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mHUB

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

mHUB is an incubator for physical product development and manufacturing headquartered in Chicago.[1] It serves startups and manufacturing companies through its incubator, venture-backed accelerator, and research and development services.[2]

Facility

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In 2023, mHUB opened an 80,000-square-foot innovation space set in the Kinzie Industrial Corridor, west of Chicago’s Fulton Market. The building is located in a federally designated Opportunity Zone.[3] The building includes offices, prototyping labs, and testing facilities.[4]

It relocated from a former Motorola Mobility (a Lenovo company) prototyping and testing lab[5][6] where it launched in 2017.[7]

Partners

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mHUB collaborates with industry partners such as Marmon, Arrow Electronics, Chamberlain Group, Chase, The U.S. Economic Development Administration, GE, Grainger, Dell, Constellation, KPMG, Baxter, and Endeavor Health.[8][9]

Founding

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Catalyze, a coworking hub, World Business Chicago, and Mayor Rahm Emanuel kickstarted mHUB in early 2017.[5] The non-profit 501(c)(3) organization opened on March 2, 2017, and was co-founded by Haven Allen, CEO, and Bill Fienup, Director of Innovation Services.[10][11] Mayor Rahm Emanuel called the project "the final piece of the manufacturing puzzle."[1][12]

mHUB Product Impact Fund I

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mHUB's Product Impact Fund I is a $15M venture fund that will invest in 60 early-stage physical product and hardtech ventures with deployment from 2020 To 2023.[13] The Fund supports cohorts of the mHUB accelerator program and will make seed-stage investments of $75,000 cash and $56,750 in product development, resources and programming for 5% equity with pro rata rights.[14][15]

References

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  1. 1 2 "The Making of mHUB: A WBC Fellowship Story". World Business Chicago. 28 February 2017. Retrieved 2017-09-26.
  2. Kamps, Haje Jan (8 May 2023). "mHub opens much bigger facility to kick Chicago startups into high gear". TechCrunch. Retrieved 15 April 2026.
  3. "Manufacturing innovation center mHub buys historic building". Chicago Tribune. 2023-04-27. Retrieved 2023-11-07.
  4. Martorina, Anthony (29 August 2023). "mHUB expands with a new $50M innovation and commercialization center". Chicago Star Media. Retrieved 15 April 2026.
  5. 1 2 Hustad, Karis (9 August 2016). "mHUB, a New Center for Manufacturing Innovation, to Open on Chicago's West Side". ChicagoInno. AmericanInno. Retrieved 2017-09-26.
  6. Marotti, Ally (10 August 2016). "Chicago and Catalyze launch mHUB, a new home for upstart manufacturers". The Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 10 November 2017.
  7. Channick, Robert (27 April 2023). "Manufacturing innovation center mHub buys historic factory building on Near West Side with plans to relocate". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 15 April 2026.
  8. "Inside mHUB, Chicago's Newest Manufacturing Incubator - Illinois Science & Technology Coalition". Illinois Science & Technology Coalition. February 27, 2017. Retrieved 2017-09-26.
  9. Asplund, Jon. "With backing by Chicago health players, mHub launches third medtech accelerator". www.chicagobusiness.com. Retrieved 15 April 2026.
  10. Graham, Meg (2 March 2017). "Sparks fly as new manufacturing innovation space mHUB opens". The Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 2017-09-26.
  11. "40 Under 40 2018: Haven Allen and Bill Fienup - Crain's Chicago Business". www.chicagobusiness.com. Retrieved 2021-02-02.
  12. "Newsviews: Business incubator mHUB". ABC 7 Chicago. American Broadcasting Company. 14 August 2016. Retrieved 10 November 2017.
  13. "Chicago's mHUB raises $5 million to build an inclusive 'hardtech' ecosystem". Impact Alpha. 2020-11-12. Retrieved 2021-02-02.
  14. "Sam Zell invests in manufacturing incubator's VC fund". Crain's Chicago Business. 2020-08-27. Retrieved 2021-02-02.
  15. Jim, Dallke (2019-07-24). "mHUB Is Raising a $15M Fund to Back Hardware Startups". www.bizjournals.com. Retrieved 2021-02-02.