Upcoming Events

Join us at stage programs and Labs to help you meet the Chicago Ideas community and find ways to get involved.

Lab

May 22, 5:30pm
Urban Gardening with Green Teens from Gary Comer Youth Center

Conversation

$15.00, June 18, 7:00pm
Kenny Leon: In Conversation with Phylicia Rashad

Kenny Leon Tony Award–Winning Director

Lab

June 26, 5:30pm
Build a Bike With Purpose at World Bicycle Relief
Guess Who's Coming to Lunch

July 18, 11:30am
Guess Who's Coming to Lunch: The Power of Data Sharing vs. Data Privacy

Applications for the 2018 Bluhm/Helfand Social Innovation Fellowship are Live

Are you a social entrepreneur under the age of 35? Apply for this one-of-a-kind fellowship to push your venture to the next level

Learn more Nominate a 2018 Fellow

Big Ideas: A Glimpse of the Future

Discover breathtaking discoveries that give us a glimpse of our tech-filled future

See videos

Talk

How Bad Could a Hack on the US Get?

Natalie Vanatta

Assistant Professor, Army Cyber Institute, United States Military Academy (West Point)

Talk

Ramille Shah on New Advances in Tissue Engineering

Conversation

Can A City Work Like a Startup?

Join us at Member Events All Year Long

The Curiosity Series is just getting started. Chicago Ideas Members can also join us at additional events to connect with one another and experience new ideas.

See events Learn more about Membership

Ideas Day gives students the power to create change in their schools

This year marks the inaugural Ideas Day, a new initiative which brings Chicago Ideas-style events into schools throughout Chicago

Learn More

Latest Blog Posts

See all posts

Speaker Showcase

Writer Nell Scovell Delights During Our Curiosity Series

2018 Line-Up

Introducing the 2018 Curiosity Series

Speaker Showcase

Five Mind-Blowing Facts We Learned from Deepak Chopra

Join today and experience Chicago Ideas year round

Early Access to Tickets

Ticket Discounts

Exclusive Event Invites

Insider News

Become a Member

Make an impact

Find out how we are inspiring action and affecting change in our community.

Learn more about our programs

Connecting, inspiring and empowering Chicago's future leaders

Learn more about our youth program

Chicago Ideas has become an integral part of the fabric of our city. By bringing together thought leaders from across the globe, it helps establish Chicago as a hub for cutting-edge ideas and innovation.

Mayor Rahm Emanuel

Co-Chairman, Chicago Ideas; Mayor, City of Chicago

Meet the people behind Chicago Ideas

Meet social entrepreneurs who are changing the world

Learn more about the Bluhm/Helfand Social Innovation Fellowship

It's a new-age networking group with one goal in mind: bringing together action-minded individuals ready to make connections and drive meaningful change.