Chris Gladwin thinks Chicago is well positioned to address the growing challenges that will come with climate change — the subject of Chicago Climate Tech Week taking place this week.
The founder and CEO of Ocient, a Chicago-based data-analytics platform that raised $49 million in March, sees Chicago making strides in the energy technology space the same way the city has in quantum.
"Chicago has as much of a right to win in quantum as anyone, and I think that's true in technology and in climate," he told Chicago Inno. "There's a lot of climate investors in Chicago, and there have been for a long time."
Most notably, Gladwin said that the growth of Chicago's tech workforce will further fuel its ascendancy in the sector.
He pointed to a recent report from the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco that showed fewer Americans are moving from Snow Belt regions to Sun Belt areas, with weather playing an important factor in the decision.
"If you look at the weather of the next 50 years, Chicago is going to be in a good position and will be a great place to live," he said. "I think eventually it will switch to where people are moving from Sun Belt cities to Snow Belt cities."
That's why P33, of which Gladwin is co-founder and chair, is hosting its second annual Chicago Climate Tech Week this week to showcase what's next for the industry and to give the local community a chance to network with innovators, entrepreneurs, industry leaders and investors, and to hear the latest on the region's climate innovation ecosystem.
Gladwin said there's a lot of interest from the local business community to see how climate change will impact their businesses and sees this week's events as an opportunity to "build community" and create a "positive flywheel effect" when it comes to Chicago's climate tech workforce.
"The more you get some talent, the more you can get more talent, and more and more talent," he said.
Programming will include discussions on microgrids, a clean vehicle showcase, startup showcases with a focus on hardtech, and one-on-one conversations with local leaders in climate tech such as LanzaJet. Featured panelists and speakers include Governor J.B. Pritzker, Invenergy's CEO Michael Polsky, Gladwin and Lion Electric executive Nate Baguio, among others.
Events will be held starting Monday at locations throughout the city including the Illinois Institute of Technology, 1871, mHub and North Green Street.
The flagship event taking place on Wednesday — Resilient Futures & Tech Horizons — will focus on biotech, energy, policy and economics, quantum and workforce development.
"We're not trying to maximize the number of tickets we sell," Gladwin said. "We're trying to maximize the community."
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