🔙 Highlights from Last Week

My partner Nick visited for a fireside chat with our seed companies 👇🏽

Joined friends at Bernstein (Cam and Kevin) for an intimate event with Palantir Founder and CEO Alex Karp! 👇🏽

Chicago Nuclear Power Keeps Startup Costs Stable

Electricity prices are rising fast.

ComEd’s supply rate is increasing by 45% on June 1. But many Chicago startups and businesses won’t feel the full impact thanks to our state’s nuclear power and smart energy policy.

Under our state’s Climate and Equitable Jobs Act, a special credit kicks in when prices spike. This June, that nuclear-backed credit will reduce rates by about 1.7¢ per kilowatt-hour, roughly a 17% discount. It’s a timely reminder that nuclear power isn’t just clean, it’s also an economic shield.

Why Founders Should Care

Not every startup will notice a small change on the power bill. But for companies in AI, biotech, cloud services, crypto, or advanced manufacturing, electricity is a meaningful cost.

A 45% hike can hit margins or slow growth. Compared to regions like California or New York, where energy is more expensive and less reliable, Chicago’s cost stability becomes a real advantage. And for capital-constrained or bootstrapped startups, predictable power costs make planning and growth easier.

A Competitive Edge for Chicago

Chicago is entering a high-demand energy era. Data centers, AI workloads, electrification, and reshored manufacturing are driving up power needs.

At the same time, older fossil fuel plants are retiring, and renewable projects aren't scaling fast enough to meet demand.

Nuclear energy provides powerful edge: carbon-free, consistent power at stable prices. In today’s environment where capital is tight and infrastructure matters more than ever, this kind of reliability attracts builders.

It also creates opportunity. As nuclear capacity expands, startups can build tools for grid optimization, safety systems, energy supply chains, and software for next-gen energy systems. Companies like Microsoft and Amazon are investing in nuclear. There’s room for local startups to follow.

Nuclear power is helping make Chicago one of the most resilient places to build.

📊 Chart of the Week

Big news for Illinois transit: our state’s High-Speed Rail Commission has narrowed it down to three finalist routes each with estimated travel times now on the table.

This brings Illinois one step closer to transforming how people move across the state.

📆 Events Around the City

Health2Tech Chicago

• Tuesday

• RSVP

Agentic AI in Action

• Tuesday

• RSVP

1 Million Cups Chicago

• Wednesday

• RSVP

Hustle Fund Chicago Angel Squad Q2 Meetup

• Thursday

• Message me if interested

Inside the Loop Biweekly Coffee

• Thursday

• RSVP

Socratica Chicago - Inaugural Session

• Hosted by Drive Capital

• Saturday

• Message me if interested

🗞 Previous Newsletters:

#109 - How Illinois Rewards Angel Investors

#108 - The New Pope and the World’s #1 Prayer App Have Chicago Roots

#107 - Why Healthcare Startups Have an Edge in Chicago

#106 - The OpenAI for Oncology is in Chicago

👋 See you next week!

Follow me on Twitter and Instagram for even more Chicago startup news.