Last week was packed with meetings, consulting , business development and networking. The Chicago high-tech community continues to gain massive momentum. Notable is the January Technori Pitch Event. Technori is a group that holds monthly events to showcase Chicago entrepreneurs building tomorrow’s solutions. The event was sold out, held in the JP Morgan Chase Bank auditorium at 10 South Dearborn. Sold out, I’m told means that 520 seats in the auditorium were filled to capacity – by my eyes, the room was standing room only – but don’t tell the fire marshal.
Chicago High-tech
For a recap, let me point you to the Technori website recap. I want to focus on a different perspective.
First of all, I have spent the last 3+ years pitch working with startups in the Chicago area. My perspective is grounded in Silicon Valley software for 16 years, building a software division of a Swiss growth company, and a software company in Research Triangle Park, and Houston. By my eyes, what I saw at Technori Pitch on January 31st rivals the go-go days of the late 80s and 90s in the San Francisco Bay Area. This is BIG.
From the energy in the room and the ideas on the stage, one’s senses were filled with the potential power that a new group of young entrepreneurs were changing the world through delivering real value in desired and almost expected digital customer experiences.
Chicago pushes way out in front leading a new breed of growth potential untethered by geography. Following behind are new pockets from Tennessee to Missouri to Texas – some virtually connected. The locus of innovation has spread in a true virtual sense across the nation, and I suspect across the globe.
This momentum is not new. Giving credit where it is due, the Illinois Technology Association, the Chicago Entrepreneur Center, the Business Network Chicago, Built in Chicago, Illinois Launch have been driving this growth in the entrepreneurial community for many years. After Groupon, Technori Pitch is the newest indicator that Chicago is a great place to start a technology company.
