1871 Announces the 2026 Momentum Award Winners

19th Annual Momentum Awards honors eight standout companies and leaders building what’s next in Chicago

1871 today announced the winners of the 19th Annual Momentum Awards, its annual celebration of Chicago’s technology community and an important fundraiser supporting 1871’s nonprofit mission.

Held September 17 at 167 N. Green St. in Chicago, the Momentum Awards brought together hundreds of founders, investors, corporate and civic leaders, and supporters to celebrate Chicago — and the people and companies building what comes next.

The eight 2026 winners span stages and industries, but share something bigger: each is building an extraordinary company or strengthening the community that makes those companies possible.

“Chicago has always been a city of builders, and this year’s Momentum winners represent the ambition, ingenuity, and generosity that make this community extraordinary,” said Larry Eppley, Chairman of the 1871 Board of Directors. “They are building companies, creating jobs, solving meaningful problems, and giving back along the way. Momentum is our opportunity to celebrate them — and to remind ourselves what is possible when Chicago gets behind its builders.”

The celebration also marked a new chapter for 1871. After 13 years at the Merchandise Mart, 1871 moved this year to a new home at 111 N. Canal St., reduced its costs, evolved its business model, and grew its impact. What didn’t change was the mission: to inspire, equip, and support the leaders building the future.

The evening made that mission tangible.

1871 Board Members Troy Henikoff, Amanda Lannert, and Jim Dugan opened the celebration by telling the story of SpotHero, tracing the company from its earliest days in the 2012 class of Excelerate Labs, which made its home at the newly opened 1871, through SpotHero’s 2026 acquisition by Uber. As the story unfolded, SpotHero employees and alumni, mentors, investors, customers, and others who had played a role in the company’s journey were asked to stand — making visible the network of people behind one company’s success.

“1871 isn’t a building. It’s the founder. The mentor. The investor. The corporate leader. It’s the person who takes the meeting, makes the introduction, becomes the first customer, or simply says, ‘I believe in you,’” said Betsy Ziegler, CEO of 1871. “Our job is to increase the probability that our founders succeed — and shorten the time it takes to get there. Because a win for one is a win for all. And Chicago needs more wins.”

That spirit also inspired a new Momentum tradition introduced this year. Winners from the previous two years returned to the stage to present each award to the 2026 recipient. Going forward, Momentum winners will return to help recognize those who follow them — creating an ongoing cycle of celebration, connection, and giving back to the community that helped them succeed.

In addition to the awards, the evening included a pre-show cocktail hour, dinner and drinks, a silent auction and raffle benefiting 1871’s nonprofit mission, and an afterparty.

The 2026 Winners

Corporate Champion Award winner: Deloitte

The Corporate Champion Award recognizes a corporation that goes beyond succeeding in its own business to invest in Chicago, strengthen the community, and use its people, expertise, and resources to help others succeed.

The 2026 Corporate Champion Award was presented to Deloitte, a longtime 1871 partner and an important part of Chicago’s business and innovation community.

Deloitte’s support extends beyond financial investment. Its team members give their time, share expertise, mentor founders, make introductions, open doors, and help entrepreneurs tackle the challenges of building and scaling companies.

Strong companies aren’t built alone. They are built when people and organizations are willing to lean in, share what they know, and help the next generation of leaders succeed. Deloitte continues to do exactly that at 1871, across Chicago, and around the globe.

Chicagoness Award winner: Jeremie Bacon

The Chicagoness Award honors an individual who doesn’t just succeed in Chicago, but helps Chicago succeed through mentorship, investment, civic leadership, and a commitment to helping others rise.

The 2026 Chicagoness Award was presented to Jeremie Bacon, an 1871 Board Member, serial entrepreneur and investor who has built and exited multiple companies and has spent years giving his time, experience, and support back to Chicago’s entrepreneurial community.

Bacon is also an Adjunct Associate Professor of Entrepreneurship at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, where he teaches New Venture Strategy, and a co-founder of The Forge Adventure Parks and The Wilder World Trust.

But what most defines Bacon’s impact is a simple philosophy: give first, always. Whether mentoring a founder, making an introduction, investing in an idea, teaching the next generation, or showing up for the broader Chicago community, Bacon consistently puts that philosophy into action.

That is Chicagoness.

Social Impact Award winner: Eventnoire

The Social Impact Award recognizes companies proving that business success and meaningful impact can go hand in hand — companies built around problems that matter, where impact is central to why the business exists.

The 2026 Social Impact Award was presented to Eventnoire, an online event discovery and ticketing platform built around culture and community — and a company founded at 1871.

Eventnoire connects people with culturally relevant experiences while giving organizations and event creators tools to host and grow events and stay connected with their communities.

The impact goes beyond the events themselves. By helping people discover experiences where they feel seen and connected — while giving event creators the tools to reach audiences, grow their businesses, and build stronger communities — Eventnoire is using technology to expand both connection and economic opportunity.

Outstanding Tech CEO Award winner: Tim Huelskamp

The Outstanding Tech CEO Award recognizes a leader who can set a vision, build an extraordinary team, make difficult decisions, and keep people moving forward when the path isn’t clear.

The 2026 Outstanding Tech CEO Award was presented to Tim Huelskamp, Co-Founder and CEO of 1440, a company founded at 1871.

Founded in 2017 as an email sent to 78 friends and family, 1440 has grown into a multi-platform news and knowledge company reaching more than 4.7 million subscribers. In June 2026, the bootstrapped and profitable Chicago company announced it had reached a $101 million valuation.

But Huelskamp’s impact extends well beyond the company he leads. He launched Fifth Star Funds to expand access to early-stage capital and works actively to connect leaders across Chicago’s technology, business, and civic communities. Whether investing, making introductions, sharing what he has learned, or helping bring people together around Chicago, Huelskamp has made giving back part of how he leads.

Industry Disrupter Award winner: WovenX Health

The Industry Disrupter Award recognizes a company redefining its industry through an innovative product, service, or approach with the potential to fundamentally change how the industry works.

The 2026 Industry Disrupter Award was presented to WovenX Health, a specialty access platform designed to help patients access specialty care faster and a member of MATTER, Chicago’s healthcare innovation community.

WovenX combines intelligent intake, on-demand specialty visits, specialty-trained clinical teams, and technology to help health systems and specialty practices improve access, reduce delays, and increase capacity.

By working within existing healthcare systems and practice workflows, WovenX is rethinking how patients enter and move through specialty care — addressing one of healthcare’s most persistent challenges: getting patients to the right care when they need it.

Rising Star Award winner: Changed

The Rising Star Award recognizes an early-stage company with up to $3 million in annual revenue that is positioned to become a market leader while demonstrating significant traction and a commitment to Chicago’s technology community.

The 2026 Rising Star Award was presented to Changed, a financial technology company helping people take a more automated approach to paying down debt — and a company founded at 1871.

Changed’s debt payoff app helps users track, manage, and accelerate debt repayment, including through automated tools that turn smaller everyday financial actions into additional debt payments.

By making debt repayment easier to incorporate into everyday life, Changed is tackling a financial challenge affecting millions of consumers — and represents exactly what the Rising Star Award was created to recognize: an ambitious Chicago company early in its journey with the potential to become something much bigger.

Momentum Award winner: Letter AI

The Momentum Award recognizes a growth-stage technology company with $3 million to $25 million in annual revenue that has achieved meaningful traction, established a clear competitive advantage, and is positioned for continued growth while contributing to Chicago’s technology community.

The 2026 Momentum Award was presented to Letter AI, an AI-native revenue enablement company helping sales organizations bring intelligence directly into active deals.

In February 2026, Letter AI announced a $40 million Series B led by Battery Ventures, with participation from Y Combinator, Lightbank, Northwestern Mutual Future Ventures, Stage 2 Capital, and existing investors. The company said the funding would support product development, team growth, and continued expansion.

Letter AI’s platform brings content, guidance, training, and deal intelligence directly into the moments when sales decisions are being made. As the company continues to scale, Letter AI is building its next chapter from Chicago and demonstrating the kind of ambition, growth, and commitment to this city that the Momentum Award was created to recognize.

CityLIGHTS Award winner: Noto

The CityLIGHTS Award recognizes a late-stage technology company with more than $25 million in annual revenue that has become a category leader through innovation, growth, and a demonstrated commitment to Chicago’s technology community.

The 2026 CityLIGHTS Award was presented to Noto, led by Co-Founder and CEO Stephen Smith. Noto is an AI-enabled platform focused on transforming specialty therapy for complex psychiatric and behavioral conditions. Its first specialty therapy brand, NOCD, focuses on OCD and related conditions and provides the foundation for Noto’s broader work to expand specialty mental health care.

Noto has achieved meaningful scale while continuing to drive innovation and deliver strong business results. With hundreds of employees in Chicago, the company has also invested significantly in the city—creating jobs and building its next chapter here.

About the Momentum Awards

The Momentum Awards, now in its 19th year, is 1871’s largest annual celebration of Chicago’s technology community and an important fundraiser supporting 1871’s nonprofit mission. The event brings together founders, investors, business and civic leaders, and partners to celebrate Chicago, recognize the people and companies building extraordinary businesses, and support the next generation of founders.

Thousands of votes were cast in 2026. Winners are determined through a combination of public voting and voting by the 1871 Board of Directors.

The 2026 Momentum Awards were made possible with the support of: 7wire, Accenture, Aon, BMO, Cresa, Deloitte, dscout, Edelman, Expo Pass, Gensler, HOMEx, Lofty Ventures, OCA Ventures, PNC, SpotHero, Three Cities Social Club, U3 Coffee, and The University of Chicago.

About 1871

1871 is a nonprofit technology hub headquartered in Chicago, with members everywhere. Our mission is to inspire, equip, and support the leaders building the future.

At the heart of 1871 is a community of builders — from early-stage founders to growth- and late-stage companies, corporate innovators, investors, mentors, universities, and civic leaders — who share knowledge, open doors, make connections, become customers, invest capital, and help one another succeed.

Today, the 1871 community includes more than 2,000 alumni companies, hundreds of startups, and 60 corporate and civic partners. Since 1871 was founded in 2012, companies that got their earliest start at 1871 have created more than 20,000 jobs, generated approximately $1.4 billion in annual salaries, and raised more than $7 billion in capital

1871’s job is to increase the probability of success and shorten the time it takes to get there. Because extraordinary companies aren’t built alone. The magic of 1871 is the people. A win for one is a win for all.