Chicago Startup Community
Chicago is home to Cameo, Groupon, Draftbit, VillageMD, and many other startups. Founders Network connects Chicago Founders with a global network of support to help this. Based in Silicon Valley, Founders Network is a mentorship program that gives our members access to new resources which facilitate Founder growth.
Nominee Preview Q&A
A live Zoom for nominated founders: how Founders Network works, what happens next, and open Q&A.
Upcoming Chicago events
No Chicago events open to guests are on the calendar right now. The Nominee Preview Q&A above is the best way to meet us, or browse every upcoming Founders Network event.
Our Local Leadership Team
Migrated from legacy Subgroup chair record on 2026-07-02. Please update with a current bio + photo via the Leadership profile flow.
Former Recon Marine and Army Special Forces soldier with 22 years of service. Post-military, earned UVA Darden MBA and gained experience in startup, construction, and family office leadership roles. Founded DebateBase and currently building that business.
Jason Jacobsohn is well known in the Chicago area as a “connector” and go-to person for entrepreneurs who want to grow and maintain their success. Currently, Jason is the Founder and Managing Partner of Propellant Ventures, which is an early-stage venture capital firm that boldly invests in a broad range of innovative companies in underserved and undervalued regions across the U.S. Prior to launching Propellant Ventures, he was a Principal at Bascom Ventures, which is a private, for-profit venture capital fund for Wisconsin alumni that invests in seed, growth, and later stage companies with a Wisconsin alumni connection. In addition, Jason launched and currently runs the Chicago chapter of Founder Institute, which is the world’s largest pre-seed startup accelerator, with chapters across 180+ cities around the world. For most of his career, he has provided venture development services to align emerging businesses with resources for growth. Jason received his MBA from DePaul University and his BBA from University of Wisconsin-Madison.
The Chicago startup scene
Chicago's startup ecosystem is valued at $65 billion in the 2026 Startup Genome data, well above the global average of $25 billion.
Startup Genome reports $1.5 billion in seed and Series A funding from mid-2023 through 2025 and $23 billion in exit value from 2021 to 2025. Chicago is a large Midwest market with a deep base of corporate customers and talent.
Founders Network in Chicago
Founders Network is a peer mentorship community for tech startup founders. Membership is selective and by invitation, and founders request an invitation to join.
Members get mentorship from other founders, chapter events, and introductions to investors and to founders across a global network. The Chicago chapter is run by volunteer member leaders, shown on this page.
Frequently asked questions
Is Chicago a good place to start a startup?
Startup Genome values Chicago's ecosystem at $65 billion, with $23 billion in exit value from 2021 to 2025, both well above global averages.
How do I meet other founders in Chicago?
Founders Network members meet at chapter events and through peer mentorship with other founders. Upcoming Chicago chapter events are listed on this page.
What startup events are in Chicago?
Founders Network hosts chapter events for founders in Chicago, and the upcoming ones are listed on this page.
How do I join Founders Network in Chicago?
Membership is selective and by invitation. You can request an invitation and our team will review it.
Get an invitation to the community.
Founders Network is an invite-only peer mentorship community for tech startup founders. Drop your email — we'll take it from there.
No spam. We review every request individually.