Illinois · Regional map
Startup programs in Illinois.
6 schools, 52 entrepreneurship programs, and 46 student ventures across Illinois — 2 with direct funding indexed.
Illinois schools, side by side
School, flagship program, funding, and whether a venture fund is indexed. A blank funding cell is unknown, not zero.
| School | Flagship program | Funding | Venture fund |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northwestern University | Farley Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation | No direct cash prizes indexed | Yes |
| University of Chicago | Alchemist Chicago / Duality | No direct cash prizes indexed | Yes |
| University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign | Landuyt Center for Entrepreneurship | No direct cash prizes indexed | Yes |
| DePaul University | Coleman Social Impact Incubator | $1,000 | No |
| University of Illinois Chicago | Blaze Venture Challenge | $5,000 | No |
| Loyola University Chicago | Abrams Sustainable Business Challenge | No direct cash prizes indexed | No |
Schools
6
Programs
52
Startups
46
Pitch competitions
8
2 Illinois direct-funding programs
2 programs with direct cash prizes and grants.
| # | Program | School | Funding | Next date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Blaze Venture Challenge University of Illinois Chicago | University of Illinois Chicago | $5,000 | — |
| 2 | Coleman Social Impact Incubator DePaul University | DePaul University | $1,000 | — |
Illinois schools
Compare entrepreneurship ecosystems across Illinois side by side.
6 schools
Northwestern University
Evanston, Illinois
University of Chicago
Chicago, Illinois
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Champaign, Illinois
DePaul University
Chicago, Illinois
DePaul University is a private university in Chicago. The Coleman Entrepreneurship Center in the Driehaus College of Business runs student and alumni startup programs, including a social-impact incubator, a mentorship network, an annual Purpose Pitch, and a Student Innovation Expo.
University of Illinois Chicago
Chicago, Illinois
The University of Illinois Chicago is a public research university. The UIC Innovation Center and UIC Business run Spark Series, a campus-wide entrepreneurship sequence whose spring anchor is the Blaze Venture Challenge.
Loyola University Chicago
Chicago, Illinois
Student startups in IL
Founders building at Illinois schools — add yours to be discovered by program directors and alumni investors.
Run entrepreneurship programs in Illinois?
Your public profile may already be live. Claim it to correct program data, review founder submissions, and host demo days.
Claim & correct your page