# Startup & founder events in Chicago

Curated by [foundercal.com](https://foundercal.com/). Only events worth a founder's time: conferences, demo days, founder dinners, meetups and workshops. Generic networking filler is filtered out. Updated daily.

- City page (HTML): https://foundercal.com/cities/chicago
- Calendar feed (ICS): https://foundercal.com/cities/chicago.ics
- All cities + usage guide for AI agents: https://foundercal.com/llms.txt

33 upcoming events as of 31 August 2026.

## Tech Pulse 2030-The Physical Internet of AI: Data Centers, Energy, and Architecture- Chicago

- Date: Tuesday 1 September 2026, 17:00 (America/Chicago)
- Type: Conference
- Organizer: [AI 2030 | Responsible AI](https://foundercal.com/organizers/ai-2030-responsible-ai)
- Details: https://foundercal.com/events/tech-pulse-2030-the-physical-internet-of-ai-data-centers-energy-and-architecture-6wxvv9UWuy3rDjC
- Register / official page: https://foundercal.com/out/2817?p=md

Tech Pulse 2030 is more than just an event. It’s a movement dedicated to showcasing the brightest minds and fostering deep engagement among leaders, entrepreneurs, and changemakers. Together, we’ll explore the real-world impact of emerging technologies and chart a course for a future where…

## Chicago | Claude Workshop

- Date: Tuesday 1 September 2026, 17:30 (America/Chicago)
- Type: Workshop
- Venue: 1871, 111 N Canal St 12th Floor, Chicago, IL 60606, USA
- Organizer: [Claude Community Events](https://foundercal.com/organizers/claude-community-events)
- Details: https://foundercal.com/events/chicago-claude-workshop-N7uZxFvVdVKsKNp
- Register / official page: https://foundercal.com/out/7966?p=md

Join a Claude Community Event, organized by local enthusiasts for everyone who loves building with Claude! A hands-on evening workshop for founders and operators who want Claude working inside their own companies. Bring a laptop and leave with something running: a context file that carries how your…

## tuesdays: a picnic for chicago's creatives and founders

- Date: Tuesday 1 September 2026, 17:30 (America/Chicago)
- Type: Dinner
- Venue: Grant Park, Chicago, IL, USA
- Organizer: [Creative Coffee Club](https://foundercal.com/organizers/creative-coffee-club)
- Details: https://foundercal.com/events/tuesdays-a-picnic-for-chicagos-creatives-and-founders-C2t7XyUWshEBWHx
- Register / official page: https://foundercal.com/out/9746?p=md

for the creatives, the founders, the people still figuring it out. we're hosting a picnic for those pursuing their passions and sidequests. if you're a coffee club member, make sure to use the free code that could be seen on your portal. andddd, if you aren't one (yet) - well this is your chance to…

## BioTech Fermenter: Chicago's Biotechnology Meetup

- Date: Tuesday 1 September 2026, 18:30 (America/Chicago)
- Type: Meetup
- Venue: Pilot project Brewing, 2140 n Milwaukee ave, Chicago, IL
- Organizer: [ChiTownBio](https://foundercal.com/organizers/chitownbio)
- Details: https://foundercal.com/events/biotech-fermenter-chicagos-biotechnology-meetup-316063853
- Register / official page: https://foundercal.com/out/9296?p=md

Network over a drink with Chicago's biotechnology professionals and build a community of biotechnologists, entrepreneurs, investors, and enthusiasts. We're continuing our series of networking opportunities to discuss challenges, opportunities, and frustrations while enjoying an evening with your…

## Chicago AI eCommerce for Ambitious Founders

- Date: Thursday 3 September 2026, 01:23 (America/Chicago)
- Type: Workshop
- Venue: X96R+M5 Chicago, Chicago, IL
- Organizer: [Bollywood Beats for Absolute Dance Beginners](https://foundercal.com/organizers/bollywood-beats-for-absolute-dance-beginners)
- Details: https://foundercal.com/events/chicago-ai-ecommerce-for-ambitious-founders-316318321
- Register / official page: https://foundercal.com/out/9628?p=md

Build an AI-Powered Store That Runs Itself – Entrepreneur Masterclass The founders winning in eCommerce are using AI for everything, sourcing, marketing, fulfilment. This masterclass gives you the same playbook. You will meet other entrepreneurs building online businesses who are serious about…

## Founder’s Therapy - Coffee Roundtable

- Date: Thursday 3 September 2026, 09:00 (America/Chicago)
- Type: Meetup
- Venue: Bitter Pops, 3345 N Lincoln Ave, Chicago, IL
- Organizer: [Founder’s Therapy - Chicago](https://foundercal.com/organizers/founder-s-therapy-chicago)
- Details: https://foundercal.com/events/founder-s-therapy-coffee-roundtable-315727109
- Register / official page: https://foundercal.com/out/8263?p=md

Starting a company is hard. Join us for coffee, bring a problem you are having, and get perspective from other founders. Meet some cool people as well! STRUCTURE Introductions • Your name\, what you are working on\, share one good and one bad thing that happened in the past two weeks. (<5 min per…

## The Boardroom Besties Female Founders Walk Chicago

- Date: Friday 4 September 2026, 10:00 (America/Chicago)
- Type: Meetup
- Venue: La Colombe Coffee Workshop, 4 E Elm St, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
- Organizer: Personal
- Details: https://foundercal.com/events/the-boardroom-besties-female-founders-walk-chicago-Fp4oysNxYa0dxUF
- Register / official page: https://foundercal.com/out/9822?p=md

Join us for The Boardroom Besties Female Founders Walk in Chicago. We're meeting Friday, September 4th at 10 AM, starting at La Colombe in the Gold Coast (4 E Elm St). The Boardroom Besties walks make space for real conversation among female founders who are actually building, the ones serious…

## Chicago AI Influencer Income for Founders

- Date: Friday 4 September 2026, 18:00 (America/Chicago)
- Type: Workshop
- Venue: 839 S Wells St, Chicago, IL
- Organizer: [The Hustle and Grow Collective](https://foundercal.com/organizers/the-hustle-and-grow-collective)
- Details: https://foundercal.com/events/chicago-ai-influencer-income-for-founders-316320612
- Register / official page: https://foundercal.com/out/9616?p=md

Build a Faceless AI Content Brand Build a content brand that AI creates and posts for you, no camera required. Your seat is only secured once you register below. REGISTER NOW • A monetisation path from day one • A content system that runs on autopilot • AI-generated posts for any niche Built for…

## Build & Tell - Chicago (Claude Code Meetup)

- Date: Wednesday 9 September 2026, 16:00 (America/Chicago)
- Repeats: 2 upcoming dates (every 2 weeks)
- Type: Meetup
- Venue: Bitter Pops, 3357 N Lincoln Ave, Chicago, IL 60657, USA
- Organizer: Personal
- Details: https://foundercal.com/events/build-and-tell-chicago-claude-code-meetup-QnSa9IGp2a6rBDR
- Register / official page: https://foundercal.com/out/6678?p=md

Build & Tell is a small, curated roundtable for founders and operators who are actively building with AI and not watching from the sidelines. 10+ runs in; here's what typically happens: The format (we rotate): • Go-around, everyone shares what they're working on, what broke, what surprised them •…

## Chicago | How Businesses Use AI

- Date: Wednesday 9 September 2026, 18:00 (America/Chicago)
- Type: Meetup
- Organizer: [Claude Community Events](https://foundercal.com/organizers/claude-community-events)
- Details: https://foundercal.com/events/chicago-how-businesses-use-ai-DOPhBstn9KYEqdu
- Register / official page: https://foundercal.com/out/7744?p=md

AI can be used almost anywhere in a business. The harder question is where it will make enough of a difference to justify the time, cost, and effort. Join us for a panel of Chicago owners and operators running $5M+ businesses across a diverse range of industries. They’ll talk candidly about why…

## mHUB Community BBQ

- Date: Thursday 10 September 2026, 16:30 (America/Chicago)
- Type: Meetup
- Venue: mHUB, 1623 W Fulton St, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
- Organizer: [mHUB Events](https://foundercal.com/organizers/mhub-events)
- Details: https://foundercal.com/events/mhub-community-bbq-gUiaC2Z4WRkjosh
- Register / official page: https://foundercal.com/out/4829?p=md

UPDATE: The mHUB Community BBQ originally scheduled for Thursday, July 16th has been rescheduled to Thursday, September 10th. This registration page has been updated to reflect the new event date. Hope to see you there! If you registered others for the event, please make them aware of the date…

## Nucleate Chicago: Activator Launch Event

- Date: Thursday 10 September 2026, 18:00 (America/Chicago)
- Type: Meetup
- Organizer: [Nucleate Global Events Calendar](https://foundercal.com/organizers/nucleate-global-events-calendar)
- Details: https://foundercal.com/events/nucleate-chicago-activator-launch-event-ZEidmd91oKLcVT9
- Register / official page: https://foundercal.com/out/7870?p=md

About the Host: Nucleate is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering the next generation of biotech leaders. With chapters spanning 41 geographic regions and participation from over 280 academic institutions, Nucleate sparks new intellectual communities and embeds emerging talent…

## Chicago Workshop: Building Legal AI Agents You Can Trust

- Date: Tuesday 15 September 2026, 17:30 (America/Chicago)
- Type: Workshop
- Organizer: [The Superoptimal](https://foundercal.com/organizers/the-superoptimal)
- Details: https://foundercal.com/events/chicago-workshop-building-legal-ai-agents-you-can-trust-IF2Lvw7tjiWFecJ
- Register / official page: https://foundercal.com/out/7616?p=md

Join us for a hands on evening with engineers from Arize and Qdrant exploring how top performing teams build agents in Legal. Brought to you by the AI Collective, Code & Coffee and Superoptimal. Meet fellow legal engineers tackling the most common failure modes of legal AI agents, and learn to…

## Automation, MCP, and vibe coding: what gets built vs. what gets shipped

- Date: Tuesday 15 September 2026, 17:30 (America/Chicago)
- Type: Meetup
- Venue: Aon Center, 200 East Randolph Street, Chicago, IL
- Organizer: [Digital Delivery Chicago (formerly Chicago JavaScript)](https://foundercal.com/organizers/digital-delivery-chicago-formerly-chicago-javascript)
- Details: https://foundercal.com/events/automation-mcp-and-vibe-coding-what-gets-built-vs-what-gets-shipped-314509630
- Register / official page: https://foundercal.com/out/8846?p=md

⭐️ This month's meetup is sponsored by Tray.ai, the enterprise orchestration platform for data and AI. --- 📌 Automation, MCP, and vibe coding: what gets built vs. what gets shipped with Stephen Stouffer As a Solutions Engineer at an AI company, I build alongside teams every week. I've seen what…

## Business Acumen Series: Revenue & the Path to Profitability

- Date: Thursday 17 September 2026, 10:00 (America/Chicago)
- Type: Meetup
- Venue: Polsky Exchange North, 1452 E 53rd St, Chicago, IL 60615, USA
- Organizer: [Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation](https://foundercal.com/organizers/polsky-center-for-entrepreneurship-and-innovation)
- Details: https://foundercal.com/events/business-acumen-series-revenue-and-the-path-to-profitability-IiWNCNsGhzp6Dz0
- Register / official page: https://foundercal.com/out/8911?p=md

This session provides a practical framework for identifying your most profitable customers, setting achievable revenue targets, and diagnosing the specific gaps between where you are and where you want to be. The speaker will also address how AI tools are changing how small business owners forecast…

## 1871 Momentum

- Date: Thursday 17 September 2026, 17:00 (America/Chicago)
- Type: Meetup
- Organizer: [1871 Events](https://foundercal.com/organizers/1871-events)
- Details: https://foundercal.com/events/1871-momentum-78cyCvpqyUi1dHD
- Register / official page: https://foundercal.com/out/7080?p=md

Attend the Momentum Awards!The annual Momentum Awards are an evening dedicated to celebrating Chicago's tech community and championing the companies and individuals building extraordinary businesses. This year, we're honoring standout work across six categories, from growth-stage founders to…

## Legacy Live

- Date: 18 September 2026 – 19 September 2026
- Type: Conference
- Price: €555 – €1,444
- Venue: Loft606, 2605 W Armitage Ave, Chicago, IL 60647
- Organizer: [Ashley Burnett](https://foundercal.com/organizers/ashley-burnett)
- Details: https://foundercal.com/events/legacy-live-2026-09-18
- Register / official page: https://foundercal.com/out/7684?p=md

Legacy Live is a 2-day immersive retreat for visionary women, creatives, and leaders ready to turn their stories into their greatest strengths and bring their league-of-her-own visions to life. Expect a powerful, intimate room filled with meaningful conversations, deep connection, storytelling,…

## Polsky Center Open House for College First-Years

- Date: Tuesday 22 September 2026, 14:00 (America/Chicago)
- Type: Meetup
- Venue: Polsky Center, Chicago Booth, 5807 S Woodlawn Ave #207, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
- Organizer: [Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation](https://foundercal.com/organizers/polsky-center-for-entrepreneurship-and-innovation)
- Details: https://foundercal.com/events/polsky-center-open-house-for-college-first-years-ebJ9BWZ7sfiStL0
- Register / official page: https://foundercal.com/out/9610?p=md

Curious about entrepreneurship? Stop by the Polsky Center to meet our team, explore the Entrepreneurship and Innovation minor, and discover the programs and mentorship available to you as an undergraduate. No experience necessary, just bring your questions and we'll bring the refreshments!

## Your Agent Hasn't Faced Adversity Yet!

- Date: Tuesday 22 September 2026, 18:00 (America/Chicago)
- Type: Meetup
- Venue: TeamWorking by TechNexus, 20 N Wacker Dr 12th Floor, Chicago, IL 60606, USA
- Organizer: [Agent Loop - Chicago](https://foundercal.com/organizers/agent-loop-chicago)
- Details: https://foundercal.com/events/your-agent-hasnt-faced-adversity-yet-fGKSsg0rT62Iv79
- Register / official page: https://foundercal.com/out/7081?p=md

Please join us as we host FJ Collins coming in from NYC to discuss how the team at Intuit prepares their agents for the real world. Abstract Every coach knows a play that looks perfect on a whiteboard can fall apart the moment a defender brings the heat. So why do we expect AI agents to be any…

## Chicago | Claude for Finance

- Date: Wednesday 23 September 2026, 18:00 (America/Chicago)
- Type: Meetup
- Organizer: [Claude Community Events](https://foundercal.com/organizers/claude-community-events)
- Details: https://foundercal.com/events/chicago-claude-for-finance-aSf9pGb6x11Vmus
- Register / official page: https://foundercal.com/out/7526?p=md

Chicago | Claude for Finance An evening for Chicago finance practitioners on what they are actually doing with AI, and what broke when they tried. Hosted at Ferris & Co in the Loop. No pitching. Real workflows, honest failure modes, and live demos of what works today. What to expect • Diligence,…

## September – Chi Indie Hacker Happy Hour @ Pilot Brewing

- Date: Wednesday 23 September 2026, 18:00 (America/Chicago)
- Type: Meetup
- Venue: Pilot Project Brewing, 2140 N Milwaukee Ave, Chicago, IL
- Organizer: [Chicago Indie Hackers](https://foundercal.com/organizers/chicago-indie-hackers)
- Details: https://foundercal.com/events/september-chi-indie-hacker-happy-hour-pilot-brewing-315992485
- Register / official page: https://foundercal.com/out/8265?p=md

Pilot Project Brewing is located on Milwaukee Ave between the Western and California blue line stops. Parking is available on Milwaukee and nearby side streets. Ask for Simon if you're having trouble finding us! No agenda or anything organized. Feel free to come early, get some work done at the…

## Chicago - Agentics Foundation Meetup

- Date: Thursday 24 September 2026, 18:00 (America/Chicago)
- Type: Meetup
- Venue: Workbox Chicago - River North, 306 West Erie Street, Chicago, IL
- Organizer: [Chicago Agentics Foundation Meetups](https://foundercal.com/organizers/chicago-agentics-foundation-meetups)
- Details: https://foundercal.com/events/chicago-agentics-foundation-meetup-316076225
- Register / official page: https://foundercal.com/out/8267?p=md

Agentics Foundation: Chicago ​Join us on Sept 24th for the Agentics Foundation Chicago event, hosted by Reuven Cohen and Eric Schwartz. ​This gathering brings together builders, founders, operators, researchers, investors, and enterprise leaders exploring the future of AI and Agentics. As AI…

## Fall 2026 Collaboratorium

- Date: Wednesday 30 September 2026, 17:00 (America/Chicago)
- Type: Meetup
- Venue: Chicago Booth Harper Center, 5807 S Woodlawn Ave, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
- Organizer: [Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation](https://foundercal.com/organizers/polsky-center-for-entrepreneurship-and-innovation)
- Details: https://foundercal.com/events/fall-2026-collaboratorium-maU6BMDEmWNSvNE
- Register / official page: https://foundercal.com/out/7883?p=md

The Collaboratorium unites business students and scientists from leading Midwestern universities to form entrepreneurial teams and turn breakthrough ideas into real-world impact. Founded at the University of Chicago's Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, the event now convenes…

## Frontier CHI

- Date: 1 October 2026 – 2 October 2026
- Type: Workshop
- Organizer: [Obvious Community Events](https://foundercal.com/organizers/obvious-community-events)
- Details: https://foundercal.com/events/frontier-chi-aMvZ1Bd2S97nXqt
- Register / official page: https://foundercal.com/out/7083?p=md

Obvious is an applied AI research lab. We spend our days closing the gap between what's possible and what's doable, and treating our own company as the experiment for what it means to operate at agent scale. Frontier is what happens when we invite other teams into that work. It's not a conference.…

## Frontier Happy Hour Chicago

- Date: Friday 2 October 2026, 16:30 (America/Chicago)
- Type: Dinner
- Organizer: [Obvious Community Events](https://foundercal.com/organizers/obvious-community-events)
- Details: https://foundercal.com/events/frontier-happy-hour-chicago-upki8hbWoy1aVNq
- Register / official page: https://foundercal.com/out/7084?p=md

Step away from the build and catch up with people who are actually shipping at the frontier. Join the Obvious team and Frontier cohort for drinks and honest conversation about what's working, what's breaking, and where AI-driven engineering is going next. No pitch, no panel, just a room full of…

## HealthTech Startups, Investors, Innovators Networking Event with Elevator Pitch

- Date: Monday 5 October 2026, 19:00 (America/Chicago)
- Type: Meetup
- Venue: Rye Deli & Drink, 25 S Halsted St, Chicago, IL 60661, IL
- Organizer: [Chicago Startup Pitch & Networking Group](https://foundercal.com/organizers/chicago-startup-pitch-and-networking-group)
- Details: https://foundercal.com/events/healthtech-startups-investors-innovators-networking-event-with-elevator-pitch-316324356
- Register / official page: https://foundercal.com/out/9640?p=md

🔔 Please Note: RSVP on Meetup does not guarantee entry. To attend, you must register through the official ticket link here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/chicago-healthtech-medtech-networking-pitch-event-tickets-1999014003697 Join us for an exciting evening of connection and collaboration at the…

## Chicago’s Mayoral Candidate, SUSANA MENDOZA, Takes On: The Technology Industry & Chicago's Future

- Date: Tuesday 13 October 2026, 16:00 (America/Chicago)
- Type: Meetup
- Venue: TeamWorking by TechNexus, 20 N Wacker Dr 12th Floor, Chicago, IL 60606, USA
- Organizer: [TechNexus](https://foundercal.com/organizers/technexus)
- Details: https://foundercal.com/events/chicago-s-mayoral-candidate-susana-mendoza-takes-on-the-technology-industry-and--55EBoJ3V4czxXfC
- Register / official page: https://foundercal.com/out/7278?p=md

A Series of Conversations with Chicago’s Mayoral Candidates Hosted by TechNexus Venture Collaborative Chicago’s next mayor will shape the city’s ability to compete for talent, capital, and company formation. In this ongoing series, The Technology Industry & Chicago’s Future convenes declared…

## Chicago Booth Angels Fall Pitch & Demo Day 2026

- Date: Wednesday 14 October 2026, 16:00 (America/Chicago)
- Type: Pitch
- Price: Free
- Venue: Virtual + Chicago Booth Harper Center, 5807 S Woodlawn Ave, Chicago, IL 60637
- Organizer: [Chicago Booth Angels Network](https://foundercal.com/organizers/chicago-booth-angels-network)
- Details: https://foundercal.com/events/chicago-booth-angels-fall-pitch-and-demo-day-2026-2026-10-14
- Register / official page: https://foundercal.com/out/2646?p=md

The semi-annual pitch slot for the Chicago Booth Angels Network, the alumni-run angel group operating across Chicago + NYC, with one of the more active Midwest cap tables you can put on a deck. Three to five vetted founders present to the BAC membership for actual angel checks; observers admitted…

## No. 64 Tech Pulse 2030-Responsible AI Investing & Pitch Showcase-Chicago

- Date: Tuesday 20 October 2026, 17:30 (America/Chicago)
- Type: Pitch
- Organizer: [AI 2030 | Responsible AI](https://foundercal.com/organizers/ai-2030-responsible-ai)
- Details: https://foundercal.com/events/no-64-tech-pulse-2030-responsible-ai-investing-and-pitch-showcase-chicago-XbVKFJvHohUcQSB
- Register / official page: https://foundercal.com/out/2818?p=md

Tech Pulse 2030 is more than just an event. It’s a movement dedicated to showcasing the brightest minds and fostering deep engagement among leaders, entrepreneurs, and changemakers. Together, we’ll explore the real-world impact of emerging technologies and chart a course for a future where…

## All About the Power BI / Fabric MCP

- Date: Thursday 22 October 2026, 15:00 (America/Chicago)
- Type: Meetup
- Venue: Microsoft Technology Center, 200 East Randolph Drive, Suite 200, Chicago, IL
- Organizer: [Chicago Fabric / Power BI User Group](https://foundercal.com/organizers/chicago-fabric-power-bi-user-group)
- Details: https://foundercal.com/events/all-about-the-power-bi-fabric-mcp-316158533
- Register / official page: https://foundercal.com/out/8269?p=md

Have you heard about the Power BI Semantic Model MCP and wanted to try it, but weren't sure where to start? Or have you tried the Microsoft Fabric remote MCP and it isn't doing what you want? MCPs (Model Context Protocol servers) let AI agents like Claude and Copilot work directly against your…

## Tiller: Structure, Gates, and State for Human + Agent Teams

- Date: Tuesday 27 October 2026, 18:00 (America/Chicago)
- Type: Meetup
- Venue: TeamWorking by TechNexus, 20 N Wacker Dr 12th Floor, Chicago, IL 60606, USA
- Organizer: [Agent Loop - Chicago](https://foundercal.com/organizers/agent-loop-chicago)
- Details: https://foundercal.com/events/tiller-structure-gates-and-state-for-human-agent-teams-eYCRUCVrqOzoZLo
- Register / official page: https://foundercal.com/out/7085?p=md

Join us at The Agent Loop - Chicago while we host JC Grubbs as he presents his talk "Tiller: Structure, Gates, and State for Human + Agent Teams" Abstract The agentic coding world keeps offering us the same two defaults. Either you personally review every line your agents produce, which stops…

## Q2B 2026 x Chicago Quantum Summit

- Date: 8 December 2026 – 10 December 2026
- Type: Conference
- Venue: Marriott Marquis Chicago + McCormick Place, 2121 S Prairie Ave, Chicago, IL 60616
- Organizer: [QC Ware + Chicago Quantum Exchange](https://foundercal.com/organizers/qc-ware-chicago-quantum-exchange)
- Details: https://foundercal.com/events/q2b-2026-x-chicago-quantum-summit-2026-12-08
- Register / official page: https://foundercal.com/out/2644?p=md

The world's largest quantum-to-business conference relocates to Chicago for 2026, fused with the ninth-annual Chicago Quantum Summit run out of UChicago/Argonne/Fermilab: the Quantum Prairie's coming-out party. Three days of commercialization-focused programming: end-user master classes, a startup…