Unleashing the Future of Artificial Intelligence: 1871’s A.I. Innovation Summit 2023 

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1871’s First-Ever AI Innovation Summit Brings Community Together to Explore Cutting-Edge AI Technologies & Transformative Solutions

As artificial intelligence continues to rapidly evolve and is on the up-and-rise, it was only fitting that hundreds of AI enthusiasts, investors, and industry leaders joined us for our first-ever AI Innovation Summit on 06.29.23. 

Proudly partnered with Why of AI, this summit culminated to showcase 1871’s first-ever AI Innovation Lab cohort and discuss all the extraordinary advancements and evolutionary integrations of artificial intelligence in a full day of programming and networking opportunities. 

“The best way to predict the future… is to create it,” wisely said by Alex Castrounis, CEO of Why of AI. “That’s what we’re doing here. When everything comes together with a great community that understands A.I. drives things forward, we become innovation, pioneers, not followers — and we build a better future where A.I. results in a much better world.” 

“A.I. stands as a catalyst, its potential to reshape industries, redefine business models, and clearly disrupt industries is evident,” said 1871 CEO, Betsy Ziegler. “The potential for disruption and pace of change is something we’ve never seen before. Together, we’re embarking on a journey of exploration, where A.I. disruption can unite us together to transform the world.”  

A.I.’s Global Transformation 

Ana Brnabić, Prime Minister of Serbia, joined our community for a discussion on Serbia’s efforts to ‘become one of the countries at the forefront of utilizing and investing in A.I.’.  

From beginning with only paper documents in 2016 to now all documents being digitized for its 6.8 million citizens, Serbia has come a long way, tech-wise. Brnabić plans to continue welcoming innovation, investing in education, and advancing the country within the IT sector, beginning their efforts with e-government. 

“It’s almost like being a startup and needing to compete in a fast-changing environment,” said Brnabić. “This is our competitive advantage; we are small, we can adapt much faster, and we showed how it can work.” 

From introducing coding classes into primary schools, IT classes in secondary schools, and machine learning classes in high schools — which has transformed into 29% of all students graduating from tech faculties and every second new job created in the IT sector in 2021 — education has been the forefront of their efforts. 

Serbia has also invested 200M€ into infrastructures for startup & innovation companies, joined 28 other countries in utilizing A.I., and passed a science fund based on the National Science Fund of the United States for more research and development within the country. 

Increasing from an annual IT export in 2012 of 375M€ to 2.7B€ in the latter half of 2016, to now estimates of $4B€ this year, Serbia joins other countries in quickly adapting and innovating with artificial intelligence and machine-learning tech.  

“My advice? Invest in education, and embrace tech. Governments and countries can decide to shut their eyes and pretend things aren’t happening, but they are,” said Brnabić. “We should embrace technology and see how it WILL change society and our ways of life. We must anticipate these changes. The role of government is to provide opportunities for people to gain new knowledge and acquire new skills. If we do our job, technology, and AI, if used in the right manner, can bring so much more positive to the world and mankind.”  

The power of students in A.I. 

Our first-ever student AI Tech Challenge, hosted earlier this year, brought current university students and recent grads together to utilize artificial intelligence while creating models that help solve our partner Discover’s continuous challenge – their call channels. 

After much deliberation, we had not one, but two extraordinary Purdue University students win the challenge with their voice-to-text transcription model.

 Congratulations to Wenliang Chen, a graduate of Purdue University with a Master of Science in Computer Information Technology, and Tianzong Zhang, an aspiring computer scientist pursuing a Master in Computer Science at Purdue University! 

Utilizing A.I. for positive change

As A.I. continues to rapidly adapt and improve, the big question is HOW can individuals — and society itself — use A.I. for positive change? 

A.I. experts joined us to discuss several different focus areas of utilizing artificial intelligence in the workplace, and “outside of the office” in their breakout sessions: 

As artificial intelligence is dubbed “the fourth industrial revolution”, Castrounis and Hamilton explained that this is a new opportunity to take key factors of A.I. into consideration when industries are going through conversions. 

“AI is going to accelerate. We must take the opportunity to think about how we can standardize the impacts and be mindful of them, so they become good impacts and we avoid risks,” said Hamilton. 

A.I. has several impacts on our society, including; economic impact, the future of the workplace, social impact, and environmental impact. So Why A.I., and why should we focus on this? 

“It’s time to stop talking the talk,” said Castrounis. “Organizations should incorporate frameworks like the NIST AI RMF into their governance practices to ensure the development and deployment of responsible and trustworthy AI systems.” 

Dalrymple and Wu’s interactive workshop explored the profound impact of design thinking on Generative (gen) A.I. The leaders and its audience explored Gen A.I.’s transformative potential of human-centered design principles, and the tools to help organizations be more creative, efficient, and user-centric to ensure product-market fit across all parts of the value chain

“We can talk about Gen A.I. in any way today if we wanted to. But ultimately, we want to talk about how you think about starting with user needs? How do you think about the people involved throughout the experience of your product, the delivery of your product, and ultimately the operational elements of your product,” said Dalrymple. “Gen A.I. can help you with all of these things. It can be something that is helping you understand what to put out there in the world and help make that process simpler. It’s a pretty critical opportunity for you.” 

Rao, Ran, and Long’s breakout session discussed how to make businesses organizationally ready to adopt A.I. trends across various landscapes, including talent, technology, data, and tooling. 

“Gen A.I. is going to make people’s lives easier, using data and getting insights to make experiences better for customers,” said Rao. 

A research study by McKinsey found that generative A.I. can add up to $4.4 trillion in annual global productivity. 

Breakout session leaders demonstrated how McKinsey is utilizing generative A.I. with a demonstration of their very own tool, Jarvis. The generative A.I. tool was created to reduce the time taken going through documents to see how experts have approached problems previously. 

The potential of A.I

Hosted by Satya Rao, Partner at McKinsey & Company, our diverse group of AI expert panelists discussed ‘Navigating the A.I. Frontier’, with a focus on ethical considerations, latest advancements, & potential societal impacts. 

“To harness the power of A.I., I think investing in the right kind of platform is key. Ask anyone who builds models, your model is only as good as the data that feeds it,” said Anu Kondepudy, Director of Analytics & Innovation at United Airlines. “If you don’t move quickly then your solution is already too old.”

In addition to Kondepudy, expert speakers included Kris Hammond, Professor of Computer Science at Northwestern University & Director of The Center for Advancing Safety of Machine Intelligence, Adam Wisniewski, CEO at EX3 Labs, Adam Caplan SVP of Salesforce A.I., and Raghu Kulkarni, Vice President of Data Science at Discover Financial Services.

“The key challenge is as we feed more data, the risk of unintended consequences increases,” said Kulkarni. 

We ended the summit with an intimate conversation with Max Hjelm, VP of Sales at CoreWeave, interviewed by Ernie Rogers, COO of Magnetar Capital, core investor and independent board member of CoreWeave. 

 “We believe that A.I. will add value to investments. The industry is changing rapidly and we’re ready to help A.I. companies grow. We’re focused on improving business processes and gaining efficiencies” said Rogers.

“What should people be focused on? There’s a lot of subject matter that goes into this industry,” said Hjelm. “I think less of a skill and more of a mentality that you can adapt is a go-getter mentality and tenacity, what business is looking for is people who are willing to push the envelope.”

Current players in A.I. 

Attendees had the opportunity to discover the innovative new products and services that 1871’s first-ever AI Innovation Lab cohort is working on in our Startup Tech Alley.

 Founders set up booths for public engagement, investor conversations, and product demos for inspiration on reshaping industries and driving innovation with their AI-powered solutions.

We had a blast hearing from these founders and their real-life businesses that are making a difference in A.I. in our pitching showcase. 

We heard extraordinary pitches from Nico Anguilar, CEO of  Speeko, Nancy Munro, Founder & CEO of Verbal Transactions,  Derrick L Johnson, Founder of Encounter AI, Marc Ward, CEO of  Socian Technologies,  Nilay Parikh, Founder & CEO of  Arvist,  Kimberly Foerster, CEO of CharacTour, John Burkey, CEO / CTO of Brighten AI, and Ryan Li, Co-Founder & CEO of Revert Technologies. 

Congratulations to our winner Speeko, and the “fan favorite”, Socian Technologies!  

Watch our AI Innovation playlist , and we’ll see you next year for AI Innovation Summit 2024!

2023 gallery

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CHICAGO, July 24, 2023 – 1871 launches a new Tech Leaders experience that’s exclusively dedicated to Black & Latin leaders in technology, starting September 2023.  Applications to join the fall cohort will be accepted through August 25th, 2023 and admission is open to the public.

1871’s Tech Leaders fall 2023 cohort runs for 4 months from 9.15.23 – 12.14.23 and is 100% virtual. While Tech Leaders is designed to train and mentor those in leadership roles within the technology industry, this upcoming cohort is particularly designed for tech leaders with a Black or Latin social identity. 

The Tech Leaders program redefines mentorship, offering personalized guidance and unwavering support to individuals from various backgrounds. Engaging group coaching sessions, leadership development workshops, and dynamic peer-driven forums create an environment where every cohort member’s personal and professional growth is celebrated and nurtured, propelling them towards achieving their leadership development aspirations while fostering strong camaraderie within the cohort.

The “BLKtech” or “LTNtech” affinity tracks of the program are named in line with the social identity distinction of 1871’s other offerings for the designated group. The focus of this cohort is an expression of the main tenets of 1871’s core mission and values, which is to help tech businesses at the business and individual level with accessibility.

1871’s partner Ethos, a culture consulting meets diversity, equity, and inclusion firm, will be facilitating the curriculum of the program. The full cohort will meet for core curriculum sessions, but then break out to distinct groups, BLKtech and LTNtech. More about the experience is below. 

An information session will be held on 8.2.23, from 10:00 – 11:00 AM for attendants to learn more about this hands-on and inclusive experience, and ask any questions they may have.  

“Embracing diversity and inclusivity, our leaders’ program is now extended to encompass a broader range of social and gender identities, empowering often underrepresented Black and Latin individuals with the essential courage and foundation for career acceleration and leadership development,” said Alysha-Aubrey, Sr. Director of Affinities. “Our proven success with the WMNtech Leaders program demonstrates the power of diverse voices in shaping future success that we are excited to bring to our BLKtech & LTNtech community.”

About Tech Leaders Fall 2023 – BLKtech & LTNtech Tracks

  • Runs: 9.15.23 – 12.14.23
  • Format: 100% virtual
  • App deadline: 8.25.23
  • Eligibility includes Black or Latin social identity & 3-10 years of experience working in a technical-facing role. 

This unique experience brings together Black and Latin leaders working in technical roles, nominated Black and Latin employees from various tech companies and universities, and dedicated volunteer mentors who will work in unison to accelerate the personal and professional development and skills of these individuals.

The initiative is designed for mid-career, Black and Latin professionals in the tech industry who exhibit exceptional promise in their current roles and would benefit from the support from this experience. This initiative is open to all gender identities.

Key program information

If accepted, participants should be prepared for an orientation and dedicated time towards the full experience starting from 9.15.23  to 12.14.23. The experience is comprised of the following:

  • Connect Days – 1 Friday / Month – Core curriculum broken down into Workshops & Forums 
  • 1:1 with Super Mentor – Custom  – Goal oriented work with matched mentor
  • Group coaching – 1 day/Month – Peer-to-Peer Mentorship

The forums and group coaching sessions are divided into two tracks, namely the Black Technical Track and the Latin Technical Track. These tracks are specifically tailored to equip each underrepresented group with the essential tools, resources, and guidance needed to achieve their primary goals and desired outcomes from the program. 

Additionally, participants are matched with a dedicated, volunteer Super Mentor. Throughout the program, participants and their assigned mentors will have several meetings for valuable one-on-one time, facilitating discussions on leadership, personal growth, and professional development skills. These sessions serve as an opportunity for participants to gain insights and knowledge from the mentor’s wealth of experience and expertise. 

Applications are open for participation in the fall 2023 cohort of Tech Leaders. The deadline to apply is 8.25.23. More information about the program and applications to become a participant or mentor can be found here.  

 

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

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On June 21st, our community of innovators gathered together for our second annual Juneteenth celebration, a signature 1871 event.

 Dedicated to honoring the resilience of the African American community and celebrating its history, we are still smiling from all the good vibes that were brought in full by our members, 1871’s Black tech community & their allies that joined.  

Relive the day in our Juneteenth 2023 recap! 

The evening was filled with networking, fun, and laughter as we honored Black entrepreneurs for their contributions and achievements in the tech world and neighboring industries. 

Here’s what happened

    • We enjoyed the late afternoon sunshine while outside on the river-side of the Merchandise Mart, along with our very favorite DJ Marcus who brought the beats!

    • We put our attendee’s  brains to the test and  played “The World Guessing Game for the Culture” trivia game from Team Tipoff.

The day was such a success, and the proceeds from the tickets will directly fund 1871 memberships for Black founders of early-stage tech companies. These founders will now have the opportunity to join 1871’s business community, access our curriculum, and meet with our mentors to fuel their startups!

A big thank you to everyone who joined us in celebration of Juneteenth. This evening wouldn’t have been possible without our sponsors Oracle, Verizon, & World Wide Technology. Thank you for supporting our mission of inclusivity and celebrating diversity.    

We hope you had a great time, and we’ll see you next year for Juneteenth 2024!

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On 06.22.23, 1871 hosted their third BLKtech Pitch Competition. The 3-round competition started with 50+ applicants, 20 founders moved to the semi-finals, and the top 5 finalists pitched their startups in front of a live audience.

Congratulations to the 2023 BLKtech Pitch Competition finalists 
  1. Period, taking home $13k dollars & $10k in Aloa dev credits 
  2. LucidTrade, taking home $9.5k dollars & $2.5k in Aloa dev credits 
  3. Reach Pathways, taking home $7.5k dollars & $2.5k in Aloa dev credits 
  4. Roomii, taking home $2.5k in Aloa dev credits 
  5. SALUBATA, taking home $2.5k in Aloa dev credits 

The finalists also received 6-months of free 1871 membership, on top of their individual cash prizes and development credits. 

Judges for the competition included: 

The third annual BLKtech Pitch Competition was made possible by investment partners  OCA Ventures, Wintrust Ventures, Dom Capital Group, and Tony Wilkins, as well as sponsors State Farm, Aloa,Weber Shandwick, Food Foundry, William Blair, Verizon, EY, and Molson Coors. 

About BLKtech

BLKtech is 1871’s umbrella of programming centered around supporting, equipping, and elevating Black founders & leaders  through curated programming and mentoring initiatives. 1871 has programs,community resource groups, and events dedicated to Black individuals in tech, including BLKtech Founders, BLKtech Voices, and annual celebratory Juneteenth event.  

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Top 5 Finalists for BLKtech Pitch Competition 2023!

Our BLKtech Pitch Competition returns for its third year to highlight and support extraordinary Black tech founders with funding and resources to take their business to the next level. 

This year’s 3-round competition was packed with many amazing startups, including 50+ round 1 pitches and 20 extraordinary semi-finalists from across the globe. After much deliberation, we’re excited to announce the top 5 founders who will be moving forward to our final event on 06.22.23! 

Cash prizes and equity funding from our notable VC partners, totaling $30,000, will be distributed and awarded to the finalists, alongside Aloa credits, totalling a value of $20k and 6-months of free membership to 1871.

Our BLKtech Pitch Competition is made possible by our sponsors, State Farm, Aloa, and Weber Shandwick, as well as Food Foundry, William Blair, Verizon, EY, and Molson Coors. 

Special thanks to our VC and investment partners, OCA Ventures, Wintrust Ventures,  Dom Capital Group, and Tony Wilkins for your continuous support and contributions to this event. 

And now the moment you’ve been waiting for…. Here’s the top 5 startups taking center stage at our BLKtech Pitch Competition 2023 event! 

Top 5 Finalists 

LucidTrade, pitched by CEO, Zakariya Veasy 

Period, pitched by Founder & CEO, Michelle Mbekeani 

Reach Pathways, pitched by CEO, Jeffery Beckham 

Roomii, pitched by Founder & CEO, Dapo Kolawole 

SALUBATA, pitched by Co-Founder & COO, Yewande Akinse 

About BLKtech Pitch Competition 

BLKtech Pitch Competition is a part of our larger Black tech founder initiative, designed to support and amplify Black early-stage founders through tailored programming, mentorship, and community networking opportunities. 

We are so honored to bring together our community of early, growth, and late-stage members, along with corporate members and VC partners as we celebrate well deserving Black-led startups!  

Help us cheer on the finalists as they pitch their businesses to an innovative panel of VC investors by attending the event, either in-person or virtually, from 4:00 – 7:00 PM CST. 

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nuEra Launches Fundraiser Campaign for Howard Brown Health during Pride Month

nuEra Cannabis, a leading cannabis vertically integrated company in Illinois, is proud to announce the launch of a month-long fundraiser campaign in support of Howard Brown Health Throughout the entire month of June, nuEra, along with other participating cannabis dispensaries in Illinois, will be donating $2 per unit sold of the special edition nuEra “Puff Puff Pride,” a 3.5g premium flower product. Additionally, nuEra will donate all net revenue from the sales of a limited-edition “show your support” nuEra Pride logo pin. All proceeds from the campaign will be dedicated to Howard Brown Health, an organization that provides LGBTQ+ affirming healthcare and transformative social policy work, serving more than 40,000 adults and youth in its diverse health and social service delivery system.

The campaign aims to raise awareness and support for the crucial work done by Howard Brown Health in actualizing human rights and equity for all individuals. By collaborating with other cannabis dispensaries in Illinois, nuEra strives to create a collective impact that will contribute to the betterment of LGBTQ+ healthcare and social services.

To kick off the month-long fundraiser, nuEra will be participating in Higher Love’s Pride Month Kickoff Event on June 1st. The event will be held at the Palm House located at 619 W. Howard Street, Evanston, IL. It promises to be an engaging celebration of diversity, inclusivity, and community support.

“We are thrilled to launch this fundraiser campaign in support of [Howard Brown Health] during Pride Month,” said Jonah Rapino, Director of Marketing at nuEra. “At nuEra, we believe in the importance of supporting the communities where we operate and providing accessible healthcare to all individuals. By partnering with Howard Brown Health and other cannabis dispensaries, we hope to make a meaningful contribution towards fostering a more inclusive society.”

nuEra encourages individuals to show their support by purchasing the special edition “Puff Puff Pride” product and the limited-edition nuEra Pride logo pin. Customers can find these products at nuEra’s six dispensaries and other participating cannabis dispensaries in Illinois.

For more information about the fundraiser campaign and nuEra’s collaboration with Howard Brown Health, please visit https://nueracannabis.com/nuEraPride & https://howardbrown.org/.

About nuEra:

nuEra is a vertically integrated company in Illinois committed to providing high-quality products and exceptional customer experiences. With a dedication to community engagement and social responsibility, nuEra actively supports initiatives that promote inclusivity, diversity, and equitable access to cannabis and healthcare.

About Howard Brown Health:

Howard Brown Health is a prominent LGBTQ+ affirming healthcare organization dedicated to providing comprehensive, holistic care to individuals and communities in need. Through its diverse health and social service delivery system, Howard Brown Health works to actualize human rights and equity for all, serving over 40,000 adults and youth.

PR Contact:

Elana Cohen
Tree of Life PR elana@treeolifepr.com 847-997-4404

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CHICAGO: June 6th, 2023 – Global non-profit innovation hub 1871 is hosting its first ever AI Innovation Summit on June 29th, 2023. This public event will engage over 250+ key players in the artificial intelligence space, including; growth-stage AI startups, corporate leaders, and AI investors and experts.  

The AI Innovation Summit is co-hosted by execution partner and industry expert Why of AI, a leading AI strategy-consulting and business training company. 

The summit is a capstone event for the AI Innovation Lab program, launched earlier this year with support from general sponsor The Chicago Cubs, and anchor sponsors Discover, McKinsey, and Microsoft. 

This summit is part of 1871’s larger Innovation Lab product suite, which brings together key tech players with industry experts to solve leading industry issues & develop solutions to revolutionize future operations. 

Summit Agenda

From 9:00 AM to 6:30 PM, summit attendees can participate in curated AI-focused programming, including:  fireside chats, expert panels, topical breakout sessions, pitch showcases, interactive tech experiences, inspirational keynote, and more. 

The summit will include a fireside chat with Prime Minister of Serbia, Ana Brnabić, who will be bringing a global perspective on AI-driven transformation. Stay tuned as we announce other amazing guest speakers who will be joining our full-day agenda! 

The AI Innovation Summit showcases cohort 1 of the lab and gives them the limelight to showcase their AI-driven businesses, as well as interact with thought leaders, AI enthusiasts, investors, and more! 

This content, paired with presentations from industry leaders and executives, will make for an unforgettable day centered around all things AI and tech. Breakfast and lunch will be offered to in-person attendees, followed by happy-hour networking and drinks in the final hours of the event.

Winners of 1871’s first-ever student AI Tech Challenge will be publicly announced at the summit to highlight their success of building an incredible voice-to-text transcription model using artificial intelligence.

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

Registration is required for this event – RSVP here. 

To sponsor the summit, email corpinno@1871.com. To stay up-to-date on 1871’s AI-related programming & news, subscribe here. 

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CHICAGO, May 23, 2023- 1871 has opened applications for their 5th cohort of BLKtech Founders, an affinity program designed to support and amplify Black early-stage founders and their startups. Applications for both 1871 members and non-members will be accepted through June 26th, 2023. 

Starting July 2023, this unique offering runs for twelve weeks, combining professional development curriculum, 1:1 mentoring, and peer group development programming.

The cohort is designed to create a safe, judgment-free space for Black founders to meet others in similar entrepreneurial situations to connect and address the unique challenges they face due to their social identity.

The program will run from 7.11.23 – 9.12.23, meeting virtually every Tuesday from 3:00 – 5:00 PM CST. 

BLKtech Founders C5 is proudly supported by general partners Molson Coors, EY, Verizon, William Blair, and Food Foundry. 

“This program focuses on you, as the founder which is essential to starting a successful business but is often overlooked. Our personal and professional development sessions help you to overcome common scenarios and roadblocks that, unfortunately, inevitably, happen to Black founders. It also instills in you a sense of pride in what makes you unique, not minimize it” said Alysha Aubrey Bursey, Sr. Director of Affinity Programs. “The beauty of these cohorts is that when you log into that Zoom, everyone looks like you, you can be your full self. It allows people to open up and breaks down that wall that underrepresented groups tend to put up for survival. Because of this, the people that you meet within the cohort are going to be rallying behind you forever, regardless of if your company makes it or not.” 

About the experience

Key takeaways for participants in the program: 

  • Learn how to maximize their key leadership skills
  • Gain confidence in themselves and their startups 
  • Overcome obstacles one faces when starting a business
  • Build reputable relationships with experienced founders and 1871 members who are dedicated to supporting this group. 

“Participating in the 1871 BLKtech Founders cohort helped me personally and professionally by providing access to a network of entrepreneurs who were facing some of the mental and emotional challenges that I was facing, especially while navigating through the pandemic and the ever-rising racial tensions that have emerged over the last year,” said Tanisha Hemphill, Founder of Black Mom Resource. “It felt good to have a space where we could share resources and regularly check in with each other. 

Important Dates

 If you would like to learn more about sponsoring BLKtech Founders or any other affinity-related program, reach out to corpinno@1871.com.  

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 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.

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Thought Leaders Inspired Positive Change & Growth for Chicago Tech Community at ScaleUp 2023.

On May 10th, thought leaders and growth-scalers from across the Midwest gathered for 1871’s 6th Annual ScaleUp, a half-day dedicated to innovating growth, inspiring change, and connecting peers in the tech community. 

This year’s hybrid event featured a legendary lineup of 15 thought leaders who shared incredible insights, personal advice, and best practices for scaling growth companies as they continue in today’s ever-changing tech industry. 

“This day is about imparting knowledge, meeting other people, and an opportunity to ask questions while pushing your own thinking,” said 1871 CEO, Betsy Ziegler. “Success for today is what you put into it.” 

Without further ado, here are 5 lessons for growth companies to utilize as they continue to grow, scale, and lead their businesses. 

Lesson 1: Be agile

Andy Kofoid, current 1871 board member and president of Databricks shared insight on his personal career journey, and the importance of integrating change and pushing for growth across all companies, especially as AI and LLMs continues to evolve in his chat with 1871 CEO Betsy Ziegler, Artificial Intelligence: A Disruptive Force for Growth Companies. 

“It took me a long time to build that change-management muscle, and it all depends on the outcome you’re trying to drive to. To survive and thrive, whether you’re a CEO or in any other role in a highly dynamic and innovative environment, you have to think about innovation, thought leadership, and speed responsiveness as the core tenants of how you’re driving the business. You better be ready to change, you can’t be comfortable with stability and routine, because it just won’t fly in this world. If it takes you three-to-six months to do something and you accomplish it in a week, think about how far ahead you’ll be in the game – don’t miss that window of opportunity.” -Andy Kofoid

Lesson 2: Prioritize building relationships & transparency

 Moderated by Kevin Willer, partner of Chicago Ventures, panelists Nick Solaro, general partner at Drive Chicago, Sonia Nagar, 1871 board member & general partner at Pritzker Group Venture Capital, Jason Felger,  head of operations at Jump Capital, and Dana Sun, senior associate in digital health at OCA Ventures, shared their personal and professional insights on the ups and downs of the current market, and advice on how to continue growing funding in Raising Capital in Today’s Market. 

“The pace of venture employment has just slowed down, so  it gives you time and it gives VCs time to actually build a relationship. Great companies are still being funded at exceptional valuations and relatively quickly, once you actually establish that relationship.” — Jason Felger

“Most venture funds are experiencing some level of markdown, and we make it a point to communicate that very, very clearly to our LPs. There’s no beating around the bush. We’re very honest and transparent, but we’re also talking about what we are doing to address the problem – not just wallowing in the fact that the market sucks right now.” — Dana Sun

“We want to feel like a partner, so we appreciate having transparency, regular communication, and over communication in the bad times. We’re going to lean harder into the relationships where we feel like people are being good stewards of capital and good partners to us.” — Sonia Nagar

Lesson 3: Invest in culture & community

Moderated by Julianne Cox, vice president of Business Development at Invest Northern Ireland, panelists James Taylor, CEO of Launchways, Willemijn Schneyder, CEO & founder of SwipeGuide, and Cass Baker, president & COO of GainShare, discussed the adaptations  their companies made as they transitioned to a virtual workplace from the COVID-19 pandemic. Panelists shared the importance of a community both on screen and in-person in Managing A Growing, Global Workforce. 

“There’s two things in mind that organizations have failed – trust and communication. We need a level of transparency with wins and losses. Everyone learns and communicates differently, so the best way is to get to know everyone on an individual level so you can effectively communicate and give them one-on-one attention to make the relationship last.”  — James Taylor

“Think about coffee check-ins, think about lunch roulettes, but also think about well organized virtual events that are really focused on building a sense of belonging and community. We were making sure that we have a layer around the work that’s really about driving a sense of community and belonging.” — Willemijn Schneyder 

“Everything you say and do is representative of your culture. The most valuable thing we learned along the way was a full mentoring program. We matched up someone senior to them to mentor. You have to plan out effective ways to engage and build relationships because everybody has a different way that they appreciate things, regardless of what the breakdowns are. Give them the space and voice they need (type B), so that type A doesn’t take over the room.” — Cass Baker

Lesson 4: Leverage mentorship from leaders accessible to you

Moderated by Marc Schiffman, president & CEO of SMS Assist, panelists Garry Cooper, CEO of Rheaply, Jeremie Bacon, co-founder of The Forge, and Coco Meers, CEO & co-founder of Equilibria, shared their insights on what makes up a versatile and successful board, and their personal expertise on crafting a well-oiled machine in Governance: Insights from Board Members of Growth Companies. 

“I think of my board as my accountability mirror. Of course it’s a helpful discussion and of course you’re relying on them for strategy,  counsel, and risk mitigation, but they’re also there to hold you accountable. When you’re alone as a CEO in the deepest darkest place of ‘what do i do now’, take those thoughts to the board and allow yourself to share that hard work of ‘what if’ with them, because that’s why they’re there so you don’t have to be alone.” — Coco Meers 

“The framework that I think about is how can everyone in the company support the mission? If you have the power to find board members,have a very specific reason in which you’re getting them on the board, and then to operationalize the reasoning you have.  I try to have a thesis on why I want people on the board, and try to extract that value from them.” — Garry Cooper 

“It’s important as an operating team and as a CEO of a company to think of your board like you think about your teammates. We need to surround ourselves with the best talent possible at all times for the job to be done to be successful. You don’t want to grow your board bigger than it should be relative to the size of your business. Manage your board like you manage your team in terms of the skillsets, and don’t be afraid to hire, fire, and replace and remove and find better opportunities for your board like you do with your team from time to time.”– Jeremie Bacon

Lesson 5: Your health is #1

Andy Dunn, founder of Red Swan Ventures,  founder & CEO of Pie Labs, and author of Burn Rate: Launching a Startup and Losing My Mind, sat down with 1871 CEO Betsy Ziegler for an intimate discussion about his memoir, dedicated to his personal Bipolar disorder diagnosis and mental health struggles. Dunn shared advice for founders, thought leaders, and peers surrounding their mental health and advocating for supporting others. 

“The best investment you can make in a pre seed-stage company is in the ability of the founders to endure stress. If you think to yourself ‘ I don’t have any mental health issues’, that’s a mental health issue right there. Because you don’t need a chronic condition to have an acute mental health crisis at some point, life just brings it. The thing about a startup is its ongoing stress, so if you’re a founder or lead teams, be in some form of therapy for three months every two years. You don’t need to be a mental health professional to employ empathy.” — Andy Dunn

Dunn suggests for those looking to learn more skills in understanding how to help others in need of mental health support, is to take the Be There Certificate. This free, self-paced learning experience is designed to increase mental health literacy, and to provide those with knowledge, skills, and confidence to safely support anyone struggling. 

View full content playlist from the day and subscribe to upcoming 1871 events & news. 

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Applications for Deloitte’s Technology Fast 500 are now open.

It’s back! Applications for Deloitte’s Technology Fast 500 are now open. Celebrating the fastest growing, most innovative companies in the country, this awards program recognizes the top industry disrupters in public and private companies in the technology, media, telecommunications, life sciences and energy tech industries. 

  

Eligible companies are selected based on the percentage of fiscal year revenue growth, and the list is compiled from applications submitted directly to the Technology Fast 500 website. Being recognized as a Technology Fast 500 winner provides increased visibility, brand recognition, and growth opportunities for companies, leveraging Deloitte’s U.S. and global brand recognition and visibility. 

“Chicago’s diverse ecosystem of start-ups continues to be a bright spot for our local economy,” said Tracy Harrison, managing director and Chicago emerging growth company practice leader, Deloitte & Touche LLP. “With the exciting growth of the city’s tech and innovation scene, I look forward to seeing the diverse display of innovative approaches this year’s Chicago applicants bring to the table.”

The application period is open from April 3 to June 23. Winners will be announced on Nov. 8. A

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Foodtech Innovation Lab Launches for Growth Stage Tech Startups, Late Stage Tech Companies, and Corporates — Apps Now Open

CHICAGO, May 8, 2023 – Non-profit global innovation hub 1871 announces applications are open for their first Foodtech Innovation Lab taking place July 2023. This year’s lab is supported by our General Partner World Business Chicago, with focuses in Agtech, Food Innovations, and Manufacturing & Packaging. Applications are now open until 6.16.23!

The Foodtech Innovation Lab is designed to bring growth-stage startups, late-stage businesses, corporates, investors, and industry experts together to collaborate on the biggest challenges within foodtech. This lab is part of 1871’s suite of 6 Innovation Labs happening this year and the second to launch this summer, the other – Supply Chain Innovation Lab. 

The dedicated Entrepreneur-In-Residence (EIR) is Nate Cooper, Founder and Managing Partner of Barrel Ventures, an early-stage startup fund investing in the future of food, working with some of the brightest entrepreneurs (Olipop, Jumbotail, Grabango, Helaina, Great Wrap & others).

The Lab runs from 7.17.23 – 10.5.23 and is open to the following innovators: 

  • Growth-stage startups with a technology or product focused on the foodtech space 
  •  Late-stage partners seeking to elevate their brand as experts and influence the foodtech industry.
  • Corporations sitting at the forefront of foodtech innovation or seeking to enhance their capabilities or offerings via partnerships

There will be a selection process for startups to ensure those admitted to the program have proven readiness and are fit for the lab. 

Information sessions on the lab will take place on 05.23.23 and 06.08.23, to provide attendees with information on the program structure, how to participate in the lab, and the benefits of joining. 

“Foodtech is not just about disrupting the food industry, it’s about redefining our relationship with food through technology. As one of the most fundamental human needs, food deserves our attention and innovation. The intersection of food and tech is where we can create a more sustainable and equitable future for all,” said 1871 CEO, Betsy Ziegler. “By leveraging key players’ expertise and resources in AGtech, food innovations, and supply chains to address the challenges facing the food industry, we can collaborate to create innovative and productive solutions that not only speed up its distribution, but also improve the health, sustainability, and accessibility of our food system across the globe.”

About Foodtech Innovation Lab

This lab focuses on several areas for cohort members to explore, identify, and collaborate to solve key issues within the industry. Startups serving domains across the foodtech focus will be considered for the cohort. 

Focus areas include:

  • Agtech – Biotechnology, Farm Management Software, Farm Robotics, Mechanization, & Equipment, and Novel Farming Systems
  • Food Innovations – Novel Ingredients, Upcycling, and Nutraceuticals
  • Manufacturing & Packaging – Midstream Technologies and Packaging

 

The lab experience explained

This lab is designed to connect startups, late-stage businesses, corporates, VCs, and Foodtech experts together in 4 immersive weeks of programming, alternating in virtual and in-person experiences. 

The cohorts will meet for one full week of programming and workshops in July, August, September, and October 2023.

The program ends with its Foodtech Innovation Summit, taking place in October 2023.

For inquiries about involvement in partnering with us or learning more about sponsor options for either our Foodtech Innovation Lab or Foodtech Innovation Summit, connect with our team at corpinno@1871.com. 

To stay updated on all Foodtech Innovation Lab news, subscribe here.

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, late stage, growth 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.

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Supply Chain Innovation Lab Launches for Growth Stage Tech Startups, Late Stage Tech Companies, and Corporates — Apps Now Open

CHICAGO, May 8, 2023 – Non-profit global innovation hub 1871 announces applications are open for their second annual Supply Chain Innovation Lab taking place July 2023. This year’s lab is supported by Strategic Partner Accenture; Anchor Partners Microsoft and Deacero; and General Partner World Business Chicago.  Applications are now open until 6.16.23!

The Supply Chain Innovation Lab is designed to bring growth-stage startups, late-stage businesses, corporates, investors, and industry experts together to collaborate on the biggest challenges within the industry. This lab is part of 1871’s suite of 6 Innovation Labs happening this year and the second to launch this summer, the other – Foodtech. 

Over 40 startups participated in 1871’s Supply Chain Innovation Lab 2022, with representation from more than 10 different countries. 12 late-stage partners, including Flexport, Uber Freight, Rheaply, and ShipBob, were a part of last year’s Lab program. 

The Lab runs from 7.17.23 – 10.5.23 and is open to the following innovators: 

  • Growth-stage startups with a technology or product focused on the supply chain space
  •  Late-stage partners seeking to enhance their supply chain through partnerships or have a core product focused on the supply chain space
  • Corporations sitting at the forefront of supply chain innovation or seeking to enhance their supply chain via partnerships

There will be a selection process for startups to ensure those admitted to the program have proven readiness and are fit for the lab. 

Information sessions on the lab will take place on 05.23.23 and on 06.08.23, to provide attendees with information on the program structure, how to join  the lab, and the benefits of joining.  

“Supply chain innovation is essential to drive enterprise reinvention, enabling companies to reach new performance frontiers. Accenture’s collaboration with 1871 and World Business Chicago is designed to help emerging tech businesses focus their innovation efforts on supply chain solutions to accelerate growth,” said Patty Riedl, Accenture’s North America Supply Chain and Operations lead.

“Innovation in the supply chain is not just a competitive advantage, but a necessity in today’s fast-paced world, where agility, efficiency, and sustainability are crucial for business success,” said 1871 CEO, Betsy Zeigler. “Collaboration is key to unlocking the full potential of supply chain innovation and creating shared value for the entire community. We look forward to working with Accenture once again to bring leaders and entrepreneurs together and empower them to create solutions in the supply chain that will build a brighter future in our city and beyond.” 

 

About Supply Chain Innovation Lab

This lab, built strategically with Accenture, focuses on several areas for cohort members to explore, identify, and collaborate to solve key issues within the industry. Startups serving domains across the supply chain will be considered for the cohort. 

Focus areas include:

  • Sustainability by Design
  • Compliance + Risk Management
  • Data-led Innovation 
  • N-Tier Supply Chain Visibility 
  • Customer Centric Supply Chain
  • Automation: Unlocking Human Potential 

 

The lab experience explained

This lab is designed to connect startups, late-stage businesses, corporates, VCs, and Supply Chain experts together in 4 immersive weeks of programming, alternating in virtual and in-person experiences. 

The cohorts will meet for one full week of programming and workshops in July, August, September, and October 2023.

The program ends with its Supply Chain Innovation Summit, taking place October 2023.

For inquiries about involvement in partnering with us or learning more about sponsor options for either our Supply Chain Innovation Lab or Supply Chain Innovation Summit, connect with our team at corpinno@1871.com. 

To stay updated on all Supply Chain Innovation Lab news, including the summit, subscribe here.

 

About Accenture

Accenture is a global professional services company with leading capabilities in digital, cloud and security. Combining unmatched experience and specialized skills across more than 40 industries, we offer Strategy and Consulting, Interactive, Technology and Operations services — all powered by the world’s largest network of Advanced Technology and Intelligent Operations centers. Our 699,000 people deliver on the promise of technology and human ingenuity every day, serving clients in more than 120 countries. We embrace the power of change to create value and shared success for our clients, people, shareholders, partners and communities. Visit us at accenture.com.

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.

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1871 and Long-Time Partner BMO Announce Their WMNfintech 2023 Cohort

1871 & BMO are excited to announce the 5 women-founded fintech startups participating in the fourth cohort of their award-winning WMNfintech program.

Starting in May, the cohort will further develop their services and solutions through the program’s tailored product, business development, and entrepreneurial programming, along with mentorship from BMO Executive leaders to help navigate their startup fundamentals. 

To date, more than 15 percent of women fintech founders in North America have participated in WMNfintech, making it the largest nonprofit fintech accelerator for women-founded and women-led startups.

About the program

Participants in this cohort are high potential, early-stage women entrepreneurs whose startups exhibit exceptional promise in their future development and amplification in the financial sector.  

The program runs for 4 months, meeting for one full week each month, from May until August 2023. 

Cohort members will attend 1871’s PYROS  programming, tailored curriculum focusing on enterprise sales cycles, vendor management, information security & risk and regulatory requirements, and fintech deep dives led by BMO leaders & experts. 

The program will culminate in a cohort showcase, where participants will have the opportunity to share their business solutions and services directly with BMO executives for feedback and support.

Cohort members will also be introduced into the exclusive community of WMNfintech alumni, financial institutions, venture capitalists, and industry leaders for future networking opportunities.  

WMNfintech 2023 Cohort Members 

Dani Pensack, Co-Founder & CEO of Rightfoot 

Rightfoot is an API-first technology for banks and lenders of all kinds to underwrite customers. Rightfoot fills in the mosaic of consumer financial health data, a picture left previously incomplete by the credit report.

Lori Shao, CEO of Finli 

Finli is a digital back-office, all-in-one business management platform built for the small but mighty. Finli allows businesses to manage invoices, collect payments, communicate with their customers, and so much more. 

Saujin Yi, Founder & CEO of Liquid 

Liquid is an all-in-one global AP and project payroll solution that lets you confidently contract and pay your flexible team.

Stefania Di Bartolomeo, CEO of Physis

Physis brings sustainable transparency to the financial industry and enables truly sustainable investing for all financial institutions. Physis helps institutional investors, managers, wealth managers, and advisors who want to build and report on impact portfolios in the capital markets.

Svitlanka Sergiichuk, Co-Founder & CEO of Neofin 

Neofin is a no-code, intuitive SaaS platform. The company’s platform allows the automation of all loan operations. The company’s platform allows it to launch and improve services such as buy now, pay later, P2P lending, online lending, payday loans, POS credits, and more.

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As cannabis legalization continues to reshape the nation’s mindset on the industry, it is only fitting that 1871  jumped into the mix to host their first-ever Cannabis Innovation Summit this April.

On 4.20.23, hundreds of cannabis innovators and “canna-curious” attendees gathered at 1871 for a full day of programming centered around cannabis and tech innovation, in collaboration with industry experts Grown In and Cresco Labs. 

1871 CEO Betsy Ziegler kicked off the morning of the summit, while keynote Michele Roberts, Former Executive Director at NBPA and current Board Director of Cresco Labs, discussed her beliefs of legalizing cannabis, and her contributions to advocating for cannabis policy changes in the NBA.

From previous laws in 2014 to recent changes in 2020, Roberts helped advocate for players to not be tested for cannabis in their off season, raised the THC level so that players can legally consume, and advocated for players to invest their dollars into the cannabis business. 

While Roberts herself doesn’t partake in using cannabis, she has always advocated for the legalization of cannabis and continues to speak out against the disproportion of drug laws against people of color. 

“The reasons why I joined them [Cresco Labs], is they convinced me they will be committing to diversifying this industry,” Roberts said. “This industry has a lot of problems with equity, and as long as I’m able to, I’m going to work towards more people who look like me, more people of color, and women, getting involved.” 

The overall arching theme of the summit? Cannabis + Chicago = Change. 

With excitement and high-energy in the air, attendees had the opportunity to discover the innovative new products and services that 1871’s first-ever Cannabis Innovation Lab cohort members are working on in our Startup Tech Alley. Founders set up booths for public engagement, investor conversations, and product demos. 

We had a blast hearing from these founders about their businesses in our pitch competitions, especially the 4 pitch finale finalists, The 1937 Group , CannMenus, ProCanna, and Zentrela, who pitched live on stage about their incredible products and cannabis-focused services.  

Attendees also had the opportunity to learn from industry experts in several breakout sessions that sparked their interest, including:

  • Cannabis & AI
    Cannabis: Industry & Investment Trends
  • Cannabis for the Older & Wiser
  • Women Leaders in Cannabis
  • Mental Health & Advocacy

These breakout sessions showcased that cannabis can be a positive change that society can utilize in several aspects, such as integrating cannabis for further development within other industries, the health benefits of using cannabis for mental health and aging, and giving minorities— primarily women and people of color—a platform to enter the world of investing, funding, and founding cannabis businesses.

Experts in cannabis took over the stage for our guest panel, including Vaughn Bentley, Deputy Director of Adult Use Cannabis at  Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, Abin Kuriakose, Chief Strategy & Innovation Officer at World Business Chicago,

Renu Kulkarni, Corporate Engagement Lead at Discovery Partners Institute, and Matthew Brewer, Owner of Grasshopper Club Dispensary. 

“One of the most exciting things this city and state can take advantage of is Cannabis,” said Abin Kuriakose. “And so we have to make sure Cannabis has a voice and a place in our new administration’s economic development strategy. Here’s the opportunities, here’s the challenges, but this is why it’s a big deal for city residents and our economy.” 

Each panelist shared their insight on their personal and organizations’ efforts, like advocating for efficiency of laws and licensing for cannabis to be socially equitable, safe and legal cannabis consumption in Chicago, and the importance of diversifying the industry for future innovation within the city and beyond.  

“We’ve seen a lot of revolution and change within the cannabis industry in Illinois, and one thing that the governor is committed to is making sure that this is the most equitable program in the nation, and we’re well on our way to achieving that goal,” said Mario Treto Jr., Secretary of the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. “ I’m excited to see all of the collaboration and all the innovation that you’re gonna be able to do with one another here in 1871, and talk about a hub that really materializes that dream into a reality. It’s all about innovation when we’re entering into an industry that is new across the country, we want to make sure we’re leading the pack nationwide.” 

As the tech world continues to embrace cannabis and integrate it within the community, 1871 is proud to bandwagon this effort of utilizing cannabis in a way that is socially and economically equitable, and innovative for founders, leaders, investors, and canna-curious people alike. 

Watch our Cannabis Innovation Summit playlist, and we’ll see you next year for Cannabis Innovation Summit 2024. Happy 4.20! 

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Women Founders Win Big at WMNtech Pitch Competition 2023

On 03.30.23, 1871 hosted their second WMNtech Pitch Competition. The 3-round competition started with 80+ applicants, 20 founders moved to the semi-finals, and the top 5 women founder finalists pitched their startups in front of a live audience.

Congratulations to the 2023 WMNtech Pitch Competition finalists 

1. kweliTV, taking home $20k dollars & $10k in Aloa dev credits 

2. Here Here Market, taking home $15k dollars & $2.5k in Aloa dev credits 

3.Clickvoyant, taking home $5k dollars & $2.5k in Aloa dev credits 

4. Hyivy Health, taking home $5k dollars & $2.5k in Aloa dev credits 

5. Neofin, taking home $5k dollars & $2.5k in Aloa dev credits 

 

Judges for the competition included: 

We are grateful for the support from investors 7Wire, Hyde Park Venture Partners, OCA Ventures, Subconscious Ventures, and Troy Henikoff, as well as our competition sponsors Aloa, Molson Coors, and State Farm. Thank you for helping make this competition a success and helping 1871 continuing our mission of supporting well-deserving entrepreneurs with resources and funding. 

About WMNtech 

WMNtech is 1871’s umbrella of programming centered around supporting, equipping, and elevating women founders and leaders in tech through curated programming and mentoring initiatives. 1871 has several programs dedicated specifically to women, including WMNtech Founders, WMNtech Leaders, and WMNfintech.

 

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1871 Announces AI Innovation Lab 2023 Cohort

CHICAGO (April 4th, 2023)– Non-profit global innovation hub 1871 announces its first-ever list of cohort members for their AI Innovation Lab 2023. The program has been strategically built with execution partner Why of AI, and supported by anchor partner Discover and several other partners. 

This is 1871’s third tech innovation lab, designed to connect startups, growth scalers, and corporate innovators together, while also introducing VCs, AI experts, and talent to collectively solve various challenges across industries with the support of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) technologies. 

The 39 cohort participants will collaborate through curated programming, workshops, and inspiration sessions, designed to foster meaningful connections and accelerate growth. They’ll hear from world renowned speakers, deep dive into how AI is changing various functions and industries, and take the stage themselves to share how they’re disrupting through AI. 

 

Cohort Members 

7 QUBES | Chase Yeung, CEO

7QUBES is a cloud-based CRM platform designed to revolutionize how small businesses manage their customer relationships, operations, data analytics, finance, and inventory. With advanced AI-driven tools, 7QUBES empowers businesses to prepare for the future and stay ahead of the competition.

ANDRALOGY ™ |  Dege Nsoki, Founder & CLO Products Analytics

ANDRALOGY™ has the vision to create a future of work for all. We are on a mission to help learners to design, build and deploy their own personalized Analytics, Machine Learning and AI projects.

Arvist | Nilay Parikh, Founder & CEO

Arvist uses existing security cameras and AI-powered Digital Twin technology to provide real-time critical event awareness for warehouse operators, helping to reduce supply chain disruptions and optimize operations.

Arvo | Alane Boyd, Co-Founder & CEO

Arvo is an AI-powered sales tool with a drag-and-drop interface that makes it easy for users to create stunning digital sales assets such as proposals, case studies, how-tos, client portals, and even follow-ups, in minutes.

BannerBoo | Nadiia Yuzkova, CTO

BannerBoo is an AI-powered no code banner editor that allows businesses to accelerate and automate ad creation processes. 

Biologit | Nicole Baker, Co-Founder & CEO

AI-enabled Scientific Literature monitoring for Pharmacovigilance, Cosmetovigilance, Nutrivigilance and medical devices. 

Bizbaz | Hayk Hakobyan, CEO 

Bizbaz offers comprehensive customer intelligence and risk assessment capabilities. 

BlackInc AI | Eric Mills, Founder

BlackInk AI helps tattoo enthusiasts and artists quickly and easily generate unique and personalized tattoo designs. With a vast catalog of pre-made designs and a creation tool, BlackInk streamlines the tattoo design process for everyone.

Bloomfield | Mark DeSantis, CEO 

Bloomfield offers precise, objective and accurate plant-level health and performance assessments, continuously at any scale. 

Brighten AI | John Berkey, CEO/CTO 

Next generation Conversational Ai hardware and software platforms, enabling great conversations, even without an internet connection. 

CharacTour  | Kimberly Foerster, Founder & CEO

CharacTour is a patented platform that provides truly personalized recommendations for its 8 million registered users: based on 46 demensions of their complex personalities. Leveraging its psychographic data, CharacTour also building AI technology to precisely calculate the “personality” of a brand, determine target consumers using advanced statistical techniques, and generate ad copy using words and phrases to appeal to specific personas. 

ClearCOGS | Osayanmo (Osa) Osarenkhoe, Co-Founder & CPO

ML/AI driven demand forecasting and operation optimization for restaurants. 

Community Wellness Technology Inc. | Bonnie Johnson and Jon Fenner, CISO, CTO

We are a patient first, physician led organization improving outcomes and reducing costs in support of patients living with multiple chronic conditions. We partner with hospitals and managed care organizations to produce outcomes at scale.

Course Collab | Jamie Gladfelter, Founder 

AI-first productivity tools for higher education faculty. 

Encounter AI | Derrick Johnson, CEO 

Encounter AI, a cutting-edge voice AI system that streamlines the customer ordering process at drive-thrus. Our tech was developed with SRI International, the makers of Siri and Nuance.

Folder Front | Bryan Mulcrone, Founder

Folder Front has developed a Revolutionary AI-File Manager, that allows Users to organize files in seconds with the latest Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, as well as to find files faster than ever before with our Patent-Pending Folder Technology. 

Justpoint | Gregory Zarrillo, Chief of Staff 

Justpoint identifies products and practices causing public harm and holds responsible parties accountable by pursuing justice for victims.

LISA Insurtech | Gino Volpi, CEO

We are helping insurance carriers worldwide deliver a better, simpler, and faster claims experience to their customers.

Mercurial AI Inc. | Dennis Trujillo, CEO 

Creating AI solutions for improving cancer care. 

Outboundly | Miguel Dey, Founder

Outboundly extends LinkedIn with the ability to Instantly analyze  profiles and generate highly personalized cold outreach messages in one click using AI. You can also use Outboundly to analyze website text and generate cold email. 

Parkva | Rob Benson, CEO 

By leveraging computer vision (CV) and artificial intelligence (AI), Parkva solutions detect parking occupancy and violations 24/7 without human intervention.

Photos.live | Leonardo Araujo de Assis, CEO 

We deliver measurable, memorable guest experiences that help brands gain data-driven insights into their events. 

Qilo | Dave Brost, Co-Founder & CEO 

Qilo enhances electric utility data with AI to create a stronger grid.

Quadratic Systems Inc. | Anil Koripelly, Principal 

Quadratic is a pure-play Analytics firm helping our customers in their journey towards data democratization, AI/ML Automation and digital transformation.  

Rentervention | Conor Malloy, Rentervention Project Director 

Rentervention, a service of the Law Center for Better Housing, is a virtual assistant for tenants in crisis. Through Rentervention, tenants can access free legal information, document assembly and referrals to legal and social services. 

ReVert Technologies Inc. | Ryan Li, CEO 

With AI enabled power adapters, we make it easy to turn things off and save energy.

SC Tech | Jeff Beyle, CEO 

Provide advanced Industrial IoT technologies in a system that is easy to implement and straightforward to use. 80% of the power of the high-end Industrial IoT systems at <20% of the cost and complexity.

Sign-Speak Inc. | Yamillet Payano, Co-Founder & CEO

Sign-Speak is a revolutionary language translation services. Our AI-powered sign language recognition technology and support for multiple spoken languages make us the ideal solution for innovative financial service leaders looking to shape the future of accessibility.
 

Snips Media | David Zaretsky, Founder, CEO, & Chief Scientist 

Snips is the first performance-driven influencer marketing platform that empowers influencers with business tools to grow their audience and monetize their social networks, while enabling brands to run performance-driven influencer programs built on true measurability and scale. 

Socian Technologies | Marc Ward, Founder & CEO 

Socian Technologies builds autonomous drone systems powered by an advanced AI to provide on-scene visualization services to first responders. 

Socrates.ai | Melissa Swisher, Chief Revenue Officer 

Socrates is the leader in the Employee Experience Platform space focusing on delivering one place for the employee to go for anything they want to ask or do all through a conversational experience.   

SpaceBot | Dave Turner  & Angelo Garetto, Co-Founder 

SpaceBot is a spatial research and AI operations platform dedicated to improving the health and well-being of space users through data democratization, micro-conveniences, and automations.

Studio AI | Deepak Bandi, Founder 

Unlock the power of AI within your SaaS platform. 

Tribaja | Shannon Morales, CEO

Tribaja is solving for the world’s talent shortages using AI and predictive analytics to increase learning outcomes for the working class. 

UBIVIS | Paulo Henrique Garcia de Souza, Founder & CEO

Ubivis Industrial IoT collects machinery data from Operations Technology.  On Cloud SaaS or on-premises Ubivis systems perform real time analytics using BI. Digital Twin provides real time Artificial Intelligence manufacturing and/or maintenance simulation and our software robot executes autonomous machinery operation. 

Under | Michael Abramovic, Co-Founder

Beautiful digital applications, identity verification, and integrations with a few clicks. 

Verbal Transactions | Nancy Munro, CEO

Verbal Transactions accelerates the rate in which customer facing employees reach mastery of critical business skills. Our software platform, ACES, builds highly customized hands-on simulations with a built-in coaching bot and NLP to create realistic scenarios to experience deliberate practice.

Verity XR | Shiva Rallapalli, CTO & COO

Verity XR is a HealthTech company leveraging the power of virtual reality to provide treatment solutions for pain management and physical rehabilitation.  

Vetelligence | Zachary Oshinbanjo, Founder 

Vetelligence is a post service navigation platform built to help service members determine their next steps. We leverage data in order to guide service members towards new careers, education or entrepreneurship.

 

About the program 

Led and facilitated by Gabby Snedeker, 1871’s Senior Director of Innovation Labs, cohort members will participate in 4-weeks of hybrid programming, alternating each week for virtual and in-person experiences in April, May, and June 2023. 

The program culminates with a capstone-like event, the AI Innovation Summit, open to the public on 6.29.23. The summit is a full day of programming, centered on AI and machine-learning tech innovation, and highlighting the startups in the cohort. 

Subscribe to stay up-to-date on all AI Innovation Lab news + summit. 

For inquiries about involvement in partnering with 1871  or learning more about sponsor options for either our AI Innovation Labs or AI Innovation Summit, connect with our team at corpinno@1871.com.

 

About Why of AI

Why of AI helps startups to Fortune 100s bridge company-wide gaps in AI knowledge, strategy, and innovation. Our AI strategy consulting and training services help companies understand AI and develop responsible AI roadmaps to drive business growth, customer success, and competitive advantage. Why of AI is led by Alex Castrounis, a best-selling book author on AI and professor of AI at Northwestern University’s Kellogg / McCormick MBAi program. Alex is also a former INDYCAR engineer, race strategist, and data scientist that drove winning results for teams such as Andretti Autosport in world-renowned races, including the Indy 500. 

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 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.

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CHICAGO: March 27th, 2023 – Global innovation nonprofit hub 1871 is hosting its first ever Cannabis Innovation Summit on April 20th, 2023. This public event will engage over 250+ key players in the tech and Cannabis industry, including early-stage startups, growth-scalers, operators, as well as VCs, cannabis-enthusiasts, and those who are “canna-curious.”

The summit focuses on in-person programming (with select portions live-streamed),  and interactive networking. The summit is a capstone event for the Cannabis Innovation Lab program, launched earlier this year. The summit is co-hosted by  execution partner and industry expert GrownIn, leading cannabis compliance and education company. The lab is the first tech program of its kind, designed to bring startups, growth-scalers, corporations, investors, and operators together to approach the cannabis industry’s challenges and opportunities collectively. 

Summit Agenda

From 8:30 AM to 7:00 PM, summit attendees can attend a custom program for the day, including;  keynote, expert panels, topical breakout sessions, pitch competitions, tech playground, networking, and more. See full agenda here.

Anchored by partner Cresco Labs, the summit exclusively showcases cohort 1 of the lab and gives them the limelight to showcase their innovations, as well as interact with thought leaders, investors, corporates, and more! 

This content, paired with industry leaders and executives, will make for an unforgettable day centered around all things cannabis-tech. Breakfast and lunch will be offered to in-person attendees, followed by happy-hour networking and drinks in the final hours of the event.

While attendees can watch virtually, only a select group of events will be live streamed. Thank you to several 1871 growth members for sponsoring this event, including NuEra, Tecvine, and Aeropay. 

Registration is required for this event – RSVP here. 

To sponsor the summit, email corpinno@1871.com. To stay up-to-date on 1871’s Cannabis-related programming & news, subscribe here. 

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Top 5 Finalists for WMNtech Pitch Competition 2023!

This is the second year 1871 is hosting WMNtech Pitch Competition. This 3-round pitch competition aims to highlight and support extraordinary women who are founding and leading tech startups all across the globe through funding and resources. 

With ~80 round 1 pitches and 20 extraordinary semi-finalists, we are excited to announce the top 5 founders who will be moving forward to our finalist event on 3.30! 

Cash prizes and equity funding from our VC partners, totaling $50,000 will be awarded to the finalists, alongside 6-months of free membership to 1871. Aloa credits, totaling a value of $20,000 will also be distributed, with $10k awarded to our first place winner, and $2.5k awarded to each finalist in 2nd-5th place. 

Thank you to Aloa, State Farm, and Molson Coors for sponsoring this event. 

Special thank you to our VC and investment partners, 7 Wire, Hyde Park Venture Partners, OCA Ventures, Subconscious Ventures, and Troy Henikoff for your continuous support and contributions to this event. 

Top 5 Companies of the WMNtech Pitch Competition 2023

Clickvoyant, pitched by CEO Mia Umanos

Here Here Market, pitched by Co-Founder & CEO, Disha Gulati 

Hyivy Health, pitched by CEO Rachel Bartholomew 

kweliTV, pitched by Founder & CEO, DeShuna Spencer

Neofin, pitched by Co-Founder & CEO, Svitlanka Sergiichuk

About WMNtech Pitch Competition 

WMNtech Pitch Competition is a part of our larger women tech founder initiative, designed to support and amplify women early-stage founders through immersive programming, tailored resources, mentorship, and community networking opportunities. 

We are so honored to bring together our community of early, growth, and corporate members, VC partners, and allies as we highlight and celebrate well deserving women-led startups!  

Help us cheer on the finalists as they pitch their businesses to an innovative panel of VC investors by attending the event in-person or virtually.

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