10/31/2013
Chicago recently hosted the 3rd annual ThinkChicago: Ideas Week, a tech-filled weekend event aimed at top students interested in technology, innovation, and entrepreneurship from Midwest universities
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Chicago recently hosted the 3rd annual ThinkChicago: Ideas Week, a tech-filled weekend event aimed at top students interested in technology, innovation, and entrepreneurship from Midwest universities. This program opens their eyes to the growing tech scene in Chicago and offers it as a post-graduation career option.
The 150 students that attended were given the opportunity to explore Chicago’s vibrant innovation ecosystem, meet leaders in the tech industry and even gain free admission to select programming at Chicago Ideas Week (CIW).
This year, the University of Illinois was proud to contribute 75 of its brightest students to the trip.
Over the course of the program, over 30 companies were showcased at ThinkChicago including GrubHub, Microsoft, Catamaran, Redbox, Threadless, and Orbitz.
When asked about his experience, Adam Tilton, PhD student in Mechanical Science and Engineering from the University of Illinois stated, “The ThinkChicago trip was a great experience. I would recommend attending future events to anyone interested in Chicago's technology scene or entrepreneurship in general. I learned a lot about opportunities for technologists in Chicago, which are far greater in number than I expected.”
Aside from getting to mingle with some of Chicago’s most innovative companies, ThinkChicago participants also attended a half-day Tech Summit at the Cadillac Palace Theatre. This info-packed afternoon was aimed at reimagining the future of digital by showcasing the world’s leading voices in entrepreneurship, web design, data and innovation.
There were 19 speakers showcased at the summit, including University of Illinois’ alum Max Levchin (BS 97), founder, HVF; co-founder and CTO, PayPal; Chairman, Yelp. Not only did Levchin participate in the Tech Summit, he also held an informal question-answer session exclusively for students of ThinkChicago.
Matt Grimm, MBA candidate from the University of Illinois, admitted that this was one of his favorite aspects of ThinkChicago.
“When asked what he[Levchin] would do if he were back in our shoes as a college student, his message was that if you are interested in entrepreneurship, don't wait! Start now!” says Grimm.
ThinkChicago was successful in providing students with a weekend of exceptional networking opportunities both with fellow students and with the greater Chicago tech community. Attendees walked away with a new found knowledge and respect for the booming tech culture in Chicago.
“ThinkChicago was a fantastic way to highlight the wide range of opportunities Chicago has to offer technology-focused students as a place to start their careers”, says Stephanie Larson, the Program and Marketing Coordinator for the Technology Entrepreneur Center (TEC) at the University of Illinois.
For more information on the ThinkChicago programs, please visit thinkchicago.net.