Our Values

Diversity and inclusion are at the core of a just and equitable society. We embrace these virtues and commit to facilitating access to entrepreneurship and innovation for underserved, under-resourced and underrepresented founders. Our community network of partners and mentors leverage their skills and resources to empower BIPOC, LGBTQIA+ and female entrepreneurs.

Innovation in isolation helps few. Education is purposed with imparting knowledge but also learning from industry, students, and all constituents to constantly update what is known. ID will foster the creation of new ideas, products, processes and services, steward teaching and learning of all partners and participants, and inspire others to consider new approaches to business development and economic development.

ID seeks to reframe traditional silos of competition into learning networks of coopetition, where shrinking product life cycles, rapidly changing technology and increasingly complex business problems necessitate collaborative research and development across companies, industries and regions. Central to this effort is representation from a broad cross-section of regional industry clusters, as well as intentional inclusion of current and future entrepreneurs from all ages and backgrounds.

The means do not justify the ends How we work, grow and learn matters. Growth with integrity is not only the right thing to do, it is good business. While protecting a business’s proprietary information, we are committed to transparency related to all ID activities and outcomes. All ID partners and participants are bound by a commitment to better the world through a more entrepreneurial talent pipeline, and successful products and services that support improved regional economic development and a higher quality of life. Innovation DuPage challenges all participants to create business solutions and services that benefit not just immediate stake holders, but the larger world.