Co-founded by Chicago Fleet Wraps + Regions PM · Open to new partners
The New Business Project TNBP Apply →
Chicagoland · Civic program · Est. 2024

Free help for businesses in their first 90 days.

If your business license is less than 90 days old, two Chicagoland service businesses will give you free vehicle graphics and a free property search consultation. Materials, design, labor, all included. No catch.

6-county Chicagoland License under 90 days Free graphics + free property search

Co-founded by

CFW
Chicago Fleet Wraps Vehicle graphics · Est. 2001
&
RPM
Regions PM Property management
Become a partner →

Why this exists

Most new businesses spend their first 90 days on the basics.

Getting licensed. Opening a business bank account. Finding the first customer. Locking down a place to work from. Marketing comes last — usually long after the truck has been driving around unmarked for months and the founder has been working from a kitchen table for half a year. The New Business Project covers two of the first essentials — a branded vehicle and a real workspace — so when your business shows up to job number one, it looks legitimate from day one.

Who qualifies

Four rules. That's it.

No income test. No industry filter. No "must be founded by" requirements. If you meet these four, the program is for you.

01

Chicagoland address

Your business is registered in Cook, DuPage, Lake, Kane, Will, or McHenry County, Illinois.

02

Under 90 days old

Your business license, LLC formation, or DBA registration is dated within the last 90 days.

03

You're real

Active business, not a placeholder LLC. We confirm with your license document and a short conversation — no extensive vetting.

04

That's it

No income test, no industry filter, no application essay. Two minutes to apply. Approval typically in two business hours.

What you get

Two services from two founding partners.

More services will be added as additional partners join the program. Today, the program delivers these two — designed to cover the moments where new businesses spend the most time being underprepared.

CFW

From Chicago Fleet Wraps

Free vehicle graphics

Up to 8 sq ft of die-cut cast vinyl graphics on your business vehicle. Designed in-house, professionally installed in a climate-controlled Chicago bay. Same Avery MPI 1105 / 3M IJ180-CV3 cast vinyl used on $5,000 commercial wrap jobs.

Most recipients use this for: business name on door panels, phone number on the side or rear, web address, license number, or a logo. You can bring your own design files, or our in-house designers will produce 2–3 layout options for your approval.

Retail value: $400–$800 · Cost to you: $0 · Install time: 30–90 minutes
RPM

From Regions PM

Free property search consultation

If you need office, retail, warehouse, or storage space in Chicagoland, Regions PM provides a complimentary property search consultation — including current listings matched to your needs, neighborhood-level rent benchmarks, and lease term guidance.

This is the same advisory service Regions PM provides paying clients. Whether you need 200 sq ft of co-working space or a 10,000 sq ft warehouse, you get unbiased property guidance from a team that manages spaces across Chicagoland — at no charge during your first 90 days.

Retail value: $300–$600 · Cost to you: $0 · Format: 1-hour consult + listings packet

How it works

Three steps. About two weeks.

From the moment you apply to a branded vehicle on the road and a property advisor on a call.

01

Apply

Fill out the form below. We need your name, business name, license date, county, and which services you want (vehicle graphics, property consultation, or both). Five minutes.

02

Verify & coordinate

We confirm your eligibility (license date + Chicagoland address) and route your application to the right partner(s). You'll hear back within two business hours with next steps.

03

Get started

For graphics: drop your vehicle at the CFW Chicago bay for 30–90 minutes. For property: a Regions PM advisor schedules a 1-hour consult call within a week. Done.

Apply

Tell us about your new business.

Two minutes to fill out. Two business hours to hear back from us. Real eligibility check, real next steps, no marketing email sequence.

Must be within the last 90 days
Both is fine — most recipients want both.

We never share your info. We respond within two business hours during business days.

— Public roster

We're publishing every business we help.

This page will list each business name, photo (with permission), and link as recipients claim graphics and consultations. Transparency is part of the program. The wall starts filling in early 2025.

Co-founding partners

Two Chicagoland businesses. One mission.

The New Business Project was co-founded in 2024 by two established Chicagoland service businesses who saw the same gap — that new businesses spend their first 90 days underprepared in ways that hurt their first customer interactions. Both founders contribute professional services at no cost. The program is structured to scale independently as additional partners join.

Co-founder

Chicago Fleet Wraps

Established 2001 · 19,400+ vehicles wrapped · Chicago, IL

A vehicle wrap company that has installed graphics on over 19,400 vehicles since 2001 across Chicagoland. CFW operates a heated, climate-controlled installation bay at 4711 N Lamon Ave in Chicago. Their work spans single-vehicle small-business wraps to 600-vehicle Rivian fleet rollouts for Amazon DSP and Blue Origin.

Contributes

Free design, materials, and professional installation of up to 8 sq ft of die-cut cast vinyl graphics on each recipient's business vehicle. All work performed at the CFW Chicago bay.

chicagofleetwraps.com →
Co-founder

Regions PM

Property management · Chicagoland

A property management firm with deep visibility into Chicagoland's commercial real estate inventory — office space, retail storefronts, warehouses, and storage. Regions PM understands the difference between what new businesses think they need and what actually works in their first three years of operation, and brings that perspective to every consultation.

Contributes

Free 1-hour property search consultation including current listings matched to recipient needs, neighborhood-level rent benchmarks, and lease term guidance — same advisory service provided to paying clients.

regionspm.com →

For service businesses

Become a partner. Help new businesses launch.

Are you a Chicagoland service business that helps new companies get off the ground? We're actively onboarding partners across these categories:

Attorneys (LLC formation, contracts) Accountants & bookkeepers Banks (business checking) Payroll providers Web designers & developers Print shops Marketing agencies Insurance brokers Commercial real estate

As a partner, you offer one specific service to program recipients at no charge or significantly reduced cost. In return:

Email us about partnership →

A formal partner application form will be available here as the program scales. Until then, email us directly.

About & press

What this is. Who runs it.

About the program

The New Business Project was co-founded in 2024 by Chicago Fleet Wraps and Regions PM to help new Chicagoland businesses with their first essential services — a branded vehicle and a real workspace. The program is funded by its co-founding partners and is structured to scale by onboarding additional partners.

Recipients receive free services with no income test, no industry filter, no application essay. Eligibility is simple: a Chicagoland address and a business license dated within the last 90 days.

Press & partnerships

For press inquiries, partnership questions, or to learn more about the program's expansion, contact us directly. We're happy to provide background, statistics, and recipient stories (with permission) for journalists covering small business in Chicagoland.

press@thenewbusinessproject.com →

FAQ

Common questions.

Is this really free?

Yes. Completely free. No catch, no upsell, no billing surprise. The program is funded by its co-founding partners (Chicago Fleet Wraps and Regions PM) plus future participating partners. The bet on their end: businesses we help in their first 90 days often come back when they need full-scale services years later. That's the entire model.

What do I get?

Two services to start. From Chicago Fleet Wraps: free design and installation of vehicle graphics (up to 8 sq ft of cast vinyl) on your business vehicle. From Regions PM: a free 1-hour property search consultation if you need office, retail, or warehouse space in Chicagoland. Additional services will be added as more partners join.

Who qualifies?

Any Chicagoland business with a license, LLC formation, or DBA registration dated within the last 90 days. Service area: Cook, DuPage, Lake, Kane, Will, and McHenry Counties. No income tests, no industry restrictions, no application essays.

What if my license is more than 90 days old?

The 90-day window is firm. The program is specifically designed to help businesses in their critical first quarter. If you're past 90 days, contact our partners directly — Chicago Fleet Wraps offers fleet pricing with a small-business discount, and Regions PM offers property consultations to all clients.

Can my business become a partner?

Yes. We're actively onboarding partners across categories: attorneys, accountants, banks, payroll providers, web designers, printers, marketing agencies, insurance brokers. As a partner, you offer one specific service to recipients at no charge or significantly reduced cost, and you're credited prominently. Email partners@thenewbusinessproject.com to apply.

Why does this exist?

Most new businesses spend their first 90 days on the basics — getting licensed, opening a business bank account, finding their first customer. Marketing, branding, and operational essentials come last, usually long after they're already needed. The New Business Project covers the first piece of professional infrastructure so new businesses look legitimate from day one.