Illinois § 3004.5

§ 3004.5.

Illinois Technology Enterprise Centers Requirements. (a) The Department may, subject to available appropriated funds, working with the Illinois Coalition, establish one or more regional technology enterprise development centers whose mission is to assist entrepreneurs, innovators, and start-up firms in high-growth, high technology sectors in furthering the technical or managerial skills of owners; aid the ventures in locating financing; and help new companies with product development and marketing in support of new venture formation within the State. (b) The Department may provide grants or may provide cost share or reimbursements pursuant to this Section to support the operation of technology enterprise development centers. Grants awarded pursuant to this Article may be used to help subsidize expenses, as approved by the Department, for revolving funds, personnel, support costs, capital improvements, equipment, contractual services, commodities, including telecommunication or other costs. (c) Technology enterprise development centers may provide crucial business information at affordable prices for firms that are developing early-stage, technology-oriented manufacturing including (i) general or short-term assistance, general outreach, feasibility studies for new venture formation, and research assistance for new venture creation; (ii) innovation evaluation and market research to evaluate the viability of technology, product, or service or the market potential of technology, product, or service; (iii) technical assistance related to management and operations and strategic partnering and assistance in the implementation of strategic manufacturing and marketing alliances; and (iv) service in locating new technologies or technological solutions. (d) Technology enterprise development centers may provide financial services that include (i) financial packaging to enhance proposals and make companies more competitive for federal or private funding; (ii) access to private investor capital through venture capital events and regional venture capital networking programs; and (iii) management of local for-profit or limited profit seed capital funds. (e) Technology enterprise development centers may address local shortfalls of capital to commercialize new technology by providing pre-seed financing to start-up, technology-based businesses. Financing options could include micro-loans, small grants, and equity investment capital for seed funding, product commercialization and prototype development, and commercial introduction and marketing. (f) The Department may provide grant funds made available to support professional development and capacity building of the technology enterprise development centers within the State as may be required for the administration, operations, research, analysis, or training of the centers. (g) In determining which applicants shall be awarded a grant, the Department shall conduct an evaluation of prior compliance with loan or grant awards; the relationship of a proposed project to the State's future economic growth; the qualifications and expertise of organizations undertaking the effort; the applicant's understanding of the requirements and needs of entrepreneurs, innovators, and start-up firms in high-growth, high technology sectors; the potential of the applicant's project to provide an economic benefit of the State; and the likelihood that the project has a potential for creating new ventures in the State. (h) The Director of the Department shall determine the level of the grant award and shall determine the share of total directly attributable costs of the project that may be considered for funding under this Article. (Source: P.A. 91-476, eff. 8-11-99.)