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What to expect
Join us for the OPEN Chicago Annual Conference 2025, a premier gathering of entrepreneurs, business leaders, students, and innovators shaping the future of business, technology, and civic leadership.
This year’s conference will feature:
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Inspiring Keynote Speakers sharing leadership journeys and insights.
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Dynamic Panel Discussions on healthcare, entrepreneurship, technology, and civic impact.
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Pitch Competition showcasing bold ideas from emerging entrepreneurs.
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Networking Opportunities with leaders, investors, and changemakers.
Speaker Lineup
Naveed Sherwani
CEO National Semiconductor Hub, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
President & CEO, RapidSilicon
Ayesha Tanzeem
Award Winning Journalist
Khan Siddiqui
Founder and CEO, HOPPR
Serial Entrepreneur
Tariq Khan
President OPEN Global
Professor NYU
Maaria Mozaffar
Legislative Attorney
Consul General of Pakistan in Chicago
Sameer Shafi
Co-founder Dialysis Care Center & Kidney Care Center
Ameen Salahudeen
Assistant Professor, UIC
Oncologist & AI Researcher - UIC Cancer Center
Kamran Bilgrami
Director IBA
President OPEN Karachi
Shehla Sheikh
Associate Professor, Nephrologist & Mountaineer
Rush Darwish
President, ABPA
Founder The Refugee Life Foundation
Sohaib Awan
Founder Jabal Entertainment
Founder Fictional Frontiers
Shafeek Abubaker
President, ILMCC
Group Leader ZUMITIN
Farah Chalisa
Human Rights Attorney
Haris Ahmed
Founder & CEO, Pragmatium Consulting Group
Omair Siraj
Founder & CEO, Chestnut Health
Salman Azam
General Counsel & Chief Compliance Officer - DCC
Naveed Anwar
President, PACC
President, Gilons Inc
Aamir Chalisa
Chairman, OPEN Chicago
GM, Futurity First
Babar Rathore
President, OPEN Chicago
Partner, AMRO Group
Aisha Sarwari
Corporate Affairs Leader
Nishat Fatima
Marketing Lead, OPEN Chicago. ex-SAP, ex-LinkedIn
Pitch Competition Judges
Adeel Ahmad
Co-Founder - DXPath.AI & Avantage Health
Healthcare M&A
Rafiq Ahmed
Founder, VC - Dipalo Ventures
VC - NextGen Venture Partners
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Dannah Jaleel
Investments Lead, Innate Capital Partners
Founding Member, Nur House
Farrukh Usman
Founder and CEO of Byonyks
Former winner of OPEN Pitch Competition
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Aamer Ghaffar
Chairman, oneMachineSoftware
Serial Entrepreneur
FINAL FIVE - Startups Pitching
ASL ASPIRE
Ayesha Kazi
Daivurjnt
Lena Alabbasi
Shamel Studio
Feras Alfuqaha
Lanward
Ayaan Siddiqui
Line Sight
Bilal Yousuf
Agenda
Subject to Change
Saturday Nov 1st
08:30
Registration, Coffee & Networking
09:30
Welcome & Introduction
10:00
Keynote: Ideas to Impact
10:40
Panel: Healthcare & Ai
11:30
Pitch@OPEN - Pitch Competition
12:45
Lunch & Networking
01:50
A Dialogue Between Generations
02:10
Fireside Chat
02:40
Panel: Building Bridges for Growth
03:20
Defining Your Story: Power of Narrative
04:00
Pitch@OPEN Award Ceremony
Closing Remarks
04:15
Networking
20+
10+
150+
SPEAKERS
COMPANIES
PARTICIPANTS
The Venue
565 West Adams Street,
Chicago, IL 60661
Ogilvie Auditorium
The Governor Richard B. Ogilvie Auditorium, named for the prominent Chicago-Kent alumnus and former governor of Illinois, is a 325-seat, two-level auditorium equipped with a front-screen video projection system and television cameras that can record proceedings.
- Onsite discounted parking
- 2 blocks from Metra and CTA stations
Pitch Competition
Open Chicago invites aspiring entrepreneurs, innovators, and changemakers to showcase their groundbreaking ideas at our upcoming Annual Conference on November 1st.
Whether you have a fresh concept, an early-stage startup, or a growing business, this is your chance to pitch your vision to industry experts, investors, and a supportive community.
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Sponsors & Partner Organizations
Our Sponsors and Partners
