Future Founders Recognizes Winners of 2nd Annual EntrepreneurshipU Awards

April 23, 2018

Future Founders recognized Illinois colleges and universities for their contributions to the entrepreneurial community at the 2nd Annual EntrepreneurshipU Awards on April 20 at the Chicago Connectory in the Merchandise Mart.

The EntrepreneurshipU Awards celebrate the spirit of entrepreneurship and innovation at Illinois universities. The event recognized institutions from across the state that have demonstrated exceptional entrepreneurial accomplishments, awarding representatives from 10 different colleges and universities.

“EntrepreneurshipU gives us the opportunity to recognize some of the game changers in the Illinois ecosystem who are pushing the boundaries of innovation to inspire the next generation of entrepreneurs,” said Scott Issen, President & CEO, Future Founders. 

Congratulations to the 2018 EntrepreneurshipU Award winners:

Entrepreneurship Professor of the Year

• Patricia Thomas, Lake Forest College
• Honorable Mention: Omar Sweiss, Trinity Christian College

Outstanding Student Startups of the Year

• Above the Waves, Trinity Christian College
• Inigo, Loyola University
• PedalCell, Northwestern University
• SnapClips, University of Illinois at Chicago
• Southern Illinois Metalworx, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Outstanding Entrepreneurial Mentors of the Year

• Billy Banks, Northwestern University
• Dennis Barsema, Northern Illinois University
• Aaron Gillum, 50 South Capital

Entrepreneurial Student Leader of the Year

• Gabriel Soler, Trinity Christian College
• Honorable Mention: Ayush Kumar, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Graduate Entrepreneurship Course of the Year

• Jason Stephens & “Entrepreneurship & New Business Creation,” Columbia College Chicago

Undergraduate Entrepreneurship Course of the Year

• Jeremy Gudauskas & “Social Impact Entrepreneurship,” North Central College

Top Collegiate Accelerator

• Wildfire, Northwestern University

Social Entrepreneurship Initiative of the Year

• Love Girls Magazine, University of Illinois at Chicago
• Honorable Mention: Dibbs, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Campus Entrepreneurial Event of the Year

• ILC 100 Day Startup Challenge, University of Chicago

Entrepreneurship Club of the Year

• CAUSE, Northern Illinois University

Future Founders Partner of the Year

• Trinity Christian College

EntrepreneurshipU is made possible thanks to the generous support of Motorola Solutions Foundation (organizational founding sponsor), Blackstone Charitable Foundation, Capital One, The Coleman Foundation, The John E. & Jeanne T. Hughes Foundation, Keywell Foundation, Accenture, ChicagoNEXT, and World Business Chicago.