ThinkChicago Chicago Ideas Continues Program’s Success in 2020

300 Top-Tier Midwest Students Attended the Three-Day Virtual Fall Flagship Event

ThinkChicago Chicago Ideas 2020 took place virtually this week from October 27-29. 300 selected students took a behind-the-scenes tour of Chicago’s tech ecosystem and received access to programming by Chicago Ideas, the city’s leading ideas platform featuring global thought leaders and innovators.

The students had access to talks and presentations featuring Chicago’s leading technologists and entrepreneurs, networking opportunities with local tech companies who are hiring and special access to Chicago Ideas programming. ThinkChicago keynote speakers included Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot, Chicago Ideas Chair and Uptake CEO & Founder Brad Keywell, dough CEO Victor Jones, and tastytrade Co-CEO & President Kristi Ross.

ThinkChicago talks shared unique insights about civic tech, the exciting growth of Chicago’s startup scene, and the future of quantum computing facilitated by the Chicago Quantum Exchange (CQE). Led by Executive Director Kate Waimey Timmerman, CQE is an intellectual hub and community of researchers accelerating discovery and innovation in the rapidly developing areas of quantum technology; and to attract talent, funding, and industry to the Chicago area to become the source for tomorrow’s leading quantum engineers.

The selected student cohort represented 55 universities across 24 states, majority students of color, and almost half identified as female.

Thanks to our ThinkChicago 2020 presenting sponsor tastytrade and our other partners, 2112, ActiveCampaign, G2, Gather Voices, HERE Technologies, Kalderos, MATTER, mHUB, Neopenda, OppLoans, Protiviti, Rawcubes, Rheaply, Richardson RFPD, Sprout Social, tastytrade, TeacherCare, ThinkCERCA, Women Tech Founders, Workbox and other local innovative companies/organizations.