Chicago Innovation Blog

Chicago Innovation Launches Groundbreaking Fellows Program in Partnership with Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management

by | Sep 30, 2024

CHICAGO, OCTOBER 2024 – Chicago Innovation, the region’s leading organization dedicated to  fostering innovation across all sectors, today announced the launch of its Chicago Innovation  Fellows Program. This cutting-edge leadership initiative, developed in collaboration with  Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management, aims to cultivate world-class innovation  leaders and strengthen connections within the Chicago innovation ecosystem. 

The Chicago Innovation Fellows Program is a six-month, practical innovation-focused leadership  program designed for mid to senior-level executives from large corporations, non-profits, and  government agencies. Combining academic rigor with real-world application, the program offers  participants a unique opportunity to enhance their innovation capabilities while developing  actionable strategies for their organizations. 

“We’re thrilled to introduce the Chicago Innovation Fellows Program,” said Tom Kuczmarski, Founder of Chicago Innovation. “By partnering with Kellogg’s Center for Research in Technology and  Innovation, we’re offering a transformative experience that will equip leaders with the tools,  network, and insights needed to drive meaningful innovation in their organizations and contribute  to Chicago’s thriving innovation community.” 

Key features of the Chicago Innovation Fellows Program include: 

  1. Exclusive collaboration with top faculty from Kellogg’s Center for Research in Technology  and Innovation 
  2. Experiential learning through projects, field trips, and coaching 
  3. Networking opportunities with Chicago Innovation Award winners 
  4. Personalized mentorship and skills development 
  5. A capstone project focused on building a company-specific innovation blueprint

The program consists of six one-day sessions spread over six months, supplemented with various  experiential learning activities, professional networking events, and personalized mentorship  opportunities. Participants will also engage in panels with Chicago Innovation Award Winners and  Hall of Famers, gaining insights from some of the region’s most successful innovators. 

“This program represents a significant investment in Chicago’s innovation leadership,” said Mohan  Sawhney, Director of the Center for Research in Technology and Innovation at Kellogg. “By blending  cutting-edge theory with practical application, we’re creating a unique educational experience that  will have a lasting impact on participants and their organizations.” 

The inaugural cohort of the Chicago Innovation Fellows Program is set to begin on January 28th,  2025. Applications are now open, with a deadline of November 29, 2024. The program fee is  $20,000, reflecting the high-caliber instruction and networking opportunities provided. 

For more information about the Chicago Innovation Fellows Program or to apply, visit  https://chicagoinnovation.com/ci-fellows/ or contact [email protected]

About Chicago Innovation: 

Chicago Innovation was established in 2002 as the Chicago Innovation Awards, an annual ceremony to  celebrate the most innovative products and services in the Chicago region. The organization has evolved into  a year-round series of events and activities designed to educate, connect and celebrate all innovators in the  Chicago region, with a vision of ensuring that “innovation is for everyone.” The organization’s expansion  includes the Illinois Student Invention Convention to empower Illinois’s youth to be innovators, the Chicago  Innovation Women Mentoring Co-op to support female innovators, The Ladder to support Black and Latine  innovators in advancing their careers, and Ageless Innovators, an intergenerational co-mentoring program.  For more information, visit www.chicagoinnovation.com. To follow Chicago Innovation on social media, find it  on X (@Chi_Innovation) or Facebook (Chicago Innovation). 

About Kellogg’s Center for Research in Technology and Innovation: 

The Center for Research in Technology & Innovation (CRTI) serves as a global hub of innovation, connecting  and collaborating worldwide with leaders and researchers from corporations, government, nonprofit  organizations and academia to advance and share information and to transform it into practical value.

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