We Are Ready.
Jason Rebello, Managing Partner - Chicago, IL
Jason Rebello is an innovator in residence and thought leader on the power of innovation through inclusivity and collaboration. Over the past 7 years Jason has worked with startups, established businesses and corporations on their overall innovation strategies with an emphasis on building innovative cultures that leverage diversity and inclusion. Born to a Black American mother and a Tanzanian born, Indian father Jason’s understanding and appreciation of differences began earlier than most. Through the experience of his multiethnic, racial, cultural, and spiritually diverse home, Jason has cultivated a unique lens into the power of diversity that has been amplified by his educational journey and professional experience.
Early on in his career, Jason worked as a consultant for Pearson, an international media and education company, ranked by Forbes as one of the best 500 global companies for overall diversity and employers for women. His passion for creating inclusive workplaces lead him to his role as the Director of Diversity and Inclusion for the University of Illinois at Chicago. There Jason implement an inter-group dialogue initiative for freshman and healthcare doctoral students focused on fostering collaborative environments built through courageous conversations. He’s also held leadership positions with the Soka Gakkai International USA, a Buddhist NGO focused on humanism, peace, culture, and education initiatives in the U.S. and 192 countries around the world. Since earning his MBA in entrepreneurship and strategic management, Jason’s focus around diversity and inclusion has shifted to the world of entrepreneurship and corporate innovation.
For the past few years Jason has been the Director of the Innovation Hub for the Women’s Business Development Center (WBDC), an economic development organization that has advocated for the equality and inclusion of women and minorities in business since 1986. Under his leadership the WBDC Innovation Hub has helped launch and grow businesses across a diverse range of industries. In 2019 alone he worked with over 40 companies that in total secured over $4.5 million in grants, contracts, or investment for new product launches. Over his career as an Entrepreneur in Residence (EIR), Jason has advised companies in the areas of: customer discovery, tech development, business model evolution, cross functional team building, growth strategy, and collaborative innovation best practices. Jason has a strong passion for fostering environments that capitalize on the creativity of diverse groups while supporting the next generation of value-based entrepreneurs.
Jason has earned a Bachelor of Arts in Business and International Relations from Lake Forest College, and a Masters in Business Administration from University of Illinois at Chicago with a key focus on Entrepreneurship and Management. For fun Jason can be found playing intramural soccer on the lake front, or dancing and exploring the vibrant city of Chicago.
