Once again, Chicago has transformed itself as a nexus for innovation in science and technology. The building blocks of this transformation include an entrepreneurial spirit, world-class universities, a diverse workforce, and a geographically central location. The presence of renowned research institutions such as Argonne National Laboratory and Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, coupled with the emergence of incubators and advocates such as 1871, mHub, 2112, Matter, and P33, has brought international acclaim to Chicago and pushed the innovation envelope locally and beyond. What is the next step in the evolution of this sector? What works and what does not? In this session, we will discuss the evolution of the city’s “innovation economy” from the perspective of academics, incubators, advocates, and investors as well as how to connect existing centers of innovation with under-resourced communities.