1871 Chicago

 

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.