Please note that ID staff will be out of office on Thursday 6.19 in recognition of the Juneteenth holiday.

Grant opportunities from Melissa Villanueva, Innovation DuPage’s Entrepreneur-in-Residence:

1. CO—100 Grant (U.S. Chamber of Commerce)

• Award: $25,000 or $2,000 + national exposure for 100 selected businesses
• Who Should Apply: Growth-focused small businesses from any industry
• Deadline: July 7, 2025
• Note: There is a cost to apply: $200.
• Apply Here: https://www.uschamber.com/co/co-1002. 

2. Cartier Women’s Initiative Regional Awards

• Award:
  • 1st place: $100,000
  • 2nd place: $60,000
  • 3rd place: $30,000
• Who Should Apply: Women-identifying or nonbinary entrepreneurs running impact-driven businesses (majority ownership + leadership role), between 1 and 6 years in business
• Deadline: June 24 at 2:00 p.m., 2025
• Apply Here: https://www.cartierwomensinitiative.com/regional-awards

Want Feedback or Guidance?
As an entrepreneur who has raised over $700k in grants, Melissa is happy to help with your applications. Schedule time with her here: Book a Grant Mentorship Session

Welcome New Members!

• Read-A-Lot USA - Cathy Nelson
• Tidy Taco - Steve Pierce
• Jefes - Victor Alvizo Orozco
• DexAssist - Shridhar Mehendale
• The College App - Nikhil Doddaga 

Coming up:

• ID Fundraising Roundtable: Inputs & Components for a Winning Pitch Deck, 06.24:  Join Innovation DuPage’s Strategic Advisor, Mike Varon, from 11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. for a focused roundtable tailored for a business owner getting ready to raise capital for expanding and growing their business. The discussion will focus on the inputs, components, do’s and don’ts of pitch decks, and the requirements that need to be met of Individual Investors & Angel Investors when determining if and what dollars to invest. Please bring your Pitch Decks and your own lunch. Register today through the Member Portal. 
• ID Member Meetup, 06.25: Mark your calendars for our next Member Meetup featuring Sara Spaminato, co-founder of Hooked as our Member Spotlight, and Meredith Hannah, Economic Development & Communications Director of the Village of Glen Ellyn as our Member Resource.
• WGN Radio, Your Money Matters: Natural Science, 06.25: Tune in to "Your Money Matters" with Jon Hansen on WGN Radio AM 720 on Wednesday, June 25 at 6:30 p.m. Arden Warner and John Nelson of Natural Science LLC will join Innovation DuPage's Managing Director Dan Facchini to discuss Natural Science's oil spill remediation technology.
• ID Workshop: Capital & Funding Strategies for Small Business, 06.25: Join us for our next workshop on June 25 from 5:30 - 7:00 p.m. as David Lezondra, Director/Program Manager of the SBDC program at College of DuPage, explores funding options for businesses. Learn about debt financing, equity financing, crowdfunding, grants, and creative alternatives to help your business grow. David brings valuable expertise from his 15+ years as a Small Business Consultant at Bank of America and his work with DuPage County. Register today.
• Makers and Shakers: Money Rewritten, 07.17: Join Melissa Villanueva, our Entrepreneur in Residence and CEO of Brewpoint Coffee, for the latest edition of her entrepreneur event series on July 17, 6:00 - 9:00 p.m. at Stage 119 in Elmhurst. This financial-focused event brings together business leaders and expert panelists sharing practical insights on managing finances, scaling your business, and building sustainable growth. Whether you're launching a new venture or looking to strengthen your financial foundation, this event offers actionable guidance and valuable networking opportunities. Register here. 

Much Appreciated
Thank you to Maureen Longoria and Lisa Burns of LivNow Relocation for their Member Spotlight presentation and to Melissa Villanueva of Brewpoint Coffee for serving as our Member Resource at our recent Member Meetup. Maureen and Lisa shared their approach to supporting later-in-life transitions and relocation services. Melissa discussed how she helps members secure grants and connect to resources, and shared details about her upcoming Makers & Shakers event.

Many thanks, and have a great week,

Dan Facchini,
Managing Director,
Innovation DuPage