Today the Illinois Biotechnology Innovation Organization, iBIO, announced the launch of iBIO Connect, a statewide resource map designed to increase connectivity and awareness of the companies, programs and resources in Illinois that support the biosciences and food industry.
iBIO Connect is a central hub for the Illinois biosciences community to find relevant resources across the state, including commercialization and entrepreneurship programs, funding mechanisms, accelerators, job boards, internship programs, and core research equipment facilities.
“We are excited to announce this new resource for our Illinois community,” said John Conrad, president and CEO of iBIO, “iBIO Connect will provide the pathway for businesses to find the support, expertise, and workforce they need to grow.”
iBIO Connect enables community members to:
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- Create a profile using their LinkedIn account, Google account, or email.
- Explore business resources. Find your business needs from funding, lab space, accelerators & incubators, and technical assistance programs.
- Connect with support organizations and ecosystem partners. Our community has a wealth of knowledge and talent to support businesses.
- Find peers and mentors to connect with. Our community is full of peers, mentors, and community members who are passionate about the success of our ecosystem.
- Research and connect with service providers. Find the companies and individuals who can help your company grow.
- Find community networking events, subject matter panels, and other programs to expand your network.
- Connect with the qualified workforce from the community and post open positions.
- Create personalized lists of community resources and organizations and share them with the community or keep them private for your own business use.
iBIO worked with our ecosystem partners to ensure iBIO Connect provides the community with a robust platform. At the time of launch, iBIO Connect provides connections to almost 700 companies, 369 connections to community resources to help companies grow, 24 job postings, and 82 community events.
Get Connected today with iBIO Connect
Every Friday in February, iBIO will host live information sessions to help community members utilize iBIO Connect. Click here to attend a session.