P33, an effort by Chicago's private-sector leaders to boost the city's tech reputation, has announced its founding CEO.
Brad Henderson, a former Boston Consulting Group executive, was named P33's chief executive Tuesday. He'll be tasked with spearheading the effort, first announced last fall, which aims to make Chicago a top-tier city for technology. P33 was founded by former U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker, Ocient CEO Chris Gladwin, and Civic Committee of the Commercial Club of Chicago President Kelly Welsh.
Henderson served as senior partner and managing director in BCG's Chicago office, and he led the research study that helped to develop the plan for P33.
"P33 is our moment to make sure the next generation has access to greater opportunities and growth in the most inclusive way in our city's history," Henderson said in a statement.
Henderson takes over what will be a long-term initiative to transform Chicago's tech scene (the 33 in P33 stands for the year 2033---the timeframe when the group envisions the plan will come to fruition). Initiatives include keeping tech talent in state, increasing capital available to Chicago startups, and increasing connectivity between startups and larger Chicago businesses.
Ultimately, the group says its mission is to "strengthen a diverse, inclusive, and flourishing technology community in Chicago."
While Chicago's tech ecosystem has produced several successful tech outcomes---such as Cleversafe's $1.3 billion sale to IBM or Grubhub's IPO---P33 wants to see the number of Chicago's billion-dollar tech exits increase, and position the city among the likes of Boston, Seattle and other "tier one" markets when it comes to tech and startup activity.
“If we had five-times as many Cleversafes and Fieldglasses and Grubhubs, and five-times as much venture capital. Five-times as many exits. Five-times as many graduates staying here—we’d be done with this discussion. We’d consistently rank in the top tier of tech hubs," Gladwin told Chicago Inno last October.
