July 20th-26th
Solving Grand Challenges
Solving Grand Challenges is the official theme of TechChicago Week 2026—and a citywide call to action for Chicago to come together and take on the most urgent issues of our time. From healthcare and finance to energy, climate, and our food systems, these challenges span industries and touch every community.
Emerging technologies like quantum, AI, and advanced computing are powerful enablers—but TechChicago Week is about what happens when those tools are applied to real-world problems. This theme focuses on application and impact: responsibly putting innovation to work to strengthen systems, improving quality of life, and expanding access to opportunity.
At the heart of TechChicago Week is cross-collaboration. Solving society’s hardest problems doesn’t happen in silos—it happens when technologists, founders, researchers, policymakers, philanthropists, and civic leaders work side by side. That kind of collaboration is Chicago’s superpower. Our city sits at the intersection of business, government, academia, and philanthropy, making it uniquely positioned to turn big ideas into real impact.
TechChicago Week 2026, powered by P33, celebrates the Midwest’s roll-up-your-sleeves mindset and collaborative spirit. From the heart of Chicago, we’re convening the people, ideas, and technologies needed to solve these Grand Challenges—together.
Join us this July.
Anchor Events
Mon, July 20, 2026–Wed, July 22, 2026
Convene, Willis Tower
$325 - $1,000
Hosted by the Aspen Institute in partnership with the Chicago Climate Corps (C3), this multi-day event convenes policymakers, scientists and academics, business and NGO leaders, industry experts, artists, and emerging leaders for a series of dialogues that educate, inspire, and drive climate action.
Tue, July 21, 2026
TBD
4:00 pm–7:00 pm
TBD
Returning for another year during TechChicago Week, join 1871 on Tuesday, July 21, 2026, for a pre-festival tech immersion. Experience the pulse of the city where innovation meets festival energy. Discover how 1871 is driving global impact and explore our latest offerings.
Registration coming soon.
Wed, July 22, 2026–Thu, July 23, 2026
Chicago
Invitation
The 2nd annual GQF26 is hosted by P33 and Illinois Economic Development Corporation. This year we’re taking on some of the most consequential questions shaping our future, beginning with how quantum will influence the world around us. GQF26 will explore society’s grand challenges — the defining opportunities and toughest problems of our time — and the ways quantum may help address them across interconnected economic, scientific, and social systems, from pharma, finance, energy, climate, and beyond.
Wed, July 22, 2026
TBD
4:00 pm–7:00 pm
TBD
An exclusive look at what’s next in fintech. Join 1871 and BMO during TechChicago Week to meet the 2026 WMNfintech Cohort- founders building real, scalable innovation across AI, payments, financial operations, and beyond.
Registration coming soon.
Thu, July 23, 2026
TBD
8:00 am–8:00 pm
TBD
1871 is partnering with Evergreen Climate Innovations for Co-Invest Climate during Tech Chicago Week. This annual investment showcase features curated matchmaking, industry programming, and a closing reception.
Registration coming soon.
Host an Event!
Interested in hosting a partner event during TCW 2026?
We invite a wide-ranging array of events to join us in celebrating the full spectrum of technology at TCW. This year’s theme “Solving Grand Challenges” spotlights . While these areas take center stage, we welcome all tech-driven events that contribute to the innovation and momentum of the industry.
Looking for event ideas? Check out last year’s calendar.
2026 Event Calendar Coming Soon
Check back early June 2026
Chicago Climate Week is a part of TechChicago Week!
As part of TCW26, Climate Week Chicago (CHICW) will take place July 18-25, 2026. Join the region-wide initiative and help build the Midwest’s climate future. CHICW is powered by local partners, including Chicago Climate Connect, Chicago Climate Corps and P33. Learn more and submit your event.
TCW25 By The Numbers
Unique Website
Visitors
Events
(double from 2024)
Attendees
Media Mentions
Main Events
Speakers
Sponsors
2026 FAQs
Who should attend TCW?
Anyone can and should attend an event during TCW. We do our best to encourage events that range in audience, topic, and accessibility.
How do I register for events?
The calendar will be live in June 2026, which you can search for events to attend. You will need to register for each event separately. If you have a question about an event, you will need to reach out to the event host directly. The TCW team is not responsible for anything related to the events during the week. TCW is simply a platform to promote the events taking place, but we do our best to vet the events to ensure the best possible experience for attendees. Subscribe to TCW email updates to stay in-the-know.
Who hosts TCW?
The TCW platform is run by the non-profit P33: p33chicago.com. Events are hosted by a wide variety of company and organizations across the city of Chicago and the state of Illinois.
How and when can I submit an event that I am hosting for TCW26?
Submit your event here. The submission form will remain open until 2 weeks before TCW. The calendar will go live to the public in June 2026, so we highly recommend submitting your event by the end of May 2026. However, please do not submit your event until all your event details are secured – which will be required fields in the submission form. Subscribe to TCW email updates to stay in-the-know.
What happens once I submit my event?
The TCW team will review your event. If all the details are provided and approved, you will be sent an email within 7 business days confirming the approval of your event. If you do not hear from us within that time frame, please reach out to events@gotechchicago.com to ensure your submission went through.
The email will ask you to approve your event details that are live on the calendar to ensure no errors were made. If the event calendar is not yet live to the public, we will include private access to the hidden calendar to approve your event details. The email will also include official TCW marketing materials for you to use.
Why would my event NOT get approved?
If your event is not approved, you will receive an email from the TCW team within 7 business days of your submission stating the reason why and how you might be able to make adjustments to receive approval. Unapproved events likely fall into one of these categories:
- The event does not take place during TCW26, July 20 – 26, 2026 (even just 1 day before or after TCW will not be approved).
- The event does not take place in Illinois.
- The event has no connection to tech.
- The event is not deemed appropriate for the audience of TCW.
- The event details are lacking critical information or unclear.
- For questions, please reach out to events@gotechchicago.com
Does my event need to align with the theme of Solving Grand Challenges? And what type of event should I host?
We invite a wide-ranging array of events to join us in celebrating the full spectrum of technology at TCW. This year’s theme, “Solving Grand Challenges,” spotlights some of society’s most urgent issues in ecosystems in pharma, finance, energy, climate, and agriculture. While these areas take center stage, we welcome all tech-driven events that contribute to the innovation and momentum of the industry. View the list of events from 2025 here for some ideas. Some event formats that have worked well in the past include:
- Meetups by affinity group (Black in Tech, Intern meetup, Founders, Women, LGBTQIA+, etc.)
- Thought provoking workshops
- Events that blend Chicago culture and tech (i.e. tech night at sports events, official after parties, intimate dinners, beach meetups)
- Pitch competitions
- Co-Working Spaces with Tech Talks during lunch or happy hour
- Career Fairs for Early-Stage or Mid-Stage Tech Talent
- Industry specific events
- Product launches or showcases
- Lab tours
Is there a limit on the number of events I can submit?
There is no limit on the number of events an individual or organization can submit. Please complete a new form submission for each event.
Does the TCW team help me with event logistics and/or marketing my event?
- The TCW team does not cover costs, sponsorship, speaker management, logistics, or marketing related to your event. The TCW brand solely acts as a platform to support your promotional efforts. TCW promotion support includes:
- A listing of your event on the official TCW calendar.
- Promotion of the calendar in TCW eblasts to 32,000+ subscribers.
- Promotion of the calendar on the TechChicago LinkedIn with 8K followers.
- An effort to secure local media promoting the TCW calendar.
- Official TCW marketing materials provided to event hosts (upon event approval) including a logo to use on your marketing materials and editable templates in Canva for a printed poster and social media graphic.
Do you have any recommendations of venues, caterers, etc. for my event?
NEW to TCW26: Check out this public listing of event vendors that are interested in providing their services to TCW event hosts. Feel free to reach out to the vendors directly.
Which event platform should I use to host my online event registration?
We do not require event hosts to use any particular event platform for your event registration. However, we encourage you to use Eventnoire, a local, minority-owned event platform. Event partners exclusively using Eventnoire will receive these benefits:
- Adjustable ticket fees.
- A feature in Eventnoire’s TCW e-newsletter (200K Chicago and Midwest subscribers) .
- 20% of service fees or $100 per event for free events.
Email support@eventnoire.com once your event is live.
I have a service that could be valuable to TCW event hosts. (venues, caterers, professional services, sponsorship dollars, etc.) How can I get in front of this group?
NEW to TCW in 2026: Fill out the TCW26 Event Vendor Form to have your services featured on this publicly available listing that event hosts can view and reach out directly if they choose.
Become a Sponsor
Event Vendor Directory
Explore this public directory of vendors who are excited to support TechChicago Week event hosts.
If someone feels like a fit, reach out to them directly to start the conversation.
Are you a vendor interested in working with TCW hosts? Add your listing by filling out this form.
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