1871 (company)

1871 is a nonprofit digital startup incubator in the Merchandise Mart, Chicago, Illinois.^[1] It was founded in 2012 by J. B. Pritzker and is the flagship project of The Chicagoland Entrepreneurial Center (CEC), a nonprofit organization that helps entrepreneurs build high-growth, sustainable businesses that serve as platforms for economic development and civic leadership. Led by CEO Betsy Ziegler, 1871 has become a major hub of Chicago's technology and entrepreneurial ecosystem and hosts over 400 early-stage companies as well as nationally recognized accelerators, industry-specific incubators, and tech talent schools.^[1][2] In 2019, UBI Global recognized 1871 as the Top Private Business Incubator in the World and Most Promising Incubator for Women Founders.