Registration Now Open for Fintech Startups to Join Inaugural Future-of-FinTech Week in Chicago

CHICAGO, Sept. 16, 2024 – World Business Chicago, the city’s economic development agency, announces the inaugural Future-of-FinTech Week, September 23-27, 2024.

Registration for invite-only investor and startup events is now open. All Chicagoland region fintech and insurtech entrepreneurs are encouraged to contact World Business Chicago to join the official startup portfolio.

Building on the success of the city’s flagship Chicago Venture Summit, Future-of-FinTech Week will bring together industry leaders, entrepreneurs, investors, and innovators to explore the future of finance in Chicago.

“Chicago’s position as a global leader in finance and innovation is no accident—it’s the result of our city’s deep-rooted commitment to fostering inclusive economic diversity and growth,” said Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson. “Future-of-FinTech Week is an opportunity to build on our legacy by empowering the next generation of fintech innovators. As fintech continues to thrive in our city, the efforts we lead today will ensure that Chicago remains at the forefront of economic opportunity, creating jobs for Chicago residents for generations to come.”

“Future-of-FinTech Week exemplifies how we drive collaboration between innovative startups and established industry leaders, advancing a truly inclusive and equitable circular economy where both startups and mature companies thrive,” said Charles Smith, Vice Chair of World Business Chicago and CEO of CS Insurance Strategies, a division of MMA. “Chicago is uniquely positioned to lead in the fintech space, and World Business Chicago is deeply committed to fostering the success of local entrepreneurs, growth capital firms, board members, and the city’s thriving fintech ecosystem.”

World Business Chicago manages a portfolio of programs to attract growth capital for local entrepreneurs, attract STEM talent for emerging companies, and grow the region’s innovation economy with corporate, university, and national lab partnerships. Their programs include the city’s flagship startup conference the Chicago Venture Summit series, the startup growth and capital attraction program Startup Chicago, STEM talent attraction and retention program, ThinkChicago, and corporate-startup program, Enterprise Chicago.

“Small businesses and entrepreneurs are a critical driving force behind economic innovation and job creation,” said Phil Clement, President & CEO, World Business Chicago. “Future-of-FinTech Week is designed startups to connect start-ups with investors, resources, and the networks needed to fuel their growth. World Business Chicago is committed to making Chicago a premier hub for fintech investment and innovation, and we’re excited to lead the charge in shaping the future of this dynamic industry.”

WBC-led events include a Future-of-FinTech Week Reception and official Startup Day at 1871. Additional partner events include: Future-of-FinTech Week Showcase by the Consulate General of Canada and Morning Star, Startup Grind AI & Fintech Showcase & Happy Hour, and 1871 and BMO’s WMNfintech Showcase.

“At 1871, we believe that the intersection of fintech and innovation holds immense potential for solving some of the most critical challenges in today’s economy”, said Betsy Ziegler CEO of 1871. ” We’re proud to be part of the inaugural Future-of-FinTech Week, connecting Chicago’s most promising startups with the investors, resources, and networks that will help them scale. Events like these showcase the talent and ingenuity within our city and position Chicago as a leading hub for fintech innovation. We’re excited to partner with World Business Chicago to foster this vibrant community and drive the future of fintech forward.”

“At BMO, innovation and the transformative power of technology is helping deliver best-in-class, convenient banking experiences that power real financial progress for our customers,” said Andrew Harrison, Head of U.S. Digital Partners, BMO. “BMO’s industry-leading digital capabilities are also helping drive inclusion within the financial industry and our WMNfintech program is building a powerful inclusive eco-system for women-founders. The Future-of-FinTech Week will showcase their world-class talent and Chicago’s leadership in this space.”

“Canada offers a fantastic value proposition for Chicago-built technologies. A remarkable 62% of financial institutions in Canada are actively involved in partnerships with fintech companies. That’s 15% higher than the worldwide average,” said Madeleine Féquière, Consul General of Canada in Chicago. “Canada also offers Midwest companies a gateway to the world with access to international talent and markets through our welcoming immigration policies and free trade agreements with 51 countries.”

Future-of-FinTech Week 2024 is made possible through presenting sponsors BMO, Jump Capital, Sterling Bay, and the Consulate General of Canada in Chicago. Startup Day Sponsors include Decasonic, Lofty Ventures, and 1871.

Sach Chitnis, Co-Founder of Jump Capital, commented, “The Chicago innovation ecosystem is a unique blend of industry-leading Fortune 2000 companies and dynamic founders working collaboratively within their sectors. This balance is what makes Chicago thrive, especially in fintech, where innovators and leaders in banking, insurance, compliance, and capital markets are driving real progress. From the beginning, Jump Capital has been an active early-stage fintech investor nationwide, and we’re proud to see Chicago emerging as a leader, pushing fintech to the forefront.”

“Chicago has a storied history in financial innovation, and Lofty Ventures is honored to play a small role in this continued tradition as a partner and supporter of World Business Chicago and the Future-of-FinTech Week,” commented Christopher Deutsch, founder of Lofty Ventures. “The Lofty Family, which consists of over 170 founders, counts several Chicago-based fintech startups, including Bridge Money and Tandem.  As first-check investors focused on the local ecosystem, we will continue to leverage our partnership with WBC to provide our founders with unmatched access to capital and strategic relationships.”

“At Decasonic, we pride ourselves on providing enhancement capital—backing visionary founders with more than just funding, but applying the experience our team has earned as founders and seasoned strategic investors, to build durable companies delivering transformative innovations,” said Paul Hsu, Founder and CEO of Decasonic. “We purposefully established our headquarters in Chicago, a city we see as a center of innovation across multiple industries. Our partnership with Future-of-FinTech Week highlights our commitment to the Chicagoland fintech ecosystem, where our capital and expertise drive groundbreaking advancements in blockchain, web3, and AI, shaping the future of finance.”

“Chicago has proven itself to be a place where innovation and entrepreneurship can thrive,” said Keating Crown, Managing Principal at Sterling Bay. “We have seen this firsthand by partnering with organizations like World Business Chicago to attract growing industries, including upstart fintech businesses. Building diverse live-work-play environments like Fulton Market is a big part of that effort. We are proud to be part of the Future-of-FinTech Week.”

Future-of-FinTech Week is calling all fintech and insurtech entrepreneurs to join the official startup portfolio for the September 23-27 events via Innovation Program Manager, Manleen Rajput: mrajput@worldbusinesschicago.com.

If you would like to host a partner event or sponsor Future-of-FinTech Week, please contact Venture Events Director, Lauren Backe: lbacke@worldbusinesschicago.com.

You can learn more about World Business Chicago’s Future-of-FinTech Week 2024 at www.ChicagoVentureSummit.com. Registration for these invite-only investor and startup events is now open.

ABOUT WORLD BUSINESS CHICAGO
World Business Chicago (WBC) serves a critical role in driving inclusive and equitable economic development throughout the city’s 77 neighborhoods, focused on high growth sectors: food production, transportation, distribution, & logistics; manufacturing; healthcare & life sciences, and our local innovation, startup, & venture ecosystem. As the City of Chicago’s economic development agency, World Business Chicago leads corporate attraction & retention, workforce & talent, community impact, and promotion of Chicago as a leading global city. Supported by a council of 300+ local leaders, World Business Chicago’s portfolio of innovation & venture programs include the Chicago Venture Summit series, Startup Chicago, Enterprise Chicago and ThinkChicago. Follow World Business Chicago on LinkedIn for news and announcements on corporate relocation and expansion, industry and ecosystem growth, U.S. and world rankings, and economic development.