Chicago:Blend + TechRise Summit
Join Chicago:Blend and P33 for an afternoon of inspiring talks, startup pitches, and networking as we convene the city’s top founders, investors, and tech leaders at mHUB, Chicago's premier hardtech innovation center.
The event will kick off at 1p with a live edition of the TechRise startup pitch competition, when five startup founders will compete for a chance to win $25,000.
Then at 3p, we will transition into Blend:Talks, when Chicago:Blend’s Spring 2024 VC Fellows will offer thought-provoking talks about key issues and trends impacting the venture capital landscape.
Don’t miss this unique opportunity to see the newest companies and meet the future investors reshaping Chicago’s tech economy.
Thank you to our Event Sponsors CDW, mHUB, and Expo Pass for their generous support!
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AGENDA
1:00p - Doors open at mHUB
1:30p - Welcome Remarks
1:45p - TechRise Pitch Competition
2:45p - Networking Break + Transition
3:00p - Blend:Talks by Chicago:Blend
5:00p - Evening Reception
7:00p - Event Ends
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ABOUT US
Chicago:Blend
Chicago:Blend is a 501c3 nonprofit organization focused on building a more resilient and inclusive venture capital industry for Chicago. The Chicago:Blend Venture Fellowship is a 4-month program providing cohorts of underrepresented, aspiring VCs with real-world experience sourcing and evaluating deal flow, while expanding their networks and knowledge of VC. The program is supported by local community partners including GET Cities, CDW, World Business Chicago, TeamWorking by TechNexus, 1871, mHUB, MATTER, and VITALIZE Angels.
TechRise
TechRise by P33 is a multi-stakeholder initiative to support historically underrepresented tech founders from Chicagoland. We strive for racial, gender, and economic justice for all by challenging systems that limit access to capital from specific populations, especially from women and people of color. In partnership with local corporations and organizations like Verizon, 1871, investors, incubators, community leaders, and startup founders, TechRise introduces founders to Capital, Networks, and Knowledge to grow their business.
CDW
CDW Corporation (Nasdaq: CDW) is a leading multi-brand provider of information technology solutions to business, government, education and healthcare customers in the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada. A Fortune 500 company and member of the S&P 500 Index, CDW was founded in 1984 and employs approximately 15,300 coworkers. For the trailing twelve months ended March 31, 2023, CDW generated Net sales of approximately $23 billion.
mHUB
mHUB is where people come to build the physical technologies that will change the physical world. mHUB provides a hyper-resourced environment to entrepreneurs with the goal of commercializing new hardtech innovation that will lead to new businesses, intellectual property, investment, revenue, and job creation. Since launching in 2017, the mHUB community has generated more than $1.57B in revenue, launched more than 1,600 products, hired more than 5,500 employees, and raised over $1.89B in capital. To date, mHUB has invested in 46 startups across sustainable manufacturing, climate and energytech, and medtech.
Expo Pass
Create custom badges any way you like. Just plug in their printer kits and print in real time. No ink. No mess. No alphabetizing. A simple solution that leaves you with more time to focus on planning those awesome events!