Grainger Engineering Tech Startup Challenge

The Midwest’s elite student-led startup competition delivering engineering-powered tech innovations to Chicago

Congratulations to the winners of the 2025 Grainger Engineering
Tech Startup Challenge that took place on July 22 in Chicago!

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Bringing Together Engineering-Powered Startups from the Midwest

The Grainger Engineering Tech Startup Challenge brings together engineering-powered startups from leading Midwestern universities to compete for funding and prizes from a pool of $200,000! The application window will open summer 2026.

Hosted by the Grainger College of Engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign—a global engineering education and research leader—the challenge will showcase tech startups from top Midwestern universities as they pitch live to investors, founders and leaders in Chicago’s thriving tech scene.

The challenge will take place at the TechChicago Capital Summit, an event that is part of TechChicago Week.

Questions?

Please contact Doug Reed, Regional Entrepreneurship Programs Coordinator, Technology Entrepreneur Center

Email Doug Reed