
We love Chicago founders, innovators, and investors.
World Business Chicago’s Innovation & Venture team drives inclusive growth and opportunity for the city’s tech, innovation, and start-up ecosystem through its portfolio of programs and initiatives.




We believe World Business Chicago’s work must be deeply invested in our city’s start-up & VC ecosystem
Our focus areas include expanding access to capital, talent and the larger innovation ecosystem for local founders and start-ups.

The region’s flagship start-up & VC conference and one of the nation’s premier venture events. The October 2022 summit was the largest Chicago Venture Summit ever with 850+ registered participants.

World Business Chicago’s flagship start-up growth & VC attraction program. In the past year, Startup Chicago hosted 20+ founder showcases attended by 300+ investors & VCs from across the United States.

World Business Chicago’s flagship STEM talent program. We connect diverse STEM talent with innovative Chicago companies and start-ups.

Flagship corporate start-up program in partnership with the Illinois Science & Technology Coalition (ISTC). Venture Engine leads a series of showcases to connect local start-ups with local Fortune 500s and our world-class corporate innovation ecosystem.
The Team
Meet the members of the WBC Innovation & Venture Strategy Team.
Abin Kuriakose
Executive Vice President, Innovation & Venture Strategy
Nicole McCarthy
Director, Innovation & Venture Strategy
Trenton Dunn
ThinkChicago, Program Manager, Innovation & Venture Strategy
Beatriz Kauffmann
ThinkChicago, Manager, Innovation & Venture Strategy
Lauren Backe
Venture, Events Manager, Innovation & Venture Strategy
Billy Ndizeye
Venture Program Associate
Manleen Rajput
Innovation & Venture, Program Associate
Thanks to @1871Chicago, @WorldBizChicago, and @Accenture for bringing together the best minds in supply chain and logistics for the #ChiVentureSummit. @MxDInnovates is proud to be an innovation sponsor! pic.twitter.com/z9VgHkxoJ9
— Alyssa Sullivan (@alyssa_sully) October 5, 2022
Opening keynote ➡️ @UberFreight
— Chi Venture Summit Future-of-Food by World Biz Chi (@ChicagoVCSummit) October 4, 2022
Keynotes ➡️ @freightpipes, @LoadsmartUS, & @MihAlliance
Panels ➡️ future-of-#startups, future-of-#VC, & future-of-corporate-innovation
800+ founders, innovators, & investors ➡️ our LARGEST #ChiVentureSummit ever
➡️ https://t.co/ltAcFREX6O pic.twitter.com/Zf3iesOL0T
.@GenZVCs x #Chicago 🚀 https://t.co/SN0Bm4I9h5
— Chi Venture Summit Future-of-Food by World Biz Chi (@ChicagoVCSummit) October 3, 2022