1871 is Chicago’s entrepreneurial hub for digital startups. Located in the famed Merchandise Mart, the 120,000-square-foot facility provides Chicago startups with programming, access to mentors, educational resources, potential investors and a community of like-minded entrepreneurs that help them on their path to building successful businesses.
1871 is the flagship project of the Chicagoland Entrepreneurial Center (CEC). Like the Great Chicago Fire of that year, 1871 serves as a catalytic and transformative part of our city’s history. Our space is a place that is enabling Chicago to emerge as a major center of technology, not just in the U.S., but the world – with 1871 at the core.
Book this versatile, energetic, and unique venue for all types of tech and entrepreneur events:
- Panels & presentations
- Workshops, showcases & training sessions
- Pitch competitions
- Networking opportunities
- Hackathons
- Company off-site meetings
