CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--ChicagoNEXT, World Business Chicago’s council of technology leaders, today announced Shradha Agarwal, president and co-founder of Outcome Health, and Brad Keywell, CEO and co-founder of Uptake, will lead conversations on scaling opportunities for business-to-business (B2B) start-ups during the 2017 Chicago Venture Summit.
Outcome Health, a platform for actionable health intelligence, raised more than $500 million in 2017 at a valuation of $5 billion, and Uptake, valued at $2 billion, is a predictive analytics firm that monitors industrial assets in more than 94 countries. Both companies were founded in Chicago and represent the city’s expansive industry and investment landscape, which also includes financial technology, cybersecurity, food, manufacturing and business services.
“The strength of Chicago’s start-up ecosystem is directly tied to the city’s thriving technology economy,” said Mark Tebbe, chairman of ChicagoNEXT. “The 2017 Chicago Venture Summit will highlight the incredible opportunities local and national VCs have to expand their portfolios or to invest in an established industry sector. As we can see with Outcome Health, Uptake and others, it’s all here and primed for growth.”
The two-day Chicago Venture Summit will feature industry-specific programming and networking, including pitch sessions at five Innovation Hubs in downtown Chicago on Sept. 13. The second day of the summit on Sept. 14 will feature a full day of programming at Google’s Chicago headquarters, beginning with a keynote conversation between Silicon Valley investor Ben Horowitz, co-founder and partner of Andreessen Horowitz, and Don Thompson, founder and CEO of Cleveland Avenue, LLC, a food-industry innovation hub. The programming will also feature company presentations and panels with leading VCs and businesses discussing successful Chicago investments, including fireside chats with Outcome Health and Uptake.
“We seeded Outcome Health (formerly ContextMedia) in Chicago in 2006 because we saw the amazing talent potential, the commitment to industries such as healthcare, and a collaborative community that invested time and advice in entrepreneurial ventures consistently and generously,” said Shradha Agarwal. “The Chicago Venture Summit provides a powerful national forum for investors to connect with many of these high-potential ventures in Chicago and partner to accelerate the momentum for growth and innovation in a diverse range of industries."
More than 420 VCs and businesses attended the 2016 Chicago Venture Summit, representing more than $20 billion in investment capital. Additionally, since the inaugural Venture Summit in 2014, 120 total startups have been featured, receiving more than $602 million in new funding.
The presenting companies at the 2017 Chicago Venture Summit reflect Chicago’s range of investment opportunities. More than 30 companies will present over the two-day summit, many seeking Series B and C investments within the next six months.
Google, JP Morgan and William Blair have returned as the lead sponsors for the 2017 Chicago Venture Summit. Information on additional sponsorship opportunities can be found at chicagoventuresummit.com.
The 2017 Chicago Venture Summit agenda is available at chicagoventuresummit.com/2017-agenda. Additional details and a full list of presenting companies will be added in the coming weeks. Qualified local, national and trade media are invited to attend all open conference sessions.
About ChicagoNEXT
Chaired by Mark Tebbe, ChicagoNEXT leads World Business Chicago’s dedicated effort to drive growth and opportunity for Chicago’s tech economy through a portfolio of initiatives and programs governed by a council of technology leaders. With the mission to grow Chicago’s vibrant tech ecosystem, ChicagoNEXT strategic focus areas include industry, talent, capital and community. World Business Chicago is a public-private, non-profit partnership that drives inclusive economic growth and job creation, supports business, and promotes Chicago as a leading global city. Learn more at worldbusinesschicago.com/chicagonext/.
