Brave Launch Enhancing Greater Peoria’s Innovation

Peoria’s innovation ecosystem is built through programs like Brave Launch. Since 2016, the business accelerator Brave Launch has accepted ten teams (each year) comprised of startup owners and entrepreneurs through a 7-week business “boot camp” to grow their companies.

“To me, Brave Launch was just invaluable. It's just something that you have to do to understand your business and make it go forward,” said 2016 participant David Hedrick whose company is Golf Score Changer.

Building off of the last two year’s success, the Illinois Small Business Development Center at Bradley University is ready for the next round of participants in the Brave Launch business accelerator. Kicking off on September 20, 2018, Brave Launch will assist entrepreneurs to accelerate the startup process through innovative curriculum and real-world interaction.

“Brave Launch is just one of the many building blocks in developing innovation and entrepreneurship in the greater Peoria community,” said instructor Ross Miller. "The program is intensive but immensely valuable for its participants taking them through 'out of the building' customer discovery and business model development." Miller has completed the Lean LaunchPad Educators Program, has mentored a team in the National I-Corps Program, and is a Certified Small Business Development Adviser.

The program is designed to assist startups, small businesses, and corporate innovation teams to carry out an innovative idea. With no limits on the types of businesses that can participate, Brave Launch has assisted restaurants, software development firms, and medical technology innovators.

Brave Launch is a prime example of Greater Peoria investing in the innovation ecosystem that will ultimately lead to thriving companies and more jobs. According to the Small Business Administration, economic development lies in the hands of entrepreneurs and small business employing over 2.5 million people in the State of Illinois. These entrepreneurs are only able to thrive with the support of what the National Science Foundation has coined as the “innovation ecosystem” - a network of collaboration between industry and academia to bring innovative ideas to the marketplace.