In the summer of 2011, when 1871 was still just an aspiration, the Chicago Entrepreneurial Center convened Chicago’s most distinguished entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, educators, and government officials to participate in a Brand Summit and define the purpose of our city’s new tech center. Amidst the flurry of inspired thinking and heightened passion, there arose a very simple idea: WE ARE A CITY OF BUILDERS.

And from this seed of an idea came the inspiration for the name 1871. Like the Great Chicago Fire of that year, 1871 would also serve as a catalytic and transformative part of our city’s history. Our space would be a place that would enable Chicago to emerge as a major center of technology, not just in the U.S., but the world – with 1871 at the core.