02/21/2020

Why a Tech Association Merged with a Tech Incubator

Together, they intend to offer a support package for the state’s tech sector

It’s not unheard of for technology incubators to work directly with associations to help build out new ideas. The Washington, D.C.-based 1776 has done this on repeated occasions with a variety of trade groups.

But in Chicago, a similar organization took a different kind of leap entirely. The Chicagoland Entrepreneurial Center, a nonprofit best known for running the technology accelerator 1871, recently acquired the Illinois Technology Association. Betsy Ziegler, the incubator’s CEO, noted to Crain’s Chicago Business that the idea was to bring 1871’s focus on small and large companies together with ITA’s emphasis on established tech firms.

“It’s a direct complement,” said Ziegler, who will lead the combined organization. “We have incubation at our core, and we’re doing more on corporate innovation. But we don’t do anything in the middle. This expands the range of programs and completes the stack.”

Please select this link to read the complete article from Associations Now.