1871 @12th Floor of Merchandise Mart

1871 Incubator is a startup community in Chicago, located at the 12th floor of the enormous Merchandise Mart in the River North neighborhood. Designed specifically for startup companies, 1871 Incubator is a project of the Chicagoland Entrepreneurial Center, sponsored by J.B. Pritzker, the State of Illinois, Comcast and Cisco. Named after the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, 1871 intends to illuminate Chicago’s startups and highlight their prowess. 1871 Incubator allows member organizations to share workspace for collaboration between their employees in a state-of-the-art office that includes high-speed Internet access, classrooms, a cafe and even auditoriums. In a conducive environment overlooking the Chicago River, Chicago’s startups will be able to grow comfortably and increase the skills of their employees. With so many burgeoning startups working at 1871, it might be hard to find parking unless you plan ahead. If you’re part of a member company, the best way to get a parking spot at the Merchandise Mart is to book an 1871 Incubator parking spot with ParkWhiz before the workday.