Tag Archives: startups

This week’s Green Scene column in Crain’s Chicago Business: Why green entrepreneurs need to protect their ideas

Green-tech entrepreneurs, like most other start-up folks, probably spend more time worrying about securing their next round of financing compared with, say, intellectual property protection. But they ignore it at their peril. So says Jim Naughton, chairman of the green … Continue reading

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This week’s Green Scene column in Crain’s Chicago Business: Startup turns home cleanout into home greenout

One Chicago-area green entrepreneur is making it easier for homeowners looking to de-clutter in an eco-friendly way by taking their stuff and donating, recycling and avoiding the landfill. Fran Horvath started Greenout Cleanout as a full-fledged company about six months … Continue reading

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This week’s Green Scene column in Crain’s Chicago Business: Evanston startup helps small firms go green

Most small business owners wouldn’t naturally think about swapping out their exit signs for more eco-friendly ones as an obvious place to start greening their workplace. But that’s what an Evanston startup is banking on as one of the initial … Continue reading

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This week’s Green Scene column in Crain’s Chicago Business: ‘Legal incubator’ aims to catapult green entrepreneurs to success

Tom Stevens, an attorney who owns a law firm in the Loop, is helping green entrepreneurs and other start-up mavericks beyond the typical pro bono work that many lawyers do. A former Illinois state tax prosecutor, Mr. Stevens hung up that … Continue reading

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This week’s Green Scene column in Crain’s Chicago Business: Vending machine entrepreneur offers healthier, local fare

A Chicago entrepreneur intent on bringing healthy, local snacks to students and workers is taking a page from industrialized food giants’ playbook by using vending machines to reach snackers. T Hephner, founder and president of Healthy U, has been installing vending … Continue reading

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This week’s Green Scene column in Crain’s Chicago Business: Angel investors nurture local-food seedlings

Seven Chicago angel investors — mostly former derivatives traders and entrepreneurs — have formed an investment network to create financing opportunities for small businesses and startups in the local, sustainable food distribution system. Members of SLoFIG, short for Sustainably Local Food Investment … Continue reading

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This week’s Green Scene column in Crain’s Chicago Business: Power2Switch lets users comparison-shop for electricity

A local energy-broker startup is making it easier for small businesses to compare electricity rates in Illinois and switch to the cheapest — or the greenest — supplier if a better deal comes along. Power2Switch LLCis like the travel website … Continue reading

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This week’s Green Scene column in Crain’s Chicago Business: Evanston shop aims to sell homeowners on water conservation

Water conservation is poised to be the next big concern for eco-minded people, and Mitchell Furlett aims to be well-positioned to sell products designed to do something about it. His new store, opening in Evanston this week, sells water-conservation retrofit … Continue reading

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