2112 Creative Industries Incubator

2112 Creator House joined forces with Own.App, Center for Creative Entrepreneurship, Cutting Edge, and DAWn Audio earlier this month in Austin for an exclusive, immersive experience that was all about content, technology, and business innovation. The event showcased 2112’s global partner network with programming throughout the day hosted by Sound Music Cities, LLC, Music Managers Forum-US (MMF-US), ATX Musicians, Austin Creative Alliance, EQ Austin, Business Iceland, Iceland Music Music Tectonics, Showpass, NIVA - National Independent Venue Association, and DAWn Audio. Panels also included 2112 members Hillel Frankel of McGlinchey Stafford, Diego Pinzon of DAWn Audio, Maulin Hemani of FanPad, and Julian McCrea of Open Sesame Media, Inc. Special thanks to our corporate partners Showpass, Dell Technologies, and Shure Incorporated and f&b partners Tito's Handmade Vodka, BeatBox, and Louisiana Seafood. Video by 2112 Member Emerald Resources

This week's 2112 Creative Industries Incubator newsletter features a list of free partner programming, Taste of Iceland's return to Chicago, and community news from Music Tectonics, Chicago Media Composers and Lyricists, SZNL, Creator Collective, TechNexus Venture Collaborative, Shure Incorporated, VRAR Chicago, and Wallifornia: https://lnkd.in/ge62TmZm

Chicago, It’s Time to Lead in XR! Did you know that immersive technology is already transforming industries like manufacturing, healthcare, logistics, and education? Are Chicago businesses are falling behind in adoption compared to other major markets? We’re hosting the Chicago XR Summit on June 4, 2025, at Illinois Institute of Technology. This isn’t just another conference - it’s a hands-on exhibition where business leaders can experience XR solutions firsthand and see proven results. Join us and discover how virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and mixed reality (MR) can impact your business today. Don’t miss this opportunity to position your company at the forefront of Chicago’s next big tech movement. June 4, 2025 Illinois Institute of Technology Get Connected: Link in Comments #ChicagoXRSummit #TheNextEvolution #XR #VirtualReality #AugmentedReality #BusinessInnovation #TechnologyLeadership

Heading to sxsw? We have joined forces with Own.App to showcase members, friends, and partners at 2112 Creator House Wednesday, March 12th. You can find more info and a list of partner events throughout the week from Midwest House, Funded House, Iceland Airwaves, and Music Tectonics in this week's 2112 newsletter: https://lnkd.in/gZHRFH47

I've studied 2112 Creative Hub for years and have long considered it the gold standard of creative hubs. We talk to a lot of cities that want to build something similar—but nothing could have prepared me for seeing it in person. WOW. 2112 is even more expansive, welcoming, and organically built than I imagined. An authentic creative ecosystem that is also a tight knit community. What struck me the most wasn’t just the space itself, but how it has evolved over time—through smart leadership, an authentic process, and a deep understanding of creative industries. After a brutal travel day, I ended up driving to Chicago just to catch a flight back to Austin. In some ways, it was a blessing in disguise, because it gave me the chance to finally experience 2112 in person, and it was absolutely worth it. I know we can’t simply replicate 2112 in every city, but there’s so much to learn from how they built it. It’s not just about infrastructure; it’s about vision, execution, and long-term commitment. Huge thanks to Scott Fetters for the tour! If any city is serious about developing a creative hub, you need to call Scott, his unique approach is something special. #CreativeHubs #MusicEcosystem #2112 #CreativeIndustries #Leadership #Musiccities

Energy filled the room at 2112 this past Thursday as we brought together Chicago’s innovation ecosystem to pitch their SXSW event to the South by Southwest-bound crowd. Our incredible panelists led a dynamic Q&A, offering insights and setting expectations for what’s ahead in Austin this March. The moment you step through the doors of 2112 Creative Industries Incubator, you can feel the energy—something special is always in motion. It’s Chicago at its best: a dynamic hub where creative entrepreneurs, come together to collaborate, innovate, and turn ideas into reality. Keep up with all-things Chicago at SXSW at Midwest House's page: https://lnkd.in/gwNqfWHw Thank you to everyone who grabbed the mic to make their pitch: Samir Mahafzah from Pie Laura Griffis from TriNet Ivonne Romo from The Auditorium Jeffery Beckham Jr from Chicago Scholars Eddy Mejia from Earnest Agriculture Joe Mullenbach from Fluid Reality And our amazing panelists: Ted Velie from Midwest House Scott Fetters, host at 2112 Creative Industries Incubator Mellini Monique from Vocal Culture Garden Nicole McCarthy, World Business Chicago And last but certainly not least thank you to Sugar Bliss, Taylor Mason, Catan Pisco and Inspiro Tequila, LLC for the amazing Chicago food and drink!

?? ?? SATURDAY MARCH 8TH, 2025 ?? ?? Midwest House 2025 The Riley Building 315 Lavaca St, Austin, TX, 78702 9AM - 9PM ?? ?? CHICAGO DAY?? ?? It's back y'all...last year more than 3000 of you came to celebrate Chicago Day with our good friends at World Business Chicago, so you we had to run it back. Joining in on the fun will be the Obama Foundation, Microsoft, 2112 Creative Industries Incubator, Portillo's, Pie, Kribi Coffee Co., Jeppson's Mal?rt, 1871, Chicago:Blend, Axios, foode, Farmer's Fridge, and many many more. Saturday will also include a morning celebration for International Women's Day that features Populous, Union Heritage, Ally, AnitaB.org, Hummingbirds, & Capitalize VC. Full schedule drops next week, but let it be known that Chi is showing up in 2025. Abin Kuriakose Nicole McCarthy Manleen Rajput Arantxa Valverde Scott Fetters Elle Ramel Stephanie Miller Billy N. Alya Adamany Woods Gregory Grossman Madelyn Rutter Ellie Davis Samir Mirza Beatriz de Souza Kauffmann Tessa Flippin Joey Mak Kenneth C. RSVP here to Get The List: https://lu.ma/qpgbuopz

?? We need to break out Midwest modest, and show the world our #Midwest best. That’s why this March 8: we’ll see you at #SouthBySouthwest (SXSW) in Austin, Texas! ?? On behalf of all of us at World Business Chicago: thank you colleagues, friends, and #proChicago enthusiasts for attending our official #Chicago-at-SXSW Kickoff with 2112 Creative Industries Incubator and Midwest House! ?? Doesn’t matter if it was 14 degrees on a weeknight: FULL room! ?? Founded in 1987 in Austin, Texas, SXSW is best known for its conference and festivals that celebrate the convergence of #tech, #film and #television, #music, #education, and #culture. An essential destination for global professionals, the annual March event welcomes a global audience of nearly 50,000+ leaders in business, tech, innovation, and creative sectors. It’s one of the world’s biggest and most important #innovation and #culture festivals. ??? And we’re bringing one of our largest #proChicago activations to the global stage of SXSW! #Chicago Day 2025 by World Business Chicago and partners will showcase our city’s most iconic and innovative brands at Midwest House: Saturday, March 8, 2025 in #Austin, #Texas. We’re taking our #oroChicago message, partners, and brand on the road. Thank you Nicole McCarthy, Scott Fetters, Mellini Monique, and Ted Velie for offering an insightful “#SXSW 101” panel discussion. We also heard from Chicago organizations and companies about their events taking place the first weekend of SXSW. And it was the perfect event with food and beverage provided by our hometown favorites: Inspiro Tequila, LLC by Mara Smith, Catan Pisco by Catalina Gaete-Bentz, Taylor's Tacos by Taylor Mason, System Seltzers by Anthony Spina, Sugar Bliss by Teresa Ging, and others! And shoutout to my Emerging Leaders (EL) fam: Ellie Bahrmasel and Aaron Cortes Minor! ? this is all part of our collective #economicdevelopment mission: to drive inclusive economic growth and job creation, attract innovative companies to our city and region, and build a global #proChicago brand with a focus on why we thrive as a global destination for #talent, #growth, and #innovation. And we’re doing this with an incredible coalition of partners and brands in an innovative way at Midwest House. If you’re going to be in Austin for SXSW this March 8, please join us at Chicago Day 2025! ?? None of this would be possible without the AMAZING work by our #Chicago Day 2025 Lead Nicole McCarthy, with Manleen Rajput, Arantxa Valverde, and Midwest House CEO Ted Velie! For the past several months, Nicole and truly mobilized our local ecosystem in a BIG way for #ChicagoDay 2025. She’s built incredible momentum for #Chicago to make a huge splash at SXSW. ?? Learn more and register for #Chicago Day 2025 at SXSW with Midwest House in Austin, Texas here: https://lnkd.in/gB6Pf7Mz (??: sorry about the strong red stage light which appears in multiple photos!) ?? 2112 Creative Industries Incubator, #Chicago

For a century, Shure has supported content creators around the world. From radio broadcasts to the digital age, we’ve championed creativity and innovation every step of the way. We're just getting started. https://shu.re/4aTrjFa