World Business Chicago

Big news for Chicago’s economic future: Today, Mayor Brandon Johnson officially launched Build Better Together—a bold, citywide strategy for inclusive growth. From $ 11 B+ in development projects to faster approvals (thanks to the city's Cut the Tape initiative), and major investments in housing, jobs, and small businesses—this is Chicago’s blueprint for building a stronger, more vibrant city, for all 77 neighborhoods. Read this week’s Business Pulse ?? to see what it means for your business, your community, and our city's collective future.

Last month, our?Workforce Development team,?in collaboration?with The Mayor's Office EDYHS, Health & Medicine Workforce and Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE) led?the?Chi Winter Workplace Tour,?guiding?32 Chicago students?through some of Chicago’s leading healthcare institutions, including?Northwestern Memorial Hospital,?Ascension St. Joseph Hospital, healthcare programs at Malcom X College?and sites within the?Illinois Medical District. The experience also featured a panel discussion with?Chicago Fire Department EMTs and paramedics, providing valuable insights into career pathways in emergency medical services. ? Chicago’s healthcare ecosystem is one of the most robust in the nation, with?thousands of healthcare professionals, six accredited academic medical centers, and 95 hospitals. To sustain and grow this critical workforce, it’s essential that young people see healthcare as an?accessible and viable career path. ? That’s why we’re excited to announce that our?workplace tours will continue throughout the year, introducing even more students to the vast opportunities within healthcare and beyond.?Investing in the next generation of professionals ensures that Chicago remains a leader in medical innovation, patient care, and workforce development. Special shout out to Tana Francellno and Joanna Madigan, Director and Manager of Workforce Development for leading this effort into the future.

Happy Birthday Mayor Brandon Johnson! Today, we celebrate your leadership—not only as Mayor of Chicago but as Chair of our Board of Directors. Today’s launch of Build Better Together and the groundbreaking of the first LaSalle Corridor office-to-residential conversion mark major milestones in Chicago’s economic future, and we can’t think of a better birthday present—for you and for our city.

City Cast just listed 1,000 things to love about the Windy City—and we couldn’t agree more! Here are just a few of our favorites. Check out the full list: https://lnkd.in/gVCJ3SHu

Today at World Business Chicago's All-Staff meeting, we were honored to host Mikki Kendall, author of 'Hood Feminism: Notes from the Women that a Movement Forgot'. In the book, Kendall emphasizes that feminism must be intersectional and address systemic inequalities that disproportionately affect marginalized communities. Today she spoke about her experience growing up in Chicago, and the factors that moved her to write about these issues. We at World Business Chicago give our sincere thanks to Mikki Kendall for sharing her story and guidance.

Japan has a BIG impact on Illinois trade & jobs... ...and the numbers back it up. The bulk of the Japanese-Chicagoan relationship has to do with trade: Japan is a top trading partner for Illinois, with billions of dollars in exports and imports annually. Illinois' prime farmland provides agricultural products, and Chicagoland's competitive manufacturing sector exports machinery and chemicals. Japanese imports to Illinois include automobiles, electronics, and industrial machinery. But investment plays a big role too: Japan is one of the largest foreign investors in the Chicago area, with over 500 Japanese companies operating in Illinois. In fact, the 8th Congressional district contains the largest concentration of Japanese companies anywhere outside Japan! These economic numbers are strong—and by continuing trade delegations to Japan, we hope to make them even stronger.

Fast Company has named Chicago’s Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park as the #5 Most Innovative Economic Development Company of 2025! Once a 20th-century steel plant, Chicago’s historic South Works site is now transforming into a cutting-edge quantum computing powerhouse. Thanks to the strong and collaborative efforts of Chicago Quantum Exchange, the State of Illinois, and WBC board member companies PsiQuantum, Clayco, Related Companies, and others—this 128-acre campus will feature advanced quantum computing facilities—including PsiQuantum’s massive 300,000-square-foot Quantum Computer Operations Center—and has already drawn global leaders such as Eero-Q and Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) IBM, and others. Read more at https://lnkd.in/eDT3hKKF

Summer 2025 will be the busiest season EVER for Chicago’s airports, O’Hare and Midway! With nearly 17.8 million departing seats scheduled—a 7% jump from last year—Chicago will connect travelers to 265 global destinations. ?? American Airlines, United Airlines, and Southwest Airlines are expanding routes, offering more flights, new destinations, and enhanced passenger experiences. This growth underscores Chicago’s unmatched position as a thriving global aviation and business hub. "This milestone reaffirms Chicago’s status as the top-ranked U.S. city for corporate relocation and site selection," said Phil Clement, President & CEO, World Business Chicago. "With its central location and unmatched connectivity, Chicago is where passenger and commercial travel intersect seamlessly, enabling businesses, talent, and visitors to connect anywhere in the world. When we pitch Chicago to companies worldwide, the transformation of our airports—fueled by expanded service from United Airlines and other carriers—reinforces our position as a thriving global business hub.” Explore more at https://lnkd.in/gqQJQghq Chicago Department of Aviation (CDA) - O'Hare & Midway International Airports #WhyChicago

??? More than $380 million in development proposals were approved at this week's?Chicago Plan Commission meeting, continuing a fast-paced start to 2025. The approvals include: ? A $294 million, 39-story mixed-income building at 350 N. Morgan St. on the Near West Side with 573 homes and 11,000 square feet of retail. ? A $71.1 million, 90-unit affordable residential building at 5853 N. Broadway in Edgewater. ? A $14.5 million, 49-unit office-to-residential conversion at 1006 S. Michigan Ave. in the Loop. ? A $1.5 million Starbucks store at 9429 S. Stony Island Ave. in Calumet Heights. The commission also heard updates on a trio of DPD business corridor planning initiatives to support local investment: the 79th Street Corridor Plan in Auburn Gresham, the Armitage Industrial Corridor Framework Plan on the Northwest Side, and Moving Archer Forward on the Southwest Side. Plan adoptions could occur starting this spring. In 2025, Plan Commission has approved more than $7.9?billion in new projects and 10,800 new residential units through March.

World Business Chicago is proud to support #TechChicagoWeek2025, a celebration of our city's thriving tech ecosystem. Now’s the time to step up, showcase, and contribute to one of the most exciting weeks in Chicago tech! (See below ?? ) There are countless ways to bring your network together and highlight what makes Chicago a powerhouse for innovation. From tech talks to product showcases, career fairs, and cultural events—this is always a "not-to-be-missed" week!