🏢 Co-working Trends in Chicago

AND The History of Hollywood in the Windy City

Author

Landon Campbell
December 04, 2023

Hey Friends! 🚙 👋🏽

Welcome to Issue #37 of the Driver’s Seat!

Highlights from Last Week:

We welcomed Techstars Chicago into our office to host an AI Showcase. 👇🏽

I spent time with students at Cornell Tech for their Winter Hackathon. 👇🏽

📍 Today’s Lineup:

🎬 The History of Hollywood in Chicago

🗺 Events Around the City

🔙 Previous Issues of the Driver’s Seat

Let’s dive in! 🚙 💨

🎬 The History of Hollywood in Chicago

Chicago has a rich history in film / the technological advancements that shaped the industry.

Hollywood's Early Days in Chicago

  • Before LA, Chicago was the epicenter of America's movie-making industry.

  • In the early 20th century, film production thrived in our city, led by pioneers like Essanay Studios founded in 1907.

  • Chicago was an early adopter in the silent film era, pioneering in this genre.

  • Our city's film scene evolved from short films to feature-length productions, enhancing storytelling and character development.

Evolving into an Entertainment and Creator Economy Hub

In Chicago, numerous startups focused on entertainment and the overall creator economy have emerged:

Cameo, launched in 2017, revolutionized the way fans interact with celebrities through personalized shoutouts.

Songfinch, debuting in 2016, offers custom songs, connecting musicians with their audience.

Mozaic, fresh off a Series A funding, streamlines financial splits for creatives.

Reverb, founded in 2013, created an online marketplace for musical instruments.

Lightstream, one of our investments, was a pioneer in streaming technology.

The Onion, since its 1988 inception in Chicago, has grown into a major player in satirical news and entertainment.

Rivet, another one of our companies in the Drive pre-seed program, helps artists identify their ‘superfans’ to unlock better methods to monetize.

Why This Matters

Chicago's transformation from the original Hollywood to a modern hub for entertainment and creator startups showcases its lasting impact in the sector.

Our city's ongoing evolution highlights its role as a center of innovation, creativity, and tech progress in the entertainment realm.

Chicago has seen a significant rise in the popularity of coworking spaces, due to a broader shift towards return to office / IRL.

Return to Office

  • According to Crain's, Chicago’s average weekly return-to-office rate has increased to 55%.

  • The number of building entries currently monitored has reached its highest level since the post-pandemic peak in July, at 55.2% in Chicago.

  • This figure surpasses the national average by 4.5 percentage points.

  • The Global Workplace Analytics foresees 30% of all commercial real estate turning into flexible workspaces by 2030.

  • Employees are asking for flexibility / employers are asking for less time at home.

  • NKF estimates that nearly 43,000 local workers currently operate out of coworking spaces in downtown Chicago, a figure that has almost doubled from three years ago.

Top Spaces in Chicago

  • International Workplace Group (IWG): IWG plans to open 21 new locations in Illinois, showing significant growth in the coworking space market.

  • Working From_ in the Hoxton Hotel: This place combines hotel comforts with office facilities, offering a unique workspace.

  • Deskpass: Providing access to 75 coworking spaces in Chicago, this one suits many different work needs and styles.

  • Regus: With 24 spots around Chicago, Regus offers easy-to-reach coworking spaces in the city.

  • Workbox: As a newer company, Workbox has four locations in Chicago, serving a variety of professionals.

  • Industrious: Industrious has 8 sites in Chicago, known for their comfortable and professional work environments.

🗺️ Events Around The City

TechRise Finale

  • Hosted by P33

  • Tuesday Dec 5

  • RSVP

AI Tinkerers Part 3

  • Hosted by AI Tinkerers and Drive Capital

  • Wednesday Dec 6

  • RSVP

Transform Accelerator Demo Day

  • Hosted by UChicago

  • Wednesday Dec 6

  • RSVP

The Next Evolution of Social Gathering

  • Hosted by AWE Nite Chicago

  • Wednesday Dec 6

  • RSVP

Founder’s Holiday Party

  • Hosted by mHUB

  • Wednesday Dec 6

  • RSVP

InsurTech Lab: Deep Tech Roundtables

  • Hosted by 1871

  • Thursday Dec 7

  • RSVP

Techstars Chicago Demo Day 2023

  • Hosted by Techstars, JP Morgan, and Nvidia

  • Thursday Dec 7

  • RSVP 

Startup CPG Chicago Meetup

  • Hosted by Startup CPG Community Events

  • Thursday Dec 7

  • RSVP

👋 See you next week!

Follow me on Twitter and Instagram for even more Chicago startup news and photos of my favorite restaurants in the city.

🗞 Previous Issues of the Driver’s Seat