WORLD BUSINESS CHICAGO ANNOUNCES THE RETURN OF CHICAGO VENTURE SUMMIT WITH A FOCUS ON HEALTH

The Chicago Venture Summit, Future of Health, will convene investors, founders, academics, researchers, and corporate leaders on October 19 and 20, 2026

CHICAGO, June 25, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Mayor Brandon Johnson and World Business Chicago announce the return of the Chicago Venture Summit on October 19-20, 2026, with a new focus on healthcare and life sciences. The gathering boosts innovation and growth capital ecosystems in Chicagoland's right-to-win industries.

"Chicago has always been a city where big ideas are born and put to work, from the small business owner in one of our 77 community areas to the researcher, clinician, and founder developing the next breakthrough," said Mayor Brandon Johnson. "The Chicago Venture Summit: Future of Health is about making sure Chicago-made innovation is connected to the growth capital, corporate partners, and customers it needs to scale, creating good jobs, stronger businesses, and better health outcomes across our city."

The Chicago Venture Summit: Future of Health will bring together investors, startup founders, university researchers, corporate executives, and civic leaders to examine how health technology is shaping business growth, patient care, research commercialization, and job creation across the region.

Hosted by World Business Chicago (WBC), the Chicago Venture Summit is designed to connect emerging companies with sources of capital, customers, and strategic partners. The 2026 summit will focus on one of the region's key growth sectors, where Chicago's concentration of research institutions, hospitals, universities, corporate headquarters, and startup talent creates opportunities for investment and collaboration.

Since its launch in 2014, the Chicago Venture Summit has convened participants from Chicago, the Midwest, and national innovation markets. The 2025 Future of Food edition brought together investors, startup CEOs, university innovators, and corporate executives focused on food, agriculture, and related technologies. It also featured a curated portfolio of startups designed to connect early-stage and growth-stage companies with investors and business partners.

Startup portfolio applications are expected to open in late summer 2026. Selected companies will receive access to summit programming, investor introductions, and growth support through World Business Chicago's innovation and venture programs.

More information is available at worldbusinesschicago.com/chicago-venture-summit.

The Chicago Venture Summit: Future of Health will be held at 167 North Green Street by World Business Chicago board member, Shapack Partners, in Chicago's Fulton Market District, with over 500 carefully curated guests, including founders, investors, corporate executives, and public sector leaders.

"Chicago's future will be shaped by the entrepreneurs who are building new technologies, creating new industries, and solving meaningful challenges," said Mark Tebbe, World Business Chicago Board Member, who also serves as longtime Chair of the WBC Innovation and Venture Advisory Council. "A thriving startup ecosystem is not only a source of innovation, but it is also a catalyst for inclusive economic growth, talent development, and long-term competitiveness. When we invest in local founders, we invest in Chicago's capacity to reinvent itself and lead in tomorrow's opportunities. The Chicago Venture Summit's continued success, now including its inaugural Future of Health edition, reflects the strength of our entrepreneurial community."

The healthcare industry is the Chicagoland region's fastest growing by employment, with a workforce of over 552,000. $1.19 billion in growth capital was invested in Chicagoland's healthcare-related startups, accounting for nearly 20% of all growth capital raised in Chicagoland in 2025 alone. As one of the region's economic growth engines, the Chicagoland healthcare sector leverages specialized pharmaceutical manufacturing, strong talent pipelines from universities and medical schools, affordable lab space, and robust funding for research and development. As the nation's third-largest healthcare hub, the Chicago region is positioned well to compete with top hubs and capitalize on technological disruptions in areas such as bioinformatics and AI. Learn more via the "2025 State of the Economy" report by the WBC Research Center: https://worldbusinesschicago.com/allnews/state-of-the-economy-2025/

"Our economic playbook, Chicago 2050, is designed to answer one of the central questions facing our city and region; that is, how do we grow our economy in a way that creates jobs, attracts investment, and strengthens Chicago for the long term," said Phil Clement, President and CEO of World Business Chicago. "The Chicago Venture Summit: Future of Health is that strategy in action. It connects Chicago-made innovation to the capital, customers, and corporate partners that can help companies scale here and contribute to a stronger regional economy."

World Business Chicago is grateful to its many sponsors, partners, and collaborators who bring the Chicago Venture Summit to life each year. Presenting Sponsors include the Grainger College of Engineering of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, MATTER, Microsoft, Portal Innovations, and Shapack Partners. Innovation Sponsors include 1871, Business Leadership Council (BLC), the Chicago Biomedical Consortium, ChiForward, Clique Studios, the Greater Chicagoland Economic Partnership (GCEP), and TechNexus Venture Collaborative. Venture Sponsors include 2Flo Ventures and PACE Healthcare Capital. Additional sponsors will be announced in the near future.

"We are grateful to the board companies and partners whose support reflects one of Chicago's clearest advantages: dedicated civic leadership," said Charles Smith, Vice Chair of World Business Chicago. "In Chicago, business, health care, capital, research, and civic leaders do not operate in isolation. They come together to build the market. For investors, that is a distinct Chicago value proposition: access to major institutions, corporate customers, research talent, founders, and civic partners in one connected ecosystem."

The Chicago Venture Summit: Future of Health is part of World Business Chicago's broader innovation and venture strategy, which also includes programs such as Startup Chicago, Chicago Day at SXSW, ThinkChicago, and previous Chicago Venture Summits, including the Future of Food, Future of Climate Tech, and Future of Logistics.

In collaboration with the Chicago Biomedical Consortium (CBC), World Business Chicago serves as an official Supporting Partner for the Midwest BioBuilder's Summit on November 12, 2026. The Summit, led by the CBC, facilitates connections among academics, entrepreneurs, and startups with investors, operators, and industry leaders who can help advance their innovations. With a pronounced emphasis on life sciences and biotechnology investment, the BioBuilders Summit echoes the Midwest's industrial spirit, highlighting companies and platforms dedicated to translating breakthroughs into market-ready products and building the infrastructure needed for the next era of biotechnology. You can learn more at www.chicagobiomedicalconsortium.org.

In collaboration with WBC board member, University of Illinois System, the Grainger Engineering Tech Startup Challenge, hosted by The Grainger College of Engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, will be held during the Chicago Venture Summit on October 20. Bringing together engineering-powered startups from leading universities across the Midwest and beyond, the competition provides entrepreneurs with a live stage to pitch their ventures to prominent investors, entrepreneurs, and industry leaders in Chicago's thriving tech ecosystem. Participants compete for significant funding while gaining direct exposure to the networks and capital. The Challenge reflects The Grainger College of Engineering's commitment to translating cutting-edge research into real-world impact and to positioning the Midwest as a hub for the next generation of deep tech innovation. You can learn more via https://landuyt.illinois.edu/programs/tech-startup-challenge.

To learn more about attending, supporting, or partnering with the 2026 Chicago Venture Summit Future of Health, visit https://worldbusinesschicago.com/chicago-venture-summit/ or contact [email protected]. Registration for this invite-only investor and startup conference will open in the coming weeks.

ABOUT WORLD BUSINESS CHICAGO:
World Business Chicago drives inclusive and equitable economic development throughout the city's 77 community areas, focused on high-growth sectors: food production, transportation, distribution and logistics; manufacturing; healthcare and life sciences, and our local innovation, startup, and venture ecosystem. World Business Chicago leads corporate attraction and retention, workforce and talent, community impact, and promotion of Chicago as a leading global city and region. Supported by a council of 300+ local leaders, World Business Chicago's portfolio of innovation & venture programs includes: the Chicago Venture Summit series, Startup Chicago, and ThinkChicago. Follow World Business Chicago on LinkedIn for news and announcements on corporate relocation and expansion; industry and ecosystem growth, U.S. and world rankings, and economic development.

CHICAGO LEADERS ON THE CHICAGO VENTURE SUMMIT: FUTURE OF HEALTH

"The potential of healthcare and life sciences innovation is only realized when the right entrepreneurs, investors and industry leaders are working together to solve the same problems. Chicago is home to one of the most dynamic healthcare communities in the country and the Chicago Venture Summit is a powerful platform to showcase that. We're proud to be a premier sponsor and look forward to the conversations and collaborations that will come out of this year's event." - Steven Collens, CEO, MATTER

"Technology has the potential to power advancements in every industry, and nothing is more central to each of us & the communities we live in than our health. This year's Chicago Venture Summit will bring together all the ingredients in one place to build the future of health – pairing the awesome opportunities empowered by technology and innovations from startups & industry leaders with the collaborative & industrious spirit of Chicago. We're excited to be part of the summit and can't wait to see what we can achieve together as a community." - Tony Surma, CTO, Americas Enterprise Partner Solutions, Microsoft

"The Grainger Engineering Tech Startup Challenge brings together some of the nation's most promising deep tech entrepreneurs to tackle real-world challenges with breakthrough solutions. Partnering with the Chicago Venture Summit connects them to Chicago's thriving innovation ecosystem and the investors positioned to help them scale — creating real economic impact for the Midwest." - Jed Taylor, Assistant Dean for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, The Grainger College of Engineering, Landuyt Executive Director of the Landuyt Center for Entrepreneurship

"Chicago has emerged as one of the most dynamic life science ecosystems in the country and events like the Chicago Venture Summit: Future of Health reflect how that momentum continues to build. Portal's mission is to invest in and build early-stage ventures and connect them with the resources and relationships needed to accelerate their life-changing technologies, while activating innovation ecosystems that support that trajectory. Those ecosystems take committed institutions, investors, and industry partners all pulling in the same direction. That is what makes Chicago special, and it is exactly the kind of energy we are honored to be a part of and help catalyze. We look forward to connecting with the innovators and leaders who are shaping the future of healthcare for patients." - John Flavin, Founder and CEO, Portal Innovations

"For two decades, TechNexus Venture Collaborative has been at the center of Chicago's tech and venture community — connecting founders, investors, and corporations under one roof at TeamWorking by TechNexus and backing companies across the categories shaping tomorrow's economy. Health and wellness is one of the most exciting areas we're seeing right now, with entrepreneurs reimagining everything from how we move to how we're cared for, and Chicago is producing some of the most compelling companies in that space. Events like the Chicago Venture Summit: Future of Health are a reminder of why this city continues to attract serious talent and capital — and why we're proud to be part of the ecosystem fueling it." - Fred Hoch, Co-founder and General Partner, TechNexus Venture Collaborative

"Healthcare is one of the most important opportunities for innovation over the next decade, and Chicago is uniquely positioned to lead. Our region combines world-class healthcare institutions, leading corporations, breakthrough research, and entrepreneurs building solutions to some of the industry's biggest challenges. We're proud to support a summit that brings together the people, ideas, and capital building the future of healthcare." – Betsy Ziegler, CEO, 1871

"The CBC's mission is to translate university innovation into the next generation of homegrown Midwestern biotech products. We are proud to host our BioBuilder's Summit, which reflects the Midwest's industrial spirit and spotlights biotech innovation in therapeutics and devices, in November following WBC's Venture Summit, which celebrates promising advancements across the healthcare industry. The CBC is committed to advancing Illinois' position as an emerging hub for Life Science innovation, and we're proud to stand alongside partners who share that vision." - Michelle Hoffmann, PhD, Executive Director, Chicago Biomedical Consortium

"Technology is a powerful force that can improve access and quality of care for communities across the world. 2Flo Ventures is a proud investor in emerging healthcare technologies that have the potential to transform the lives of underserved communities. We support determined founders who have spent their careers dedicated to improving our quality of care. As a Chicago-based firm, we bring together hundreds of strategic partners to support these innovations in a way only Chicago can - with authenticity and dedication to systemic improvement." - Ibraheem Alinur, Vice President, 2Flo Ventures

"The next decade of digital healthcare will be defined by companies that make care more accessible, affordable, and human. And many of them will be built where healthcare actually operates: in the middle of the country, close to payers, providers, and patients. That proximity drives better products, faster commercialization, and more durable businesses. PACE backs these founders with disciplined capital and hands-on support. The Summit helps accelerate that momentum, and we're proud to support it." - Julia Monfrini Peev, Managing Partner, PACE Healthcare Capital

SOURCE World Business Chicago