1871 (company)

1871 is a non-profit digital startup incubator located in the Merchandise Mart, Chicago, Illinois. The organization was founded in 2012 by J. B. Pritzker and is the flagship project of The Chicagoland Entrepreneurial Center (CEC), a non-profit organization that supports entrepreneurs on their path to building 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. 1871 was recognized in 2019 by UBI Global as the Top Private Business Incubator in the World and Most Promising Incubator for Women Founders.