NEIU Business Innovation & Growth Center

Events in the Ecosystem

Events in the Ecosystem

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Check out pitch competitions, workshops, and meetups here.

13 Oct

Starting Your Business in Illinois - October 13th, 2026

A training event for individuals interested in starting a business in Illinois.

October 13, 2026 - October 13, 2026

14 Oct

SBDC Live Webinar: Insurance Types for Small Business

A webinar covering essential insurance types for small businesses.

October 14, 2026 - October 14, 2026

14 Oct

Starting Your Small Business in Illinois Live Seminar

A live seminar for developing small businesses in Illinois.

October 14, 2026 - October 14, 2026

14 Oct

Comenzando un Negocio en IL

A workshop to learn the basics of starting a successful business.

October 14, 2026 - October 14, 2026

15 Oct

Starting A Business in IL

A workshop to help aspiring entrepreneurs understand starting a business in Illinois.

October 15, 2026 - October 15, 2026

15 Oct

Export 101

This workshop will provide an overview of exporting and its benefits for business expansion.

October 15, 2026 - October 15, 2026

18 Oct

Starting Your Business in Illinois

A workshop to help entrepreneurs start their business in Illinois.

October 18, 2026 - October 18, 2026

19 Oct

Starting Your Business in Illinois Workshop (October 2026) - Evening Session

A workshop for emerging entrepreneurs on starting a business in Illinois.

October 19, 2026 - October 19, 2026

21 Oct

Grant Preparation 101 - Live online seminar

Learn about the pre-award process for grants in this live online seminar.

October 21, 2026 - October 21, 2026

22 Oct

SBDC In-Person Workshop: Payment Processing Basics for Small Business

Join the workshop to learn about payment processing options for small businesses.

October 22, 2026 - October 22, 2026

23 Oct

How to Start a Small Business in Illinois

Learn the steps and resources to start a business in Illinois.

October 23, 2026 - October 23, 2026

28 Oct

Starting a business in Illinois

A training session for aspiring entrepreneurs on starting a business in Illinois.

October 28, 2026 - October 28, 2026

29 Oct

Hiring Your First Employee - October 29, 2026

A workshop on how to effectively hire your first employee.

October 29, 2026 - October 29, 2026

01 Nov

AI for Small Business On-Demand Webinar - November 2026

Join the Illinois SBDC for an on-demand webinar on how AI is transforming small businesses.

November 1, 2026 - November 1, 2026

01 Nov

Starting a Business in Illinois November 2026 On-Demand Webinar

An on-demand webinar on starting a business in Illinois for aspiring entrepreneurs.

November 1, 2026 - November 1, 2026

01 Nov

Introduction to Business Plans & LivePlan - November 2026 On-Demand Webinar

An on-demand webinar for entrepreneurs to learn about writing business plans.

November 1, 2026 - November 1, 2026

01 Nov

Grant Ready: Unlocking Funding for Your Next Big Idea (November 2026, On-Demand Webinar)

An on-demand webinar designed to help entrepreneurs secure funding opportunities.

November 1, 2026 - November 1, 2026

01 Nov

Advantage Illinois Loan Program November 2026 On-Demand Webinar

An informative on-demand webinar on the Advantage Illinois Loan Program for small businesses.

November 1, 2026 - November 1, 2026

01 Nov

Introduction to Marketing for Small Businesses - November 2026 On-Demand Webinar

An on-demand webinar for small businesses focused on essential marketing strategies.

November 1, 2026 - November 1, 2026

02 Nov

SBDC LIVE WEBINAR: Tax Know-How for Small Business

This webinar will cover taxation for small businesses and answer questions related to tax planning.

November 2, 2026 - November 2, 2026

February 2026

Sun	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat
2026-02-01 1 Advantage Illinois Loan Program February 2026 On-Demand Webinar Introduction to Business Plans & LivePlan - February 2026 On-Demand Webinar Grant Ready: Unlocking Funding for Your Next Big Idea (February 2026, On-Demand Webinar) +2	2026-02-02 2	2026-02-03 3 Emerging & Pre-Venture Bootcamp \| Road to Success (Week 3) Government Contracting Beginner’s Bootcamp - February 3, 2026	2026-02-04 4 Tu Declaración de Impuestos 2025: Qué Cambió, Qué Deducir y Qué Evitar - 2026-02-04	2026-02-05 5 Become Your Own Boss (BYOB): Business Planning Course	2026-02-06 6	2026-02-07 7
2026-02-08 8	2026-02-09 9 Essentials of Leveraging Your WBE Certification – Session 1 - 2026-02-09	2026-02-10 10 Grant Accountability and Transparency Act (GATA) Training Happy Hour @ Riverlands Brewing 10th Annual Chicagoland Chamber PAC Advocacy Champion Award Reception +1	2026-02-11 11 Board of Directors Meeting - Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce Enhancing Customer Engagement with AI: Personalization and Predictive Analytics Starting Your Business In Illinois	2026-02-12 12 SBDC Live Webinar: Legal Issues for Small Business Email & Business Documents AI in Action: Elevating Communication Skills for the Modern Workforce	2026-02-13 13	2026-02-14 14
2026-02-15 15	2026-02-16 16 GREAT Week Kickoff	2026-02-17 17 Choosing the Right Entity for your Business APEX Accelerator Live Webinar: The Certification Process Doing Business with the Federal Government: Understanding the GSA Scheduled +6	2026-02-18 18 Marketing Fundamentals Starting Your Business in Illinois Workshop CMAA's 2nd Annual Small Business Showcase +7	2026-02-19 19 AI For Beginners/Breakfast & Brainstorming Oak Brook Business Network Event @ Empire's rooftop in Lombard Export 101 (February 2026) +8	2026-02-20 20 Barcelona Guitar Trio - February 20, 2026 Barcelona Guitar Trio - Feb 20, 2026	2026-02-21 21
2026-02-22 22 Legal Support for Small Businesses	2026-02-23 23 Starting Your Business in Illinois (Marion)	2026-02-24 24 Government Contracting Beginner’s Bootcamp - February 24, 2026 Keeping It Local: Assistance with Planning for the Future of Your Business Starting your Business in Illinois +5	2026-02-25 25 Starting a Business in Illinois Starting Your Business in Illinois Naperville Business Network Event @ Empire's Enclosed Rooftop +6	2026-02-26 26 Smart Capital, Strong Business: How Equipment Financing Fuels Growth Financial Planning for Small Business Owners Business on the Move Initiative - Marketing, Customers, and Competition +3	2026-02-27 27 Incorporation / Organization Day How to Start a Business In Illinois	2026-02-28 28 Accelera las Operaciones de tu Empresa Movie Screening and Fundraiser: “The Wiz” 29th Annual Chicago River Student Congress

Upgrade Your Cashflow: Small Business Financing Seminar

Past

A seminar focused on small business financing strategies and funding solutions.

Thu, February 19, 2026 - Thu, February 19, 2026

An Introduction to Winning Business in the Government Marketplace

Past

A training webinar designed to help small businesses understand and navigate government contracting.

Thu, February 19, 2026 - Thu, February 19, 2026

Starting A Business in IL

Past

Workshop for aspiring entrepreneurs on starting a business in Illinois.

Thu, February 19, 2026 - Thu, February 19, 2026

Starting Your Business In Illinois

Past

An online workshop designed for individuals thinking about starting their own small business.

Thu, February 19, 2026 - Thu, February 19, 2026

WBE Onboarding - February 19, 2026

Past

Join us for a free 45-minute webinar aimed at newly certified WBENC WBEs or those wanting a refresher on the WBDC and WBENC networks.

Thu, February 19, 2026 - Thu, February 19, 2026

SBDC Live Webinar: How to Research Your Target Market

Past

Guided webinar on researching your target market for business planning.

Thu, February 19, 2026 - Thu, February 19, 2026

Google Docs & Professional Documents

Past

Learn how to create and format professional documents using Google Docs.

Thu, February 19, 2026 - Thu, February 19, 2026

Starting a Business in Illinois 2/19/2026

Past

A training event to learn about starting a business in Illinois.

Thu, February 19, 2026 - Thu, February 19, 2026

Export 101 (February 2026)

Past

This seminar provides an overview of exporting and its benefits for business expansion.

Thu, February 19, 2026 - Thu, February 19, 2026

Oak Brook Business Network Event @ Empire's rooftop in Lombard

Past

A casual networking evening for local business professionals with drinks and appetizers.

Thu, February 19, 2026 - Thu, February 19, 2026

AI For Beginners/Breakfast & Brainstorming

Past

A free seminar introducing the basics of Artificial Intelligence.

Thu, February 19, 2026 - Thu, February 19, 2026