Constant innovation is the name of the game, but how can this accomplished within large enterprises? Over the course of three posts, we'll share key takeaways from 1871's recent Corporate Innovation Summit which was based on one of 1871 CEO Howard A. Tullman's favorite truisms: "People don’t change when they see the light; they change when they feel the heat.”

Last Thursday evening November 2, more than 1000 of the Chicago tech and entrepreneurial community's best and brightest gathered together to celebrate the landmark 10th Annual Momentum Awards Dinner, hosted by 1871 and Chicagoland Entrepreneurial Center (CEC). The evening culminated in the presentation of six awards to deserving leaders and companies that have made major contributions to the city’s tech ecosystem.  

1871 recently hosted Anna Auerbach, Founder and Co-CEO of Werk, and Lee Mayer, Founder and CEO of Havenly, for an intimate fireside chat at 1871 about their entrepreneurial journeys. Through the conversation, Anna and Lee showed us that with perseverance and dedication towards one's passion, you can succeed. What passion do you have that drives you to make a difference?

The Chicagoland Entrepreneurial Center and 1871 announced Thursday that CEC Board Chairman James O’Connor, Jr. will be named the Entrepreneurial Champion at the 10th Annual Momentum Awards Dinner, held November 2 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Chicago. This honor is given to an individual who has made a significant impact on the Chicago entrepreneurial ecosystem.

The Chicagoland Entrepreneurial Center and 1871 announced Monday that Howard A. Tullman, 1871’s outgoing CEO, will receive the first ever Lifetime Achievement in Entrepreneurship Award at the 10th Annual Momentum Awards Dinner, held November 2 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Chicago. This is a new honor that will periodically recognize a serial entrepreneur or businessperson who has left a significant, long-term and permanent mark on the Chicago community through his or her business and civic contributions.

The Chicagoland Entrepreneurial Center and 1871 will present the third annual Chicagoness Award to Lupe Fiasco at the 10th Annual Merrick Momentum Awards Dinner, to be held November 2 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Chicago. The award honors individuals and businesses that exemplify the values and unique traits of the Chicago entrepreneur, which include hard work, commitment to community, inclusion and a vision that fosters collective opportunity.

Our amazing sponsors at Google for Entrepreneurs hosted the 5th Annual Trailblazers this past September in Santa Rosa, California, bringing leaders from around the globe who are passionate about growing entrepreneurship in their ecosystems. This year, 1871's Director of External Affairs and International Relations Diana Lopez-Obaldo, who attended and reconnected with old and new friends, shares her takeaways from the retreat.

Home is where the heart is, and last weekend both were on Columbus Drive in downtown Chicago. Alongside a float built to resemble the iconic Merchandise Mart, the 1871 team marched in the Arts in the Dark Halloween Parade, a special nighttime celebration of Chicago's vast creative and cultural community hosted by LUMA8.

To celebrate the opening of their stunning new store on Michigan Avenue on October 20, Apple has joined forces with 1871 and a handful of other select local organizations to produce Today @ Apple: The Chicago Series, a month-long set of in-store events that aim to inspire, connect, educate and support attendees in the pursuit of their creative and entrepreneurial passions.

1871 held its latest quarterly Fintech Forum on September 29th, in partnership with Capco, to showcase Chicago’s strongest data and analytics experts and to help create engagement between 1871 startups and corporate partners in the fintech space. Here are four key takeaways on how to use reporting information to drive insights, automation, and a competitive advantage.