CHICAGO – Continuing to deliver on his Opportunity Returns pledge to promote entrepreneurship and innovation in the West Central region, Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich today announced that the Western Illinois Entrepreneurship Center Network (WIECN) has selected two winners from its business plan competition and will provide each company with $15,000 grant awards to spur the growth and development of their promising ventures.
“Entrepreneurs and small business are Illinois’ greatest economic engine and are critical to creating more good jobs. By investing in young firms with tremendous potential, and giving them the resources they need to take their ventures to the next level, we’re setting the stage for more good economic news across the region,” Gov. Blagojevich said.
The WIECN, comprised of three entrepreneurship centers located in Galesburg, Macomb and Quincy, sponsored the regional business plan competition, which was held in two rounds. Twelve business plans were received in the first round and four were selected to go to the final round of competition. In the final round, contestants had to submit a 25-page detailed business plan and give a 20-minute Power Point presentation to a panel of judges who selected the winners.
Appealing Solutions, LLC of Monmouth was selected as the winner in the business start-up category. The company designs preventive health care software to lower the health care cost for employers and help employees maintain healthier lifestyle.
Mind University Inc. of Galesburg was selected as the winner in the existing business category. Mind University offers professional development and course management software for K-12 teachers and administrators.
The WIECN acts as a regional hub that coordinates all small business development, entrepreneurship training and development activity in the Western Illinois region, and provides entrepreneurs with the tools they need to make their ventures successful. The center builds on the existing infrastructure of the Small Business Development Center Network, the Illinois Technology Enterprise Center Network and the Manufacturing Extension Center Network.
“Gov. Blagojevich and I strongly believe in investing in the talents and ingenuity of small firms. These grants are often a key difference maker in helping small or start-up companies clear some of the tough hurdles they face at critical stages. By helping these young companies compete and prosper, we are fostering more widespread economic growth and job creation across this region,” State Senator John Sullivan (D-Rushville) said.
“Each of these businesses is an exciting citizen of our local economy. Start-up and expanding businesses like these will generate new jobs and revenue, and the services they provide will enhance the business climate of our community. This is a perfect example of private enterprise and investment being assisted by Gov. Blagojevich’s Opportunity Returns program,” said Sadiq Shah, Director of the WIECN.
“We are thankful to Gov. Blagojevich and the WIECN for recognizing us with this grant award. Mind University is poised for a rapid expansion phase to attract private investment and with this support we hope to help transition educators into the digital age,” said Steve Fouts, President of Mind University Inc.
Since the three e-centers comprising the Western Illinois Entrepreneurship Center Network have opened, they have combined to provide nearly $250,000 in grant awards to nearly 40 local companies, spurring an estimated $250 million in revenue growth and 540 new jobs in the nine county region over the next three years.
Gov. Blagojevich has opened 17 entrepreneurship centers as part of the Illinois Entrepreneurship Network (IEN), a comprehensive network of resources designed to strengthen the state’s capacity to develop small businesses into market successes and help entrepreneurship act as a more dynamic engine of growth. 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 can also call toll-free 1-800-252-2923.
“We are excited to be supporting high growth companies like Mind University and Appealing Solutions. The entrepreneurs behind these ventures bring fresh perspectives and ideas to make them a success, and, through the work of the Governor’s Entrepreneurship Center Network, we will continue to foster new innovations,” Catarino Garza said, Manager of the Galesburg Entrepreneurship Center
“The entrepreneurship centers and the grant awards we are providing are really a wonderful representation of the new model for economic development in Illinois. That model dedicates resources at the community level where they are needed most and works to create more genuine economic opportunity one person at a time, one business at a time and one job at a time,” Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity Director Jack Lavin said.
Gov. Blagojevich’s Opportunity Returns regional economic development strategy is the most comprehensive approach to creating jobs in Illinois’ history. Since a one-size-fits-all approach to economic development just doesn’t work, the Governor has divided the state into 10 regions – each with a regional team that is empowered and expected to rapidly respond to opportunities and challenges. Opportunity Returns is about tangible, specific actions to make each region more accessible, more marketable, more entrepreneurial and more attractive to businesses. It is about upgrading the skills of the local workforce, increasing the access to capital, opening new markets, improving infrastructure, and creating and retaining jobs. Opportunity Returns is about successfully partnering with companies and communities, both large and small, to help all of Illinois reach its economic potential.