ICBI40 - InBIA's 40th International Conference on Business Innovation

Agenda as of 2/5/26. Subject to change. Check back for updates.

Looking to add targeted professional development to your Chicago experience?

Checkout the ICBI40 Preconference Training Courses, taking place April 11-12 at the Radisson Blu Aqua Hotel. You can earn the Entrepreneurship Center Management Certificate all in one, in-person weekend, allowing you to make more in-depth connections with peers and instructors than is typical in the online format while also being efficient with your time. Or, if you’ve already taken some of the courses or only need some of them, you can register for one or a few instead of the full bundle. 

ECM Certificate Preconference Training 

Saturday - Sunday, April 11-12

8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. CT 

This premier credential for entrepreneur support and ecosystem building professionals is earned upon completion of the program that provides a practical, end-to-end understanding of how to design, operate, and sustain high-impact entrepreneur support programs. Participants get professional credibility in addition to the practical skills, knowledge, resources, and templates needed to succeed.

This bundle covers all four of the courses, including: 

• COURSE 1: Fostering Your Entrepreneurship Center's Role in Your Community

• COURSE 2: Building Profitable Programs That Serve Entrepreneurs

• COURSE 3: Finance and Operations for Sustainable Entrepreneurship Centers

• COURSE 4: Policies, Space Management, and Operations and Governance

Click here for more information about the ECM program and full course descriptions. 

Don't miss this opportunity to save yourself weeks of virtual work while taking advantage of the opportunity to create in-person connections. 

Register Now!   *Cost of registration includes meals.

Exploring the Chicago Ecosystem

Chicago is home to a vibrant network of innovation spaces that connect research, entrepreneurs, industry partners, and communities to turn ideas into real-world impact. ICBI40 includes a few opportunities to get out and explore the local ecosystem.

Monday Happy Hour and Tour at TechNexus Venture Collaborative

April 13, 5:30 – 7 p.m.

Kick off the week with a happy hour and tour at TechNexus Venture Collaborative, a hub where startups, investors, and corporate innovators connect to explore new growth opportunities. Originally founded as a collaborative space for Chicago’s technology entrepreneurs, TechNexus has evolved into a venture platform that brings startups and major corporations together through investment, venture building, and strategic partnerships. During this informal gathering, attendees will tour the space and learn how TechNexus helps startups access capital, customers, and strategic guidance while enabling established companies to engage with emerging technologies. The visit will also offer valuable insights into how collaboration among founders, investors, corporations, and support organizations fuels the broader Chicago entrepreneurship ecosystem.

Chicago Innovation Spaces Tour

April 15, 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.

This guided tour will give entrepreneur support practitioners a behind-the-scenes look at several of the city’s most dynamic hubs for startup creation, product development, and applied research.

Participants will explore how universities, nonprofit incubators, and industry-driven innovation centers are building pathways for founders across sectors, from deep tech and manufacturing to food entrepreneurship.

University of Chicago — Hyde Park Labs

Next is the Ed Kaplan Family Institute for Innovation and Tech Entrepreneurship at Illinois Tech, a campus hub dedicated to turning ideas into practical innovations. The Kaplan Institute fosters cross-disciplinary collaboration among students, faculty, and external partners through project-based learning, startup development programs, and maker spaces. With its open, collaborative design and focus on hands-on experimentation, the institute serves as a launchpad where emerging entrepreneurs can prototype ideas, work on real-world challenges, and develop the leadership and technical skills needed to bring new ventures to life.

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The Hatchery Chicago

The Hatchery Chicago showcases a different side of entrepreneurship support: the growing food and beverage innovation sector. This nonprofit incubator provides shared commercial kitchens, production facilities, and business development programs designed specifically for food entrepreneurs. Located in the East Garfield Park neighborhood, the 67,000-square-foot facility offers everything from culinary training and mentorship to financing connections and distribution guidance, helping founders transform recipes and food concepts into scalable businesses that create jobs and strengthen local communities.

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mHUB

The final stop is mHUB, one of the nation’s leading innovation centers for physical product development and manufacturing startups. mHUB supports hundreds of entrepreneurs each year by providing access to advanced prototyping labs, engineering tools, mentorship, and industry partnerships. By bringing together startups, manufacturers, investors, and corporate partners, the hub helps founders move from concept to prototype to scalable production—strengthening Chicago’s role as a national center for hardtech and advanced manufacturing innovation.

Add on to your ICBI40 Registration

*The Wednesday tour is optional and requires the purchase of a ticket, either as part of the registration process or by clicking here.

Thank You to Our Sponsors.

Our annual ICBI conference is only possible because of the generous support of partners who believe in strengthening entrepreneur support organizations worldwide. Their investment helps InBIA bring practitioners together, share what works, and advance the field of ecosystem building. We’re grateful for the sponsors below who make this gathering possible.

Trailblazer Sponsors

Visionary Sponsors

Champion Sponsors

Ecosystem Partners