Chicago APEX Accelerator

🎉We're so excited to be hosting our 2nd Annual Awesome Adventures in Product & Innovation Expo in just two weeks with Women's Business Development Center, Illinois Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Southland Development Authority, and National INDIA HUB!🤝

👏This expo is one our biggest events of the year featuring 100 booths of government agencies, prime contractors, small business resources, community organizations, and our small business clients. If you want to showcase your business, register ASAP. Space is going fast!

🧠Stop by one of our four workshops and network directly with people who can grow your business. This is your business's chance to show what it can do, so make sure to bring a polished capability statement!

We can't wait to see you there!😃

Register here: https://bit.ly/AAPIExpo2026

🏛Want to win government contracts? You're going to need a capability statement.

🎨Professional graphic designers from will show you step-by-step how to create an eye-catching capability statement that will make your business stand out from the competition.

💸This no-cost workshop could help you secure thousand dollar contracts, so don't miss it!

🔗Can't attend in person? No problem, this workshop will be hybrid! Click the link in our bio to register.

⚡️Our HYBRID Supercharged Sales Academy starts tomorrow⚡️

This isn't your average workshop series! Our pro Business Advisor Michael Van will provide unique and actionable insights in this no-cost 4-week academy, AND every attendee will walk away with a completed workbook they can actually use in their business💡

🔗View the course schedule here: https://bit.ly/super_academy

Event Details:
📆Date: Tuesdays, April 28-May 19
⏰Time: 1:30-3:00PM
📍Location: Radmacher Room, Skokie Public Library; Zoom

📣This no-cost online course has everything your business needs! 📣

The Verizon Small Business Digital Readiness (VSBDR) program arms entrepreneurs with information and tools for:
✅Financial health
✅Digital marketing
✅Business strategy
✅Cybersecurity
✅Cultivating a healthy workplace culture

💵The VSBDR program also offers a $10,000 grant through it's partnership with LISC, and has already awarded $15 million in grants since 2021!

Thank you to Verizon and National ACE for providing our small businesses with this incredible free resource!

Visit https://conta.cc/4mCzmfo to get started.

We're so excited for our upcoming collaboration with !☁️

Join us next week to break down the fundamentals of CRM, including:
🔹Basics & benefits of using CRM
🔹How to implement a CRM throughout the full customer journey
🔹Affordable & pro-bono options from Salesforce

We will also be providing a demo and hands-on activity so you leave having actual platform experience! This is a great opportunity to arm your business with the tools it needs to organize, track, and scale!📈

Event Details:
📅Date: Tuesday, April 7, 2026
⏰Time: 11:00AM-12:00PM
📌Location: 2424 W Peterson Ave. Chicago, IL 60659
🔗Register via the link below!
https://bit.ly/crm4smallbiz

✨Still feeling inspired after our amazing panel on Wednesday!✨

We had an absolutely stellar group of women sharing their stories of perseverance and success! They brought such great energy to our Women's Roundtable, and our attendees left feeling like anything was possible. Thank you to all of our incredible panelists for joining us to speak about the challenges they faced, and how they overcame them to succeed💪

Thank you to our partners BMO U.S., Women's Business Development Center, and Southland Development Authority for showing out and helping us host such an impactful event!

Finally, thank you to our wonderful sponsors South Asian American Chamber of Commerce of Illinois and Morgan Stanley for making this day possible, and supporting the small business community!

👏Our 2026 Women's Roundtable Panelists!👏

We're less than one week away from our 2026 Women's Roundtable! Register now to listen to a panel of these incredible women telling their stories of challenges, lessons, and successes in entrepreneurship.

The event will also feature booths of resources and buyers, and rotating workshops on capital, government contracting, DCEO resources, and certification.

Secure your spot now - space is limited!

Event Details:
📅Date: March 25, 2026
⏰Time: 10AM-2PM CST
📍Location: BMO Tower, 320 S Canal St. Chicago, IL 60606
🚨Registration: Use the link below!
https://bit.ly/CMAAWR2026

📣Join us at our 2026 Women's Roundtable!📣

Come listen to our panel of successful women entrepreneurs, visit procurement and small business resource booths, attend our workshop carousel, and hear a presentation from DCEO on grant opportunities!

Exhibitors and panelists will be posted on the event page on March 18.

Event Details:
📅Date: March 25, 2026
⏰Time: 10AM-2PM CST
📍Location: 320 S Canal St. Chicago, IL 60606
🚨Registration: Use the link below!
https://bit.ly/CMAAWR2026

🌎Ready to dive into the world of international trade? 🌎

Our online session breaks down the basics of exporting and importing with Nicole Hambric of EXIM (Export Import Bank of the United States). Whether you're new or experienced, this event is packed with tips and easy-to-follow guidance for exporting and importing.

Event Details:
📅Date: March 10, 2026
⏰Time: 12-1PM CST
📍Location: Virtual
🚨Registration: Use the link below!
https://conta.cc/4lj1LGN

🎈 That’s a wrap on our 2nd Annual LNY Small Business Showcase! 🎈

We’re proud to have hosted a successful and impactful event. It’s not often small business owners have direct access to government agencies, prime contractors, and essential resources all in one place — and our attendees made the most of it with enthusiastic and focused conversations throughout the day.

A big thank you to our partners, Asian American Chamber of Commerce of Illinois and South Asian American Chamber of Commerce of Illinois, for their collaboration and support, and to Fifth Third Bank for being an outstanding host and sponsor.

Stay tuned for updates on future events — we’re just getting started this year. On to the next 👏