Headed to Tech Chicago Week? Don't miss these events.

TechChicago Week (July 21 to 27) isn’t just another tech festival. It reflects where Chicago is going: a city where builders, researchers, and policymakers come together in ways you rarely see on the coasts.

What makes this week special isn’t just the headliners or big stages. It’s the side events, working sessions, and tightly focused gatherings that show how Chicago does tech: intentionally, collaboratively, and with long-term impact in mind. That’s why we’re hosting three focused side events at our Chicago office during TechChicago Week.

Our first event on Monday July 21st came from the idea that AI won’t scale without energy, and nuclear gives Illinois an edge. So we’re hosting Powering AI in the Heartland.

Illinois generates 54% of our electricity from nuclear, more than any other state. Meta’s new 20-year power purchase agreement with the Clinton plant points to a bigger trend. Hyperscalers are searching for zero-carbon baseload power near water and talent.

At the same time, the International Energy Agency projects global data center demand could double to 1,000 terawatt-hours by 2026, largely because of AI training.

This session will bring together AI infrastructure founders, policymakers, and grid operators to explore how Illinois can turn its nuclear advantage into leadership in compute.

Speakers include Vegim Begolli (MoonliteAI), State Senator Sue Rezin, Madi Hilly (Radiant Energy Group), Drew Wandzilak (Alumni Ventures), and Chicago Alderman Gilbert Villegas.

Our second event is framed around how AI agents are reshaping healthcare from administrative workflows to direct patient care. On Wednesday, July 23, we’re hosting the AI Agents in Healthcare Symposium to bring together scientists, engineers, and healthcare leaders who are building what’s next in clinical and operational AI.

Chicago is home to hundreds of health-tech startups and one of the highest concentrations of academic medical centers in the country.

Tempus, a Chicago-based AI company, now employs over 2,400 people and is valued at more than $10 billion.

This event will dive into how AI agents are changing the healthcare landscape.

We’ll start with presentations by Jonathan Ozeran (Tempus AI) and Erandi De Silva (Drive Capital / Forge Biologics), followed by breakout sessions with researchers, founders, and Operators.

And to close our TechChicago Week, on Thursday July 24, we’re bringing back Pre-Seed Between the Coasts.

Some of the most capital-efficient companies in America are being built in the Midwest and people are starting to notice.

Midwest startups deliver the highest multiple on invested capital in the country, beating the Northeast by 33%. Chicago leads among major hubs.

Yet in the first half of 2024, Midwest startups raised only $600m across 109 companies. The West Coast raised $42B. That gap isn’t because of a lack of quality. It’s because the Midwest has built a culture of capital-efficient growth. And as the broader tech industry shifts to a do-more-with-less mindset, Chicago is already ahead.

We’ll hear from early-stage investors and founders including Ryan Broshar (Matchstick), Logan LaHive (Belly), Scott Holloway (Starting Line), and Adi Tantravahi (Cofactor AI).

Together, we’ll break down the playbooks that work between the coasts covering burn multiples, go-to-market strategy, and the right round sizes for sustainable growth.

These three gatherings are about more than conversation. They’re a snapshot of the future Chicago is building: focused, smart, and built to last.

‍Landon Campbell is Investor and Chicago GM at Drive Capital, a venture capital firm with its head office in Columbus, Ohio. Drive believes the most compelling emerging market for venture investment is America, but outside of Silicon Valley. Landon also publishes Landon’s Loop, a newsletter for tech news and events in Chicago.