Don Thompson, Cleveland Avenue Founder, to be Honored at The 12th Annual Momentum Awards for Exemplifying the Spirit of the Chicago Founder Community

The CEC and 1871 is pleased to announce that it has added 14 new members to its Board of Directors. These new board members bring decades of industry and executive experience that will help support and grow Chicago's tech and founder community.

1871 and The Chicagoland Entrepreneurial Center to Recognize BMO Harris Bank as The 2019 Corporate Champion at the 12th Annual Momentum Awards.

The Food Foundry Accelerator seeks startups innovating the food value chain -- second cohort to begin in January 2020. Applications for The Food Foundry Cohort 2 are open now through October 16th.

Nine Robust Tech Companies Nominated for 12th Annual Momentum Awards; Four Finalists Selected for the Category of Momentum Rising Star Award; Five Finalists Selected for the Category of Momentum Award; Winners to be Announced at the 12th Annual Momentum Awards on September 19th.

“It’ll never happen.” “It’s not possible.” “Follow the rules.” “Draw inside the lines.” “Be realistic.” We’re willing to bet that you’ve heard at least one of these phrases -- or some variation -- when you were a child. It’s not necessarily a bad thing; after all, why would anybody spend time chasing an unrealistic dream in hopes of becoming a rock star, an astronaut, or a professional athlete? However, brothers Joseph and Matthew Moheban, Co-founders of 220, a leadership and workforce curriculum for youth, are taking a very different view by asking, ‘why not?’

The CEC and 1871 is pleased to announce that Larry Eppley, CEC Board Member and Sheppard Mullin Chicago Office Managing Partner, will begin his term as Chairman of The Board of Directors on July 1st. He will succeed Jim O’Connor Jr., who has served as Chairman since January of 2003, and is currently global head of Venture Capital at William Blair.

According to recent studies, more than half of all Americans have used a ridesharing service at some point in their lives. And though ridesharing is an easy and flexible way to get from one location to another, it can also serve as more than just a transportation service. In fact, Rebecca Klor and Austin Jenkins, Co-founders of Roady, are working hard to ensure that your next ride is less about transit -- and more about you.

There’s a reason why shows like Restaurant: Impossible, Bar Rescue, and Kitchen Nightmares have so much appeal -- after all, where else can you get a behind-the-scenes look at the restaurant industry? But even though the drama seems authentic, these shows often gloss over the difficult work it takes to maintain restaurant equipment. If you weren’t aware of the restaurant repair scene, go ahead and turn your television off for a moment and check out how Daniel Estrada and Joe Gallagher, Co-founders of 86 Repairs -- a subscription service that manages equipment service and repairs for restaurants -- are keeping your favorite eateries humming.

Food distribution is a long and complicated process. In fact, most retailers and brands will tell you that the national distribution system is more than just outdated -- it’s ancient. You might be surprised to learn that a good portion of today’s food industry is still operating on a distribution system first designed in the 40’s. It’s a problem that Larissa Russell, CEO and Co-founder of Pod Foods, and her cofounder Fiona Lee, are all too familiar with --and that’s why they’re the right people to solve it.