Help a Local Startup Win Free Tickets to the CEC Momentum Awards

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1871 is all about bringing the Chicago ecosystem together to support and grow the startup community, and there is no better example of that same effort then in what Troy Henikoff, Sam Yagan, and Excelerate have built over the last 3 summers.  I remember when there was talk of an “accelerator” program in Chicago and many folks were skeptical, but a small group of leaders got it done and it’s only improved each year!  Ranked the #3 accelerator in the country by Forbes, Excelerate just graduated an incredible class of 10 startups from around the country and the globe.  Wednesday was Demo Day at the House of Blues and the presentations by the graduating companies were amazing – the clear result of excellent coaches and mentoring help over the last 3 months. Here’s a run-down of the 10 startups for you to check out:

[Read more…] about Excelerate Demo Day – wow!

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Back on May 2nd, we opened the doors to a new 50,000 square foot center for digital startups in the Merchandise Mart.  We named this place 1871 to reflect the great spirit of innovation and entrepreneurship following the Great Chicago Fire.  We hoped that a place like this would become a hub for startup activity in Chicago – and would provide a supportive community of like-minded entrepreneurs building early-stage companies alongside one another.  We hoped that bringing together incredible partners like Code Academy, Excelerate Labs, Impact Engine, and the Illinois Science & Technology Coalition (ISTC) – as well as top local universities and venture capital partners – would provide access to the talent, capital and mentorship startups need to grow their businesses.  We hoped for so much and so far it has exceeded our expectations!

[Read more…] about 100 Days of 1871

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By Jeff Dunn, Director of Educational Technology R&D for DeVry

I lead efforts to make sure that all DeVry institutions are on the cutting edge in using technology to deliver a world-class learning experience for every one of our students. And in Chicago, the cutting edge starts at 1871.

[Read more…] about Serendipity by Design

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If your company has its own office space but you’d like the opportunity to get your employees involved in Chicago’s digital community, 1871 has a new Associate Membership program that might be right for you. Designed for digital companies or divisions with more than 8 employees, the Associate Membership offers 24-hour access to 1871’s co-working space and conference rooms as well as all the workshops, speakers and networking events. And, because the membership is transferable, it can be shared among staff members within an organization to take advantage of all the great resources inside the community.

[Read more…] about New Associate Membership Gives Established Startups and Bigger Companies Ability to Plug into 1871 Community

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The next speaker for our event series “1871 Talks” was none other than Howard Tullman, labelled by Inc. Magazine as “the most accomplished, best-connected entrepreneur you have never heard of.” A serial entrepreneur, investor, advisor, art collector, teacher, lecturer, lawyer, marathon runner, and friend of both Bill Clinton and Tyra Banks, Tullman has done it all. 

[Read more…] about Howard Tullman Talk: “Future Trends in Technology and Social Media”

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This morning 1871 was lucky enough to have Mark Achler, Senior Vice President of New Business, Strategy, and Innovation of Redbox, come speak on the importance of integrating values into company culture. Starting off his early morning presentation with a round of heartwarming jokes, it was clear how important connecting with people is to him.  A string of notable accolades under his belt, notably the serial entrepreneur of four companies, a partner at a venture capitalist firm, and currently an intrapraneur at Redbox, Achler could only stress the importance of values in helping him through every step of his career.

[Read more…] about Mark Achler presents “Why Values Driven Companies Deliver Better Shareholder Results”

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