Startup Events in Chicago

Attention location: Ferris & Co. 1 W Monroe St, Chicago, IL 60603, USA · Chicago, IL 5th Floor Above Capital One Cafe! Welcome all and join us for our Sunday October 25th 2026 Chicago Code and Coffee event at building on corner of Monroe and State also found at 100 S State St. Chicago IL , 5th Floor door entrance at Ferris & Co.(1 W Monroe St) Above Capital One Cafe!! Join our Discord! https://www.codeandcoffee.chat/ Code and Coffee is an inclusive, informal networking and co-working session. People of all skill levels attend, and we love it that way. Many people (optionally) bring projects to work on, and many other people (optionally) socialize the entire time. It's completely up to you! Instructions for getting to the venue RSVP here and join us at Ferris & Co. 1 W Monroe St, Chicago, IL 60603, USA · Chicago, IL Code & Coffee - Intro Circle \~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~ Near the beginning of the event(2:15 pm or possibly later), we do a standup: Organizer announcements, updates, and logistics Round 1 - (7 secs max): Your name What you're working on What you can help others with Round 2: Job opportunities you're hiring for OR announce that you are looking for one. If none, that's cool. Round 3: Community events you wanna plug. If none, that's cool too. After the introduction circle, everything is self-organized! \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

Back again with another UX Social happy hour, generously sponsored by Rally 🥹 Come through for a night of tasty bites and beverages with even better conversations— it's now or never! (and by never we mean January. This is our last meet up of the year 🤯 ) Whether you're in UX research, design, product, operations or something else, you'll find a welcoming environment here 😌 Think of us as a floating a third space where people passionate about good experiences are reminded we are human beings— not human doings. It’s come as you are, no thinking cap required, no strings attached. See you soon! 🎉 About Rally Rally is an is an agentic user research CRM (Customer Relationship Management) and operations platform designed to help product, design, and user experience (UX) research teams automate and scale participant recruitment and management. Check it out at rallyuxr.com

Get Investor Ready Raising capital is about more than your deck or your traction. It’s about how you show up in the room. Join Clarence Bethea for a five-hour, hands-on workshop designed to help founders master the room, the pitch, and the psychology of fundraising. You’ll learn how to: Craft a pitch that resonates Understand how investors evaluate you Communicate with confidence Navigate tough questions and feedback Master the psychology of fundraising Clarence brings both sides of the table. His experience raising $30M+ as a founder and his perspective as an investor evaluating hundreds of startups. Learn more about Clarence here: www.clarencebethea.com As one founder from a previous workshop put it: “It feels like I walked away with weeks’ worth of knowledge and immense value.” — Vladimir Gurkot Expect real-world examples, hands-on exercises, candid conversations, and actionable feedback you can put to work immediately. You’ll leave with: A sharper pitch. Greater confidence. A better understanding of investors. And a clearer path to becoming investor ready. Your registration includes: 5-hour live workshop Lunch Lifetime access to the What VCs Won’t Say course ($399 value) Only 50 seats available. 👉 Reserve your seat now. By registering for this event, you consent to What VCs Won’t Say sharing your name and email address with the event’s Lead Sponsors. You may unsubscribe from future marketing communications at any time.

Join local OpenAI Forum members and others interested in AI for an informal meetup in Chicago. Meet people across fields, compare notes on how you’re using AI, and talk about what’s on your mind. A light dinner will be provided. Please RSVP here so we know how many people to expect. This is a member-led meetup supported by OpenAI. Organizers are community members and do not speak on behalf of OpenAI. New to the OpenAI Forum? Join at forum.openai.com to connect with others interested in AI and join virtual and in-person events.

PITCH A PET: HOWL-O-WEEN DOORS OPEN AT 5:30 PM CT Join Pitch A Pet for a Halloween-themed community adoption event where Chicago’s most lovable adoptable cats and dogs take center stage. This Howl-O-Ween, our furry friends get the chance to steal the spotlight — and maybe steal your heart. Throughout the evening, local rescues, foster parents, and volunteers will take the stage for approximately 5-minute “pet pitches,” sharing each animal’s personality, story, quirks, and what kind of forever home would make their happily-ever-after complete. Guests will also have the opportunity to meet select adoptable dogs and cats in person while enjoying great beer, Halloween fun, and good company at Midwest Coast Brewing Company. Whether you’re looking to adopt, foster, volunteer, or simply support local rescue organizations, Pitch A Pet: Howl-O-Ween is a fun and meaningful way to connect with the incredible animals and people making a difference across Chicagoland. Come dressed for Howl-O-Ween! Costumes are encouraged, festive vibes are guaranteed, and you never know — your perfect match might be waiting for you in the room. Are you currently fostering an adoptable pet in the Chicago area? We’d love to hear from you! We have limited presentation spots available for foster parents who would like to take the stage and pitch their foster pet to potential adopters. If this event fills up, we’ll be happy to keep you in mind for future Pitch A Pet events. To learn more or reserve a presentation spot, email pitchapetchicago@gmail.com. Come grab a pint, cheer on your favorite pet pitches, celebrate Howl-O-Ween with us, and maybe even meet your new best friend. Thursday, October 29, 2026 Doors open at 5:30 PM CT Event begins at 6:00 PM CT Midwest Coast Brewing Company, Chicago Admission is free. Adoptions are facilitated through participating rescue organizations. Follow us on Instagram @pitchapet

Tech Pulse 2030 is more than just an event. It’s a movement dedicated to showcasing the brightest minds and fostering deep engagement among leaders, entrepreneurs, and changemakers. Together, we’ll explore the real-world impact of emerging technologies and chart a course for a future where responsible innovation drives progress for both businesses and society. ​What began in Chicago has now expanded across multiple U.S. cities and international hubs, delivering 50+ high-impact events, engaging over 50,000 professionals and academic partners, featuring 300+ world-class speakers, and advancing responsible AI conversations across 10+ industries. Tech Pulse 2030 is your platform to learn, connect, and lead—driving real progress for businesses, society, and the world we are building together. Reserve your spot today! We look forward to welcoming you to Tech Pulse 2030 and sharing this exciting journey with you. ## Become an AI 2030 Member: ​https://ai2030.org/apply-to-be-a-member/ Hosted by ​​AI 2030 www.ai2030.org AI 2030 is a global initiative committed to mainstreaming Responsible AI by 2030. Through cross-sector collaboration, capacity building, and inclusive programming, AI 2030 empowers leaders, organizations, and communities to harness AI for the benefit of humanity. Chicago AI Council www.chicagoaicouncil.org The Chicago AI Council is committed to a future where AI benefits everyone—from Chicago to the world. Its mission is driven by three core priorities: (1) making Chicago the global capital of responsible AI by convening international leaders through forums, awards, and innovation showcases; (2) fueling AI innovation by uniting research, entrepreneurship, and industry to build and scale trustworthy, real-world solutions; and (3) turning AI education into real job opportunities by preparing students and workers for emerging, high-growth roles across the AI economy. In partnership with: Discovery Partners Institute (DPI): https://dpi.illinois.edu/ The Discov

Important: Register on the event website is required for admission. RSVP on meetup is turned off. Databricks DevConnect is a technical meetup where data and AI practitioners dig into the details, collaborate, learn, and find their people, hosted by the Databricks Developer Relations team. Together, we’ll chat about new features, dive into meaty topics, share real-world experiences, and explore new ways to use Databricks so you can become the best developer you can be. ​​Why Attend: 🏆 Become a 10x data and AI practitioner by using the best of Databricks for your Data + AI projects. 🧠 Learn from exclusive experts you won’t hear anywhere else, including Product Managers, DevRel, Field Engineers, and MVPs. ​​​🤝 Connect with your community and build lasting relationships with fellow practitioners and Databricks Developer Advocates, MVPs, and Product teams. ​​👕 Get those goodies: Swag will be raffled off throughout the event and attendees will get access to hands-on training and guided labs through Databricks Academy Labs post event! Speakers: ​Scott Haines, Staff Developer Advocate, Databricks Ryan Bruun, Delivery Solutions Architect, Databricks Joseph Ayoub, Sr. Delivery Solutions Architect, Databricks Agenda: 5:00 PM \- 6:00 PM \| Registration & Mingling 6:00 PM \- 6:05 PM \| Welcome Remarks 6:15 PM \- 6:45 PM \| Session \#1: Artisanal hand crafted data builds 6:45 PM \- 7:15 PM \| Session \#2: Token maxxing data builds 7:15 PM \- 7:45 PM \| Session \#3: Handing builds to the masses 7:45 PM \- 8:00 PM \| Closing Remarks 8:00 PM \- 9:00 PM \| Networking Reception with bites and beverages

AI Engineering Summit Chicago 📍 Courtyard by Marriott Chicago Downtown/Magnificent Mile | 🗓 November 12, 2026 | From code to intelligence. About this conference The AI Engineering Summit is a one-day, single-track summit built for the engineers actually shipping AI in production. One room, 150+ practitioners and leaders, zero vendor pitches. It's a full day of practitioner-led sessions across six tracks, shared lunch, all-day speaker access, and a networking reception — designed as much for the conversations between sessions as for the sessions themselves. Who it's for Developers shipping AI-powered products Engineers building intelligent systems Leaders deciding how their org adopts AI Architects designing for scale and reliability Compliance & governance professionals making AI trustworthy If AI touches your work — you need to be in the room. Topics that will be covered Agentic Development — multi-agent systems, tool calling, long-horizon autonomous workflows AI to Production — LLMOps, evals, cost & latency, deployment and monitoring at scale Responsible AI — red teaming, eval frameworks, safety and governance AI Architecture — RAG patterns, LLM gateways, inference, AI-native system design AI-First Leadership — AI in the SDLC, team design, hiring around AI AI Data Infrastructure — vector DBs, embeddings, and data pipelines for intelligent systems Why attend Learn from practitioners — real stories from engineers who've shipped AI in production. No fluff. Stay ahead of AI trends — agentic systems, LLMOps, MCP, and what becomes production standard next. Build your network — connect with hundreds of AI and software engineering professionals in one room. Bring ideas back to your team — leave with tools, patterns, and conversations ready to action on Monday. Registration Seats are limited and this is a single-track, single-room event. To complete your registration, purchase your ticket on the official event website: 👉 https://www.testingmind.com/event/aiengineeringsumm

Tech Pulse 2030 is more than just an event. It’s a movement dedicated to showcasing the brightest minds and fostering deep engagement among leaders, entrepreneurs, and changemakers. Together, we’ll explore the real-world impact of emerging technologies and chart a course for a future where responsible innovation drives progress for both businesses and society. ​What began in Chicago has now expanded across multiple U.S. cities and international hubs, delivering 50+ high-impact events, engaging over 50,000 professionals and academic partners, featuring 300+ world-class speakers, and advancing responsible AI conversations across 10+ industries. Tech Pulse 2030 is your platform to learn, connect, and lead—driving real progress for businesses, society, and the world we are building together. Reserve your spot today! We look forward to welcoming you to Tech Pulse 2030 and sharing this exciting journey with you. ## Become an AI 2030 Member: ​https://ai2030.org/apply-to-be-a-member/ Hosted by ​​AI 2030 www.ai2030.org AI 2030 is a global initiative committed to mainstreaming Responsible AI by 2030. Through cross-sector collaboration, capacity building, and inclusive programming, AI 2030 empowers leaders, organizations, and communities to harness AI for the benefit of humanity. Chicago AI Council www.chicagoaicouncil.org The Chicago AI Council is committed to a future where AI benefits everyone—from Chicago to the world. Its mission is driven by three core priorities: (1) making Chicago the global capital of responsible AI by convening international leaders through forums, awards, and innovation showcases; (2) fueling AI innovation by uniting research, entrepreneurship, and industry to build and scale trustworthy, real-world solutions; and (3) turning AI education into real job opportunities by preparing students and workers for emerging, high-growth roles across the AI economy. In partnership with: Discovery Partners Institute (DPI): https://dpi.illinois.edu/ The Discov

S&C’s two-day Microgrid Workshop provides attendees with valuable, in-depth information and unique hands-on experience in the design, user interaction, operation, and troubleshooting of S&C’s Gridmaster® Microgrid Controller. This course will introduce and provide people with the basics of a microgrid control system. The workshop’s primary emphasis is on the S&C Gridmaster® Microgrid Controller as a foundation for building microgrid control systems. A robust control system is critical for operating advanced microgrids. Simplifying the inherent complexity of a microgrid, the S&C GridMaster® Microgrid Controller easily integrates and communicates with a host of different energy assets. The sophisticated system is embedded with a military-grade cybersecurity protocol to mitigate the growing threat of cyberattacks and offers an intuitive user interface and the flexibility to scale as your needs change. Attendees will understand how to customize and configure a unique microgrid using the S&C Gridmaster® Microgrid Controller. They will familiarize themselves with the intuitive user interface and discuss the ability to integrate third-party devices. They will also discuss optional settings for different types of power systems. In addition, they will practice creating custom logic, custom processes and custom device communication to meet unique requirements. Organizations interested in detailed training and application for their particular systems should contact S&C to discuss customized training programs. Participants will receive a certificate of completion for sixteen hours of classroom participation. Attendees wishing to earn credit for Professional Development Hours (PDH) are responsible for reviewing the requirements set forth by the state board(s) where they are licensed to confirm eligibility and for reporting the hours. Who Should Attend? Distribution Engineers, System Operators, System Planners, Field Engineers, Consulting Engineers, and others participating in th