50 on Fire: 1871 Community Well Represented in ChicagoInno’s Annual Awards

December 9, 2016 by J Blaszczykiewicz

They’re 50 of Chicago’s hottest tech companies, players and supporters, and many of them have something in common: They have deep connections to the 1871 community. The ChicagoInno 50 on Fire Awards wrapped Dec. 8, with a ceremony narrowing the 150 finalists to 50 companies who are among the hottest in Chicago.

December 9, 2016 by J Blaszczykiewicz

You can’t spell “teach” without t-e-c-h. At 1871, our members are driven to give back to the community. During Computer Science Education Week (Dec. 5 – 11), we were inspired to see the successful graduation of 1,000 6th, 7th and 8th grade students, including here in Chicago, from the Capital One C1 Coders Program, which encourages students during the 10-week program to explore careers in software development and science, technology, education and math.

December 8, 2016 by J Blaszczykiewicz

12 Latinx-led startups joined 1871 in late October for a 12-week accelerator program co-facilitated by 1871 and IHCC. We’ll be posting Q&As with each company to introduce them to the community. This week, Victoria Elena Nones, Founder and Executive Director of Women in Comedy, talks about the support platform and network she is building for female comedians to connect, learn and become empowered as they seek paid work in the industry.

December 7, 2016 by J Blaszczykiewicz

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December 6, 2016 by J Blaszczykiewicz

Today we are thrilled to launch the 1871 Store, a swag hub for the makers, doers, builders and thinkers of the Chicago tech community who wear their pride (literally) on their sleeves. The custom designs represent the diverse and evolving culture of 1871 and capture the unique “get it done” spirit of our community.

December 5, 2016 by J Blaszczykiewicz

Visitors to 1871 are always surprised to see so many gray hairs zipping around the place. (No one here saunters – everyone’s in a hurry.) That’s because a significant portion of these older folks are our mentors and, while gray hair can be simply a sign of age and not necessarily of wisdom, that hasn’t been our experience.

November 30, 2016 by J Blaszczykiewicz

Twelve Latinx-led startups joined 1871 in late October for a 12-week accelerator program co-facilitated by 1871 and the Illinois Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. We’ll be posting Q&As with each company on the 1871 blog to introduce them to the community. This week, Kristen Sonday, COO and Co-Founder of Paladin talks about the personalized pro bono tracking platform for the legal community she’s helped develop along with Co-Founder Felicity Conrad, and the impact she hopes it makes.

November 29, 2016 by J Blaszczykiewicz

As an employee benefit in 2016, each 1871 staff member was allocated a cash amount to donate to a charity or cause they hold dear; organizations whose initiatives ranged from education to compassion, leadership to social justice. In the spirit of #GivingTuesday this year, we wanted to share the stories and experiences that led to these donations from 1871 on behalf of each team member — all of which are a reflection of the diverse and deeply held values throughout the 1871 staff.

November 28, 2016 by J Blaszczykiewicz

I used to feel bad for the guys in our IT department because they had the same career issue that the heads of Homeland Security have. As we all know, the terrorists and other scumbags only have to get it right one time and horrible things can happen. Yet our counter-terrorism teams and other law enforcement agencies have to try to be right every time and then, when nothing happens, no one bothers to thank them or offer recognition for their work.

November 23, 2016 by J Blaszczykiewicz

Who would have thought that there would be some worthwhile words of wisdom coming from Glinda, the Good Witch, in Wicked? I saw Wicked again recently for the umpteenth time and I was struck by how relevant some of the lyrics from the song “Thank Goodness” were to the entrepreneurial mindset and to the ways many entrepreneurs behave.

November 21, 2016 by J Blaszczykiewicz

It’s not possible to read any new or old material about organizational behavior without coming across a screed or two on the general subject of how too many meetings simply represent a waste of time, energy and resources. I’ve taken a shot at it, too. (See How to Deal with Time Wasters) Such sessions rarely accomplish anything except maybe some pseudo-bonding.

November 11, 2016 by J Blaszczykiewicz

Serial entrepreneur, angel investor, philanthropist and co-founder of Elite Daily Gerard Adams wasted no time in sharing his thoughts on social media when he took the stage for a Fireside Chat Nov. 8 with 1871 CEO Howard Tullman. “Had to grab my phone to get a SnapChat of this!,” he said.

November 10, 2016 by J Blaszczykiewicz

Chicago-based technology incubator 1871 and the Illinois Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (IHCC) announced Thursday the 12 businesses that make up the first cohort of a new incubator focused on fostering opportunities for Hispanic-owned technology companies. As part of the 12-week program, the tech companies will be provided educational programming, resources, technological support and guidance toward raising funding.

November 8, 2016 by J Blaszczykiewicz

Alex Niemczewski was frustrated as she stared at her ballot in 2012. “There were all these offices I’d never heard of, names I’ve never heard of,” she said. “I left some blanks and I felt like I didn’t do my civic duty.” It was that experience that led to the founding of BallotReady — a comprehensive, non-partisan breakdown of your ballot — in 2014. After 3 months building the site at 1871, multiple primaries and the addition of two co-founders, the site is now ready for the 2016 election, the first presidential election for the startup which can still be found working hard out of the University of Chicago conference room.

November 8, 2016 by J Blaszczykiewicz

I’ve always loved the game “musical chairs.” You know, that game where a group of kids is circling a cluster of chairs, and everyone has to find a seat when the music abruptly stops. There is always one less chair than the number of players. The one person left standing is eliminated.

November 7, 2016 by J Blaszczykiewicz

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October 18, 2016 by J Blaszczykiewicz

Check out this video featuring our amazing partners at Comcast, the 2016 Corporate Champion. Comcast was honored at the 9th Annual Momentum Awards this year at the Radisson Blu Aqua.

October 18, 2016 by J Blaszczykiewicz

Check out this video for a look at Impact Engine, the winner of the 2016 Chicagoness Award, featuring CEO Jessica Droste-Yagan. Impact Engine. Impact Engine is a venture fund that invests financial and human capital in early-stage, for-profit technology businesses improving education, health, economic empowerment, and resource efficiency.

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