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The annual membership meeting is ICNC's premier issues-oriented gathering and your chance to shape the organization's advocacy priorities. We want your input and participation on matters like development, regulation, transportation, and infrastructure. Enjoy networking with members and incubator companies. For more information, contact Hannah Jones at [email protected].
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Thursday, March 3
Time: 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM
Location: ICNC - 320 N. Damen Ave.
RSVP here.
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Thanks to ICNC Supporter: 
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| Small Business Improvement Fund |
The Small Business Improvement Fund (SBIF) has returned to the Kinzie Industrial Corridor! This popular grant program uses TIF funds to match up to $150,000 in permanent improvements to your industrial or commercial building. All companies must be located in the Kinzie Industrial TIF to qualify. The 30-day application window will open after the rollout event at ICNC on February 11th. For more information, contact Hannah Jones at [email protected]. Thursday, February 11 Time: 8:30 AM - 10:30 AM
Location: ICNC - 320 N. Damen Ave.
Register here.
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Upcoming Food Workshops
| The Hatchery, a collaboration between ICNC and Accion Chicago to bring education, capital, and support to the Chicagoland food entrepreneur community, has upcoming food workshops on various topics from starting a food business to marketing your food business.
Chicago Foodpreneurs - Thursday, February 11
Starting a Food Business - Tuesday, February 16
Launching and Leads for Food Businesses - Thursday, February 25 |
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Lunch and Learn: Employment Law Updates
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Learn about 2016 human resource regulatory changes and requirements commonly experienced by employers such as paying overtime, ban-the-box, discrimination, and exemption status. Attorney John C. Lillig from Hoogendoorn & Talbot LLP will present on employment law issues such as paying overtime, LGBT rights, OSHA changes, I9 audits, filing systems, and more.
Wednesday, February 24
Time: 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM
Location: ICNC - 320 N. Damen Ave.
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Good Food Festival and Conference
|  The Good Food Festival and Conference will be held March 24 - 26 at the UIC Forum. It is a food-oriented event with a local/sustainable emphasis and it brings together food businesses, investors, and policymakers as well as the public. ICNC will have a booth on Friday at the Good Food Industry Showcase. The event organizers have offered a $100 discount to any ICNC member or incubator company who wishes to exhibit. To take advantage of the discount, please complete the registration forms and when you email them in, mention your ICNC affiliation. |
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ICNC Awarded Grant for EMT Training
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ICNC is proud to announce that we received a $75,000 grant from the Eleanor Network at Chicago Foundation for Women for our Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) Training Program for low-income women. We are thrilled to continue our relationship with the CFW grantee network for our eighth year and be a partner with a funder that supports innovative and effective solutions.
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Member Spotlight: Passion House Coffee Roasters
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Joshua Millman, owner of Passion House Coffee Roasters, has been roasting beans in the ICNC incubator for almost five years. He started off working in a Starbucks as a teen and after college, he really dove into specialty coffee. He enjoyed working in the coffee roasting business, but the way he wanted coffee to be portrayed and how he wanted a company to function never fully lined up with the companies he worked for.
He founded Passion House Coffee Roasters to pursue his vision. His perspective on coffee and life is what sets them apart. One of the best things they did as a company was to break up the coffees into genres: Ambient, Mainstream, and Experimental. It created an expectation of what the coffee was going to taste like and provided a way to navigate and explore coffee with ease. Click here to learn more.
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| 1000 Jobs Campaign - One Year Later |
After one year of World Business Chicago's 1000 Jobs for Chicagoland Manufacturing Campaign, Account Executives have placed more than 300 job seekers in full-time positions with benefits. ICNC is one of five 1000 Jobs host organizations and formal job placement partners which work together to fill open manufacturing positions with qualified candidates. For more information, contact Bob Climack at [email protected]. |
Professional Development Opportunities
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10,000 Small Businesses: Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses is a no-cost program that provides business owners with practical business education, a supportive network of advisors and peers, and access to capital. Through the program, owners will receive the tools and support to develop a customized plan to grow their business. The application deadline for the next open session scheduled to begin May 13, is March 2, 2016. To learn more or to apply, click here.
Business Workshops: The Department of Business Affairs & Consumer Protection (BACP) offers workshops every Wednesday and Friday. Workshops vary each month and are conducted by city officials, experts, and partner business organizations. All workshops are free and open to the public. To view the business workshop calendar, click here.
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Member Announcements and News
| ICNC members who have an announcement such as a new product launch or a special promotion, can have it announced in our monthly newsletter. Members with media attention can have the article link included on ICNC's 'In The News' section of the website. Send all relevant information and links to Dionne Moore at [email protected] by the last day of the month.
DropCatch - ICNC incubator business DropCatch, manufacturers of magnetic bottle openers and beverage accessories, has introduced mason jar shot glasses. Use the code ICNC for 10% off. Learn more here.
Das Foods - An ICNC incubator gourmet food business is for sale. It is an excellent starter business or an expansion of your existing food business. After nine great years in business, the owner is moving out of state. Financial statements are available upon request. Please contact the owner (Katie) at 224-715-9289 or [email protected].
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Reminder: Online Member Directory Profile
| ICNC has revamped its online member directory! Directory profiles feature business descriptions, product photos, and member-to-member deals. If you are a member who would like to set up your directory profile, click here. For more information, contact Hannah Jones at [email protected].
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Do You Need Help Hiring?
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As a small business owner managing your day-to-day operations, you may not have the time to post an ad, screen resumes, or call people in for interviews. ICNC can do this for you and more. For more information, contact Nancy Kramer at [email protected].
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| ICNC Incubator Space Available |
Enjoy  a thriving entrepreneurial environment and immediate access to ICNC's services. Click here to view more available spaces. |
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