West Side Business Xcelerator

The West Side Business Xcelerator (WSBX) is designed to support high growth potential businesses. Funded in part by the City of Chicago Neighborhood Business Development Center, this program is designed specifically for owners or management teams with a vision for growing the company significantly, as well as background and experience in managing growth, each participating company will go through three weeks of assessments and five weeks of developing a growth plan around a specific market opportunity. Each business owner will be partnered with a team of advisors and have the potential to receive gap loans to help them get over access to capital hurdles and qualify for larger traditionally funded loans.

To participate in WSBX, applicants must meet a specific set of criteria. The criteria outlined below are the starting point for screening, but West Side Forward (WSF) reserves the right to adjust these criteria as we determine the demand and capacity of participants to meet these criteria. Eligibility criteria for WSBX is as follows:

• Applicants must be actively operating a business on the West Side of Chicago or have specific plans to relocate their business location within one of the designated communities of Austin, Humboldt Park, West Garfield Park, East Garfield Park, North Lawndale, and South Lawndale (or) one of these ten zip codes: 60608, 60612, 60622, 60623, 60624, 60639, 60644, 60647, 60651, and 60707. Secondary consideration may be given to Chicago's west side residents and businesses operating in other nearby geographic locations.
• Businesses must be generating minimum annual sales of $60,000 within a 12 month period. Proof of sales will be required.
• Business must be legally incorporated. Proof of legal structure will be required.
• Preferred consideration will be given to graduates of WSF's Business Start-Up Training (formerly Entrepreneurship Training Program)
• The business owner must have a credit check with a score of 580 or better.
• Proof of current residence or business address 

• Applications are accepted electronically by referral or recommendation only.
• Business Case presentation (5-7 minute presentation)

Applicants are required to present their business in 5-7 minute presentation for our Make Your Case panels. During the presentation you will be expected to present yourself and your business, performance history, market for growth opportunities and explain how your participation in the WSBX will help your business reach that next level.