Southern Illinois Entrepreneurship Center

http://www.innovateillinois.org

Get ready to INNOVATE! Innovate Illinois 2008 is a highly selective entrepreneurial competition where innovative companies have the opportunity to compete for a $40,000 cash prize from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO). The cash prize is designed to encourage and reward companies for implementing or planning innovative products, services, or processes that have or will have a lasting economic effect on Illinois. Applications for this year's competition can be found at http://www.innovateillinois.org/ and are due August15th. Semifinals will be held in Chicago September 26th and finals will be on November 18th. For more information visit http://www.innovateillinois.org/ or contact the Southern Illinois Entrepreneurship Center at 618-453-3805 or the University Entrepreneurship Center at 618-532-1086.

http://www.campceo.biz

CampCEO dates are set for 2008! We are looking for the best and brightest aspiring young entrepreneurs. Our week-long camp will be offered to students entering grades 9-12. This year's camp will take place at Southern Illinois University Carbondale from July 13th-18th. Please go to www.campceo.biz to apply. Camp fees are $595 per person. Check out one of our successful campers from CampCEO 2007. Katie Furrie has started her own business "Miss L' Toe Boots". Look at the young entrepreneur's website at www.missltoeboots.com.

http://www.universityec.com

The University Entrepreneurship Center in Centralia is our newest University-Community Partnership among Southern Illinois University and The University of Illinois. Center staff provide support and counseling to entrepreneurs and small businesses at all stages of of their venture. In addition to one-on-one counseling, the Center also offers various business workshops as well as rental of a variety of computer/technology rooms for local businesses and organizations. The mission of the University Entrepreneurship Center is to encourage the entrepreneurial spirit in central and southern Illinois.