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About us

Innovation DuPage is excited to be the Executive Sponsor of the AI Innovation Collaborative. Founded in conjunction with the College of DuPage, ID Members and instructors, the AI Innovation Collaborative gathers local universities, incubators, data scientists, business leaders and consultants from throughout greater Chicago that are committed to fostering innovation and driving transformative change through the practical application of artificial intelligence.

Our focus is to bridge the gap between theoretical discussions and real-world challenges faced by local businesses, aiming to be a dynamic force for innovation in the community. By harnessing the power of AI technologies, we aim to solve immediate business challenges, pave the way for continuous progress and evolution, ultimately accelerating business growth.

We aim to be at the forefront of innovation in the DuPage County business ecosystem by strategically applying artificial intelligence through:

Practical Solutions that translate AI expertise into actionable solutions that directly address challenges faced by local businesses, driving innovative transformations.
Collaborative Innovation that facilitates cross-disciplinary collaboration between academia, industry leaders, data scientists and consultants to ensure holistic, innovative problem-solving.
Community Empowerment that creates a culture of continuous improvement and forward-thinking with innovative AI tools, knowledge, and support for local businesses and academic institutions.
Knowledge Exchange and continuous learning, ensuring our community stays on the cutting edge of innovative AI advancements.
Ethical and Responsible AI that are innovative, ethical, transparent, and aligned with the values of our community.

Through these commitments, the AI Innovation Collaborative will grow as a hub of innovation, where businesses actively engage in shaping the future with AI, driving positive and innovative changes that elevate our entire community.

Executive Committee:

Larry Blackburn: President and CEO, Datatelligent
Steve Wightkin: Chief Customer Officer, Datatelligent
Barry Saltzman: Founder and CEO, Saltzman Enterprise Group

Committee:

Joe Cassidy: Associate Provost Workforce and Economic Development, College of DuPage; President and Founder, Innovation DuPage
Debra Hasse: Senior Manager - Business Solutions, College of DuPage
Dan Facchini: Managing Director, Innovation DuPage
Mike Varon: Strategic Business Advisor, Innovation DuPage
Anushka Verma: IT Project Manager, Innovation DuPage

About us

We aim to be at the forefront of innovation in the DuPage County business ecosystem by strategically applying artificial intelligence through:

Practical Solutions that translate AI expertise into actionable solutions that directly address challenges faced by local businesses, driving innovative transformations.
Collaborative Innovation that facilitates cross-disciplinary collaboration between academia, industry leaders, data scientists and consultants to ensure holistic, innovative problem-solving.
Community Empowerment that creates a culture of continuous improvement and forward-thinking with innovative AI tools, knowledge, and support for local businesses and academic institutions.
Knowledge Exchange and continuous learning, ensuring our community stays on the cutting edge of innovative AI advancements.
Ethical and Responsible AI that are innovative, ethical, transparent, and aligned with the values of our community.

Executive Committee:

Larry Blackburn: President and CEO, Datatelligent
Steve Wightkin: Chief Customer Officer, Datatelligent
Barry Saltzman: Founder and CEO, Saltzman Enterprise Group

Committee:

Joe Cassidy: Associate Provost Workforce and Economic Development, College of DuPage; President and Founder, Innovation DuPage
Debra Hasse: Senior Manager - Business Solutions, College of DuPage
Dan Facchini: Managing Director, Innovation DuPage
Mike Varon: Strategic Business Advisor, Innovation DuPage
Anushka Verma: IT Project Manager, Innovation DuPage

More information coming soon...

Testimonials

Melvin Henley

PAC Leaders

"The Construction Owner to CEO program was really phenomenal. It allowed me to do exactly what the title suggests: go from being an owner to a CEO! I highly endorse this program, so much so we had our Vice President come in the next season and benefit from it as well!"

Eduardo Salgado

CS Architectural Woodworking

"As a graduate of the Construction Owner-2-CEO program, I can tell you first hand, that Innovation DuPage has helped me scale my business. If you are a small business owner looking to take your business to the next level, enhancing your network, or searching for peer group of likeminded entrepreneurs, Innovation DuPage is the place for you."

Jackie Gomez

HACIA

"It's a really unique opportunity to create and curate a program designed to help business owners succeed and build their business in a very competitive environment. We are excited to partner with Innovation DuPage to create a more diverse and inclusive construction industry."

Yvonne Toney

The Cotton Seed Exchange

“Working with Innovation DuPage for the Owner to CEO program was amazing and the support and education received has really helped me to push my business a little further with new ideas, concepts and understanding the power of collaboration.”

Dr. Afua Aning

My Just Checking In

“ The Innovation DuPage Owner-2-CEO program has provided a pillar of support for our company as we grow into the future. By having a network of experienced professional networks to grow with and learn from, we can replicate a type of support generally restricted to those above the glass ceiling.”

Melissa Villanueva

Brewpoint Coffee

"ID has been an amazing educational and community resource for entrepreneurs. I enjoyed the Owner-2-CEO program and, to this day, still keep in contact with my cohort. ID doesn’t hesitate to connect and highlight business owners for opportunities.”

Brent Hasse

Flat LLC

"ID was hands-on in helping me properly position our product and get in front of the best partners for our company. Their support was instrumental is getting us accepted to the Techstars program, which has already started to shape our Flat and greatly improve our customer success."

Shian Jno-Lewis

The Tidy Queens

“Thank you to Innovation DuPage for creating a space that promotes collaboration among local businesses. The Owner to CEO program equips small business owners with the tools needed to work “on” instead of “in” their businesses. It was a total eye-opener and very beneficial in helping us take our business to greater heights.”

Nick L.

Wove

"As an autistic adult facing challenges in corporate and academic settings, entrepreneurism is vital for my self-sustainability. The capital and mentorship provided by the Neurodiverse Entrepreneur Program was critical to getting my startup off the ground. My company has become profitable just after a year."

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Miftha Syed

InstaPark Elmhurst University Student

"Participating in the Innovation DuPage BIG Idea Pitch Contest was an incredible journey filled with inspiration and growth. I cherished every moment of the experience. It provided me with the perfect platform to launch Instapark. This contest truly ignited my entrepreneurial spirit and reaffirmed my belief in the power of entrepreneurship."

Aaliya Khaja

InstaPark Elmhurst University Student

“The Big Idea Pitch Competition was definitely a remarkable experience for us! Being able to pitch our business idea to many entrepreneurs was exciting and we are excited to work on InstaPark to move forward and develop it into the app we've dreamed about. “

Joe Barron

Gray Matters Games

"As the first member company of Innovation DuPage, we’ve grown up together. I love being able to bounce different ideas off of other entrepreneurs, it saves all of us time, it saves us money, and takes our business to the next level."

Maureen Longoria & Lisa Burns

LivNow Relocation

"Innovation DuPage has brought us resources beyond belief. They’ve made connections with us that we could have never made on our own. What they have brought to LivNow Relocation is absolutely priceless."

Keith Wakeman

SuperBetter

“Kassidy (Our Intern) provided value to the SuperBetter company from day one. She provided valuable feedback on product design, created newsletters to update our SuperBetter community, and rolled up her sleeves to help get it done.”