South Shore / South Chicago
Array Innovation
Exchange
79th St. & Exchange Ave
Open access to Black and minority groups to technology, training, entrepreneurship, financial literacy, mentors, and funding.
What is the AIE?
The Array Innovation Exchange is a multi-story community hub that brings together entrepreneurship, technology, wellness, culture, and food under one roof. With 8+ floors including residential units above, the AIE anchors economic development on Chicago's South Side by putting world-class resources directly in the hands of the community.
From startup accelerators to vertical farms, from digital media studios to a museum honoring Black innovators in STEM, the Exchange is designed so that every resident, entrepreneur, and creative can find the tools and support they need to build something extraordinary.
See the Vision
Watch how the Array Innovation Exchange is transforming Chicago's South Side into a hub for innovation and opportunity.
7 Facilities, One Mission
Every floor of the Exchange is designed to empower — whether you're launching a business, growing food, making art, or healing.
Makerspace & Fab Lab
Full Floor
Welding, assembly, and prototyping facilities. CAD/CAM workstations, CNC machines, and laser cutters. Partners include JARC and mHub.
Digital Media Studios
5,000 sqft
Sound stage with $100K+ in equipment, podcast studio, recording studio, and digital media lab. Available for member rental.
Startup Venture Studio & Accelerator
25,000 sqft
Classrooms, offices, and co-working space for early-stage ventures. Partners include Ignite Technologies, Blue Lacuna, 1871, TechStars, and JARC.
The Duel Rooftop Restaurant
Rooftop Level
Double kitchen with 4-8 week chef residencies and community-judged competitions. Greenhouse-style dining room, bar, and patio supplied by the vertical farm.
Vertical Farm
26,300 gsf total
Rooftop greenhouse (3,300 gsf) and indoor vertical farm (23,000 gsf) supplying The Duel restaurant with fresh, locally grown produce year-round.
Museum of Black Technology & Engineering
Ground Floor
Celebrating Black STEM innovators past and present. Partners include the DuSable Museum, Museum of Science & Industry, and NSBE.
Mental & Physical Health Center
4,000 sqft
Alternative medicine, mental health services, fitness center, basketball court, yoga studio, and float tanks for whole-person wellness.
Featured Facility
Museum of Black Technology & Engineering
Only 9% of the U.S. STEM workforce is Black. The Museum of Black Technology & Engineering exists to change that — by celebrating the innovators who shaped modern technology and inspiring the next generation to follow in their footsteps.
The museum features exhibits honoring pioneers like Marian Croak, whose work on Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) transformed global communications, and Dr. Patricia Bath, who invented the Laserphaco probe and revolutionized cataract surgery. Through interactive displays and educational programming, visitors connect with a legacy of Black excellence in science and engineering.
Honoring Black STEM Pioneers
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Marian Croak
Pioneered VoIP technology that powers modern internet communications
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Dr. Patricia Bath
Invented the Laserphaco probe, revolutionizing cataract surgery worldwide
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Interactive Exhibits
Hands-on learning connecting past innovation to future possibility
A Place for Everyone
Diversity is the key to our success.
The Array Innovation Exchange rises 8+ floors above 79th & Exchange, with residential units above the commercial and community spaces. It is designed as a complete ecosystem — live, work, create, eat, heal, and grow — all in one building, all accessible to the community that needs it most.
Live
Residential units for community members above the Exchange
Work
Venture studio, accelerator, makerspace, and media labs
Grow
Vertical farm, restaurant, health center, and museum
Our Partners
The Exchange is powered by partnerships with leading organizations in technology, manufacturing, culture, and education.
Support the Exchange
The Array Innovation Exchange will transform 79th & Exchange into a beacon of opportunity. Your donation directly funds construction, programming, and community access. Every dollar counts.