INNOVATE® Chicago Vol.1

Innovations of the World

INNOVATE® Chicago Vol.1

It’s easy to think that everything there is to know about the Windy City is already out there in the world—Chicago was, after all, the second most-visited US city in 2018 and has remained fertile ground internationally for a variety of industries, from finance to industry to education to transportation and beyond.

But a visit to Chicago is like a canopy tour compared to the root-deep exploration of the city that INNOVATE® Chicago provides. Filled with stories of Chi-Town’s innovators and innovation enablers, this high-end coffee-table book offers an in-depth look into the city’s innovation ecosystem. Every participant—large or small, corporate or nonprofit—is hand-selected for participation in INNOVATE® Chicago. By avoiding a pay-to-play model, we bring you 250+ pages of the authentic, the innovative, the best of Chicago!

In addition to the hardcover coffee-table book, INNOVATE® Chicago is also published as an e-book, with individual stories posted below.

Featured Thought Leaders

Featured Thought Leaders

Featured Innovators

Featured Innovators

CHICAGO INNOVATION

CHICAGO INNOVATION- EDUCATING

EDUCATING, CONNECTING AND CELEBRATING INNOVATORS IN THE CHICAGO REGION

Established in 2002 as the Chicago Innovation Awards, Chicago Innovation has grown from a single awards ceremony to a year-round series of events and programs to empower Chicago’s innovation ecosystem. Its vision is to solidify the Chicago region as a global hub of innovation and ensure that innovation is for...

NOWPOW

NOWPOW-Built On The Idea That “Knowledge Is Power

Built On The Idea That “Knowledge Is Power,” This Women-Owned And Operated SaaS Platform Uses Community Resource Networks And Evidence Based Referral Technology To Connect People To The Right Health And Social Resources Through All Of Life’s Ages And Stages

Healthcare innovation is often defined by radical discoveries like new vaccines or groundbreaking surgical techniques. But just as important are the innovations that reimagine how we use existing resources. These advancements make it possible for everyone to live their healthiest lives — through more equitable access to services that promote...

CHICAGO FURNITURE BANK

CHICAGO FURNITURE BANK-TURNING HOUSES INTO HOMES SINCE 2018

TURNING HOUSES INTO HOMES SINCE 2018

The mission of the Chicago Furniture Bank (CFB) is to provide dignity, stability, and comfort to Chicagoans facing poverty by allowing our clients to handpick an entire home’s worth of furnishings for free. As the country’s largest furniture bank, we furnish 15 client homes per day through partnerships with our...

Devbridge

Devbridge- Is A Digital Product And Technology Consultancy Focused On Enterprise Transformation And Custom Software Development

Is A Digital Product And Technology Consultancy Focused On Enterprise Transformation And Custom Software Development

WHO WE AREDevbridge is a technology partner for forward-thinking Global 2000 companies looking to shift to a product-centric operating model. We build extraordinary custom software that delivers measurable results for our clients and their customers.   Using our proven methodology, data-informed strategy, and proprietary Devbridge Apollo toolkit, we not only...

SIWA THERAPEUTICS

SIWA THERAPEUTICS-We Founded SIWA

We Founded SIWA, Drawing Upon An Understanding Of Aging And The AGEs, To Combat Cancer

SIWA Therapeutics, Inc. has developed 318H, a monoclonal antibody that we believe can become a broadly effective cancer immunotherapeutic. Most recently, we showed that 318H enabled complete remission of pancreatic cancer in vivo in humanized mice – we hope to file an IND application for pancreatic cancer next year. Our...

WAVICLE DATA SOLUTIONS

WAVICLE DATA SOLUTIONS- MAKES SMART PEOPLE EVEN SMARTER THROUGH THE POWER OF DATA AND ANALYTICS

MAKES SMART PEOPLE EVEN SMARTER THROUGH THE POWER OF DATA AND ANALYTICS

  Wavicle Data Solutions is a nimble consulting firm that focuses 100% on providing end-to-end data and analytics strategy, services, and support. Thanks to its deep technical expertise, business acumen, and proprietary accelerators Wavicle is able to help its clients drastically reduce the time, cost, and risk of collecting, analyzing,...

Sage Corps

Sage Corps- Is An International Internship Program That Sends Students To Work With Startups. We’re Building The Next Gen Global Workforce

Is An International Internship Program That Sends Students To Work With Startups. We’re Building The Next Gen Global Workforce

In 2003, Matt Meltzer graduated summa cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania. He thought employers would line up to hire him. He was wrong. With zero job offers, Matt flew down to South America with a backpack. After living and working in Buenos Aires for one year, Matt returned...

TERRADEPTH

Terradepth- Is composed of a team of ocean enthusiasts

Is composed of a team of ocean enthusiasts, technologists, problem solvers, and makers dedicated to advancing ocean exploration

We exist to empower humanity with full access and visibility of deep sea data that enables a deeper understanding and accountability of impact to drive better decision making.   We believe that a deeper understanding of the oceans is achievable through technological advancements in robotic autonomy and data visualization —...

ENTARA

ENTARA-PLAN FOR THE UNPREDICTABLE

PLAN FOR THE UNPREDICTABLE

It’s no secret that we live in a fast-paced world. Technology is constantly changing, cyber security attacks are on the rise, and consumer interests and needs continue to evolve. To keep up, Managed Service Providers (MSP) and Managed Security Service Providers (MSSP) are having to modify their offerings to adhere...

POWER REVIEWS

POWER REVIEWS- ENABLING BRANDS AND RETAILERS TO DRIVE MORE REVENUE WITH RATINGS AND REVIEWS

ENABLING BRANDS AND RETAILERS TO DRIVE MORE REVENUE WITH RATINGS AND REVIEWS

PowerReviews works with more than 1,000 global brands and retailers to help them collect, display and analyze user-generated content – Ratings and Reviews, Questions and Answers, and images and videos – on their websites. As more consumers flocked online as a result of Covid, this content actually became significantly more...

BUNDLAR

BUNDLAR-One Intuitive Platform For All Your AR Needs

One Intuitive Platform For All Your AR Needs

In the face of the obstacles challenging the augmented reality community, the BUNDLAR platform makes AR simple, affordable, and accessible to the average creator. We accomplish this with our proprietary Content Management System (CMS) and integrated mobile application. Instead of hiring expensive developers to build AR experiences, businesses and institutions...

ILLINOIS HISPANIC CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

ILLINOIS HISPANIC CHAMBER OF COMMERCE-Helping Latino-Owned Businesses Grow

Helping Latino-Owned Businesses Grow

The Illinois Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (IHCC) is a community of business owners, entrepreneurs, and professionals committed to empowering individuals by helping them start and grow their businesses. As the largest community of Latino business owners across Illinois and the Midwest, they represent more than 100,000 businesses. Latinos in Illinois...

Aon

Aon-INNOVATION’S ROLE IN A HIGHLY VOLATILE WORLD

INNOVATION’S ROLE IN A HIGHLY VOLATILE WORLD

One of the long-term impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic experience is that companies have fundamentally changed the way they look at risk. Risks are more interconnected, so the impact is more profound. For example, increased weather events and supply chain disruptions are happening more frequently and having a greater impact...

NETWORK PERCEPTION

NETWORK PERCEPTION-CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE IS DISRUPTED BY CYBER-ATTACKS: NETWORK PERCEPTION DEVELOPS A TECHNOLOGY TO PROACTIVELY VERIFY AND VISUALIZE THEIR CYBER RESILIENCE

CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE IS DISRUPTED BY CYBER-ATTACKS: NETWORK PERCEPTION DEVELOPS A TECHNOLOGY TO PROACTIVELY VERIFY AND VISUALIZE THEIR CYBER RESILIENCE

OUR MISSIONIn cybersecurity, threat actors are often one step ahead and the average cost of a breach routinely goes beyond seven figures. Most security solutions focus on detection and response, taking a reactive approach to cyber-attacks. The pace and acceleration of network changes create new vulnerabilities every day, decreasing the...

HABITNU

HABITNU-Set Small Goals

Set Small Goals, Build Life-Lasting Healthy Habits, And Transform Your Life. HabitNu Is Built On Proven Scientific Research

HabitNu is a digital therapeutic technology company that focuses on preventing and managing chronic diseases by helping individuals build new, healthy habits. HabitNu leverages proven scientific goal-setting research to drive new habit formation for the prevention and management of chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes and hypertension. HabitNu’s approach...

AZUMO

AZUMO-Manufacturer of LCD 2.0

Manufacturer of LCD 2.0, A Breakthrough Display Technology Revolutionizing A $130B Industry

Displays have become ubiquitous in our society. We find them in smartphones, tablets, laptops, TVs, drive through restaurants, ATM machines, thermostats, gas station pumps…the list is endless. Even still, there are notable negative impacts of displays which we have become accustomed to – excessive power consumption, subpar viewability in bright...

ENVOY

ENVOY- MAKES HIRING AND MANAGING AN INTERNATIONAL WORKFORCE A SEAMLESS EXPERIENCE

MAKES HIRING AND MANAGING AN INTERNATIONAL WORKFORCE A SEAMLESS EXPERIENCE

Envoy is a global immigration services provider offering the only immigration management platform that makes it seamless for companies to hire and manage an international workforce. We combine expert legal representation and proprietary technology to bring efficiency and transparency to the immigration process for employers and employees.   At Envoy...

EMPIST

EMPIST-Reliable & Transparent Technology Solutions Designed To Help Your Business Grow

Reliable & Transparent Technology Solutions Designed To Help Your Business Grow

WHAT WE DO At Empist, we make it our mission to provide businesses of any size with the resources they need to thrive in the ever-changing technological landscape. With two decades of multifaceted technology experience, our team is ready to help you develop a tailored plan to scale your business....

ROOMII

ROOMII’S MISSION IS TO PROVIDE ACCESS TO ASPIRATIONAL FURNITURE FOR EVERY ROOM IN YOUR HOME

Roomii is an online marketplace that lets you lease out your furniture to people who don’t want to own it. Our platform lets you earn a return on your furniture investment while helping people furnish their space short-term with quality pre-owned furniture. Roomii’s story began in the spring of 2020....

JELLYVISION

JELLYVISION-CELEBRATING THREE DECADES IN CHICAGO TECH

CELEBRATING THREE DECADES IN CHICAGO TECH

WHO IS JELLYVISION?Jellyvision is the benefits engagement platform trusted by companies large and small, including many of the Fortune 500. We’re committed to reinventing how employees choose and use benefits, and our sophisticated technology delights and guides employees to make better decisions — leading them and our customers to more...

TECHNORI

TECHNORI-Since Launching Nearly a Decade Ago

Since Launching Nearly a Decade Ago, Our Mission Has Been Simple; Help Founders More Easily Raise Startup Funds By Building a Community Around Tech And Investing

Before Chicago became a tech hub featuring world-renowned incubators like 1871 and more than a dozen unicorns, there was Technori – a small group of early adopters and startup founders on a mission to turn Chicago into the largest and most diverse tech community in the world. And, what began...

THE CHICAGO HELP INITIATIVE

THE CHICAGO HELP INITIATIVE-A Simple

A Simple, Duplicable Model Of How Local Organizations Can Help Those In Need And The Community That Surrounds Them

The Chicago Help Initiative was founded in 1999 by Jacqueline C. Hayes to be a compassionate response to the homeless displaced by efforts of the City of Chicago. It has evolved into a hyperlocal model of how individuals can link together to address a difficult problem using a mix of...

CHANGED

CHANGED-ON A MISSION TO MAKE STUDENT LOAN DEBT REPAYMENT EFFECTIVE AND PAIN FREE THROUGH THE EMPOWERMENT OF EVERYDAY DECISIONS

ON A MISSION TO MAKE STUDENT LOAN DEBT REPAYMENT EFFECTIVE AND PAIN FREE THROUGH THE EMPOWERMENT OF EVERYDAY DECISIONS

WHAT WE DO ChangEd is an all-in-one debt management platform helping people build a better relationship with debt so they can reach their financial dreams sooner. ChangEd allows people with debt to link all their loans and spending accounts on one platform. We then analyze their debt load and develop...

SMARTMIRROR

SMART MIRROR-Shaping the Future of Dentistry

Shaping the Future of Dentistry

The dental mirror is the single-most important tool for dentists and hygienists alike, but it hasn’t changed in form or function for more than 100 years. SmartMirror looks, feels and acts like a traditional dental mirror, but features pioneering technology that meets the needs of today’s dentists and patients alike....

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The Publisher

Glen Edwards

Glen Edwards was born and raised in Philadelphia. He graduated from Pennsylvania State University and served in the United States Marine Corps Services. For the next 10 years, Glen worked as a Juvenile Probation Officer in Philadelphia, counseling underprivileged children in North and West Philadelphia. In 1983, Glen left the court and went to work... click to read more

The Publisher

Glen Edwards

Glen Edwards was born and raised in Philadelphia. He graduated from Pennsylvania State University and served in the United States Marine Corps Services. For the next 10 years, Glen worked as a Juvenile Probation Officer in Philadelphia, counseling underprivileged children in North and West Philadelphia. In 1983, Glen left the court and went to work... click to read more

Other Ecosystems