I have previously written about Chicago's exploding startup ecosystem. And, startup activity is organizing around certain startup accelerators, incubators, startup studios and shared offices in town. A few entrepreneurs asked me to compile a list of the key players in this space, so here you go.
Chicago Accelerators
Accelerators have a formal education curriculum and program.
Founder Institute
Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses
Platform Venture
Sunshine Enterprise (for Woodlawn area companies)
Techstars
Chicago Incubators--Generalist
Incubators are lead by one organization, who co-locate many startups in one place.
Blue 1647
Catapult
1871
Seedary
TechNexus
Venture Shot
Chicago Incubators--Specific
These incubators have a specific focus for startups they work with.
Arts Incubator in Washington Park (art)
Bunker Labs (veteran run)
Chicago Connectory (Internet of Things)
Chicago Fashion Incubator (fashion at Macy's)
Cleveland Avenue (food & beverage)
Coalition Space (energy & social impact)
DMDII (manufacturing)
Fulton Street Collective (art)
Good Food (food)
Healthbox (health care)
IHCC (hispanic run)
Insight Accelerator Labs (healthcare)
Impact Engine (social impact)
Leap Innovations (education)
Lost Arts (makers)
Maker Lab (at Chicago Public Library
Matter (health care)
mHUB (manufactured products)
Propel (life sciences)
Reach (real estate from Natl. Assn. of Realtors) (real estate)
2112 (music/film/creative)
Windy City Harvest Farm (agriculture with Chicago Botanic Garden)
Chicago Incubators--University Related
These incubators are affiliated with startups at specific universities.
Chicago Innovation Exchange (U-Chicago)
Coleman Entrepreneurship Center (DePaul)
Innovate (UIC)
LUC @ 1871 (Loyola)
The Garage (Northwestern)
University Tech Park (IIT)
Chicago Incubators--Venture Fund Related
These incubators are run by venture funds who co-locate their portfolio companies
Lightbank
Moderne Ventures (real estate)
New Coast Ventures
Ringleader Ventures
Sandbox Industries
Chicago Startup Studios
Startup studios or venture labs, build startups for third party companies or themselves.
Digital Intent
Incisent Labs
Insight Studios
L Street Collaborative
Prota Ventures
Roniin
Startup Foundry
Wavetable Labs
Chicago Co-Working Spaces
Co-working spaces simply allow many startups to rent smaller spaces or cubicles, with shared services, at affordable rates. But, it is typically only a real estate play.
Amata
Be Office
Carr Workplaces
coLab (in Evanston)
CoWorkers (in Wilmette)
Creative Coworking
Deskpass
Desklabs (in Lakeview)
Free Range Office (in Wicker Park)
Industrious
Inspire Business Center
Office Port
Onward Coworking
Platform Coworking (in Wicker Park and Ravenswood)
Regus
Serendipity Labs
Suite Spotte (in LaGrange)
The Study
The Warehouse (at Lightbank)
WeWork
Work Better (at Willis Tower)
These are everyone that I am aware of as of the date of this post. I am sure there may be others I missed or that are in development. So, let me know if I should add any others.
For future posts, please follow me on Twitter at: @georgedeeb.
2112 (music/film/creative)
Windy City Harvest Farm (agriculture with Chicago Botanic Garden)
Chicago Incubators--University Related
These incubators are affiliated with startups at specific universities.
Chicago Innovation Exchange (U-Chicago)
Coleman Entrepreneurship Center (DePaul)
Innovate (UIC)
LUC @ 1871 (Loyola)
The Garage (Northwestern)
University Tech Park (IIT)
Chicago Incubators--Venture Fund Related
These incubators are run by venture funds who co-locate their portfolio companies
Lightbank
Moderne Ventures (real estate)
New Coast Ventures
Ringleader Ventures
Sandbox Industries
Chicago Startup Studios
Startup studios or venture labs, build startups for third party companies or themselves.
Digital Intent
Incisent Labs
Insight Studios
L Street Collaborative
Prota Ventures
Roniin
Startup Foundry
Wavetable Labs
Chicago Co-Working Spaces
Co-working spaces simply allow many startups to rent smaller spaces or cubicles, with shared services, at affordable rates. But, it is typically only a real estate play.
Amata
Be Office
Carr Workplaces
coLab (in Evanston)
CoWorkers (in Wilmette)
Creative Coworking
Deskpass
Desklabs (in Lakeview)
Free Range Office (in Wicker Park)
Industrious
Inspire Business Center
Office Port
Onward Coworking
Platform Coworking (in Wicker Park and Ravenswood)
Regus
Serendipity Labs
Suite Spotte (in LaGrange)
The Study
The Warehouse (at Lightbank)
WeWork
Work Better (at Willis Tower)
These are everyone that I am aware of as of the date of this post. I am sure there may be others I missed or that are in development. So, let me know if I should add any others.
For future posts, please follow me on Twitter at: @georgedeeb.