• #1 for Corporate Expansions
  • 327 major business expansions and relocations in 2020
  • #1 Best big city in the U.S. five years in a row
  • 12 new tech unicorns in 2021
  • 378 startups were founded over the last five years
  • $5.5B in venture funding raised
  • Two of the five DOE National Quantum Initiative Centers
  • 6,151 Chicago tech startups
  • 26% of Chicago’s tech workforce is Black or Latino
  • #1 U.S. city for angel & seed-stage funding for Black and Latino founders
  • #1 highest concentration of women-owned startups in the world
  • 1,200+ certified minority-owned businesses
  • #1 most immigrant-friendly out of the 100 largest U.S. cities
  • #3 fastest growing tech hub by salary
  • A $671B economy
  • 90,000+ STEM jobs added since 2010
  • 37 Fortune 500 Companies
  • #2 largest producer of computer science degrees in the U.S.
  • #1 most connected airport in U.S.
  • 20% lower rents than other major U.S. cities
  • 35% lower cost of living than San Francisco
  • 30% lower cost of living than NYC
  • 600+ parks spanning 12,429 total acres
  • 26 miles of lakefront
  • 15 miles of sandy beaches
  • #2 highest percentage of commuters riding their bikes to work
  • Named #1 best food and drink city in the world by Time Out
  • 8 major league sports teams to cheer for
  • 500+ theaters and live music venues
  • 60+ museums
  • 77 distinct neighborhoods
  • #1 for Corporate Expansions
  • 327 major business expansions and relocations in 2020
  • #1 Best big city in the U.S. five years in a row
  • 12 new tech unicorns in 2021
  • 378 startups were founded over the last five years
  • $5.5B in venture funding raised
  • Two of the five DOE National Quantum Initiative Centers
  • 6,151 Chicago tech startups
  • 26% of Chicago’s tech workforce is Black or Latino
  • #1 U.S. city for angel & seed-stage funding for Black and Latino founders
  • #1 highest concentration of women-owned startups in the world
  • 1,200+ certified minority-owned businesses
  • #1 most immigrant-friendly out of the 100 largest U.S. cities
  • #3 fastest growing tech hub by salary
  • A $671B economy
  • 90,000+ STEM jobs added since 2010
  • 37 Fortune 500 Companies
  • #2 largest producer of computer science degrees in the U.S.
  • #1 most connected airport in U.S.
  • 20% lower rents than other major U.S. cities
  • 35% lower cost of living than San Francisco
  • 30% lower cost of living than NYC
  • 600+ parks spanning 12,429 total acres
  • 26 miles of lakefront
  • 15 miles of sandy beaches
  • #2 highest percentage of commuters riding their bikes to work
  • Named #1 best food and drink city in the world by Time Out
  • 8 major league sports teams to cheer for
  • 500+ theaters and live music venues
  • 60+ museums
  • 77 distinct neighborhoods

People & Equity

The face of tech. Redefined.

The Chicago tech community has the commitment and conviction to build the most inclusive tech ecosystem on the planet. Meet some of the diverse people who are pushing boundaries, fueling innovation, and making an impact.

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Dr. Garry Cooper, CEO and Co-Founder, Rheaply

Ceo, Co-Founder

Dr. Garry Cooper

Rheaply

When Dr. Garry Cooper isn’t busy inspiring zero-waste, climate-centered organizations as Rheaply CEO, this Forbes Next 1000 member has his hands full investing in the next generation of founders as a partner at LongJump.

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Founder and Chairman

Penny Pritzker

PSP Partners and 38th Secretary of Commerce

The honorable Penny Pritzker – fueled by a vision to reinvigorate Chicago’s tech community. Her views are informed by her work on the board of tech companies like Microsoft, Icertis and Finix, as a builder of several businesses, an investor through her firm PSP Partners in dozens of technology firms, from her time as the 38th Secretary of Commerce, and as a member of President Biden’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology. Her bullish stance on the future of the city’s tech leadership led to the founding of P33, which is working to carry forth a vision of catalyzing Chicago’s tech and innovation economy and promoting inclusive economic growth for all its residents.

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Chris Gladwin, CEO and Co-Founder, Ocient

Ceo, Co-Founder

Chris Gladwin

Ocient

Meet the man behind Cleversafe, a data storage pioneer that sold to IBM for $1.3 billion. But Chris didn’t rest on his laurels after that. As CEO and Co-Founder of Ocient, he’s now helping companies analyze the largest data sets in the world.

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Pranav Gokhale, PhD, CEO, Super.tech

CEO

Pranav Gokhale, PhD

Super.tech

As Super.tech CEO, Pranav Gokhale puts his PhD in quantum computing from the University of Chicago to use breaking the abstraction barrier between quantum hardware and software to realize practical applications.

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Christine Izuakor, PhD, CEO and Co-Founder, Cyber Pop-Up

Ceo, Co-Founder

Christine Izuakor, PhD

Cyber Pop-Up

Dr. Christine Izuakor’s brainchild Cyber Pop-Up connects high-demand businesses to on-demand (and affordable!) cyber security services. She’s also a 2021 TechRise winner, frequent industry speaker, and avid world traveler.

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Colleen Egan, President and CEO, Illinois Science & Technology Coalition

President and CEO

Colleen Egan

Illinois Science & Technology Coalition

Colleen Egan leads ISTC’s efforts to amplify diverse voices and cultivate tech-based economic development. Colleen serves on a long list of boards and committees, including U.S. Congresswoman Robin Kelly’s LGBTQ task force.

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