New partnership with DePaul’s Driehaus College of Business focuses on opportunities for small businesses and Chicago under-served neighborhoods
As part of its ongoing commitment to advancing supplier diversity and transit-supportive community development, the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) today announced a new partnership with DePaul University’s Driehaus College of Business to launch innovative pilot programs to support small businesses and promote economic revitalization in Chicago’s South Side.
DePaul’s business students and faculty will lend their expertise and deliver solutions for small businesses and actionable recommendations for community growth.
“CTA is proud to partner with DePaul University to invest in the businesses and communities that drive Chicago forward,” said CTA President Dorval R. Carter, Jr. “These programs reflect our mission to create equitable opportunities for small businesses and ensure that transit investments generate meaningful benefits for the neighborhoods we serve.”
The first pilot program will focus on CTA’s Building Small Businesses Program, which supports Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBEs) by providing access to capital, technical assistance, and procurement guidance.
DePaul undergraduate students, supervised by faculty, will work with five to seven small businesses selected by CTA to tailor solutions that address challenges such as capital sourcing, back-office support, and technical needs.
Participating businesses will gain critical insights to compete for CTA contracts and grow sustainably.
“We are excited to work with CTA on these programs. We take great pride in being Chicago’s business school and contributing to the economic development of the city,” said Dean Sulin Ba of DePaul’s Driehaus College of Business. “This partnership is a win-win opportunity. Our students will gain hands-on experience solving real-world business challenges, and CTA’s DBE firms will receive expert support to strengthen their operations and expand their opportunities.”
The second pilot program aligns with the Red Line Extension (RLE) Transit-Supportive Development (TSD) Plan, which aims to revitalize South Michigan Avenue as a commercial and social hub. In a first-of-its-kind partnership between a transit agency and a top-ranked MBA program, teams of DePaul MBA students will engage in Design Thinking to propose innovative solutions for transforming South Michigan Avenue into an economic anchor for the South Side.
The students will consider challenges such as zoning, equity, and market conditions to develop actionable recommendations for stakeholders, including the City of Chicago’s Department of Planning and Development.
“By connecting our academic resources to CTA’s transformative projects like the Red Line Extension, we aim to foster the entrepreneurial innovation that can catalyze Chicago’s next generation of equitable growth and expand opportunities for all Chicagoans,” said Dr. James Bort, Professor of Entrepreneurship at DePaul’s Driehaus College of Business.
Through these pilot programs, CTA and DePaul University will work together to:
- Empower small businesses to succeed in public-sector contracting.
- Revitalize South Side neighborhoods through innovative and actionable ideas.
- Foster collaboration between public transportation and academic institutions to address pressing urban challenges.
This partnership reinforces CTA’s goal of fostering equity, diversity, and economic opportunity in Chicago.
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About DePaul University and the Driehaus College of Business
DePaul University provides exceptional academics and real-world experiences to prepare students for a changing world. With more than 21,000 students across more than 300 academic programs, DePaul has two campus locations in Chicago. Located in the center of the city’s downtown, DePaul’s Driehaus College of Business immerses students in one of the world’s great business centers to provide transformative, hands-on educational experiences. Enrolling over 5,400 students, Driehaus’s undergraduate and graduate programs are highly ranked and nationally recognized. Visit https://www.depaul.edu/ to learn more.