Chicago Urban League Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation supports Black business growth in Chicago.

The Chicago Urban League Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation empowers Black entrepreneurs across Chicago to launch, grow, and sustain their businesses through comprehensive resources and expert guidance. The Center equips founders with tools to maximize revenue, reduce costs, and drive job creation, while assisting businesses in securing supplier diversity certifications and winning public and private contracts. Recognizing the vital role of entrepreneurs of color in the city's economic development, the Center offers one-on-one coaching covering strategy, branding, capital access, marketing, finance, procurement, and operations. Key programs include NextSTARTUP, a six-week intensive helping startups move from idea to launch; NextDEAL, a twelve-week course for professional services firms pursuing large contracts; NextDIGITAL, a free eight-week training on digital marketing; NextLEVELEXCHANGE, a year-long mentoring initiative; and NextONE, a nine-month scaling program for Black-owned businesses. Additionally, the Center provides personalized business coaching to navigate ownership challenges and hosts the annual WOKE Entrepreneur Summit, an event dedicated to African American entrepreneurs aged 21-45 since 2018. For more information on specific programs or to schedule coaching, interested parties are directed to the Center's website.