Illinois Office of Entrepreneurship, Innovation & Technology

The Office of Entrepreneurship, Innovation & Technology supports entrepreneurs, innovators, and small businesses in Illinois by providing concierge services, information, and technical support. Our First Stop Business Information Center offers a toll-free helpline and free online resources. Through our Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs), we provide individual business advice and management assistance, business planning and financial analysis consulting, access to business capital, market research assistance, development of business growth strategies, and assistance with expanding into new markets at no cost to the clients. Through our SBDC International Trade Centers, we provide advice and resources for existing and new-to-export companies, access to foreign market information, documentation assistance, automated trade leads, and linkages with trade representatives. Through our APEX Accelerators, we provide individual assistance and advice about doing business with government.

In addition, the Small Business Environmental Assistance Program provides confidential technical assistance with environmental regulations to aid small businesses in understanding and meeting their compliance requirements. The Regulatory Flexibility Program also works with the small business community to determine the impact of new rules on small entities and to consider alternatives to minimize that impact.

The Illinois Department of Commerce administers several programs to support entrepreneurs, innovators, and small businesses, including Advantage Illinois, which encourages institutional lending to small businesses; the Small Business Job Creation Tax Credit, which incentivizes the creation of new jobs; Advancing the Development of Minority Entrepreneurship (ADME), which is a pilot program to grow Illinois’ minority entrepreneurs and small business communities; and the Illinois Angel Investment Credit Program, which offers tax credits to interested firms or individuals who make an investment in one of Illinois' innovative, qualified new business ventures.

Learn more about our programs and services.