Exciting News – We’re thrilled to announce a new collaboration effort between Portal and the Chicago Biomedical Consortium (CBC)! The CBC, generously funded by the Searle Funds at The Chicago Community Trust, stimulates collaboration, and most recently, biomedical translation, across Northwestern University, The University of Chicago, the University of Illinois Chicago. Portal, a life sciences venture development engine, is an investor in early stage biotech companies.

This partnership will strengthen Chicago’s life sciences community into a Midwest innovation engine. The CBC, working with academic scientists at the beginning of their translation journey, will connect academic entrepreneurs to Portal, whose expert network, programming, and venture capital syndicates are targeted to Chicago-based early stage innovators. In addition, the CBC fellows will provide guidance to Portal member startups, helping propel strategic growth in business and science research.

Since 2020, Portal’s “crafted capital” has been critical for Chicago’s biotech growth. The CBC has played an integral role in supporting life sciences research across Illinois for the last 20+ years. Together, we will continue to build the life science pipeline with the most innovative and exciting university founded startups in Chicago.

This partnership promises a fusion of talent and opportunity to continue growing Chicago’s science, tech, and innovation space. These types of collaboration are key to helping grow Chicago from an emerging life sciences city, to a world-class, established market.