Innovation
Chicago's innovation and venture ecosystem brings the best minds together to help change the world.
Chicago is a global innovation hub.
Chicago has the second highest number of Fortune 500 company headquarters.
Chicago has 100 + higher education institutions and is ranked #4 in the U.S. for STEM talent.
Chicago is a hub for corporate innovation, with twenty-four corporate innovation centers.
Chicago isn’t Silicon Valley and that’s a Good Thing.
Chicago has evolved from flyover country to a stomping ground for start-ups. Over twenty unicorns are here, twelve of which were minted in 2021.
In 2021, Chicago's tech ecosystem saw unprecedented investment: tech companies raised over $7 billion in venture capital, over double of what was raised in 2020. Looking at an expanded definition of "growth capital" for companies – including VC, private equity for growth, and corporate VC – Chicago start-ups raised just over $9.7 billion in 2021.