Fourth summit to build on 2017’s momentum of $1.73 billion invested in the city

For a fourth year, the Chicago Venture Summit will return to Google Chicago and connect national venture capitalists with Chicago startups. Organized by ChicagoNEXT of World Business Chicago, the summit offers direct access between entrepreneurs, investors, and leading Fortune 500 firms.

As a top-ranking global tech hub, investors are increasingly turning their eye toward Chicago’s tech and innovation scene. 2017 was the best year for VC funding since the dot-com boom in 2000, after tech companies raised $1.73 billion according to a recent report from Built in Chicago.

The 2018 Chicago Venture Summit will build on this growing momentum with two full days of industry-specific networking and programming featuring Chicago’s leading innovation hubs; pitch sessions and panels from Chicago-based entrepreneurs and startups; insights from local and national venture investors; and forums highlighting Chicago’s global leadership in talent development, its leading industries, and its focus on innovation.

The summit has made a strong impact on Chicago’s startup community. Since participating in the first two summits in 2014 and 2016, 30 companies have collectively raised at least $431 million. The 2017 Chicago Venture Summit welcomed more than 400 investors, startup founders, and business and community leaders from Chicago and around the country.

“Chicago is consistently ranked as one of the leading cities in the world to build a business, hire fresh talent, and generate return on investment in the technology sector,” said Mark Tebbe, chairman of ChicagoNEXT. “The Chicago Venture Summit celebrates these successes and provides investors face-to-face connections with the startups and entrepreneurs making Chicago a global technology leader.”

Google, JP Morgan, and William Blair return as lead sponsors for the 2018 Chicago Venture Summit.

For more information on sponsorship opportunities, media inquiries, and up-to-date event details visit chicagoventuresummit.com.