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Volume 6, Issue 4
Thursday, July 23, 2009 | Volume 6, Issue 4  
 

FRONT & CENTER

CEC Partners with Ford Motor Company Fund & SME Education Foundation to Provide $35,000 in College Scholarships to Local High School Students

Volume 6, Issue 4 High school students from Chicago’s South Side recently spent a week learning and experiencing entrepreneurship in science, engineering and green technology from some of the city’s most successful entrepreneurs, and competed for Ford Blue Oval Scholarships at the Second Annual Future Founders Academy hosted by the Chicagoland Entrepreneurial Center (CEC).

The highly engaging week of programming provided a backstage pass to entrepreneurship and culminated in a business plan competition. Students gained important entrepreneurial skills including networking, sales, technology, critical thinking, financing and public speaking. The final competition resulted in 12 students receiving Ford Blue Oval Scholarship awards totaling $35,000.

The week-long “Apprentice” style summer business camp was made possible in part by a newly-formed partnership of the CEC, Ford Motor Company Fund, and the SME Education Foundation. In addition the Future Founders Academy is also made possible by the Motorola Foundation, AT&T, Harris N.A., and Smart Bet Charity and in partnership with the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship and the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce. The CEC is always looking for additional entrepreneurs to mentor students and sponsors to support our program.

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Apply for Statewide Innovation Competition, Compete for $80,000 in Cash

Volume 6, Issue 4 Want to be named the most innovative company in Illinois and access $80,000 of prize money? Applications are now being accepted for the 2009 Innovate Illinois program, a statewide entrepreneurial and innovation competition recognizing high-growth entrepreneurs. Businesses compete on the merits of their innovations in a fast pitch format. Applications are due on Wednesday, August 12. To learn more and apply, visit innovateillinois.org.

Innovate Illinois is sponsored by the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity and American Family Insurance.

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CEC Names PatientImpact the ATHENAPowerLink® Business of the Year

Volume 6, Issue 4 PatientImpact, a leading software developer that serves the healthcare industry, specifically around patient satisfaction, received top honors at the Chicagoland Entrepreneurial Center’s (CEC) annual ATHENAPowerLink awards reception on June 4.

Throughout the past year, a seven-member advisory panel consulted with Patricia Riskind, Founder and President of PatientImpact, to refine the company’s strategic goals to achieve significant business growth. The company has grown progressively since they opened their doors, including an increase of annual revenues by nearly 100 percent in the last year. The company’s current clients include Northwestern University, MinuteClinic, Concerta and Midwest Orthopaedics at RUSH.

A number of additional women-led technology companies participated in the Chicagoland Entrepreneurial Center’s ATHENAPowerLink program through this past year. The CEC would like to recognize entrepreneurs Jennifer Bertoglio of LawyerLink and Traci & Brian Knudson of NogginLabs as runner-ups for the 2009 Business of the Year Award.

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CEC Awards Over $350,000 Through 5 Entrepreneur in Residence Grants

Volume 6, Issue 4 The Chicagoland Entrepreneurial Center (CEC) recently announced five new Entrepreneur in Residence (EIR) grants. The EIR program is supported by the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) and administered by the CEC. The program partners experienced entrepreneurs with young companies to commercialize promising technologies from the state's top universities and research institutions. The program enhances Illinois’ entrepreneurial community and supports both experienced and young entrepreneurs in creating new, high-impact companies poised for business growth.

The CEC would like to congratulate the following businesses who have recently been awarded with Entrepreneur in Residence grants: MagDrive, Guardian Angel, Diagnostic Photonics, InCharge Systems, and Transparent Financial Services (TransFS).

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IN THE NEWS

Call for Presenting Companies for Third Annual Midwest Alternative Energy Venture Forum (MAEVF)

Volume 6, Issue 4 The Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, in partnership with Argonne National Laboratories, ACG Chicago, the Chicagoland Entrepreneurial Center, Reed Smith LLP, and others, will host the Third Annual Midwest Venture Forum specifically targeting alternative energy technologies. The forum will highlight Midwest-affiliated companies and research institutions working on alternative energy technologies for an audience of investors from across the country.

Midwest-affiliated companies and technology owners interested in presenting at the Forum should submit an Executive Summary in Word or PDF format on or before Noon, Central Time, on Friday, August 14, to starr.marcello@chicagobooth.edu.

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FEATURED EVENTS

Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce Annual Golf Outing
Monday, August 10

Volume 6, Issue 4 Treat your clients to a day on the links with the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce. Start your day off in full swing by arriving early to participate in the putting contest. Take a shot at winning two round-trip airline tickets compliments of Southwest Airlines. Be ready to hit the green at 12:30 pm for a shot-gun start. After playing the back nine, Red Door Spa will help you unwind with a chair massage followed by an awards reception and buffet dinner. Fabulous gifts and prizes make this event a hole-in-one.

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Allstate Presents the 2009 U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony
Wednesday, August 12

Volume 6, Issue 4 Support Chicago's privately funded bid and help us tell our exciting story to the world in Copenhagen, and then fund the programs that will build a legacy of sport and community development.

On August 12, Allstate presents the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, to benefit Chicago 2016. It's our Sprint Through the Finish.

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Chicago TechExpo
Thursday, October 1

Volume 6, Issue 4 Position your business for the future and attend the Chicago TechExpo, a conference that connects small business owners to technology solutions to grow their businesses. The one-day conference and exposition provides relevant training and education to teach business owners to use technology in their operations, streamline administrative tasks, market their business and increase sales. In today’s highly competitive environment, businesses thrive by having the right technology at the right time.

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