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- 🏙 Chicago’s Downtown Recovery
🏙 Chicago’s Downtown Recovery
AND Tech Events in the Windy City
67th Edition
✍🏽 This Week’s Lineup:
🏙 Chicago’s Downtown Recovery
đź“Š Chart of the Week
📆 Events Around the City
🔙 Previous Editions of the Driver’s Seat
🏙 Chicago’s Downtown Recovery
Chicago’s downtown is witnessing a dynamic shift in activity tied to post-pandemic recovery:
Post-Pandemic Comeback
Chicago's overall recovery rate has reached 61.5% of pre-COVID levels, showcasing our city's resilience in revitalizing downtown.
Chicago's weekend activity has nearly returned to pre-pandemic levels, reaching 95.6% of what it was in 2019.
The recovery rate during traditional working hours (9 AM to 5 PM) remains at 52.7%, which is around the same percentage as other major metros.
Evening Activity is Back
Activity levels in downtown Chicago after traditional work hours (6 PM to 10 PM) have surged to 91.5% of pre-pandemic levels.
The increase in evening activities has led to a higher usage of public transportation during non-peak hours.
Activities and events, especially during the summer, have played a crucial role in creating a lively downtown hub. These activities attract locals and tourists, providing an economic boost to the city.
Why This Matters
Areas like Fulton Market are important to Chicago as they examples of livable, workable, and playable communities, which boost our downtown's recovery.
As tech jobs leave CA (chart below), Chicago can position itself as a prime destination for professionals seeking new opportunities.
By attracting more tech companies to developing areas of the city, Chicago can increase its overall recovery rate and ensure sustained activity throughout the week.
đź“Š Chart of the Week
Chicago is still a strong city for consumer startups.
Carta shared data on the volume of capital raised for consumer startups in the US. Chicago ranked #5 on the list, and the largest hub for consumer between the coasts.
🗺️ Events Around The City
Early-Stage B2B SaaS VC/Founder Chicago Coffee Meetup
Hosted by Forum
Tuesday
Get Smart | Chicago Workshop
Hosted by Traceable Events
Tuesday
Designing the Next Tech Decade
Hosted by DePaul and Illinois Tech
Thursday
Intercom for Startups
Join Intercom’s Early Stage Program to receive a 90% discount.
Get a direct line to your customers. Try the only complete AI-first customer service solution.
& TechChicago Week Next Week:
Pre-Seed Between the Coasts
Hosted by Drive Capital, Matchstick Ventures, and Cooley Chicago
Monday July 22
Fully committed
AI Tinkerers #10
Hosted by Drive Capital and Wilson Sonsini
Tuesday July 23
TechChicago Week Deep Tech Kickoff
Hosted by Drive Capital, Wilson Sonsini, and UChicago
Wednesday July 24
Fully committed
Product Invitational Chicago
Hosted by ZoCo Design and Drive Capital
Thursday July 25
TechChicago Week Healthcare Innovation Breakfast Panel
Hosted by Architect Health, Wilson Sonsini, Drive Capital, Lightbank, and JPM
Friday July 26
Fully committed
đź—ž Latest Editions:
#65 - Silicon Stories
#63 - Major Chicago Exits
đź‘‹ See you next week!
Built in Chicago. Bullish on @TempusAI
— Landon (@landon20s)
8:10 PM • Jul 11, 2024