About Us

Launched in 1996 in Chicago as a Welfare to Work initiative during a federal takeover of the Chicago Housing Authority, Entrepreneurs Academy has evolved into a program-based business development center focused on environment, maker space, and invention and technology. Our facility provides access to resources, tools, and training to aspiring entrepreneurs from under invested communities of color. We are designed to reduce concentrated poverty through entrepreneurship, invention, and workforce modernization through our 4 verticals of concentration:

Drone Photography
3D Product Design and Invention
Smart Cities
Eco Art

In addition, we integrate entrepreneurship with mental health services to ensure our students have support and a greater opportunity to succeed. We currently serve adults 18 and older who are veterans, ex-felons, police officers, LGBTQAI and general community members on Chicago’s West Side, South Side, and South Suburbs.

Entrepreneurs Academy has a long history in Chicago working with communities on the South Side, West Side and South Suburbs. We have developed and implemented entrepreneurial programs for the Chicago Housing Authority, the Chicago Urban League, the Illinois Department of Human Services Teen Reach Program, The Chicago Area Project, Bethel New Life and the LifeHouse Group Transitional Living Facility and Recovery Home.

What We Offer

Entrepreneurial training
Individual business development workshops
Skill development in 21st Century growth industries including 3D Printing, 3D Design, Drone Tech, Urban Farming, and Health and Wellness
Mental health services including workshops and one-on-one counseling
Access to a Maker Co-Thriving Space with access to tools for creation
One-on-one business counseling and technical assistance
Access to business finance and small business lending
Financial literacy education
Access to a national network of business and mental health professionals