Applications Now Open for 1871/IHCC Accelerator Program for Latinx Entrepreneurs

March 23, 2017 by J Blaszczykiewicz

1871 and the Illinois Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (IHCC) announced Thursday that their joint incubator program has opened applications for its second cohort, which is set to begin at 1871 in May 2017. The new cohort members will be following the 10 startups that successfully graduated on March 1 from the inaugural cohort. The incubator’s current title sponsor is PNC Illinois, whose sponsorship facilitates the resources to make the program a success.

March 23, 2017 by J Blaszczykiewicz

In this profile of WiSTEM C4 members, Shaniqua Davis, Founder and CEO or Noirefy, talks about her digital platform that connects diverse professionals with corporations in order to create inclusive workplaces.

March 21, 2017 by J Blaszczykiewicz

1871 Business Development Associate, Colleen Maxwell, sat down with Andres Mendoza-Pena from 1871 partner and 2015 Momentum Awards Corporate Champion, A.T. Kearney. She asked him more about A.T. Kearney’s commitment to the Chicago ecosystem and what the team has learned from 1871’s startups.

March 21, 2017 by J Blaszczykiewicz

In this profile of WiSTEM C4 members, Heather Holmes, CEO and founder of Genivity, introduces her award-winning life-planning platform that better connects financial advisors to their clients’ medical history to better drive engagement, retention and growth.

March 19, 2017 by J Blaszczykiewicz

The largest and most diverse cohort of businesses to date have been selected for the fourth cohort of WiSTEM, 1871’s innovative and customized program designed to accelerate and cultivate opportunities for women in technology. The 14 women-owned companies will begin the 12-week program March 21.

March 16, 2017 by J Blaszczykiewicz

We celebrated the hard work of the first Illinois Hispanic Chamber of Commerce x 1871 Hispanic Tech Cohort. Right before the event kicked off we rolled a video that shed light on how the program impacted each member. Food and drink were provided by Felix’s Famous Cookies, Amanecer Breakfast Tacos, Atzimba – Catering & Event Services and Dulcelandia/Yogolandia Sweet & Savory. All Hispanic owned businesses.

March 16, 2017 by J Blaszczykiewicz

Check out this Polar Plunge recap video! Wondering where the GoPro footage came from? Our very own COO, Tom Alexander, strapped on a headband GoPro rig for a first person look at ALL the fun. BRRRRRR!!! The water was so cold, but it didn’t phase us! We’re proud of our team for sticking it out and taking the plunge for a great cause.

March 16, 2017 by J Blaszczykiewicz

From our International Women’s Day Battle Scars discussion with Feminist Fight Club author Jessica Bennett and WBEZ’s Lauren Chooljian, DePaul Women’s a Cappella (DWaC) perform MILCK’s “I Can’t Keep Quiet”.

March 16, 2017 by J Blaszczykiewicz

On February 28th, 1871 welcomed the incredible and inspirational Craig Kielburger, founder of Free the Children and WE Charity. What an amazing story and event! Watch the full event recap video linked here. Enjoy!

March 16, 2017 by J Blaszczykiewicz

It was a Fight Club…but without the fighting and without the men. Every month, the women would huddle in a friend’s apartment to share sexist job frustrations and trade tips for how best to tackle them. These women weren’t just there to vent. They needed battle tactics. And so the Feminist Fight Club was born. Author Jessica Bennett shared with our community the bruises, scrapes, and scars that mark their experience – and ultimately their victories – in battling office sexism.

March 14, 2017 by J Blaszczykiewicz

Kristen Sonday is the founder of Paladin, an online platform that connects legal professionals to pro bono opportunities, and was also a member of the Illinois Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and 1871’s first cohort of their joint accelerator program. She was chosen from 45 applicants to serve as the 2017 EIR, focusing on diversity and inclusion efforts in the entrepeneurship community.

March 10, 2017 by J Blaszczykiewicz

1871 announced Friday that it will offer DocuSign, the pioneer and global standard for eSignature and Digital Transaction Management (DTM), to its startup members complimentary to help them accelerate their businesses. Startups at 1871 will gain free, one-year access to DocuSign, adding to a growing list of perks made available to member companies.

March 9, 2017 by J Blaszczykiewicz

At 1871, each staff member is allocated a cash allotment to donate to a charity of their choice. On the 1871 blog, we’re highlighting the stories behind these donations. This week, we’re featuring Vanessa Yeh, Manager, Brand Experience; Khadijah McGill, Administrative Assistant; and Jihan Bibb, Manager of Events. Read on to learn about their choice causes!

March 7, 2017 by J Blaszczykiewicz

1871 will celebrate International Women’s Day 2017 with HEART OF BOLD, a full day of free public events and workshops, culminating in a featured keynote by Feminist Fight Club Author Jessica Bennett. The event will reflect this year’s theme “Be Bold for Change” with programming tailored to empower and inspire women in tech and business.

March 1, 2017 by J Blaszczykiewicz

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March 1, 2017 by J Blaszczykiewicz

At 1871, each staff member is allocated a cash allotment to donate to a charity of their choice. On the 1871 blog, we’re highlighting the stories behind these donations. Read on to learn how Jessica William, Co-Facilitator of WiSTEM; Laura Fendrich, Manager of Recruiting; Teddi Weigel, Events Assoicate; and Adam Milich, Facilities Coordinator decided to give back.

February 28, 2017 by J Blaszczykiewicz

With so many faces and characters in the 1871 community, it’s no wonder you’ll never get the same answer twice to a question. For Black History Month, we spent some time with our members and asked them: What African American entrepreneur, innovator or inventor inspires you?

February 28, 2017 by J Blaszczykiewicz

At 1871, we pride ourselves on celebrating and fostering diversity every single day. For Black History Month, we took some time to speak with members on a variety of platforms, including Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and video. We had one simple question: What black innovator, inventor or entrepreneur has inspired you?

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