Program To Create Opportunities For Hispanic Technology Entrepreneurs a Critical Component in 1871’s Ongoing Mission to Foster Diversity in Technology; IHCC To Move Headquarters To 1871 Expansion Space
CHICAGO (October 9, 2015) – 1871 and the Illinois Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (IHCC) today announced that they will jointly launch an incubator focused on creating opportunities for Hispanic technology entrepreneurs in Chicago. The incubator will be part of IHCC’s move to the 1871 expansion space on the 13th floor of The Merchandise Mart, and will support Hispanic entrepreneurs and foster diversity in the technology community. The announcement is the latest major step in an ongoing partnership between IHCC and 1871 that began last year.
“Promoting collaboration and innovation is a key component of IHCC’s work," said Omar Duque, IHCC President and CEO. "We are excited to relocate IHCC to the heart of Chicago’s technology community, and look forward to providing even more resources to Hispanic entrepreneurs through our new incubator. We have a long history of helping Hispanic businesses access the tools and resources they need to grow and succeed, through our partnership with 1871 and we think this formal space and program will create many more opportunities to support new, high-growth potential businesses.”
The IHCC incubator for Hispanic entrepreneurs will provide access to mentors and tailored content designed specifically around the individual businesses admitted to the incubator. It will also contribute to IHCC’s ongoing partnership with 1871, which supports Hispanic entrepreneurs, technology professionals, and students with educational programming, networking opportunities, and other resources. It will kick off early in 2016 and will likely feature a cohort model.
“We are thrilled that IHCC will be located in our expansion space, and look forward to continuing our partnership with them to create a more inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystem in Chicago,” said 1871 CEO Howard A. Tullman. “As a non-profit organization with a community focus, 1871 is well-positioned to have a major impact on the technology community at large and to help achieve the broader goals of the community. Supporting diverse entrepreneurs is an important way in which we have been able to make our impact felt.”
To promote diversity in our membership and throughout the Chicago technology community as a whole, 1871 has partnered with the Illinois Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and the Chicago Urban League to increase opportunities for Hispanic and African American entrepreneurs. By leveraging resources from a number of corporate partners, these initiatives are designed to create a meaningful impact on diversity in the tech community and create opportunities for entrepreneurs throughout Chicago. In addition to these partnerships, 1871 is one of three North American tech hubs to pilot the Google/CODE2040 Entrepreneur in Residence (EIR) program. 1871’s EIR, FoodTrace co-founder Riana Lynn, works to support minority entrepreneurial talent in Chicago by facilitating diversity, inclusion, and community building events throughout the year.
1871 also supports a number of programs to promote inclusion of women and veterans in Chicago’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, including its WiSTEM program to foster opportunities for women entrepreneurs and Bunker Labs to support veteran entrepreneurs. Further, 1871 has worked with educational providers, such as the Startup Institute, Anyone Can Learn to Code and UST to ensure that underserved students have an opportunity to enter the technology economy.
IHCC will be located at 1871 beginning in January of 2016.
About the Illinois Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (IHCC)
The Illinois Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (IHCC) is the leading Hispanic business, networking, advocacy and development organization in the state of Illinois. IHCC works with business owners, providing unique and strategic one-on-one services designed to help businesses thrive and grow, while also regularly hosting networking and public policy events.
