Top Startup Accelerators & Incubators in Chicago, USA

Chicago has become a key player in the Midwest's startup scene, merging traditional business skills with new ideas. The city's diverse economy, strong corporate presence, and world-class universities create an ideal environment for startups across various sectors, from technology to manufacturing and healthcare to food innovation.
This guide explores the leading accelerators and incubators shaping Chicago's growing startup landscape. These programs support domestic and international startups seeking to establish themselves in the American market.

Top 20 Startup Accelerators & Incubators in Chicago, USA 

1. Techstars Chicago

Target Audience: Early-stage tech startups.

Niche: Technology and digital innovation.

Techstars Chicago is one of the most prestigious accelerators in Chicago. It offers a comprehensive three-month program with a $120,000 investment ($20K seed + $100K convertible note) for 6% equity. Through its global network, Techstars Chicago provides intensive mentorship from successful entrepreneurs, investors, and corporate partners. It supports startups with hands-on guidance in product development, market strategy, and fundraising and creates valuable connections through its network of over 10,000 mentors and alumni globally.

2. 1871

Target Audience: Digital technology entrepreneurs.

Niche: Tech ecosystem and innovation hub.

1871, named after the year of Chicago's great rebuild, is the city's largest technology and entrepreneurship center. It offers 140,000 square feet of coworking space and hosts over 400 early-stage digital startups. The center provides comprehensive support, including mentorship programs, workshops, and access to over 500 experienced mentors. It partners with major corporations like Google and Salesforce to create opportunities for startups.

3. mHUB

Target Audience: Hardware and manufacturing startups.

Niche: Physical product innovation.

mHUB is Chicago's premier hard tech innovation center, providing 63,000 square feet of facilities, including 10 specialized prototyping labs. Through its accelerator program, it offers up to $450,000 in grant funding for qualified startups. It also provides access to over $5 million worth of prototyping equipment and manufacturing resources and creates direct connections with manufacturing partners and industrial corporations.

4. Polsky Center

Target Audience: University of Chicago-affiliated entrepreneurs.

Niche: Multi-sector innovation.

Polsky Center is the University of Chicago's central innovation hub. It runs the nationally ranked New Venture Challenge program and awards over $1 million annually to promising startups across technology, healthcare, and social impact sectors. It provides comprehensive support, including workspace, mentorship, and funding opportunities, and it creates strong connections between academic innovation and commercial success.

5. MATTER

Target Audience: Healthcare technology startups.

Niche: Healthcare innovation.

MATTER is Chicago's leading healthcare innovation hub, supporting over 200 healthcare technology startups. It facilitates connections between entrepreneurs and healthcare organizations and provides access to testing environments. It offers specialized mentorship from healthcare professionals and industry experts and creates opportunities for startups to pilot solutions within major healthcare systems.

6. The Hatchery

Target Audience: Food and beverage entrepreneurs.

Niche: Food innovation.

The Hatchery is an expansive 67,000-square-foot facility dedicated to food and beverage innovation in Chicago. It provides access to commercial-grade kitchens, storage facilities, and business development resources. It offers the Food Foundry accelerator program with $20,000 grants and industry-specific mentorship. The Hatchery also creates pathways for food entrepreneurs to scale their operations through distribution partnerships.

7. Hyde Park Angels

Target Audience: Early-stage growth companies.

Niche: Multi-sector investment and mentorship.

Hyde Park Angels is Chicago's largest and most active angel investor network, providing investments ranging from $250,000 to $2 million. It focuses on startups in the technology, healthcare, and consumer goods sectors. Beyond funding, Hyde Park Angels offers comprehensive support, including strategic guidance and operational expertise. It also creates valuable connections within Chicago's business and investment community.

8. Catapult Chicago

Target Audience: B2B SaaS companies.

Niche: Software as a Service.

Catapult Chicago is a specialized accelerator focusing on post-revenue B2B software companies. It provides $30,000 to $50,000 in funding alongside intensive mentorship from successful entrepreneurs. It offers access to over 200 mentors with specific expertise in B2B software scaling. The accelerator creates opportunities for startups to secure enterprise clients and partnerships.

9. Ever Green Innovation

Target Audience: Climate technology startups.

Niche: Clean energy innovation.

Ever Green Innovation is the Midwest's leading clean energy investment platform, providing investments from $250,000 to $1 million. It focuses on supporting startups developing innovative solutions for climate and environmental challenges. It offers access to specialized labs, corporate partnerships, and industry expertise, creating pathways for clean technology commercialization and market adoption.

10. P33

Target Audience: Technology founders from diverse backgrounds.

Niche: Tech ecosystem development.

P33 is a nonprofit initiative focused on transforming Chicago into a leading technology hub. It provides targeted programs supporting diverse founders and emerging technologies, facilitates connections between startups, corporations, and investment communities, and creates initiatives to attract and retain tech talent in Chicago.

11. Design Factory for Global Health

Target Audience: Medical technology innovators.

Niche: Global health solutions.

Design Factory is a Northwestern University-affiliated program supporting innovations in global health. It collaborates with the National Institutes of Health and international partners on healthcare solutions, provides access to prototyping resources and specialized healthcare expertise, and creates opportunities for startups to address global health challenges.

12. Manufacturing Renaissance

Target Audience: Manufacturing innovations.

Niche: Advanced manufacturing.

Manufacturing Renaissance supports the development of advanced manufacturing startups and workforce innovation. It provides training programs, grants, and connections to manufacturing partners. It focuses on bridging traditional manufacturing with modern technology solutions and creating pathways for manufacturing innovation and industry modernization.

13. Chicago Biomedical Consortium

Target Audience: Life science researchers and entrepreneurs.

Niche: Biotechnology.

Chicago Biomedical Consortium is a collaborative initiative between major Chicago research institutions that supports biotech innovation. It provides substantial grants for research commercialization and startup development, facilitates partnerships between academic researchers and industry partners, and creates opportunities for advancing biotechnology innovations to market.

14. UI Labs – Chicago Innovation Accelerator

Target Audience: Industry 4.0 startups.

Niche: Smart manufacturing and IoT.

UI Labs focuses on accelerating digital manufacturing and IoT innovations. It connects startups with major industrial partners like GE and Rolls-Royce, provides access to advanced manufacturing facilities and expertise, and creates opportunities for industrial technology pilot programs and implementation.

15. Grubhub Accelerator

Target Audience: Food delivery technology startups.

Niche: Food delivery innovation.

Grubhub is a corporate accelerator backed by the leading food delivery platform Grubhub. It provides mentorship and funding for startups innovating in food delivery technology, offers access to Grubhub's extensive network and infrastructure, and creates opportunities for technology integration with major food delivery systems.

16. Coleman Foundation

Target Audience: Social impact entrepreneurs.

Niche: Education and healthcare.

Coleman Foundation provides substantial grants for initiatives in entrepreneurship education and healthcare innovation. It focuses on creating sustainable social impact through entrepreneurial approaches. It supports both nonprofit and for-profit ventures addressing social challenges and creates pathways for scaling social impact solutions.

17. Future Founders

Target Audience: Entrepreneurs under 30.

Niche: Youth entrepreneurship.

Future Founders is a comprehensive support program for young entrepreneurs with proven success. Alumni have collectively raised over $200 million in funding. The program provides intensive mentorship, pitch competitions, and entrepreneurial boot camps, creating opportunities for young founders to develop and scale their ventures.

18. The Brewer's Kitchen

Target Audience: Craft beverage startups.

Niche: Beverage innovation.

The Brewer's Kitchen is a specialized incubator supporting craft beverage entrepreneurs. It provides access to brewing facilities and regulatory compliance support, offers distribution network connections and market entry guidance, and creates pathways for craft beverage brands to achieve market success.

19. Women's Business Development Center

Target Audience: Women entrepreneurs.

Niche: Women-led business development.

WBDC is a comprehensive support organization for women-owned businesses, helping raise over $100 million in capital. It provides loan access, certification support, and specialized training programs. It also offers mentorship and networking opportunities specifically for women entrepreneurs and creates pathways for women to succeed in business ownership.

20. Chicago Venture Summit

Target Audience: Growth-stage startups.

Niche: Venture capital networking.

World Business Chicago is a premier annual event that connects Chicago startups with national venture capital firms. It facilitates high-level networking between entrepreneurs and investors, showcases Chicago's most promising startups to a global audience, and creates significant investment and partnership opportunities.

AcceleratorApp's Closing Thoughts on Startup Accelerators and Incubators in Chicago, USA

Chicago's startup ecosystem shows remarkable strength through its diverse range of accelerators and incubators, each serving specific niches while contributing to the city's overall innovation landscape.

The city's accelerators and incubators have been instrumental in transforming Chicago into a central innovation hub, bridging traditional industries with modern technology while fostering inclusive entrepreneurship.