The ITDA (Illinois Technology Development Alliance) is a non-profit whose mission statement involves helping early stage technology companies. If you talk to a lot of Chicago entrepreneurs, it won’t be too long before you hear complaints about a lack of early seed funding. In recent years, the ITDA has been one of those rare sources of seed funding, distributing grants from the Office of Naval Research (which is to say, funding for defense-related projects). (more…)
The 96th Assembly of the Illinois Senate and House of Representatives is off and running in Springfield. Needless to say, this is a volatile year. We have a new Governor, a new Senate President, a new Senate Minority Leader and an estimated $9 billion budget deficit to deal with.
In general, session highlights should include real consideration of individual, corporate and gasoline tax increases and how to maximize Illinois’ allocation of federal stimulus funds. But, from an industry-specific perspective, there are only two bills that currently, directly, impact the Chicago Tech Community. But, that is also subject to change before the General Assembly adjourns, slated for May 31st. (more…)
To conduct a successful procurement business development campaign, you need to know:
- What projects are being funded?
- Where is the source of the appropriation?
- How is it administered? and
- What is the bidding process?
Essentially, this means FOLLOW THE MONEY! (more…)
You might remember Tom Thorton as the head of the Illinois Coalition or the Illinois Technology Development Alliance. You might remember Tom as a managing partner with divine interVentures. For a decade, he was an exceedingly accessible fixture on the tech scene and an important man to know for early stage companies. Then in 2006, he up and left town for Kansas, a state getting more headlines at the time for their disregard for the theory of evolution than their commitment to technology. When a person leaves a company, a common practice is give them an “exit interview” and find out why they’re leaving. Chicago Tech News recently spoke with Tom to the get that exit interview on how one of our communities more prominent members left that. Come to find out, Tom really did find greener grass in Kansas.
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What did embattled Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich plan on doing with the state’s science and technology funds? Land the $451 million National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility? No, former Illinois Technology Development Alliance President Tom Thornton just secured that massive development for the state of Kansas in his current capacity as President and CEO of the Kansas Bioscience Authority.
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