Comcast Business Announces Regional Winners in Innovation 4 Entrepreneurs Competition

30 Startups and Entrepreneurs Across U.S. Recognized for Innovative Use of Technology in their Business…

Comcast Business announced that 30 small business owners from across the U.S. have been named regional winners in the “Innovations 4 Entrepreneurs Contest” (I4E), a national competition that will award more than $440,000 to up-and-coming companies that are leveraging technology to enhance their business. Each of the regional winners, which include 15 startups and 15 entrepreneurs, receives a $10,000 cash award and the chance to compete for the opportunity to consult with more than a dozen business experts to fuel growth within their organization.

Winners were selected based on essays they submitted regarding how they would use technology to enhance their business. Entries were judged by John Jantsch, marketing consultant, speaker and best-selling author of Duct Tape Marketing, The Commitment Engine and The Referral Engine, and Anita Campbell, founder, CEO and publisher of Small Business Trends. The winners come from a wide range of geographies, backgrounds and types of businesses. The full list of regional winners and their essays is available here.

Computer Systems International, Inc., Villa Park, IL (“Startup” category), and Improv Playhouse Theater, Libertyville, IL (“Entrepreneur” category) were the regional winners from Comcast’s Greater Chicago Region.

The next round of the competition is the public vote, where six businesses will be selected as grand prize winners and receive an additional $20,000 cash award, as well as an all-expenses-paid trip to Comcast Business headquarters in Philadelphia. This year, Comcast Business has partnered with the Charles D. Close School of Entrepreneurship at Drexel University to provide a nationally recognized group of business experts like Robert Irvine, celebrity chef and entrepreneur; Brian Meece, co-founder & CEO of RocketHub; Chuck Sacco, MBA, Assistant Dean, Close School of Entrepreneurship and numerous Comcast executives and Close School professors.

Public voting is being held from April 26 – May 13, 2016. The six grand prize winners will be announced June 6, 2016, with the grand prize winner event in Philadelphia in August.

“Since we first launched the Innovations 4 Entrepreneurs program, we have witnessed first-hand how technology can be the differentiator in accelerating customer satisfaction and growing revenue across many types of businesses,” said Denice Hasty, senior vice president of marketing and product management for Comcast Business. “These 30 startups and entrepreneurs serve as a model for other small businesses seeking to grow and expand their operations through the use of advanced technology.”

About Comcast Business

Comcast Business, a unit of Comcast Cable, provides advanced communication solutions to help organizations of all sizes meet their business objectives. Through a next-generation network that is backed by 24/7 technical support, Comcast delivers Business Internet, Ethernet, TV, a full portfolio of Voice services and Managed Enterprise Solutions for cost-effective, simplified communications management. For more information, call (866) 429-3085. Follow Comcast Business on Twitter @ComcastBusiness and on other social media networks at http://business.comcast.com/social.

With nearly 7,000 local employees, Comcast’s Greater Chicago Region (chicago.comcast.com) serves customers in central and northern Illinois, including the Chicago area, northwest Indiana and southwest Michigan.  “Like” Comcast’s Greater Chicago Region on Facebook by visiting Comcast of Illinois, NW Indiana and SW Michigan.  “Follow” Comcast’s Greater Chicago Region on Twitter at @ComcastILLINOIS.