CHICAGO – State Senator Lakesia Collins announced eight innovative small businesses across the 5th District were awarded grant funding to support their partnerships with Illinois universities.
“Businesses across our community are taking an active role in the development of our economy by creating jobs and opportunities,” said Collins (D-Chicago). “With the innovation grants, local small businesses will get financial assistance to help them compete, ensuring our communities continue to see development and progress.”
The Illinois Innovation Voucher Program connects small businesses with the state’s world-class universities and research institutions. Through competitive awards of up to $75,000, the program enables companies to pursue research and development projects in partnership with a qualified Illinois institute of higher education to support technology validation, accelerate product development and strengthen commercialization pathways.
In the 5th Senate District that Collins represents, eight businesses were selected to receive a combined total of $582,119 through Innovation Voucher Program grants:
- Archer Career – Chicago
- Banta Pharmaceuticals – Naperville
- Enzyme by Design – Chicago
- NETenergy – Chicago
- Retina RoboticsTM – Naperville
- Sibel Health – Chicago
- SMARTCharts – Chicago
- Valjuvant Corporation – Chicago
To learn more about the Innovation Voucher Program, click here.
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