Recently, I participated in a fun, collaborative event hosted at 1871. This place is a hub for artificial intelligence (AI) startups and small-scale businesses in Chicago. The day was packed with high energy, exceptional talent, and technical innovation! Let me walk you through the events in detail.
The event kicked off with a visionary talk by the CEO of 1871- Betsy Ziegler. She highlighted the importance of innovation in tech, the role of AI and entrepreneurship in business today, how 1871 got its name (Yes, it is named after the year of the historic fire of Chicago), and how it signifies rebuilding and resilience. The place was teeming with creativity, abstract art, work studios, auditoriums, and had an inspiring vibe overall. The opening remarks by Betsy made me realize the significance of the place I was in, and just how inspirational it was for entrepreneurs and technology analysts like me.
The next bit was one of the most encouraging for me. It was a talk by Umama Kibria, the founder of various startups like SweatPack, a health and fitness-based start-up, and Head of Social, which is a start-up focusing on creative strategy, marketing solutions for clients, and everything social media related. What truly made an impact on me was when she talked about her professional background and mentioned how many times she failed to get to where she is now. She did not shy away from talking about her failures, which to me was a major realization that it’s okay to fail and that some days can be harder than most, but we will get through it. Being a TEDx speaker, she knew exactly how to grab our attention, and indulged us in a few social activities to network and connect. Umama emphasized one phrase constantly – “Be everywhere.” She explained how being consistent, networking, getting out of your comfort zone, being in places you wouldn’t belong and just being bold can open a lot of doors. This was a learning curve for me and for many other women in tech. From this experience, I understood the importance of authentically being yourself in every space you enter.
Innovation Studio was the next and most exciting event. We were tasked to become a startup for one hour! Sounds insane right? This session was challenging and involved hands-on brainstorming and strategizing. We were divided into teams of four under each topic bracket. There were multiple topics that we could choose for our start-up. My group undertook ethical shopping online, and how relevant it is today, given the need for sustainable products in the market. We brainstormed an app concept that could solve the unaffordability and inconvenience for users who want to opt for sustainable goods. We conceptualized an app that could connect users with local designers and provide information on ethical sourcing – all while keeping the price point in check. My contribution to the idea was to introduce a redeemable and point-based reward structure that could help our target customers (students) to shop sustainably without making a hole in the bank account! This session wired my brain the right way and drove me to think creatively and strategically on the spot.
The final session was conducted by Prismatic, which focused on developing a powerful elevator pitch. This allowed us to not just create a pitch but also interact with people at the event to practice the pitch! It was a great experience to learn and build confidence to create a personal brand.
Leaving 1871 came with a rollercoaster of emotions – excitement, inspiration, empowerment, and a lot more! This experience was a great reminder that growth comes with change and how it’s necessary to keep challenging ourselves. So, to me, it wasn’t just about learning, it was also about implementing the insights and taking the invaluable knowledge forward.