Home – Chicago Biomedical Consortium (CBC)

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Since 2006, the Chicago Biomedical Consortium (CBC) has been accelerating the path from academic discovery to patient impact. Backed by the Searle Funds at The Chicago Community Trust, CBC unites Northwestern University, The University of Chicago, and the University of Illinois Chicago to build a connected, translational ecosystem for the life sciences.

Our mission has evolved so that, today, we focus on the translation of academic discoveries into investable biopharma innovations. We apply private-sector rigor and patient capital to overcome early-stage barriers, empowering Illinois’ academic innovators with the expertise, resources, and mentorship needed to succeed. By cultivating skilled operators and advancing breakthrough science toward commercialization, we fuel a dynamic, self-sustaining life sciences ecosystem that generates lasting economic growth and health impact across Illinois.

CBC Funding Programs

▸ Accelerator Award

The Accelerator Award is a milestone-driven award program (up to $250,000 in direct costs) focused on translational research toward therapeutics, or associated biomarker or molecular diagnostic innovations.

The Accelerator Award Letter of Intent (LOI) submission portal is CLOSED;
The LOI submission deadline was July 15, 2025. Visit us regularly to see when the next round of application submissions will start!

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▸ To view slides in PDF format, Click HERE

▸ Entrepreneurial Fellows Award

The CBC Entrepreneurial Fellows (EF) Award program identifies and supports the professional development of junior life sciences researchers who are keen to develop the skills and experiences needed to move translational projects from a university lab toward commercialization and potentially into a Chicago-based biotech start-up. The program exposes Fellows to a breadth of real-world experiences across the CBC institutions and connects trainees to the Chicago biomedical community.

The CBC Entrepreneurial Fellows (EF) Award application submission portal is CLOSED. The application submission deadline was May 2, 2025.

Visit us regularly to see when the next round of application submissions will start!

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Meet our CBC Entrepreneurial Fellows HERE!

▸ CBC-HITES Award

CBC-HITES is a funding and analytics resource for academic researchers from nine Chicagoland institutions. Funding opportunities include Windy City Innovation Awards (up to $75K in direct costs) for projects that need an enabling experiment and CHI-Town Commercialization Awards (up to $250K in direct costs) for more progressed projects.

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