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Jul 29, 2004

Coleman Entrepreneurship Center At DePaul Names Executive Director And Launches New Programs For Chicago Entrepreneurs

Raman Chadha, 36, founder of the Chicago-based consulting firm Explorit Entrepreneurial Services, has been promoted to executive director of DePaul University’s Coleman Entrepreneurship Center from his previous position as associate director. Chadha, who joined the center last year and is a clinical professor of entrepreneurship in DePaul’s highly ranked entrepreneurship program, assumed his new post in July.

“Raman is an active member of Chicago’s entrepreneurship community who has launched a number of education and networking programs that are helping new and established entrepreneurs find success,” said Harold Welsch, founder of DePaul’s entrepreneurship program and holder of the university’s Coleman Entrepreneurship Chair. “We welcome him to his new role at the center and look forward to expanding the services we offer to area entrepreneurs.”

Noting the growing number of people interested in starting businesses, Chadha said: “America is embracing entrepreneurship, and the Coleman Entrepreneurship Center staff and I are thrilled to be a part of this movement.” To encourage this entrepreneurial spirit, Chadha said he and Welsch plan to launch several new initiatives this academic year. The new programs include:

  • An innovative seminar series called Angel Academy to increase the number of private investors for, and investments made to, Chicago entrepreneurs.

  • The DePaul New Venture Challenge, a business plan competition to stimulate entrepreneurial activity in the Chicago area.

  • Peer advisory roundtables to help business owners solve problems and overcome challenges through the knowledge and experience of fellow entrepreneurs.

  • An Entrepreneurs Mentorship Program that links experienced business owners with student entrepreneurs who need guidance, direction and advice.

  • The DePaul Entrepreneurs Association, a membership organization for practicing and aspiring entrepreneurs within the university community.

    Prior to joining DePaul’s faculty and the center, Chadha was president from 1995-2003 of Explorit Entrepreneurial Services, a consulting practice he founded to help small businesses with strategic planning and growth management. His firm helped business owners of more than 200 companies increase sales and profitability. Chadha also is founder of several non-profit initiatives to assist entrepreneurs, including Active Pursuit of Entrepreneurial Excellence, which is dedicated to the education and support of young entrepreneurs.

    Chadha is a member of the Lincoln Park Business Development Institute Board of Directors and the Advisory Board as well as the Lincoln Park Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, which named him Business Person of the Year in 2001. With support from the institute and DePaul, he created a popular adult education course “Start Up! Chicago” in January of 2003. The innovative 10-week business start-up course helps aspiring entrepreneurs learn the process of launching a new venture and writing a business plan. The program continues with three sessions scheduled for 2004-2005.

    Chadha earned an MBA degree in entrepreneurship and innovation from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University and a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

    The Coleman Entrepreneurship Center was established at DePaul through a Coleman Foundation pledge of $2.5 million in 2003. Building on DePaul’s well-respected academic programs in entrepreneurship that were first offered in 1982, the center promotes entrepreneur education and offers services to assist entrepreneurs. Since opening its doors in September of 2003, the center has assisted more than 100 entrepreneur clients through professional and student-based consulting services.

    DePaul’s entrepreneurship program was named among the 13 best programs in the country in Entrepreneur Magazine’s annual evaluation of the “Top 100 Entrepreneurial Colleges” published in May of 2004. DePaul landed a spot in the first tier of “comprehensive entrepreneurial programs at nationally prominent colleges and universities” for the second year in a row.