๐ŸŽ– DARPA's $140m Bet on Illinois

AND 36 Tech Events in Chicago

68th Edition

โœ๐Ÿฝ This Weekโ€™s Lineup:

๐ŸŽ– DARPA's Bet on Illinois

๐Ÿ“Š Chart of the Week

๐ŸŽ 36 Tech Events in Chicago

๐Ÿ”™ Previous Editions of the Driverโ€™s Seat

Check out my latest Chicago history video on how we became the first open-source city in America:

๐ŸŽ– DARPA's $140m Bet on Illinois

DARPA is partnering with Illinois to advance quantum research at the stateโ€™s new quantum campus, where quantum computing prototypes will be tested to enhance national security.

The Announcement

  • DARPA is investing up to $140m for a new quantum research initiative in Illinois, with the state matching this amount from the 2025 budget allocation.

  • Possible locations include the US Steel South Works site in South Chicago and a former Texaco refinery in Lockport.

  • Our quantum campus will feature a cryogenic facility essential for research and development.

Why Illinois is Already Winning at Quantum

Even before this announcement, our state stands out as a global leader in quantum:

  • Illinois leads the nation in federal funding for quantum projects. Over 45 cents of every federal dollar spent on quantum is happening in the state of Illinois.

  • Chicago ranks #3 for universities with quantum programs and #2 for quantum PhD completions.

  • Illinois ranks 2nd in quantum VC deals and is home to the Chicago Quantum Exchange, including Argonne and Fermi national labs, with one of the largest teams of quantum researchers globally.

The Impact

  • The quantum campus is projected to create thousands of deeply technical jobs.

  • The campus will connect academia, national labs, and private companies, accelerating innovation.

  • Extensive programs like internships, fellowships, and training will prepare the next generation of quantum scientists and engineers.

Between AI, biotech, robotics, and quantum, this is our chance to establish Illinois as the hub for deep tech.

๐Ÿ“Š Chart of the Week

Illinois is one of the best states for EV owners:

The savings for EV owners in Illinois fall within the range of $8,000 to $10,000 over five years, which indicates substantial financial benefits compared to owning a gasoline vehicle.

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๐ŸŽ 36 Tech Events in Chicago

TechChicago Week is one of my favorite times of the year. Itโ€™s a chance to highlight our innovation economy and show why weโ€™re bullish on Chicago.

Busy week ahead. Check out the 36 events happening in Chicago this week:

Monday

The First Class Documentary Screening

  • Hosted by CS4IL

  • Monday July 22

  • RSVP

Pre-Seed Between the Coasts

  • Hosted by Drive Capital, Matchstick Ventures, and Cooley Chicago

  • Monday July 22

  • Fully committed

Tuesday

Intern Social

  • Hosted by P33

  • Tuesday July 23

  • RSVP

  • Hosted by P33

  • Tuesday July 23

  • RSVP

Responsible AI Executive Workshop

  • Hosted by Slalom Consulting

  • Tuesday July 23

  • RSVP

AI Tinkerers #10

  • Hosted by Drive Capital and Wilson Sonsini

  • Tuesday July 23

  • Fully committed

Corporate Innovation Summit

  • Hosted by P33

  • Tuesday July 23

  • RSVP

Sunrise Startup Series: Tech Chicago Edition

  • Hosted by Mercato and Silicon Valley Bank

  • Tuesday July 23

  • RSVP

Early-Stage B2B Founders & Funders Breakfast at TechChicago Week

  • Hosted by LongJump

  • Tuesday July 23

  • RSVP

Early-Stage B2B Founders & Funders Breakfast at TechChicago Week

  • Hosted by LongJump

  • Tuesday July 23

  • RSVP

Campaign Security Summit: Protecting High-Risk Users

  • Hosted by Google

  • Tuesday July 23

  • RSVP

PCs for People: Tech Center Tour

  • Hosted by PC4P

  • Tuesday July 23

  • RSVP

Future of Commerce

  • Hosted by Englewood Reimagined

  • Tuesday July 23

  • RSVP

The New Era of Customer Success

  • Hosted by CuSP + Update AI

  • Tuesday July 23

  • RSVP

Gamifying Tech & Generational Marketing

  • Hosted by 8Bit Studios

  • Tuesday July 23

  • RSVP

Wednesday

Capital Summit Day 2

  • Hosted by P33

  • Wednesday July 24

  • RSVP

How AI is transforming Retail Experiences and Operations

  • Hosted by GoCharlie.ai

  • Wednesday July 24

  • RSVP

Bringing The Base Blockchain Mainstream

  • Hosted by ETHChicago

  • Wednesday July 24

  • RSVP

TechChicago Week Deep Tech Kickoff

  • Hosted by Drive Capital, Wilson Sonsini, and UChicago

  • Wednesday July 24

  • Fully committed

Female Founders Collective Chicago Tech Week Member Mingle

  • Hosted by FFC

  • Wednesday July 24

  • RSVP

TCW x Pixquid 2.0 Happy Hour

  • Hosted by Pixquid

  • Wednesday July 24

  • RSVP

Electric Boats and Sunset Sail

  • Hosted by Diaplo Ventures

  • Wednesday July 24

  • RSVP

15 Minute Features - Tales from Chicago Leaders

  • Hosted by VisualFizz

  • Wednesday July 24

  • RSVP

Thursday

Product Invitational Chicago

  • Hosted by ZoCo Design and Drive Capital

  • Thursday July 25

  • RSVP

Innovate with AI: Transform Proprietary Data into Business Value with RAG

  • Hosted by Atomic Object

  • Thursday July 25

  • RSVP

TechChicago Day 2024

  • Hosted by P33

  • Thursday July 25

  • RSVP

Latinas in Tech Chicago Morning Cafecito

  • Hosted by LIT

  • Thursday July 25

  • RSVP

Consumer Breakfast

  • Hosted by FurtherFaster Ventures

  • Thursday July 25

  • RSVP

Chicago EdTech and Social Impact Happy Hour

  • Hosted by The EdTech Institute of Chicago

  • Thursday July 25

  • RSVP

Women Founders & VCs

  • Hosted by Bluestein Ventures and Andrew Gunderman

  • Thursday July 25

  • RSVP

Friday

Chicago Innovation Summit

  • Hosted by Dell for Startups

  • Friday July 26

  • RSVP

LGBTQ+ Pride Happy Hour

  • Hosted by World Business Chicago

  • Friday July 26

  • RSVP

Andrew Gundermanโ€™s VCs & LPs ONLY

  • Hosted by Andrew Gunderman

  • Friday July 26

  • RSVP

TechChicago Week Healthcare Innovation Breakfast Panel

  • Hosted by Architect Health, Wilson Sonsini, Drive Capital, Lightbank, and JPM

  • Friday July 26

  • Fully committed

How Women Invest: Female Founders, Funders, and Friends Networking Roundtables

  • Hosted by HWI

  • Friday July 26

  • RSVP

Kadeya TechChicago Week Demo

  • Hosted by Kadeya

  • Friday July 26

  • RSVP

๐Ÿ—ž Latest Editions:

๐Ÿ‘‹ See you next week!

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