showcase their latest achievements and the
local technology communities they live in.
Network
development;
educational
resources
Workforce TechCocktailhttp://techcockt
ail.com/
The Chicago
TechNexus
Chicago TechNexus is the clubhouse where Chicago’s
technology leaders gather. It was developed by
private investment and community support and
in partnership with the Illinois Technology
Association (ITA) to serve as a ‘clubhouse’ and
co-working facility to bring technology
professionals together, foster relationships and
promote a sense of community in Chicago.
network
development;
collaboration;
Workforce Illinois
Technology
Association,
Clean Energy
Trusthttp://www.tech
nexus.com/
IWIB Entrepreneurship Task Force Final Report
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Program Location(s) Mission Scope
Target
Demographic
Sponsoring
Organization(s)
Website
The Chicago
Technology Park
Chicago The CTP’s dynamic community helps to fulfill its
mission to assist in the growth of life science
companies and to help life science businesses
flourish. By supplying fully equipped
infrastructure and access to university
resources, internship programs, world-class
talent, and custom designed business
development services, the CTP works to ensure
the success of the companies that make up its
community.
Training;
mentorship;
camp;
incubator
Workforce Illinois Medical
District
Commissionhttp://www.tech
park.com/#Sce
ne 1
The Workforce
and Professional
Development
Institute
Lake County The Workforce and Professional Development
Institute (WPDI) is dedicated to helping
organizations and individual professionals grow.
The five areas of the Institute can meet an
individuals’ or an organization's professional
development needs through a combination of
training, consulting and coaching.
Training;
consultation;
coaching
Workforce College of Lake
County, Lake
County Partnershttp://wpdi.clcill
inois.edu/
University
Technology Park
at IIT
Chicago University Technology Park at IIT offers lab
space for lease and flexible office space for
startup and established technology companies
just 10 minutes from downtown Chicago. Once
here, companies can take advantage of an
ecosystem designed to support growth and
community.
Incubator Workforce Illinois Institute
of Technologyhttp://www.univ
ersitytechnology
park.com/
Excelerate Labs Chicago Selects 10 start-up companies each year for a
training program to help them develop and be
competitive.
Mentorship;
network
development;
direct capital
investments
Workforce Chicagohttp://excelerat
elabs.com/
Multiple
Demographics
The Starter
League
Web Provides online training to teach participants
how to "learn code" and develop the skills
needed to developing websites, games and
applications.
Online class Z_Multiple (K-
12; Post-
Secondary;
Workforce)
The Starter
Leaguehttp://www.star
terleague.com/
IWIB Entrepreneurship Task Force Final Report
40
Program Location(s) Mission Scope
Target
Demographic
Sponsoring
Organization(s)
Website
Khan Academy Web A not-for-profit with the goal of changing
education for the better by providing a free
world-class education to anyone anywhere.
Students can make use of our extensive video
library, practice exercises, and assessments
from any computer with access to the web.
Coaches, parents, and teachers have
unprecedented visibility into what their
students are learning and doing on the Khan
Academy.
Online classes
offered free of
charge
Z_Multiple (K-
12; Post-
Secondary;
Workforce)
http://www.kha
nacademy.org/a
bout
Treehouse Web Our mission is to teach Web Design,
Development and iOS to people everywhere, in
order to help them achieve their dreams and
change the world.
Online class Z_Multiple (K-
12; Post-
Secondary;
Workforce)
http://teamtree
house.com/
Beckman
Institute for
Advanced
Science and
Technology
Champaign-
Urbana
The Beckman Institute is an interdisciplinary
research institute devoted to the physical
sciences, computation, engineering, biology,
behavior, and cognition. Research focuses on
three broadly defined research initiatives:
biological intelligence, human-computer
intelligent interaction, and molecular and
electronic nanostructures. More than 600
researchers from nearly 30 University of Illinois
departments as far-ranging as psychology,
computer science, and biochemistry—
comprising 15 Beckman Institute groups—work
within and across these overlapping areas
Research Z_Multiple
(Post-
Secondary;
Workforce)
University of
Illinois- Urbana
Champaignhttp://beckman.
illinois.edu
Ewing Marion
Kauffman
Foundation
National
(with
Chicago
office)
The Kauffman Foundation is working to further
understand the phenomenon of
entrepreneurship, to advance entrepreneurship
education and training efforts, to promote
entrepreneurship-friendly policies, and to better
facilitate the commercialization of new
technologies by entrepreneurs and others,
which have great promise for improving the
economic welfare of our nation.
Education;
legislative
advocacy;
direct
assistance
Z_Multiple
(Post-
Secondary;
Workforce)
Ewing Marion
Kauffman
Foundationhttp://www.kau
ffman.org/
Funnl.ME Chicago Provides entrepreneurship-based learning to
assist aspiring entrepreneurs with their
"pitches." Provides other packaging and
branding consultation.
Education;
programs
Z_Multiple
(Post-
Secondary;
Workforce)
Illinois Technology
Association, DePaul
University, Illinois
Math & Science
Academyhttp://funnl.me/
about.php
IWIB Entrepreneurship Task Force Final Report
41
Program Location(s) Mission Scope
Target
Demographic
Sponsoring
Organization(s)
Website
i.c. stars Chicago Using project-based learning and full immersion
teaching, i.c. stars provides an opportunity for
change-driven, future leaders to develop skills
in business and technology. Since 1999, i.c.
stars has been identifying, training, and jump-
starting technology careers for Chicago-area
low-income young adults who, although lacking
access to education and employment,
demonstrate extraordinary potential for success
in the business world and for impact in their
communities.
Program (for
young adults
and companies
to participate)
Z_Multiple
(Post-
Secondary;
Workforce)
i.c. starshttp://icstars.or
g/overview
Illinois
Technology
Association
Chicago Mission to grow technology companies by
fostering deep collaboration among the diverse
industry all in support of developing the
ecosystem necessary to foster the success of
member companies. All the while tirelessly
advocating for the industry to raise the
awareness of Illinois as a leading technology
community.
Peer-to-peer
collaboration;
mentorships;
network
development
Z_Multiple
(Post-
Secondary;
Workforce)
Illinois
Technology
Associationhttp://illinoistec
h.org/
Technori Chicago Monthly pitches to entrepreneurial community
by start-up companies. Keynote speaker series
with industry pros.
Symposia;
network
development
Z_Multiple
(Post-
Secondary;
Workforce)
Technorihttp://www.tech
nori.com/about/
doc_271487302.pdf
This brief description pertaining to entrepreneurship task force report findings and recommendations.
IWIB Entrepreneurship Task Force Final Report
ENTREPRENEURSHIP TASK FORCE REPORT:
FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Illinois Workforce Investment Board
Entrepreneurship Task Force
Mark Harris, ISTC, Co-Chair
Shelley Stern Grach, Microsoft, Co-Chair
December 5, 2012
IWIB Entrepreneurship Task Force Final Report
Executive Summary
The Illinois Workforce Investment Board (IWIB) established the Entrepreneurship Task Force to
provide a deeper analysis into the role that entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial learning can
and should play in our education and workforce systems in Illinois. Given the significance of
entrepreneurship not only as a driver of new economic growth, but as the backbone of the U.S.
and Illinois economy, the group was tasked with evaluating how to expand entrepreneurship as
a focus in education and workforce development.
The Task Force represented collaboration between state agencies, business and corporate
leaders, non-profits, educators and entrepreneurs who volunteered their time to discuss
strategies to advance more student engagement with entrepreneurship in Illinois. Ultimately,
the goal of the task force was to develop recommendations and actionable items about how to
elevate the importance of entrepreneurial learning to students, teachers, administrators and
the broader community, and how to increase greater access to developing entrepreneurial skills
across P-20 and adult education.
The Task Force approached entrepreneurship within the context of education and developed a
framework to collectively define what comprises ‘entrepreneurial skills’ through a multi-
disciplinary lens. Fundamentally, entrepreneurship is a process by which ideas are turned into
action. Among the group there was much discussion about an entrepreneurial mindset that is
inherent in critical thinking, problem solving, creativity and taking action. This entrepreneurial
mindset cuts across disciplines and classroom subjects, and is cultivated by learning that takes
place across and beyond the curriculum – from math and science to the arts and business.
Therefore, it was determined that the skills tied to entrepreneurial learning involve not only
business foundations and digital/technological skills, but also communications, interpersonal
ability, and an ethos involving traits and behaviors such as curiosity, owning your work, being
resourceful and persistence.
The Task Force structured its work into three key areas, and created working groups that
addressed: Entrepreneurship Advocacy and Visibility; Teacher and Faculty Professional
Development; and Improving Entrepreneurial Linkages & Workforce Alignment. Each working
group developed specific goals and recommendations to comprise the Task Force’s action plan,
which included describing a specific set of challenges in each of these areas and laying out
objectives, deliverables and proposed next steps to address each challenge.
IWIB Entrepreneurship Task Force Final Report
? Entrepreneurship Advocacy and Visibility addressed the need to change the way
entrepreneurship is talked about in education by providing a common vocabulary and
awareness around entrepreneurial learning and the related core competencies and
experiences. This working group also focused on how to more sustainably embed
entrepreneurship across the P-20 curriculum and better engage real-world linkages and
the entrepreneurial community. Key recommendations included:
- Work with the Illinois Pathways network to demonstrate how entrepreneurial
skills and activities are included as part of orientation and advanced pathway
courses across each of the targeted STEM areas, and commit each of the
Learning Exchanges to engage a target number of start-up firms or entrepreneurs
into their consortiums;
- Work with the Illinois State Board of Education on more formally integrating
financial literacy coupled with an orientation to entrepreneurship as part of the
core curriculum;
- Launch a suite of free and open entrepreneurial applications as part of the
state’s Illinois Shared Learning Environment (ISLE) that focus on curriculum tools
and resources, problem-based learning challenges, mentorships, social
networking and career exploration.
? Teacher and Faculty Professional Development examined the importance of
empowering teachers to recognize the connections that exist to entrepreneurial
learning in their coursework and supporting the use and integration of real world,
problem-centered learning opportunities in the classroom. The group also targeted
existing networks and resources statewide to leverage. Key recommendations included:
- Develop a series of branded workshops statewide for interested educators,
administrators, and community partners) to promote and advance
entrepreneurial skills development in the classroom and better connections
between industry, community groups and schools;
- Connect university-affiliated entrepreneurship centers statewide to talk about
their efforts, successful programs, new ideas, best practices, challenges and
opportunities to collaborate.
IWIB Entrepreneurship Task Force Final Report
? Improving Entrepreneurial Linkages & Workforce Alignment targeted the scope,
linkages and quality of services provided throughout the Illinois entrepreneurship
ecosystem to address entrepreneurial skill needs at each stage of development. Key
recommendations included:
- Explore how existing resource platforms or existing frameworks and grids can
support a comprehensive entrepreneurship resource inventory and identify key
gaps and develop a strategy to address them;
- Propose a strategy and plan for using the identified platform and the revised
framework or grid to increase access to entrepreneurship resources and how
this will be coordinated with platforms for supporting educational programs at
the secondary and postsecondary levels.
IWIB Entrepreneurship Task Force Final Report
Introduction
Entrepreneurship is critical to the present and future economic growth of Illinois. The state will
increasingly depend on a growing number of entrepreneurs, inventors and innovators to create
and rapidly grow new businesses, which will employ more workers in good jobs across the
state. In addition – and equally as important – will be the need for a workforce that possesses
an entrepreneurial mindset that can help advance breakthrough business models, disruptive
innovations, and new, effective value propositions across all industry sectors, including the
public/non-profit sector. This applies to managers and front-line workers alike.
The next generation of these entrepreneurial thinkers and doers are sitting in a classroom right
now, and many more are currently working within corporations and other organizations.
Though there are many examples of successful programs of study in entrepreneurship across
the state, there has not been a statewide strategy to cultivate and embed entrepreneurial
learning.
While entrepreneurship and entrepreneurship education has
traditionally been thought about as an exclusively business
discipline and discussed principally through the lens of launching
new enterprises and raising capital, the Task Force sought to
address entrepreneurship more broadly across disciplines
through its fundamental definition of creating value and the
process of turning ideas into action.
Entrepreneurship is interdisciplinary in nature driven by a
process of identifying problems, thinking critically and creatively
about solutions, and executing on new ideas that ultimately
make things better and more efficient – in the marketplace,
within a start-up firm, existing corporation, or non-profit organization, etc.
Education at all levels and workforce development, in combination with related
entrepreneurship programs and services, play a critical role in providing more students with the
technical skills, connections and opportunities to cultivate an entrepreneurial mindset
regardless of one’s chosen field. Step one for the Task Force recognized a need to change the
way entrepreneurship is talked about in education, focusing on critical thinking, problem-
solving, creativity, interpersonal skills, and interdisciplinary and real-world linkages.
The timing of the Task Force’s work aligned well with larger education reform efforts taking
place in the State of Illinois, as well as during a time of great entrepreneurial energy and
excitement in Chicago and across the state, both from the public and private sectors. In
“If you were to ask me, from all of
Gallup’s data and research on
entrepreneurship, what will most
likely tell you if you are winning or
losing your city, my answer would
be, ‘5
th
to 12
th
graders’ image of
and relationship to free enterprise
and entrepreneurship.’ The better
the image, the more likely your city
will win.” – Jim Clifton, The Coming
Jobs War
IWIB Entrepreneurship Task Force Final Report
particular, Governor Quinn launched Illinois Pathways earlier in the year, an innovative $10.3
million public-private STEM-based education initiative to better prepare students for today and
tomorrow’s jobs.
Pathways represents unprecedented collaboration from across education, industry,
government, non-profits and the entrepreneurial community to leverage our collective
resources to advance science, technology, engineering and mathematics-based fields of study.
Funding has been distributed to develop Learning Exchanges, managed by organizations
selected through a competitive process, to coordinate investments and resources that will
create more hands-on, real-world experiences for students to enhance college and career
readiness across nine sectors: Agriculture; Energy; Manufacturing; Information Technology;
Architecture and Construction; Transportation, Distribution, and Logistics; Research and
Development (R&D); Health Science; and Finance. This new infrastructure will provide a unique
and effective platform to test and address many of the ideas and recommendations developed
through the work of this Task Force.
Further, federal, state and city leaders have made renewed commitments in promoting
targeted entrepreneurship and innovation-driven policies and investments. This includes
Governor Quinn’s $2.3 million investment in 1871, a 50,000 square foot communal tech center
for digital technology start-ups and hub for entrepreneurial activity and collaboration, which is
now home to more than 200 start-up firms; and Advantage Illinois, a $78 million federally-
funded program to spur institutional lending and small business growth, which is expected to
generate more than $800 million in private investment in Illinois' small businesses.
It is within this context that the Entrepreneurship Task Force was convened and situated its
work in developing and promoting new strategies to promote entrepreneurship through
improved coordination between education, workforce development, economic development
and the momentum taking place in the entrepreneurial ecosystem statewide.
IWIB Entrepreneurship Task Force Final Report
Background
The Illinois Workforce Investment Board (IWIB) is a Governor-
appointed board charged with reviewing the progress of the
state’s workforce planning efforts. It facilitates workforce
development services and programs to assist government and
the private sector in meeting the workforce needs of Illinois
employers and workers.
The IWIB is also tasked with addressing skill needs for key
sectors of the Illinois economy and for targeting specific
population groups through the use of Task Forces, which provide
a platform to engage leaders from outside of the IWIB to offer
guidance and recommendations in a specific area.
In December 2011, the IWIB voted to create the
Entrepreneurship Task Force, which was co-chaired by Mark
Harris, Deputy Chief of Staff in the Governor’s Office (now
President and CEO of the Illinois Science and Technology Coalition) and Shelley Stern Grach,
Citizenship and Public Affairs Director, Central Region at Microsoft Corp.
Appendix A lists the full Task Force members, which included leaders and representatives from
state agencies, corporations, non-profits, schools, universities and foundations, in addition to a
number of entrepreneurs. The year-long Task Force met approximately every other month
starting in early February 2012. Task Force members served on one of the three working
groups, which met separately to discuss their respective goals and potential strategies. Their
work comprised the bulk of the recommendations and action items that are part of this report,
which will be presented to the IWIB and Governor by December 15, 2012.
“Preparing today’s students for
success and eventual leadership in
the new global marketplace is the
most important responsibility in
education today…
Entrepreneurship education is an
important tool to achieving these
objectives [and]… should be
universally available to provide all
students with opportunities to
explore and fulfill their potential.”
-Stephanie Bell-Rose, President,
Goldman Sachs Foundation
IWIB Entrepreneurship Task Force Final Report
Findings and Recommendations
Skills Assessment
The imprecise nature of entrepreneurship led to a lengthy discussion on how best to define it.
Instead of choosing to reinvent entrepreneurship or establish strict parameters on what it
means or does not mean, this Task Force instead sought to establish a framework for talking
about entrepreneurship; that is, building a common vocabulary around the discipline.
With this new focus, the Task Force agreed on the need to map out the skills they perceived are
associated with entrepreneurial learning, as well as the resources and programs already in
place that seek to help students develop those skills. Members were charged with providing
this information which was consolidated into an Entrepreneurial Skills and Resources matrix.
For the skills portion, the suggestions by Task Force members generally fell into one (or more)
sub-categories.
I. Technical Skills – There was broad consensus that a base level of mathematic,
technological and communicative expertise is required in order to be a successful
consumer or contributor in the entrepreneurial space. They include a general grasp
of rudimentary accounting principles and strong writing abilities.
II. Interpersonal Skills – Beyond the technical acumen is the emphasis on interpersonal
or "people" skills. It was generally stated that successful entrepreneurs are able to
comfortably network, effectively communicate and successfully work in team
settings.
III. Ethos – The final sub-category can be defined as the entrepreneurial mindset, which
is a subject that has been written about extensively in other publications. The
suggestions provided by the Task Force members reinforce the notion that – beyond
technical and interpersonal skills – there is an additional cognitive level at which
successful entrepreneurial learning and thinking occurs. Traits such as curiosity,
passion, resourcefulness and work ethic were repeatedly cited as fundamental to
the practice of entrepreneurial learning.
After compiling and consolidating the many submissions form the Task Force, DCEO created a
document entitled "Skills Tied to Entrepreneurial Learning" (Appendix B). Borrowing from the
National Content Standards for Entrepreneurship Education developed in 2004 by the
Consortium for Entrepreneurship Education, these responses noted above were incorporated
into these pre-established buckets:
IWIB Entrepreneurship Task Force Final Report
I. Entrepreneurial Skills – The processes and traits or behaviors associated with successful
entrepreneurial performance.
II. Ready Skills – The basic business knowledge and skills that are prerequisites or co-
requisites for becoming a successful entrepreneur.
III. Business Functions – The business activities performed by entrepreneurs in managing
the business.
Other source materials were provided to buttress the skills assessment exercise including:
? Curriculum Revitalization Project's list of teaching lessons that support entrepreneurship
(provided by the Career and Technical Education Division of the Illinois State Board of
Education)
? Program summaries from the Future Founders Foundation (based in the city of Chicago)
? Illinois Innovation Talent Program (ILIT) 2010-11 Summary Report
Finally, some Task Force members also cited selected readings and theories to help build the
repository of entrepreneurial skills, including:
? Invisible Capital, How Unseen Forces Shape Entrepreneurial Opportunity (Chris Rabb)
? The Entrepreneurial Mindset: Strategies for Continuously Creating Opportunity in an Age
of Uncertainty (Rita Gunther McGrath; Ian MacMillan)
? The Lean Startup: How Today's Entrepreneurs Use Continuous Innovation to Create
Radically Successful Businesses (Eric Ries)
Asset/Resource Mapping
The second component to this exercise was the resource assessment. The Task Force members
recognized that there are a number of existing efforts statewide that are promoting
entrepreneurship across the P-20 pipeline through competitions, mentorship opportunities,
problem-based learning, and other special and experiential programs. Many of these efforts
are being driven by the organizations of those on the Task Force. Therefore, a goal of the group
was to compile and categorize the existing resources in place across Illinois that are cultivating
entrepreneurial learning.
Appendix C, while not exhaustive, provides a robust and diverse set of programs and resources
for enriching entrepreneurial learning experiences. Task Force members cited dozens of
organizations, foundations, academic institutions and government entities that are operating
programs to advance the various entrepreneurial skills outlined above. Their respective scopes
were equally varied and included:
IWIB Entrepreneurship Task Force Final Report
? General programming;
? Apprenticeships, internships and other immersion learning;
? Camps;
? Competitions;
? Network development;
? Course curriculum;
? Other training and mentorship;
? Workshops, seminars and symposia;
? Online resources;
? Professional development for teachers;
? Business assistance and referrals;
? Advocacy.
These various initiatives fell into one or multiple demographical cohorts:
I. K-12 – Programs or initiatives targeted at elementary, intermediate and high school
students;
II. Post-secondary – Programs and initiatives targeted at students attending university,
community college or other degree or certification-seeking students;
III. Workforce professionals – Programs and initiatives (especially training) targeted at
adults already in the workforce or labor-ready individuals.
Recommendations
The Task Force structured its work into three key areas, and created working groups that
addressed: Entrepreneurship Advocacy and Visibility; Teacher and Faculty Professional
Development; and Improving Entrepreneurial Linkages & Workforce Alignment. Each working
group developed specific goals and recommendations, which included describing a specific set
of challenges in each of these areas and laying out objectives, deliverables and proposed next
steps to address each challenge.
Entrepreneurship Advocacy & Visibility
Goal #1: Fully embed entrepreneurship across the P-20 curriculum in a sustainable way by
defining the range of core competencies, skills and certifications that span secondary and
postsecondary programs and are measured by customized growth and accountability measures.
Challenge: There is an increasing need for better awareness of what “entrepreneurship” is and
how it relates to both formal education and life-wide learning. Entrepreneurship is ill-defined
in our education system and does not share a common language. In addition, it is unclear how
IWIB Entrepreneurship Task Force Final Report
entrepreneurship today is best captured in existing curriculum or as part of the adoption of the
Common Core State Standards. Also, the current certification system and accountability metrics
do not fully capture the core competencies and experiences connected with entrepreneurial
learning.
Objective: Change the way entrepreneurship is talked about in education – focusing on critical
thinking, problem-solving, creativity, interpersonal skills, and interdisciplinary and real-world
linkages. Begin embedding entrepreneurship across the P-20 curriculum by infusing core
competencies—including financial literacy and technology/digital skills —and entrepreneurial
activities as part of Illinois Pathways and related STEM Programs of Study. In addition, define
entrepreneurship metrics as part of postsecondary performance systems and work to develop
broad consensus around certificates, digital badges, and other forms of recognition for
entrepreneurial learning.
Deliverables & Next Steps:
1) Develop a uniform vocabulary around entrepreneurial learning, catalogue existing
best practices and formally present Task Force recommendations to the respective
organizations for adoption, including key leaders at the Illinois State Board of
Education.
2) Work with Illinois Pathways network to demonstrate how entrepreneurship skills
and activities are included as part of orientation and advanced pathway courses
across each of the targeted STEM areas.
3) Work with the Illinois State Board of Education on more formally incorporating
financial literacy coupled with an orientation to entrepreneurship as part of the core
curriculum.
4) Work with the Statewide Longitudinal Data System, Illinois Higher Education
Consortium, and Illinois Board of Higher Education on incorporating metrics that
measure program accountability and results and index the entrepreneurial
ecosystem.
Goal #2: Support entrepreneurship in the curriculum by developing new public-private
partnerships that reduce the transaction cost with connecting educators and learners to
practitioners in the entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Challenge: There are currently only ad hoc connections between new venture start-ups and
employers to the education community, particularly at the K-12 level. There is a need for a
more formalized partnership network that connects learners and educators to individuals,
groups and organizations involved in entrepreneurial practice and a more structured and
standardized approach defining how to best connect and derive value from the engagement.
IWIB Entrepreneurship Task Force Final Report
Objective: Identify entrepreneurship as a key component of the
newly launched STEM Learning Exchanges, which bring together
statewide networks of public-private partners to support teaching
and learning tied to a career cluster. In addition, investigate other
potential public-private partnership networks that can be vehicles
for the dissemination and adoption of entrepreneurial learning.
Deliverables & Next Steps:
1) Work with each of the designated STEM Learning
Exchanges to create a cross-cutting approach to defining
and supporting entrepreneurship through resources and
activities as part of their scopes of work. This could
include a commitment from each of the Learning
Exchanges to engage a target number of start-up firms or
entrepreneurs into their consortiums.
2) Formally present the Task Force recommendations to the Illinois Pathways Advisory
Council and organize follow-up meetings with leadership of each of the STEM Learning
Exchanges to secure their commitment to incorporate entrepreneurs and start-ups.
Goal #3: Empower public-private partnerships with innovative applications and collaboration
tools that facilitate and deliver transformative entrepreneurial learning experiences through
resources, social networking, and career exploration.
Challenge: We often pursue education technology initiatives that focus on access and
connectivity (e.g. broadband and devices), but if you are not connecting to transformative
learning resources on the other end, then you are only addressing half the equation. 21
st
Century learning requires access to customized and personalized tools that make learning more
effective. In addition, connecting educators and learners to public-private networks will require
collaboration tools that facilitate and structure their engagement. Likewise, educators and
learners need equitable access to collaboration tools and networks to not perpetuate or
deepen an “entrepreneurship gap.” As we continue to promote 21
st
century learning in a
digital age we need to focus as much on developing the next generation of innovative
collaboration tools as we do on promoting access and connectivity.
Objective: Develop an innovative entrepreneurial application layer as part of the planned
Illinois Shared Learning Environment (ISLE) that is available to all educators and learners and
incorporates free, open-source, and vendor applications. Include applications specific to
entrepreneurial learning (Curriculum Tools & Resources; Problem-Based Learning; Mentorships;
Peer-to-Peer Social; Career Exploration, etc.)
“We live in a knowledge economy
that is driven by access to
information and new ideas…..
Our mission is to prepare our
students for the 21st Century
workforce. These new Learning
Exchanges will provide students
with real-world experience and
advanced educational
opportunities to ensure they are
ready to compete for the jobs of
tomorrow.”
- Illinois Governor Pat Quinn
IWIB Entrepreneurship Task Force Final Report
Deliverables & Next Steps:
1) Launch a suite of free and open entrepreneurial applications as part of ISLE that focus
on curriculum tools & resources, problem-based learning challenges, mentorships, social
networking, and career exploration. These tools can be available to the statewide,
public-private STEM Learning Exchange networks as well as other communities of
practice.
2) Embed the Task Force recommendations in the ISLE application layer design
requirements documentation for inclusion in any solicitation or application build-out
using capital bill funding. The Learning Exchanges will launch this fall so there will be as
ready-made audience to pilot and test use these tools.
Teacher & Faculty Professional Development
Goal #1: Move entrepreneurship across the curriculum by empowering engaged teachers to
integrate entrepreneurial skills development in their coursework
Challenge: Many educators in a variety of disciplines don’t recognize the connections that exist
to entrepreneurial learning in their coursework or understand the importance and benefits of
connecting experiential, global (and local) issues inside the classroom. While some are
reluctant to change, others are interested but need the tools (and a nudge).
Objective: Help more teachers think about their subject matter in a more entrepreneurial and
interdisciplinary context; support the use and integration of real world, problem-based
learning opportunities in the classroom, tapping into networks of employers/practitioners and
guidance on what that engagement looks like. Leverage the capabilities of entrepreneurship
centers and experts to showcase successful learning models and facilitate ideas and access to
resources.
Deliverables & Next Steps:
1) Develop a series of branded workshops statewide for interested educators,
administrators, and community partners (businesses, non-profits and other
organizations) to promote and advance entrepreneurial skills development in the
classroom and better connections between industry, community groups and schools.
2) Identify workshop “hosts” – look to institutions of higher education, especially those
with entrepreneurship programming (Millikin, SIU, NIU, U of I, DePaul, U of C,
Northwestern) to collaborate on series of smaller scale events. Develop parameters and
structure of workshops with input from leading educators in this space, including the
use and utility of problem-based learning from the Illinois Math and Science Academy,
who can provide input and perspective from their existing efforts. Also need to assess
IWIB Entrepreneurship Task Force Final Report
budget requirements and funding partners. Many
businesses are already involved in supporting this kind of
programming or have been engaged with previous
programs like Innovation Talent – would need to connect
with these engaged private sector partners.
Goal #2: Share information, ideas, and resources across our post-
secondary institutions and community colleges to advance more
robust entrepreneurship education.
Challenge: Illinois has some of the nation’s leading post-
secondary entrepreneurship educators and institutions, but there
is not a forum or platform to connect the efforts of these
institutions.
Objective: Connect – even if informally – the university-affiliated
entrepreneurship centers statewide to talk about their efforts,
successful programs, new ideas, best practices, challenges, and
opportunities to collaborate. This exchange of information will
ideally facilitate improved entrepreneurial programming and a more connected statewide
approach to cultivating and keeping talent in Illinois. In addition, the work of more established
centers can help to provide guidance and build capacity at those institutions developing an
entrepreneurial presence.
Deliverables & Next Steps:
1) Host a semi-regular meeting of entrepreneurship center directors and key faculty/staff.
2) Identify coordinating entity (ideally DCEO); put together list of invitees; develop
agenda/presentations, etc.
Improving Entrepreneurial Linkages and Workforce Alignment
Goal: Improve the scope, linkages and quality of services provided throughout the Illinois
entrepreneurship network to address entrepreneurship skill needs at each stage of
development.
Challenge: Illinois has a well-developed network for supporting entrepreneurs throughout the
state. There are many high-quality resources on the basics of startups and early
entrepreneurship stages, but it is not clear whether there are sufficient high-quality resources
at all stages in all areas of the state and how these resources are being accessed, used, and
“ We are facing a transition, and
we must take this opportunity to
provide today’s students and
entrepreneurs with the tools and
the thinking that is required for the
future. Collaborative technologies
can fundamentally transform both
how we teach and learn. We need
to harness the power of the
Internet and these new
technologies for creating and
sharing knowledge that will
prepare students with the skills to
compete in the 21st century.”
- John T. Chambers, Chairman and
CEO, Cisco
IWIB Entrepreneurship Task Force Final Report
connected. In addition, there are communications challenges in disseminating existing
information in the most effective way.
Objective: Illinois should work with the Illinois Science and Technology Coalition (ISTC), the
Illinois Innovation Network, and the statewide entrepreneurship network to leverage existing
platforms (such as start-up Illinois/America, the Illinois Innovation Network website, 1871) to
improve awareness of and access to entrepreneurship resources in Illinois.
This effort should identify and build on existing frameworks or grids that define the major skills
or competencies at each stage of entrepreneurship and the resources currently available to
entrepreneurs throughout the state. This grid should be based on stages of development
rather than level of education. This effort should also address how people can prepare for and
access jobs at startup and early-stage companies.
Finally, this effort should be coordinated with related efforts to develop a platform to support
entrepreneurship programs for students at the secondary and postsecondary levels.
Deliverables & Next Steps:
1) Explore how existing platforms, networks and frameworks/grids can support a
comprehensive entrepreneurship resource inventory.
2) Identify key gaps in existing frameworks and grids and develop a strategy to address
them.
3) Propose a strategy and outreach plan for using the identified platform and the
revised framework or grid to increase access to entrepreneurship resources and how
this will be coordinated with platforms for supporting educational programs at the
secondary and postsecondary levels.
4) Present the plan to the key stakeholders in the Illinois entrepreneurship network
and make revisions as necessary.
IWIB Entrepreneurship Task Force Final Report
Appendix A: Entrepreneurship Task Force Member Listing
Co-Chairs
Shelley Stern Grach
Citizenship and Public Affairs Director, Central Region
Microsoft Corp.
Business Phone: (312) 920-5421
Email: [email protected]
Mark Harris
President & CEO
Illinois Science & Technology Coalition
Business Phone: (312) 239-0324
Email: [email protected]
Members
Alya Adamany Woods
Director of Innovation and Special Initiatives
Illinois Science and Technology Coalition
Phone: (312) 239-0311
Email: [email protected]
Sharon Alpi
Director
Millikin University-Entrepreneurship Center
Phone: (217) 424-6298
Email: [email protected]
Leslie Beller
Manager, Career Services
Chicago Public Schools
Business Phone: (773) 553-2476
Email: [email protected]
Linda Darragh
Director, Levy Institute
Kellogg School of Management
Email: [email protected]
Emilia Dimenco
Chief Operating Officer
WBDC
Phone: (312) 502-5037
Email: [email protected]
Laura Frerhics
Director
EnterpriseWorks Research Park
University of Illinois
Phone: (217) 333-8323
Email: [email protected]
Ruben Garcia
CEO
Innovative Exams
Phone: (312)804-9919
Email: [email protected]
David E. Goldberg
Founder
Three Joy Associates, Inc.
Phone: (217)621-2645
Email: [email protected]
Fred Hoch
President
Illinois Technology Association
Business Phone: (312) 435-2805
Email: [email protected]
IWIB Entrepreneurship Task Force Final Report
Scott Issen
President and CEO
Future Founders Foundation
Business Phone: (312) 350-0334
Email: [email protected]
Ocheng Jany
Associate Director for Academic Affairs
Illinois Board of Higher Education
Business Phone: (217) 557-7361
Email: [email protected]
Sandee Kastrul
President
i.c. stars
Business Phone: (312) 640-3850
Email: [email protected]
Craig Lindvahl
Executive Director; and Teacher
Midland Institute for Entrepreneurship
Phone: (217)343-1614
Email: [email protected]
Nicole Loftus
CEO
Zorch
Phone: (312) 254-1060
Email: [email protected]
Starr Marcello
Director of Operations
Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship
Chicago Booth
Business Phone: (773) 834-2838
Email: [email protected]
Dr. Max McGee
President
Illinois Math and Science Academy
Business Phone: (630) 907-5000
Email: [email protected]
Deb Gerdes
Email: [email protected]
630-907-5957
Francisco Menchaca
Board of Directors
MacNeal Hospital
Email: [email protected]
Sandeep Nain
President
SNtial Technologies
Phone: (312) 863-8633
Email: [email protected]
Lavon Nelson
Senior Director for Workforce Development
Illinois Community College Board
Business Phone: (217) 557-2742
Email: [email protected]
Christine Poorman
Executive Director
Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship
(NFTE) Illinois
Business Phone: (773) 938-8700
Email: [email protected]
Ann Reed
VP, Educate
iBIO Institute
Phone: (312) 422-1111
Email: [email protected]
Jay Rowell
Director
Illinois Department of Employment Security
Phone: (312) 793-4870
Email: [email protected]
Evelina Loescher
Email: [email protected]
Shari Runner
Senior Vice President
Chicago Urban League
Phone: (773) 451-3509
Email: [email protected]
IWIB Entrepreneurship Task Force Final Report
Orlando Saez
Deputy Director
Office of Entrepreneurship, Innovation, &
Technology
DCEO
Phone: (312) 814-2266
Email: [email protected]
Neal Sales-Griffin
Co-Founder and CEO
The Starter League
Phone: (773) 272-5734
Email: [email protected]
Marc Schulman
President and CEO
The Eli's Cheesecake Factory
Phone: (773) 308-7037
Email: [email protected]
Julia Stasch
Vice President, Human and Community
Development
John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur
Foundation
Phone: (312) 726-8000
Email: [email protected]
Dave Stoecklin
Executive Director
Illinois Workforce Partnership, LWIA 22
Phone: (618) 296-4310
Email: [email protected]
Greg Sutton
Director - Education and Workforce Programs
TEC Services, Inc.
Phone: (630) 417-3898
Email: [email protected]
Howard Tullman
President and CEO
Tribeca Flashpoint Media Arts Academy
Phone: 312.506.0737
Email: [email protected]
Grover Webb
Owner
Tanglefoot Ranch
Phone: (618) 695-2640
Email: [email protected]
Kevin Willer
President & CEO
Chicagoland Entrepreneurial Center
Phone: (646)232-1157
Email: [email protected]
Una Pipic
Managing Director of Client Services
Chicagoland Entrepreneurial Center
Phone: (312) 775-2320
Email: [email protected]
Mark Williams
Division Administrator
Illinois State Board of Education
Phone: (217) 782-4620
Email: [email protected]
Deborah Hopper
Email: [email protected]
STAFF
Joey Mak
Assistant Deputy Director
Office of Entrepreneurship, Innovation &
Technology
DCEO
Phone: (312) 814-2384
Email: [email protected]
Jason Tyszko
Deputy Chief of Staff
Illinois Department of Commerce and
Economic Opportunity
Phone: (312) 814-2316
Email: [email protected]
Bob Sheets
Policy Advisor
Illinois Department of Commerce and
Economic Opportunity
Phone: (312) 814-8764
Email: [email protected]
IWIB Entrepreneurship Task Force Final Report
19
Appendix B:
Skills Tied to Entrepreneurial Learning
Members of the Illinois Workforce Investment Board’s Entrepreneurship Task Force were asked
to submit a list of skills they believed were critical to entrepreneurial learning and success.
Borrowing from the National Content Standards for Entrepreneurship Education (developed in
2004 by the Consortium for Entrepreneurship Education), these responses were then
consolidated into one of three buckets:
1) Entrepreneurial Skills – The processes and traits or behaviors associated with
successful entrepreneurial performance.
2) Ready Skills – The basic business knowledge and skills that are prerequisites or co-
requisites for becoming a successful entrepreneur.
3) Business Functions – The business activities performed by entrepreneurs in managing
the business.
Entrepreneurial Skills
Just over three quarters of the responses related to entrepreneurial skills were tied directly to
Processes. Examples of responses were diverse and included things like:
- Know what problem you are trying to address or what need you are trying to fulfill
- Ask questions
- Network!
- Don’t take criticism personally
- Know how to work both independently and collaboratively
- Know that it’s okay to fail
- Take care of your mental and physical health
The other 24 percent of responses in this category dealt with entrepreneurial Traits and
Behaviors. The key themes provided here by respondents include:
- Take responsibility for your work and your behavior
- Curiosity, passion and enthusiasm
- Resourcefulness
IWIB Entrepreneurship Task Force Final Report
20
- Creativity and innovation
- Know how to work collaboratively and independently
- Know how to read or gauge and audience
- Experiential learning is key
Ready Skills
The second category, Ready Skills, as established by the National Content Standards for
Entrepreneurship Education, deals with the business acumen and basic prerequisites and co-
requisites needed to become a successful entrepreneur. These are skills that could be
impressed on students and youth, as well as post-secondary students. Of the responses
provided by Task Force members, a majority stressed the importance of
interpersonal/communication skills, and also the basic business foundations. Here are the
recurring themes among respondents:
Business Foundations
- Basic understanding of core business principles (drafting a business plan, etc.)
- Know what intellectual property is and how to protect it
- Understand your competition
Communications & Interpersonal Skills
- Communicate effectively (includes writing skills and public speaking skills).
- Be a good listener and know how to take directions
- Negotiating skills and powers of persuasion
- Be extroverted and put yourself out there; entrepreneurism is not for the shy
Digital Skills
- Be literate in cloud computing, social media and other technologies that will increase
your reach and efficiency
- Programming skills
- Using technology not only to sell your product or service, but also to run your
business/enterprise more efficiently and effectively
IWIB Entrepreneurship Task Force Final Report
21
Economics
- Ability to research and understand market needs
Financial Literacy
- Understanding of basic finance and financial modeling
Business Functions
The final category deals with Business Functions, or the business activities performed by
entrepreneurs that go into managing a successful business.
Business Functions are separated into seven subcategories. One-third of the responses
centered on Human Resource Management and the intricacies of developing and managing a
successful team. Another 29 percent focused on the strategic management (big picture)
elements of running a business. The common themes provided by Task Force respondents are
consolidated below:
Financial Management
- Financial investments and breaking even
Human Resource Management
- Build a strong team and recognize the strengths of others and use those strengths to
complement your own weaknesses
- Be a good leader, mentor and coach
- Everyone has a boss!
Information Management
- Understanding trends and ability to organize information pertinent to your business
activities
Marketing Management
- Presentation skills
Operations Management
- Project management skills
- Goal setting
- Time is more important than perfection
IWIB Entrepreneurship Task Force Final Report
22
Risk Management
- Be fearless
- Take (smart) risks often
- Instead of thinking about profit margins, think about how best to sell one product or one
service hour
Strategic Management
- Execution, execution, execution!
- Understand the nuances of scalability
- Recognize and seize opportunities
IWIB Entrepreneurship Task Force Final Report
23
http://www.careeronestop.org/CompetencyModel/pyramid.aspx?ENTRE=Y
IWIB Entrepreneurship Task Force Final Report
24
Program Location(s) Mission Scope
Target
Demographic
Sponsoring
Organization(s)
Website
K-12
After School
Matters
Chicago Non-profit organization for teens to
become paid apprentices or club members
in arts, sports, technology, and
communications programs. Mission of
providing Chicago public high school teens
opportunities to explore and develop their
talents, while gaining critical skills for
work, college and beyond.
Programs;
apprentices-
hips
K-12 After School
Mattershttp://www.af
terschoolmatt
ers.org/
CampCEO Statewide Camp to teach kids about starting a
business.
Camp;
competition;
immersion
program
K-12 Southern Illinois
University -
Carbondalehttp://www.c
ampceo.biz/
Collegiate
Scholars
Program
Chicago Three-year enrichment program offered by
the University of Chicago to prepare
talented Chicago Public School students for
academic success. Waverly Deutsch,
clinical professor of entrepreneurship at
Chicago Booth, teaches Elements of
Entrepreneurship, where CPS students get
real-world exposure to starting a business.
3-year
program
K-12 University of
Chicagohttp://collegia
tescholars.uc
hicago.edu/
Communities in
Schools
Chicago
Chicago Plays matchmaker between schools and
non-profit organizations; helps to
determine which schools would be good
partners. Communities In Schools of
Chicago makes a big difference in the
social, emotional, health and academic
well-being of students throughout Chicago.
Programs;
network
development
K-12 Supported
through donationshttp://www.c
hicagocis.org/
home/index.a
sp
IWIB Entrepreneurship Task Force Final Report
25
Program Location(s) Mission Scope
Target
Demographic
Sponsoring
Organization(s)
Website
Connect to the
Future
Chicago -
South &
West
Created in 2006 to unite middle school and high
school students with successful entrepreneurs
and business professionals from a variety of
fields. Program gives students a chance to ask
questions, explore possibilities, and engage
with potential role models who can validate the
importance of hard work and the relevance of
education to career success.
Training;
mentorship
K-12 Future Founders
Foundationhttp://www.c
ttfuture.com/
Connect_To_
The_Future/
Welcome.ht
ml
Eastern Illinois
University Center
for
Entrepreneurship
& Innovation
Central
Illinois
Through the "Coles County Entrepreneurship
Class," modeled after the Effingham CEO class,
teaches entrepreneurship to junior and senior
Charleston, Mattoon and Oakland High School
students.
Class K-12 Eastern Illinois
Universityhttp://www.e
iu.edu/~bsc/
CoolHub by IMSA Chicago -
Suburbs
TALENT is an extra-curricular program with no
classes or grades. Students in all high school
grades meet together, learning from business
projects of their own creation and interest.
Network
development;
advising;
K-12 Illinois Math &
Science Academyhttp://coolhu
b.imsa.edu/w
eb/talent/wh
at-is-talent
Effingham CEO
(Creating
Entrepreneurial
Opportunities)
Effingham Program covering the basics of conceptualizing,
starting and running a small business. Concepts
such as supply and demand, cost/benefit
analysis, competitive advantage, and
opportunity recognition are covered.
Coursework includes: innovative thinking
strategies, product development, business
structure, marketing, financial strategies,
record keeping, and preparing an income
statement, balance sheet, income and cash
flow statements. Entrepreneurial thinking
(outside-the-box problem solving) is utilized
throughout the course. The course is built
around the National Entrepreneurship
Standards and is linked to the Illinois Learning
Standards.
Meets daily
each
morning; a
year-long,
two credit
high school
course with
pending
college dual
accreditation
K-12 Effingham CEOhttp://www.e
ffinghamceo.
com/
IWIB Entrepreneurship Task Force Final Report
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Program Location(s) Mission Scope
Target
Demographic
Sponsoring
Organization(s)
Website
Future Founders Chicago -
South &
West
Launched in 2005 to give motivated public high
school students in Chicago’s underserved
neighborhoods the opportunity to learn about
and experience entrepreneurship from some of
the city’s most successful entrepreneurs
through a week-long "Taste of Chicago"-style
summer entrepreneurship camp.
Training;
mentorship;
camp
K-12 Future Founders
Foundationhttp://www.f
uturefounder
s.com/
Hive Learning
Network
Chicago The Hive Learning Network is a community of
civic and cultural institutions dedicated to
transforming the learning landscape, and
creating opportunities for youth to explore their
interests in virtual and physical spaces.
Through the Hive, youth will have multiple,
continuous and connected opportunities to
explore their intellectual and skill-based
interests. Uses techniques like "connected
learning" to integrate integrated, hands-on
approach to education. Also provides education
in STEM, Science, Robotics, Innovation, Media,
Gaming, Civic Engagement, Social Media, Arts,
Do-It-Yourself (DIY)
Workshops;
entrepreneurs
hip-based
coursework;
programs
K-12 MacArthur
Foundationhttp://hivele
arning.org/
Illinois
Innovation Talent
Program – IMSA
Problem-based
Learning
Resources
Statewide The Innovation Talent Program was a
successful public-private initiative that connects
high school students with external partners to
solve complex, real-world problems. Students
work in project management teams and apply
what they learn in math, science, engineering
and social science to solve challenges over the
course of a semester. By examining real-world
problems and networking with outside
professionals, students are able to experience
firsthand a variety of career
opportunities. IMSA carries on is Problem-
Based Learning activities with partnerships with
schools and external partners statewide.
Hands-on,
experiential
learning
6-12 DCEO / ISBE / IDOT
/ IL Math & Science
Academy / iBIO
http://pbln.
mrooms.org/
course/categ
ory.php?id=1
5
IWIB Entrepreneurship Task Force Final Report
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Program Location(s) Mission Scope Demographic Sponsor(s) Website
Science WoRx National
(with
Deerfield
office)
“Science Pro,” a hands-on education and
mentoring program, connects Astellas scientists
with students in the classroom through live
demonstrations. ScienceWoRx.org, an online
resource network, aims to provide science
teachers with valuable information on human
health and medicine and access to resources
from our leading science education partners –
NSTA and iBIO Institute. Online communities
including @ScienceWoRx and Facebook,
www.facebook.com/ScienceWoRx, serve as a
portal for science teachers to connect with
peers, exchange insights and learn about the
latest science breakthroughs. Astellas hosts
online contests for science teachers to win lab
equipment and gift certificates for their schools.
Mentoring and
education
programs;
live
demonstration
s; online
resource for
teachers;
K-12 Collaboration with
iBIO Institute and
National Science
Teachers
Associationhttp://www.a
stellas.us/soc
ial/communit
y/sciencewor
x.html
The Network for
Teaching
Entrepreneurship
(NFTE)
Chicago The Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship
(NFTE) is a nonprofit that provides a first-class
entrepreneurship education for at-risk high
school students from low-income communities,
is launching new programs supporting young
entrepreneurs and their teachers
Entrepreneurs
hip
Curriculum
K-12 NFTEhttp://www.n
fte.com
iSmartGirls Decatur Through Millikin University's Center for
Entrepreneurship, offers sessions in the fields
of design, chemistry, engineering, and
sustainability for young girls.
Hands-on
laboratory for
young girls
K-12 (6th-8th
grade girls)
Millikin Universityhttp://www.
millikin.edu/a
cademics/tab
or/entrepren
eurship/isma
rt/Pages/defa
ult.aspx
EDUCATE - iBIO
Institute
Chicago The iBIO Institute’s EDUCATE Center connects
Illinois classrooms with the real world of
biotechnology and science-based industry,
hands-on biotechnology lab activities, tours of
industry research and development facilities
and authentic, interdisciplinary problem-based
learning experiences. As teachers and districts
develop new curricula to meet the Common
Core State Standards, the iBIO Institute’s
EDUCATE programs bring cutting-edge science
from regional biotech companies to develop
world-competitive educators and inspire
student interest in science.
TalentSparks!
Program;
tours;
presentations;
professional
development
for teachers
K-12
(immersion
program for
teachers to
become better
educators in the
bio field)
iBIOhttp://http://
www.ibioed.o
rg/
IWIB Entrepreneurship Task Force Final Report
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Program Location(s) Mission Scope
Target
Demographic
Sponsoring
Organization(s)
Website
Illinois Institute
for
Entrepreneurship
Education
Chicago The Illinois Institute for Entrepreneurship
Education (IIEE) provides college-level
entrepreneurship education courses to K–14
teachers and to the staff of nonprofit
organizations. The mission of the Illinois
Institute for Entrepreneurship Education is to
spread the message and potential of
entrepreneurship to citizens of Illinois, primarily
through providing two college-credit teacher-
education courses to practicing classroom
teachers and agency staff. The institute works
with schools and other organizations to develop
proposals and programs that further its mission
to foster self-sufficiency and economic
development for residents of Illinois.
Training
program
K-12 (program
for faculty and
staff)
Consortium for
Entrepreneurship
Education (funded
by General
Assembly and
private donations)http://www.ii
ee.org/
CodeNow Washington,
D.C
Teaches youth foundational skills in computer
programming. Focus on underserved
populations to narrow the digital divide. Mission
of creating a pipeline of talent for the
government, nonprofit, and corporate sectors.
Weekend
trainings;
programs;
bootcamps;
network
development
and alumni
networking
opportunities
K-12
(specifically,
grades 10-12)
JumpstartLab,
Team Treehousehttp://coden
ow.org/
Teen
Entrepreneurship
Academy,
Roosevelt
University
Chicago An innovative program for incoming high school
juniors and seniors who have an interest in
entrepreneurship, green technology, and
having FUN
Program K-12
(specifically,
grades 11-12)
Roosevelt Universityhttp://www.r
oosevelt.edu/
Business/Aca
demy.aspx
The Science and
Entrepreneurship
Exchange (SEE)
Chicago SEE is a new experiential, mentor-driven STEM
program that has already shown its
effectiveness in inspiring elementary students
to become the inventors, engineers and
entrepreneurs of tomorrow. In the near-term,
the program plans to deliver these programs to
Chicagoans across the city, through schools,
libraries and special events. Ultimately, SEE will
bring together mentors form the professional
and university worlds, helping create a
population that has the confidence, business
and engineering skills and entrepreneurial
spirit to invent their own futures.
Initial pilot
with
Nettlehorst
K-8; SEE, Northwestern
Universityhttp://www.s
ee-
chicago.com/
IWIB Entrepreneurship Task Force Final Report
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Program Location(s) Mission Scope
Target
Demographic
Sponsoring
Organization(s)
Website
Post-Secondary
Bradley
University -
Turner Center for
Entrepreneurship
Peoria The Turner Center for Entrepreneurship is a
not-for-profit program located at Bradley
University. The centers which make up the
Turner Center for Entrepreneurship provide
business counseling, technical assistance,
training, and educational activities for
individuals interested in owning their own
businesses. Works with individuals, existing
entrepreneurs and businesses in the
community, as well as students hoping to start
their own businesses.
Business
assistance
Post-Secondary Bradley Universityhttp://www.b
radley.edu/a
cademic/colle
ges/fcba/cent
ers/turner/
DePaul
University -
Coleman
Entrepreneursh
ip Center
Chicago Helps students launch and grow their own
ventures through a virtual incubator and
an annual new venture competition. Also
provides assistance to entrepreneurs and
business owners through peer-to-peer
educational programs and roundtables.
Connects entrepreneurs with opportunities
to collaborate and receive assistance from
students in entrepreneurship courses.
Symposia;
workshops;
seminars;
business
owner peer
roundtables
Post-
Secondary
DePaul Universityhttp://cole
man.depaul
.edu/
Illinois State
University -
George R. and
Martha Means
Center for
Entrepreneurial
Studies
Bloomingto
n-Normal
Provides learning experiences in
entrepreneurship, intrapreneurship, and
small business to the university students
and the business communities of the
Midwest. The Center supports many
different entrepreneurship programs
involving both student consulting and
entrepreneurship research.
Education;
assistance to
businesses
via IL SBDC
Post-
Secondary
Illinois State
Universityhttp://www
.cob.ilstu.ed
u/means/
Illinois Institute
of Technology -
Knapp
Entrepreneurs-
hip Center
Chicago The Academy organizes a full array of activities
that provide opportunities for undergraduate
and graduate students to have a real-world
experience in innovation and entrepreneurship.
Programs include IdeaShop (where students
from all disciplines collaborate in teams to solve
real-world problems), Knapp Lab (to promote
mobile application development) and the
Sustainable Entrepreneurial Economic
Development (or SEED) to assist small towns
without sufficient resources in creating new
sustainable economic development initiatives.
Internships;
competitions
; student
clubs;
seminars;
programs
Post-
Secondary
Illinois Institute of
Technologyhttp://www
.stuart.iit.e
du/entrepre
neurship_ac
ademy/kna
pp_center/
IWIB Entrepreneurship Task Force Final Report
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Program Location(s) Mission Scope
Target
Demographic
Sponsoring
Organization(s)
Website
International
Institute for
Nanotechnology
Chicago/
Evanston
Provides opportunities for student and
postdoctoral exchange programs and joint
workshops in the growing field of
nanotechnology. The IIN has sponsored over
200 seminars, workshops, and symposia;
supported over 300 undergraduates and 88
pre-college teachers in nanotechnology-related
research; and launched two new journals.
Education;
workshops;
seminars;
symposia
Post-Secondary Northwestern
Universityhttp://www.ii
nano.org/
Millikin University
Entrepreneurship
Center
Central
Illinois
Provides programs to students including a
summer immersion program in Italy, an
"Interactive Marketing Today" workshop and
Ideas inc. to help students take ideas and
develop actual business models.
Programs Post-Secondary Millikin Universityhttp://www.
millikin.edu/a
cademics/tab
or/entrepren
eurship/Page
s/default.asp
x
Moraine Valley
Community
College -
Business and
Development
Resource Center
Chicago
South
Suburbs
The Business Development Resource Center
(BDRC) of Workforce Development and
Community Services facilitates economic
growth, job creation, job retention, and greater
business success by providing support,
resources, solutions, referrals, and training
opportunities for start-up to established
businesses.
Provides
support,
resources,
solutions,
referrals, and
training
opportunities
Post-Secondary Moraine Valley
Community Collegehttp://www.
morainevalle
y.edu/bdrc/
Northern Illinois
University
Technology
Enterprise Center
Dekalb-
surrounding
Suburbs
The Northern Illinois Technology Enterprise
Center (NITEC) was formed to support the
commercialization of new technologies and the
growth of technology-based enterprises
affiliated with Northern Illinois University (NIU).
Helps researchers, inventors, and
entrepreneurs as well as early-stage and
existing companies build the infrastructure to
support the development of groundbreaking
technologies. Works with early-stage
companies to foster the growth of the Illinois
science and technology industry by providing
entrepreneurs the networking, capital,
advocacy, recognition, and skilled workforce
needed to be successful in building their
business within Illinois.
Technical
assistance to
businesses;
network
development
Post-Secondary Northern Illinois
Universityhttp://www.n
itec.niu.edu/
nitec/
IWIB Entrepreneurship Task Force Final Report
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Program Location(s) Mission Scope
Target
Demographic
Sponsoring
Organization(s)
Website
Northwestern
University -
Farley Center for
Entrepreneurship
and Innovation
Evanston Helps evolve engineering beyond the
application of the sciences to the creation of
businesses that capitalize on innovations. FCEI
is bringing together faculty from a number of
schools to develop courses where students
experience the entire innovation/business life
cycle from ideation to prototyping and business
plan development to create innovative
curriculum like NUvention which offers courses
in creating Web, Medical and Energy
companies.
Entrepreneur-
based curricula
for
Northwestern
students
Post-
Secondary
Northwestern
Universityhttp://www.c
ei.northweste
rn.edu/
Southern Illinois
University
Research Park
Carbondale Non-profit corporation affiliated with Southern
Illinois University Carbondale (SIUC) promoting
technology and knowledge-based enterprise
development within the Park and the southern
Illinois region. As a knowledge-based high-tech
and research-oriented business park, SIRP is a
member of the Association of University
Research Parks (AURP). Central activity is
enterprise development to locate and expand
knowledge-based, technology, and research
oriented enterprises at the SIRP's site through
recruitment and expert technical assistance to
eligible existing and startup enterprises.
Incubator;
research park
Post-
Secondary
Southern Illinois
Universityhttp://resear
chpark.siuc.e
du/
Tribeca
Flashpoint Media
Arts Academy
Chicago Founded in 2007 and accredited by ACICS in
2011, Tribeca Flashpoint Media Arts Academy in
the heart of downtown Chicago provides a two-
year, career-focused alternative to traditional
four-year media arts colleges. Our five
disciplines, including Film + Broadcast,
Recording Arts, Animation + Visual Effects,
Game + Interactive Media, and Design + Visual
Communication are designed to erase the
boundaries between the classroom and the real
world. Through a combination of hands-on
learning, expert instruction, and an emphasis
on collaboration and professionalism, we
develop well-rounded, highly skilled
professionals who are ready to hit the ground
running after graduation.
Education
program
Post-
Secondary
Tribeca Flashpoint
Media Arts Academyhttp://www.t
fa.edu/
IWIB Entrepreneurship Task Force Final Report
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Program Location(s) Mission Scope Demographic Sponsor(s) Website
Udacity Web Online program built on the premise that
university-level education can be both high
quality and low cost. Using the economics of
the Internet, connects teachers directly to
students from all over the world.
Online class Post-
Secondary
Udacityhttp://www.u
dacity.com/
UIC Innovation
Center
Chicago The UIC Innovation Center is a community of
industry entrepreneurs and academic
researchers working in partnership to instigate
breakthroughs: fusing the uncommon, taking
risks, thinking big. Situated in one of the
country's leading universities, the UIC
Innovation Center is a hub of education
programs and projects that bridge traditional
disciplines and leverage effective innovation
methods. During each engagement, companies,
educators, experts and students collaborate on
real world problems and deliver real world
results.
Entrepreneur-
based
curricula;
programs and
projects;
collaboration
between
students and
industry pros
Post-
Secondary
University of Illinois
at Chicagohttp://www.u
ic.edu/depts/
innovationce
nter/
University of
Chicago Booth
School of
Business - Polsky
Center for
Entrepreneurship
Chicago The Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship at
Chicago Booth advances the knowledge and
practice of entrepreneurship and innovation.
The center supports entrepreneurial learning
and collaboration through its cutting-edge
curriculum, innovative hands-on learning
experiences, leading faculty research,
conferences, mentorship, and community and
global outreach programs.
Entrepreneursh
ip curriculum;
externships;
faculty
research;
conferences;
mentorships;
outreach
programs
Post-
Secondary
University of
Chicagohttp://www.c
hicagobooth.
edu/entrepre
neurship/
University of
Illinois -
Academy for
Entrepreneurial
Leadership
Urbana,
Champaign
Supports and promotes curricular as well as
extracurricular activities and opportunities for
students, faculty and staff of the University of
Illinois related to the field of entrepreneurship.
In addition, the University provides
entrepreneurship resources to the community
in order to foster economic development.
Education;
assistance to
local business
community
Post-
Secondary
University of
Illinois- Urbana
Champaignhttp://busine
ss.illinois.edu
/ael/atillinois
/index.html
University of
Illinois -
Springfield
Center for
Entrepreneurship
Springfield The University of Illinois Springfield (UIS)
Center for Entrepreneurship launched January
27, 2005, and is a part of the Illinois
Entrepreneurship Network along with twelve
other centers in the State.
Training;
mentorship
Post-
Secondary
University of
Illinois-Springfieldhttp://www.u
is.edu/cbam/
featured/
IWIB Entrepreneurship Task Force Final Report
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Program Location(s) Mission Scope
Target
Demographic
Sponsoring
Organization(s)
Website
Workforce
1871 Chicago Tenants and members of 1871 have priority
access to hundreds of classes, lectures,
seminars and other programs designed to
educate and inspire. From classes specifically
designed to empower entrepreneurs, to talks
from leading business-builders, technologists
and designers, to inspirational sessions from
artists and others, 1871 offers a full range of
content and programming.
Incubator Workforce Chicagohttp://www.187
1.com/
Ashoka
Innovators for
the Public
Global Focus
(N. American
HQ in
Arlington,
VA)
Beginning with the first Ashoka Fellows elected
in India in 1981, Ashoka has grown to an
association of over 2,000 Fellows in over 60
countries on the world's five main continents.
Invests in new solutions for the world's
toughest problems.
Advocacy;
network
development
Workforce Ashokahttp://www.ash
oka.org/
Built in Chicago Chicago Built In Chicago is a resource for "digital
professionals" working to build great web and
mobile businesses. Strives to connect, educate
and promote the growing digital community in
Chicago.
Network
development;
direct
assistance;
promotion and
outreach
Workforce Built in Chicagohttp://www.buil
tinchicago.org/p
age/about-us
Career
Information
System
Statewide Helps individuals of all ages understand careers
and the training/skills/interests needed to get
there.
Job & skills
resource
Workforce IL Dept. of
Employment
Securityhttp://www.ides
.illinois.gov/
Catapult Chicago Chicago Not-for-profit collaborative start-up community
focused on providing resources for
entrepreneurs about scaling up their company.
Mentorship;
assistance with
accessing
capital; network
development;
Workforce Private sponsors
(including
companies,
organizations
and individuals)http://catapultc
hicago.com/
Center for
Emerging
Entrepreneurs
Bloomington-
Normal
The Center for Emerging Entrepreneurs,
formerly the ISU/EDC Business Incubator,
seeks to foster economic development by
addressing the educational and business
development needs of emerging entrepreneurs.
Services include coaching, direct assistance,
individualized consultation, mentoring and
educational service.
Management
assistance;
education;
network
development;
mentorship; direct
assistance;
coaching;
consultation
Workforce lllinois State
University;
Economic
Development
Council of the
Bloomington-
Normal Areahttp://ceebiz.or
g/
Chicago Fashion
Incubator
Chicago One-year program for six up-and-coming
designers.
Training
program
Workforce Macy'shttp://www.chicag
ofashionincubator.
org/index.html
IWIB Entrepreneurship Task Force Final Report
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Program Location(s) Mission Scope
Target
Demographic
Sponsoring
Organization(s)
Website
Chicago
Innovation
Awards
Chicago Provide the knowledge transfer and intellectual
capital needed to help today’s innovators turn
their ideas into multi-million dollar companies
and successful models.
Year-round
events; awards
and
recognition;
network
development
Workforcehttp://www.chic
agoinnovationa
wards.com/
Chicago West
Side
Entrepreneurship
Center
Chicago -
West
The center provides high growth potential
companies with a broad set of business tools
including matching Challenge Grants, direct
consulting, access to debt financing, facilitation
of equity financing, early stage valuations,
assistance with SBIR/STTR grant writing and
various training. The center also serves as a
coordinating hub for entrepreneurial
development activity within the Illinois
Entrepreneurship Network.
Training;
mentorship;
matching
grants;
consultation;
access to debt
financing;
Workforce University of
Illinois at
Chicago, DCEO,
Chicago
Community
Ventureshttp://www.uic.
edu/cba/ies/wse
c.html
Chicagoland
Entrepreneurial
Center
Chicago The Chicagoland Entrepreneurial Center (CEC)
identifies the region's most promising
entrepreneurs and helps them build high-
growth, sustainable businesses that serve as
platforms for economic development and civic
leadership for the Chicagoland area.
Business
advice and
consultation;
network
development
Workforcehttp://www.chic
agolandec.org/
Clean Energy
Trust
Chicago The Clean Energy Trust was created to
accelerate the development of Midwest clean
energy businesses by connecting
entrepreneurs, researchers and early stage
companies with the expertise and capital
needed to become sustainable.
Convening top
minds and
entrepreneurs;
competitions;
network
development
Workforce Clean Energy
Trusthttp://www.clea
nenergytrust.or
g/
Entrepreneurs
Unplugged
Chicago The events seek to create an intimate,
engaging environment for entrepreneurs to
learn actual lessons from actual experiences.
Speaking
series;
network
development
Workforce Entrepreneurs
Unpluggedhttp://www.entr
epreneursunplu
ggd.com/
Entrepreneurs'
Organization
Chicago
Global
(Chicago
office)
Dynamic global network of more than 8,000
business owners in 40 countries. Founded in
1987 by a group of young entrepreneurs, EO is
the catalyst that enables entrepreneurs to learn
and grow from each other, leading to greater
business success and an enriched personal life.
Programs Workforce Entrepreneurs'
Organizationhttp://eoaccess.
eonetwork.org/
Chicago/Pages/
default.aspx
IWIB Entrepreneurship Task Force Final Report
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Program Location(s) Mission Scope
Target
Demographic
Sponsoring
Organization(s)
Website
Fermi National
Accelerator
Laboratory
(Fermilab)
Batavia Fermilab is the largest high-energy physics
laboratory in the U.S. and the second largest in
the world. Its innovative accelerator research,
superconducting magnet development, and
advancements in particle physics technology
have led to societal benefits in health, security,
and economic well-being. With 2,100
employees, and almost 3,000 national and
international scientists and students who take
part in the lab’s experiments, Fermilab builds
and operates the accelerators, detectors, and
other facilities necessary to conduct research in
high-energy physics.
R&D Workforce Fermi National
Accelerator
Laboratory
(Fermilab)
www.fnal.gov
Greater
Southside
Entrepreneurship
Center
Chicago -
South
The Greater Southside Entrepreneurship Center
(GSEC) is part of the Illinois Entrepreneurship
Network.GSEC functions as a comprehensive
resource center for high growth potential small
businesses located on Chicago’s South Side.
GSEC seeks to make a positive economic
impact on this geographic area by helping these
businesses to increase the profitability of their
enterprises, thereby expanding local job
opportunities. As a strategic partner to these
businesses, GSEC links them with advisory
services, skills workshops, and other
professional resources essential for success in
today’s ultra-competitive economy.
Mentorship;
network
development;
workshops;
other
professional
resources
Workforce Chicago State
University, DCEOhttp://www.csu.
edu/gsec/index.
htm
IWIB Entrepreneurship Task Force Final Report
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Program Location(s) Mission Scope
Target
Demographic
Sponsoring
Organization(s)
Website
Hyde Park Angels Chicago Hyde Park Angels is an organization that
provides a forum for entrepreneurial-minded
members to invest in seed and early stage
businesses, primarily located in the Midwest.
HPA is a group of current and former
executives, entrepreneurs, and venture
capitalists who are interested in investing their
time and money into outstanding startups. HPA
also provides domain expertise, strategic advice
and coaching to its companies. The Chicago-
based Hyde Park Angel Network was founded in
2006 by a group of classmates from the
University of Chicago Booth School of Business
Executive MBA Program.
Direct
investment
Workforce Hyde Park
Angelshttp://www.hyd
eparkangels.co
m/
I2A Statewide I2A is a Seed/Early Stage Venture Capital Fund
focused on catalyzing and partnering with the
next wave of successful entrepreneurial
companies in the Illinois region.
Direct
investment;
consultation
Workforce I2Ahttp://www.i2af
und.com/
iBIO Institute’s
PROPEL Center
Chicago The mission of iBIO Institute’s PROPEL Center
is to increase the number and success rates of
life sciences start-ups in Illinois.
Direct
assistance;
consultation;
programs
Workforce iBIOhttp://www.ibio
propel.org/
Ignite Chicago Chicago Ignite Chicago is a high-energy evening of five
minute presentations by people who have an
idea - and the guts - to get onstage and share
it with fellow creative folks. Each presentation
is composed of 20 slides that automatically
advance every 15 seconds. Presentations can
range from how to build a resume to a history
of the Samurai sword to a manifesto on boxes.
Speaking
series;
network
development
Workforce Ignite Chicagohttp://ignitechi.
org/
Illinois Science +
Technology Park
Skokie/
Chicago
A full-service corporate research campus with
facilities to meet the needs of early stage
companies, growing firms, large established life
sciences companies, and related institutional
research
R&D; incubator Workforce Illinois Science +
Technology Parkhttp://www.scie
nceparkillinois.n
et/
Madison County
Employment and
Training
East St.
Louis
Employment resource for SW Illinois region. Job & skills
resource
Workforce Madison County
Employment and
Traininghttp://www.mce
td.org/
IWIB Entrepreneurship Task Force Final Report
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Program Location(s) Mission Scope
Target
Demographic
Sponsoring
Organization(s)
Website
Minority Business
Development
Agency (MBDA)
Chicago Federal agency specifically created to
encourage the creation, growth, and expansion
of minority-owned businesses in the United
States. The centers provide minority
entrepreneurs with one-on-one assistance in
writing business plans, marketing, management
and technical assistance, and financial planning
to assure adequate financing for business
ventures. The centers are staffed by business
specialists who have the knowledge and
practical experience needed to run successful
and profitable businesses.
Direct
assistance;
consultation
Workforce U.S. Dept. of
Commercehttp://www.mb
da.gov/
Peoria NEXT
Innovation
Center
Peoria An organization of the Heartland Partnership,
aims to facilitate Discovery, Innovation and
Commercialization of new technologies through
collaboration and creativity for economic
development. Serve as a business incubator to
increase economic growth, diversity, and
opportunities in the Peoria area. Strives to
become the preferred location in the Midwest
for research, innovation, development, and
commercialization in the areas of engineering,
medicine, bio-engineering, and agriculture.
Network
development
Workforce Heartland
Partnership of
Companieshttp://www.hea
rtlandpartnershi
p.org/content/p
eoria-next
Quincy
Entrepreneurship
Center
Quincy Provides direct business development
assistance and consultation.
Training;
coaching;
counseling;
network
development
Workforce Great River
Economic
Development
Foundationhttp://www.gre
df.org/entrepren
eurs/entreprene
urship-center/
Sandbox
Industries
Chicago Provides direct investment and other support
services for start-ups.
Direct
investment;
consultation
Workforce Sandbox
Industrieshttp://www.san
dboxindustries.c
om/about/
SIU -
Edwardsville
Entrepreneurship
Center
Southern
Illinois
The Entrepreneurship Center works with
entrepreneurs who have business, business
concepts, or an idea that would result in a high-
growth, high-market business opportunity. The
center can assist with providing services in
market research, product development, R & D,
business planning and identification of capital
resources.
Technical
assistance to
businesses;
network
development
Workforce Southern Illinois
University -
Edwardsvillehttp://www.siue
.edu/business/e
c/
IWIB Entrepreneurship Task Force Final Report
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Program Location(s) Mission Scope
Target
Demographic
Sponsoring
Organization(s)
Website
StartingBloc -
Chicago Chapter
Chicago The StartingBloc Fellowship begins with the
Institute for Social Innovation. The Institute is
a five-day transformative experience during
which young leaders learn to increase their
impact, exponentially. Institute curriculum
includes a survey of social innovation, an
innovative case-study competition and sessions
with industry leaders.
Competitions;
mentorships;
network
development;
entrepreneursh
ip-based
curricula
Workforce StartingBlochttp://www.star
tingbloc.org/
Startup Illinois Statewide Startup Illinois enables mentors, advisors,
funders, major corporations, service providers
and government organizations to collaborate in
order to help entrepreneurs start and scale
companies in our state. We are focused on
serving young companies with high growth
potential. Driven by the Illinois Innovation
Network, Startup Illinois is leveraging the best
practices and national network of the Startup
America Partnership, which celebrates and
accelerates entrepreneurs across the country,
to expand opportunities for Illinois
entrepreneurs and startups.
network
development;
collaboration;
Workforce Startup Americahttp://il.s.co/ab
out
TechCocktail Chicago Tech Cocktail has morphed over the years into
a full-fledged tech news blog and media
company with thousands of fans, followers and
supporters across the globe. Tech Cocktail has
hosted local mixers, breakfasts, conferences,
festivals and other events across the country
that have attracted thousands of attendees,
helping entrepreneurs by educating as they
showcase their latest achievements and the
local technology communities they live in.
Network
development;
educational
resources
Workforce TechCocktailhttp://techcockt
ail.com/
The Chicago
TechNexus
Chicago TechNexus is the clubhouse where Chicago’s
technology leaders gather. It was developed by
private investment and community support and
in partnership with the Illinois Technology
Association (ITA) to serve as a ‘clubhouse’ and
co-working facility to bring technology
professionals together, foster relationships and
promote a sense of community in Chicago.
network
development;
collaboration;
Workforce Illinois
Technology
Association,
Clean Energy
Trusthttp://www.tech
nexus.com/
IWIB Entrepreneurship Task Force Final Report
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Program Location(s) Mission Scope
Target
Demographic
Sponsoring
Organization(s)
Website
The Chicago
Technology Park
Chicago The CTP’s dynamic community helps to fulfill its
mission to assist in the growth of life science
companies and to help life science businesses
flourish. By supplying fully equipped
infrastructure and access to university
resources, internship programs, world-class
talent, and custom designed business
development services, the CTP works to ensure
the success of the companies that make up its
community.
Training;
mentorship;
camp;
incubator
Workforce Illinois Medical
District
Commissionhttp://www.tech
park.com/#Sce
ne 1
The Workforce
and Professional
Development
Institute
Lake County The Workforce and Professional Development
Institute (WPDI) is dedicated to helping
organizations and individual professionals grow.
The five areas of the Institute can meet an
individuals’ or an organization's professional
development needs through a combination of
training, consulting and coaching.
Training;
consultation;
coaching
Workforce College of Lake
County, Lake
County Partnershttp://wpdi.clcill
inois.edu/
University
Technology Park
at IIT
Chicago University Technology Park at IIT offers lab
space for lease and flexible office space for
startup and established technology companies
just 10 minutes from downtown Chicago. Once
here, companies can take advantage of an
ecosystem designed to support growth and
community.
Incubator Workforce Illinois Institute
of Technologyhttp://www.univ
ersitytechnology
park.com/
Excelerate Labs Chicago Selects 10 start-up companies each year for a
training program to help them develop and be
competitive.
Mentorship;
network
development;
direct capital
investments
Workforce Chicagohttp://excelerat
elabs.com/
Multiple
Demographics
The Starter
League
Web Provides online training to teach participants
how to "learn code" and develop the skills
needed to developing websites, games and
applications.
Online class Z_Multiple (K-
12; Post-
Secondary;
Workforce)
The Starter
Leaguehttp://www.star
terleague.com/
IWIB Entrepreneurship Task Force Final Report
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Program Location(s) Mission Scope
Target
Demographic
Sponsoring
Organization(s)
Website
Khan Academy Web A not-for-profit with the goal of changing
education for the better by providing a free
world-class education to anyone anywhere.
Students can make use of our extensive video
library, practice exercises, and assessments
from any computer with access to the web.
Coaches, parents, and teachers have
unprecedented visibility into what their
students are learning and doing on the Khan
Academy.
Online classes
offered free of
charge
Z_Multiple (K-
12; Post-
Secondary;
Workforce)
http://www.kha
nacademy.org/a
bout
Treehouse Web Our mission is to teach Web Design,
Development and iOS to people everywhere, in
order to help them achieve their dreams and
change the world.
Online class Z_Multiple (K-
12; Post-
Secondary;
Workforce)
http://teamtree
house.com/
Beckman
Institute for
Advanced
Science and
Technology
Champaign-
Urbana
The Beckman Institute is an interdisciplinary
research institute devoted to the physical
sciences, computation, engineering, biology,
behavior, and cognition. Research focuses on
three broadly defined research initiatives:
biological intelligence, human-computer
intelligent interaction, and molecular and
electronic nanostructures. More than 600
researchers from nearly 30 University of Illinois
departments as far-ranging as psychology,
computer science, and biochemistry—
comprising 15 Beckman Institute groups—work
within and across these overlapping areas
Research Z_Multiple
(Post-
Secondary;
Workforce)
University of
Illinois- Urbana
Champaignhttp://beckman.
illinois.edu
Ewing Marion
Kauffman
Foundation
National
(with
Chicago
office)
The Kauffman Foundation is working to further
understand the phenomenon of
entrepreneurship, to advance entrepreneurship
education and training efforts, to promote
entrepreneurship-friendly policies, and to better
facilitate the commercialization of new
technologies by entrepreneurs and others,
which have great promise for improving the
economic welfare of our nation.
Education;
legislative
advocacy;
direct
assistance
Z_Multiple
(Post-
Secondary;
Workforce)
Ewing Marion
Kauffman
Foundationhttp://www.kau
ffman.org/
Funnl.ME Chicago Provides entrepreneurship-based learning to
assist aspiring entrepreneurs with their
"pitches." Provides other packaging and
branding consultation.
Education;
programs
Z_Multiple
(Post-
Secondary;
Workforce)
Illinois Technology
Association, DePaul
University, Illinois
Math & Science
Academyhttp://funnl.me/
about.php
IWIB Entrepreneurship Task Force Final Report
41
Program Location(s) Mission Scope
Target
Demographic
Sponsoring
Organization(s)
Website
i.c. stars Chicago Using project-based learning and full immersion
teaching, i.c. stars provides an opportunity for
change-driven, future leaders to develop skills
in business and technology. Since 1999, i.c.
stars has been identifying, training, and jump-
starting technology careers for Chicago-area
low-income young adults who, although lacking
access to education and employment,
demonstrate extraordinary potential for success
in the business world and for impact in their
communities.
Program (for
young adults
and companies
to participate)
Z_Multiple
(Post-
Secondary;
Workforce)
i.c. starshttp://icstars.or
g/overview
Illinois
Technology
Association
Chicago Mission to grow technology companies by
fostering deep collaboration among the diverse
industry all in support of developing the
ecosystem necessary to foster the success of
member companies. All the while tirelessly
advocating for the industry to raise the
awareness of Illinois as a leading technology
community.
Peer-to-peer
collaboration;
mentorships;
network
development
Z_Multiple
(Post-
Secondary;
Workforce)
Illinois
Technology
Associationhttp://illinoistec
h.org/
Technori Chicago Monthly pitches to entrepreneurial community
by start-up companies. Keynote speaker series
with industry pros.
Symposia;
network
development
Z_Multiple
(Post-
Secondary;
Workforce)
Technorihttp://www.tech
nori.com/about/
doc_271487302.pdf