1871 Announces 2023 Foodtech Innovation Summit!

CHICAGO, September 6th, 2023 – Global nonprofit innovation hub 1871 is hosting its first-ever Foodtech Innovation Summit on October 4th, 2023. In this hybrid public event, over 250+ food tech startups, corporate partners, investors, industry experts, and public attendees will converge for a full day of programming. Join us for an opportunity to engage in insightful sessions and unparalleled networking opportunities, all centered around food tech innovation. 

The first-ever Foodtech Innovation Lab 2023 cohort will be showcased at the event as this is the capstone of the lab experience launched earlier this year, built with industry expert and Entrepreneur-In-Residence Nate Cooper, Founder and Managing Partner at Barrel Ventures, with support from World Business Chicago, Farmers Fridge, Human Co, and Planting Hope. 

“Our Lab brings together the pioneering minds from both the tech and food sectors to catalyze a revolution. This summit ignites a turbocharged hub of ideas, innovation, and collaboration,” said Betsy Ziegler, CEO of 1871. “Our first-ever Foodtech Innovation Summit is not to be missed, as it’s a pivotal step towards uniting the power of technology with neighboring industries to cultivate a healthier, more equitable, and environmentally responsible future in food.” 

“Food is the only industry EVERY human being on the planet interacts with on a daily basis. It is our universal language,” said Nate Cooper, Founder and Managing Partner at Barrel Ventures. “The opportunity to create value in future food technologies is truly endless. I hope this is the first of many summits- where we get to pair early-stage founders with mentors and successful leaders. The future is bright.”

Summit Agenda

The public summit will have interactive programming for attendees to participate in from 8:30 AM – 6:30 PM CST. Breakfast and lunch will be offered to in-person attendees, followed by happy-hour networking and drinks in the final hours of the event.

Running in parallel with the Supply Chain Innovation Summit, the Foodtech Innovation Summit will immerse participants in a series of sessions highlighting industry trends, top startups in the space, and interactive breakout sessions for conversations on industry transformation. 

The two labs will congregate for joint informative keynotes with industry leaders, networking opportunities, and interactive Startup Booths + Tech Playground. This dynamic environment will allow attendees to interact with startups from both industries, fostering knowledge exchange and inspirational discussions on the latest tech trends. 

While attendees can watch virtually, only a select group of events will be live-streamed. In-person participation is highly recommended. 

Stay tuned, we’re gearing up to unveil an all-star lineup of guest speakers and supercharged breakout sessions for our action-packed full-day agenda!

Registration is required to participate in this event. RSVP and confirm your attendance by October 1st, 2023, as the number of public tickets is limited. 

For information regarding joining the summit as a sponsor, please reach out to corpinno@1871.com. Subscribe to stay up-to-date on 1871’s Food Tech-related programming & news. 

About 1871 

1871 is Chicago’s innovation hub and the #1 ranked private business incubator in the world. It exists to inspire, equip, and support early-stage, growth-stage, late-stage, and corporate innovators in building extraordinary businesses. 1871 is home to ~400 technology startups, ~200 growth stage companies, and ~1,500 members, and is supported by an entire ecosystem focused on accelerating their growth and creating jobs in the Chicagoland area. The member experience includes virtual and in-person access to workshops, events, mentorship, and more. The nonprofit organization has 350 mentors available to its members, alongside access to more than 200 partner corporations, universities, education programs, accelerators, venture funds, and others. Since its inception in 2012, more than 850 alumni companies are currently still active, have created over 14,500 jobs, and have raised more than $3.5 billion in follow-on capital.