PROGRAM COMPONENTS

Companies interested in applying must fill out and complete the online application by Friday, September 10 at 11:59 pm CST. Each application will be reviewed by the Innovate Illinois application committee, and the 16 top scoring companies in each of the statewide areas will be invited to participate in the area semifinals. Applicants will be notified by October 1 whether or not they are selected as area semifinalists.

The area semifinals competitions will be half day long events held in Carbondale, Peoria, and Chicago. Each semifinalist company will have seven minutes to present their businesses and innovations to a panel of judges in a fast pitch format. The winners of the semifinals will be announced the same day as the pitches. Four companies in each area, two for the early stage and two for the later stage, will move on to the statewide finals.

The area semifinals will occur on the following days:

• Southern Area Competition– Carbondale, October 12, 2010
• Central Area Competition – Peoria, October 20, 2010
• Northern Area Competition – Chicago, October 27, 2010

Companies selected for the finals will present for seven minutes before a new panel of judges representing both the entrepreneurial and investment communities at a competition on December 16. The winners will be announced that evening at the closing reception. There will be one winner and one runner-up awarded for each track. The winners will each be awarded a $15,000 cash prize, while the runner-ups will each be awarded $7,500 cash prizes.

Travel stipends will be provided to finalist companies.