CHICAGO – State Senator Mike Simmons announced two innovative small businesses in the 7th District were awarded grant funding to support their partnership with Illinois universities.
“We want to support the hard work and tireless efforts of small business owners and the role they play in our community,” said Simmons (D-Chicago). “From creating jobs to providing economic mobility, small businesses are the cornerstone of our communities and this funding will help them flourish.”
The Illinois Innovation Voucher Program connects small businesses with the state’s world-class universities and research institutions. Through competitive awards of up to $75,000, the program enables companies to pursue research and development projects in partnership with a qualified Illinois institute of higher education to support technology validation, accelerate product development and strengthen commercialization pathways.
In the 7th Senate District that Simmons represents, two businesses – Pheonix Bean LLC, a local soy product crafter, and Seq Solutions, focused on carbon removal and conservation – were selected to receive a combined total of $94,314 through the Innovation Voucher Program.
To learn more about the Innovation Voucher Program, click here.
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