As Kellogg School of Management graduate student John Weinlader stepped out of the elevator into his new business headquarters at Evanston’s Illinois Technology Enterprise Center, 1801 Maple Ave., he gazed down the hallway.
“I can’t believe this is happening,” Weinlader said, looking into the office reserved for him.
Weinlader’s company, Kaylon Technologies, Inc., is launching a new software program, Kaylon Medical, designed to provide a new system of medical billing.
“Doctors need a series of codes to be reimbursed by insurance companies,” Weinlader said”The system right now is to use books, which is error-prone, and we believe that we have a better software solution.”
Weinlader was able to rent the office space with the help of InNUvation, a student-created group that encourages people studying different disciplines, such as marketing and engineering, to develop and launch new businesses while they are students.
“Our mission is to help students achieve interdisciplinary, entrepreneurial success,” said J. Cooper Marcus, a Kellogg graduate student and president of InNUvation.
InNUvation worked with ITEC to help students like Weinlader get started by renting office space.
The ITEC in Evanston was founded in April 2000 as the first of eight centers established by the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity in Illinois. The center acts as a catalyst for the formation of technological startup companies. The state provides a grant for ITEC to operate and help new businesses.
ITEC helped InNUvation gain its status as a student club. Together, the groups formed the ITEC/InNUvation Incubator Program.
The program has enough space for four student-based companies and will provide them with space in InNUvation’s designated suite at 1801 Maple Ave.
Northwestern faculty, staff, and students make up about 25 percent of ITEC’s clientele, according to Bret Johnson, an assistant director of the ITEC program and NU employee in the Office of Strategic Initiatives. The office manages the Evanston center and helps initiate multi-disciplinary research.
Johnson said the primary goal of ITEC is to focus on emerging technologies that may attract outside private investment and create high-quality jobs in Illinois.
“It gets students going in the right direction,” Johnson said. “We target small groups interested in running a business while on campus.”
According to Johnson, ITEC has seen a lot of interest from Kellogg students since its opening five years ago.
Companies must have at least one enrolled NU student and apply to the program by submitting a business proposal for consideration. If the proposal is accepted, ITEC provides counseling and office space in exchange for a nominal quarterly fee.
“InNUvation spans across the university to anyone with an interest in entrepreneurship and innovation,” Johnson said. “We want to see new ideas built into businesses.”
Reach Kristyn Schiavone at [email protected].
