Impact in Action: Polsky Center Year in Review

2023-24 Annual Report

From providing world-class entrepreneurship education to advancing the commercialization of invaluable technologies, this past year helped cement the Polsky Center’s role as the central spoke connecting UChicago innovation and the rest of the world.

From July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2024, the Polsky Center supported 146 ventures and 1,140 community businesses, and hosted 248 events with a total of more than 6,800 registrants.

Startups affiliated with the Polsky Center raised upwards of $700 million and more than $4.5 million in investments were facilitated by the Polsky Center’s accelerators, funds, and various programs.

Fifty industry partnerships were established and 93 patents were issued.

>> Explore additional highlights below and view the full report, here.

ADVANCING TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH

The Polsky Science and Technology group is the central resource at the University for transforming scientific research into new products, services, and ventures. A dedicated team with technical expertise focuses exclusively on enabling technology commercialization, identifying partners, and negotiating partnerships and licenses for faculty, researchers, and staff.

This year the team had a record number of invention disclosures—the first step in the commercialization process through the Polsky Center. This is a significant milestone and an important indication of the breakthrough discoveries happening across campus.

PARTNERING FOR COMMUNITY IMPACT

The Polsky Center supports small business owners in the communities surrounding the University through the Polsky Exchange, a startup and small business incubator featuring work and meeting spaces and a full calendar of programming and workshops designed to help entrepreneurs launch and grow their ventures. It also offers mentorship and business education that leverages the expertise of Chicago Booth. These resources are free and reflect the Polsky Center’s commitment to bolstering economic development on Chicago’s South and West sides.

ACCELERATING DEEP TECH VENTURES

The Polsky Center’s Deep Tech Ventures is a full-spectrum accelerator and venture support initiative dedicated to translating deep tech innovations into startups that bring life-saving, world-changing products and services to market.

In a banner year for quantum investment, Polsky Center leadership signed a Letter of Intent with the Distriq Quantum Innovation Zone in Canada to deepen collaboration and advance shared goals. Supported by a Breakthrough Energy Fellows Ecosystem Grant, Resurgence announced a new fellowship connecting students with startups in the cleantech accelerator, and Transform participants made headlines—securing investments and delivering on the promise of AI to disrupt several industries. These highlights are among just a few for Deep Tech Ventures as it continues to explore new avenues for supporting entrepreneurs.

TRAINING FOR ENTREPRENEURIAL CAREERS

The Polsky Center’s 25-year track record of launching successful ventures started with the hands-on, experiential learning that forms the foundation of Chicago Booth’s entrepreneurial education. Students, alumni, researchers, and faculty have access to dozens of programs, events, competitions, and funding opportunities to develop their entrepreneurial ambitions, whether they seek to launch and grow a startup or pursue a career in private equity, venture capital, or entrepreneurship through acquisition.

The Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition (ETA) Conference reaffirmed its position as the country’s largest, hosting more than 600 attendees, while the PE Conference welcomed more than 500 attendees. The College New Venture Challenge awarded more than $350K to undergraduate-led startups, and to meet the growing interests of students, the Polsky Center launched a new Private Markets Program and announced a new ETA Fellows Program.