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Chicago FoundersBuild Your Network surfaces startup founders in Chicago who are actively building — filtered by what they're working on, what skills they need, and how close they are to you. No cold email, no noise.
Chicago has a growing community of startup founders across enterprise SaaS, fintech, food tech, logistics, and industrial tech. Key institutions supporting them include JUMP Investors, Hyde Park Angels, 1871 tech hub, and the University of Chicago Polsky Center. Chicago is the Midwest's largest startup hub and the heart of the US B2B software ecosystem. Its deep roots in finance, commodities trading, and logistics have produced world-class startups in enterprise software, fintech, and supply-chain technology. 1871, the city's flagship tech incubator, anchors a thriving community of over 400 startups.
On Build Your Network, founders in Chicago list their venture, their skills, and their current intent — whether they're looking for a co-founder, a mentor, or their first investor. You see exactly who is building what, before you send the first message.
Built for Chicago's founder ecosystem
See founders in Chicago filtered by industry, skills, and what they're working on right now.
Both founders declare intent before connecting — no wasted meetings, no pitch spam.
Filter by distance within Chicago for in-person co-working and collaboration.
About startup networking in Chicago
Join Build Your Network free, enable location discovery, and set your radius to cover Chicago. BYN shows you founders in Chicago who are actively building and open to connections — filtered by intent, industry, and skills. No cold outreach needed.
Chicago founders are predominantly building in enterprise SaaS, fintech, food tech, logistics, and industrial tech. Chicago is the Midwest's largest startup hub and the heart of the US B2B software ecosystem. Its deep roots in finance, commodities trading, and logistics have produced world-class startups in enterprise software, fintech, and supply-chain technology. 1871, the city's flagship tech incubator, anchors a thriving community of over 400 startups. On Build Your Network, each founder lists their current project, skills, and intent — giving you full context before the first conversation.
Yes. Build Your Network is free for founders in Chicago — create a profile, set your intent, and discover other founders in your city at no cost. Premium plans unlock unlimited connections and priority visibility.
LinkedIn shows you job titles and work history. BYN shows you what founders in Chicago are actively building and what they need right now. Intent-based discovery means you connect with people who are looking for exactly what you offer.
Yes. Set your intent to "Looking for Co-founder" and BYN will surface founders in Chicago with complementary skills who are also open to co-founding. Filter by technical vs business background, industry, and distance.
Build Your Network is always-on discovery — unlike event platforms, you can find and message founders in Chicago any time, not just at scheduled meetups. Key startup hubs in Chicago include JUMP Investors, Hyde Park Angels, 1871 tech hub, and the University of Chicago Polsky Center.