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Key people at Chicago Startup Week.
Chicago Startup Week was founded by Brad Schnitzer (Founder).
Chicago Startup Week is a Chicago, Illinois-based organization that hosts an annual multi-day event designed to connect entrepreneurs, founders, mentors, and innovators across the local technology ecosystem. The entity facilitates specialized workshops, formal pitch competitions, and structured networking sessions aimed at supporting early-stage tech ventures with idea validation and sustainable business growth. Operating without publicly disclosed funding metrics, the organization collaborates with regional academic and entrepreneurial institutions to expand its operational footprint. The programming features direct involvement from recognizable ecosystem entities such as Illinois Tech, Northwestern, and Future Founders. During these sessions, the event highlights emerging local startups, previously awarding competitive honors to companies like the student-led venture Cue the Curves. While its exact founding year remains undisclosed, the initiative underwent a notable operational renewal in 2021 spearheaded by project lead Justine Bracco through the Intinium organization.
Chicago Startup Week was founded by Brad Schnitzer (Founder).
Key people at Chicago Startup Week.
Chicago Startup Week is not a company but a multi-day event series celebrating entrepreneurship, innovation, and the tech ecosystem in Chicago, similar to Techstars' Startup Week model. It connects founders, investors, mentors, and community builders through pitch competitions, workshops, networking, and cultural events, fostering collaboration in the Midwest startup scene.[1][3]
Organized by non-profits like P33 (for related events such as TechChicago Week) and local groups like Chicago Startup Weekend, it highlights emerging tech in areas like AI, quantum, energy, and cybersecurity. Events include the TechRise Emerging Tech Pitch Competition offering $25,000 in non-dilutive funding, capital summits, and affinity meetups, drawing hundreds of attendees to boost capital flow and talent in Chicagoland.[1][2]
Chicago Startup Week draws from global formats like Techstars Startup Week, launched to celebrate local entrepreneurial ecosystems with speakers, workshops, and pitch events.[3] Local iterations, such as Chicago Startup Weekend—a 54-hour workshop at TechNexus—emerged to incubate ideas, pairing participants with mentors for rapid prototyping and validation.[2][4]
P33, a Chicago non-profit, drives platforms like TechChicago Week (e.g., July 2025 edition), partnering with institutions like The Grainger College of Engineering for student-led pitch challenges.[1] These evolved from grassroots meetups into structured weeks blending tech with Chicago culture, gaining traction through community-hosted events since at least the early 2020s.[1][2]
Chicago Startup Week rides the wave of Midwest tech resurgence, capitalizing on Chicago's strengths in fintech, AI, and deep tech amid national VC shifts toward non-coastal hubs. Timing aligns with post-2020 remote work trends and Illinois' pro-startup policies, amplifying capital flow in a region underserved by Silicon Valley.[1]
Market forces like P33's advocacy for Chicagoland funding and partnerships with universities fuel emerging tech bets (quantum, cybersecurity), positioning Chicago as a talent exporter. It influences the ecosystem by bridging students, founders, and funders, spawning startups and retaining talent against coastal migration.[1][3]
Chicago Startup Week will expand with 2025's "Big Bets" theme, likely scaling TechChicago Week's summits and competitions to attract more national VCs amid AI/energy booms. Trends like quantum computing and regional VC growth will shape it, evolving into a yearly anchor for Midwest innovation.
As non-profit-driven events like this mature, their influence could rival coastal counterparts, solidifying Chicago's role in democratizing entrepreneurship—turning weekend hackers into funded ventures.[1][3]
