Chicago’s entrepreneurial landscape is vibrant and diverse, offering a wealth of resources for aspiring and established business owners. Various organizations across the city provide programs designed to support small business growth, particularly focusing on underrepresented communities.
Chicago Urban League Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation
The Chicago Urban League’s Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation assists Black entrepreneurs in launching, growing, and sustaining their businesses. The center offers tools to maximize revenues, reduce costs, and drive job creation. Programs include one-on-one coaching in areas such as strategy, branding, access to capital, marketing, finance, procurement, and operations. Additionally, the center helps businesses obtain supplier diversity certifications and respond to bids on public and private contracts. Learn more
DishRoulette Kitchen
DishRoulette Kitchen (DRK) provides free programs tailored to meet entrepreneurs where they are, offering capital access, technical assistance, and systems navigation. The DRK Growth Program includes workshops, one-on-one consultations, coaching, and community building. Participants gain access to business planning support, financial modeling, licensing and permitting navigation, operational systems support, and direct connections to city programs, lenders, and institutional partners. Discover more
YWCA Metropolitan Chicago’s Breedlove Accelerator
The Breedlove Accelerator supports later-stage women entrepreneurs who are majority owners of their businesses, have at least two years of experience running their business, and have annual revenues of $100,000 or more. The program aims to provide adequate funding and support to help entrepreneurs have a catalytic impact on their communities. Find out more
Urban Array’s Running Start Entrepreneurship Training
Urban Array offers the Running Start Entrepreneurship Training, a free bootcamp designed for BIPOC entrepreneurs in Chicago’s R3 Zones. The program covers nine training topics, including design thinking and business model development, with no prior experience required. Graduates join a network of founders with access to funding, mentorship, and community resources. Learn more
Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation
The Polsky Center at the University of Chicago provides a variety of programs and resources to support entrepreneurs. The Illinois Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at the Polsky Exchange offers no-cost, one-on-one confidential business advice to pre-venture entrepreneurs and existing business owners seeking assistance with growth plans, marketing strategy, financial reviews, and more. The SBDC focuses on serving people in the Douglas, Grand Boulevard, Greater Grand Crossing, Hyde Park, Kenwood, Oakland, South Shore, Washington Park, and Woodlawn neighborhoods, though everyone is welcome. Explore further
These programs and resources reflect Chicago’s commitment to fostering a supportive environment for entrepreneurs and small business owners, contributing to the city’s economic vitality and diversity.