Chicago’s Flagship VC Conference Returns in 2020 to Highlight the City’s Role as a Global Startup Hub

Andrea Zopp, President & CEO of World Business Chicago, Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot, and Mark Tebbe, Chair of ChicagoNEXT, are proud to announce the 5th Chicago Venture Summit will be held from April 22-23, 2020 at Google Chicago.

The 2020 Venture Summit is hosted by ChicagoNEXT, World Business Chicago’s council of technology leaders, and will feature investors, startup founders and business leaders from across the country. The Venture Summit highlights Chicago as a leading, global hub for startup investment, entrepreneurship, and innovation.

“Chicago’s tech sector is among the most dynamic and fastest growing in the country thanks to our incredible entrepreneurial ecosystem that encourages innovation and allows talent to develop and thrive,” Mayor Lightfoot said. “From our innovation centers to world-class universities, Chicago is a global startup hub and I’m excited to see the Chicago Venture Summit’s efforts to promote our city’s most promising ideas and startups.

The Chicago Venture Summit curates unique networking opportunities among Chicago’s tech leaders, local investors, and the influencers of the city’s burgeoning innovation ecosystem. The programming will highlight emerging technology companies and financing opportunities, and attendees will get an inside look at how prominent VCs assess investment opportunities and learn the strategies of leading venture funds.

Chicago continues to be the epicenter of the Midwest, providing the most robust return for investors in the U.S. As an example, Chicagoland startups raised more than $1.8 billion across 140 deals, according to a MoneyTree report from PwC and Chicago surpasses every other city in the nation in return on investment (ROI) for venture capitalists.

Chicago’s tech industry is the City’s fastest-growing industry sector with over 4,000 digital companies – a more than 270% growth in just 10 years. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, tech jobs have grown 38.6 percent since 2010, employing more than 143,000 people.

“The 2020 Chicago Venture Summit will be one of the largest Venture Capital conferences in the Midwest,” said Mark Tebbe, Chair of ChicagoNEXT. “We know that investors are looking beyond the coasts for investments and are discovering what Pitchbook has already published – that Chicago and Midwest startups offer the highest venture capital returns out of any other U.S. city.”

Google and JP Morgan are returning as lead sponsors for the 2020 Chicago Venture Summit. Additional sponsors will be named in the coming weeks.

“Now in its fifth year, the Chicago Venture Summit is the city’s premier venture capital conference where startup businesses incubating bold and innovative ideas, and solutions connect with engaged investors and industry leaders,” said Andrea Zopp, President and CEO of World Business Chicago. “This event demonstrates why Chicago’s vibrant tech economy is a global hub for investment.”

For more information, visit www.chicagoventuresummit.com.