Will Compete for $175,000 in Cash and In-Kind Awards on June 15th in Chicago
CHICAGO – Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich, and his Illinois Entrepreneurship Network, announced today the selection of 33 State Finalists for the INNOVATE Illinois 2006 Challenge, including 15 State Finalists from the Southern region. INNOVATE Illinois is funded by Gov. Blagojevich’s Opportunity Returns economic development program. The Southern Illinois Entrepreneurship Center is serving as the Southern Illinois regional host. More than 100 companies submitted applications and brief business plans from the northern, central and southern regions of the state – tripling the number submitted for last year’s competition.
“Entrepreneurs and small businesses are the cornerstone of the Illinois economy and critical to creating more good jobs, so it’s essential that we provide them with the resources they need to grow. INNOVATE Illinois is another creative way we are mentoring our entrepreneurs, and these state finalists are more examples of why Illinois is such a great place to do business. This competition, and everyone who has participated, is proving we have the talent, ideas and ingenuity to create all kinds of new and successful companies and more jobs across the state,” Gov. Blagojevich said.
State Finalists were selected based on an extensive Business Innovation Plan detailing their business model, their innovation and their potential use of an INNOVATE Illinois award. Of the 70 regional finalists, 33 will now advance to the final event on June 15th at the University of Illinois at Chicago to present their business plans and compete for a total of $175,000 in cash and in-kind awards ($25,000 for each award).
A Southern regional prize pool of $40,000 was distributed to the top three winners in each category. This prize money is being co-sponsored by the Entrepreneurship Centers that are supported by Gov. Blagojevich at Southern Illinois University Carbondale and Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. Visit www.innovateillinois.org for more information.
“Gov. Blagojevich, our legislators and I are committed to nurturing our entrepreneurs and providing them with the resources and support necessary to translate great ideas into successful companies that create new jobs across Southern Illinois. We are proud that Southern Illinois University is home to two of the Governor’s successful entrepreneurship centers because they are turning economic potential into progress every day. INNOVATE Illinois, and these State Finalists, are a great example of that work,” Southern Illinois University President Dr. Glenn Poshard said.
This competition highlights the outstanding products, processes or services that are vitally important to the economic health and growth of Illinois. Awards will be given to the most innovative high-growth companies in five of the most economically productive industries – manufacturing, agriculture, technology, environmental and business or health services – based on the strength of their business and the potential impact of their innovation. Additional awards will also be given to the top minority-owned business and women-owned business in those industries, for a total of seven awards.
"Gov. Blagojevich and I congratulate each and every INNOVATE Illinois state finalist,” said DCEO Director Jack Lavin. "These are the small businesses that are integral to making Illinois the state for small business innovation. These entrepreneurs are Illinois’ greatest engine of economic growth and are critical to creating more good jobs for our working families across this state.”
“Gov. Blagojevich understands that entrepreneurial activity has become the most important job growth engine of the Illinois economy, and the guiding force behind INNOVATE Illinois is to capitalize on this growth by helping entrepreneurs succeed and create new jobs across the region. These 15 State Finalists from our region are a strong indication that the creativity to do so is alive and well here in Southern Illinois,” Emily Carter, Director of the Southern Illinois Entrepreneurship Center, said.
Southern Illinois State Finalists:
Agriculture
StarView Vineyards, Inc - Cobden
Lyons Fisheries - Sandoval
Food & Pharma Solutions Corporation - Carbondale
Business or Health Services
Midwest Medical Practice Mgt, INC - Carbondale
Spectrum Strategies..for families touched by Autism - Edwardsville
Discover Places - Carbondale
Environmental
BioInsite, LLC - Carbondale
Sharp Technologies, Inc. - Harrisburg
So iLL Inc. - DeSoto
Manufacturing
Trophy Trails Products - Mt. Vernon
The Pillow Shop, LLC - Carterville
Die Cutters, Inc. - Centralia
Technology
Clipius Technologies - Murphysboro
DxR Development Group - Carbondale
SchoolCenter - Carbondale
Sponsors of INNOVATE Illinois include the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, Hill & Knowlton, Citibank, Microsoft, Administaff, ComEd, Chicago Community Ventures, Advanced Profit Technologies, Prairie Business Credit, Gartner Carton & Douglas, IllinoisVENTURES and others.
About Gov. Blagojevich’s Illinois Entrepreneurship Network
Gov. Blagojevich is providing, for the first time, a formalized structure for coordinated services to small businesses and entrepreneurs throughout the state: the Illinois Entrepreneurship Network (IEN). Further, DCEO has a truly statewide network, where the resources in one area (e.g., venture capital in the Chicago area) can be coordinated to the benefit of network partners throughout the state. There are varying levels of expertise and access to services in the various regions, and it ties these all together to equalize this expertise and access through the following IEN partners: 17 Entrepreneurship Centers, Small Business Development Centers, Procurement Technical Assistance Centers, International Trade Centers, NAFTA Opportunity Centers, Manufacturing Extension Centers and Illinois Technology Enterprise Centers. The IEN Web site, www.ienconnect.com, features a free business needs assessment and a referral within 24 hours for personalized, face-to-face assistance. Entrepreneurs, who call toll-free to the IEN information center (1-800-252-2923), can also connect with service representatives who will assess their business concerns and direct them to the local resources that best meets their needs.