I joined the Matt Show Podcast to discuss the growth of Chicago as a tech hub:

I was a guest author on the StartMidwest newsletter, where I wrote about why I create free resources for Chicago founders:

Drive Capital made the TIME List of Top Venture Capital Firms in the US:

Last week I attended an energy grid meeting that covered our evolving energy landscape, interregional transmission, and how the Midwest fits into America’s long-term electricity strategy.

The conversation made one thing clear: Illinois is sitting on a generational opportunity.

The future of the grid won’t just be about generating more power. It’ll be about moving energy efficiently across regions to where it’s needed most. And no state is better positioned than Illinois to be that hub.

Data centers and AI are rewriting the energy map. Companies are targeting low-cost regions, and states that can deliver reliable, affordable power will win billions in investment.

In PJM, our nation’s largest wholesale electricity market, transmission costs have surged from under $6/MWh in 2012 to nearly $19/MWh today. That’s a wild increase in just over a decade.

The cause is simple: load growth and the need for more long-distance power transfers.

So if transmission are the “highway system” of the grid, congestion is growing. Without expanding capacity or using new technologies to squeeze more out of what we have consumers will keep paying more.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission is essentially the national referee essentially for the power grid.

FERC created a new rule called Order 1920 which requires grid operators to plan for 20 years of growth instead of reacting year by year. The goal is to expand interregional transmission, lower costs, and ensure states have a voice in how lines are built and paid for.

FERC’s 1920 matters because long-distance, high-voltage lines are the only way to connect regions rich in renewables (Midwest nuclear / wind, Southwest solar) with regions rich in demand (East Coast, South).

Without FERC stepping in, projects stall in red tape. With it, the US can actually build the infrastructure to handle AI demand.

Transmission expansion isn’t just steel towers and wires. There’s a growing market for grid-enhancing technologies that unlock more capacity from the existing system: dynamic line ratings, power flow controllers, and AI optimization.

AI will play a role here. Imagine products that forecast weather more accurately to adjust line ratings, or predictive analytics that reroute power before congestion hits. These kinds of tools can deliver consumer savings in the billions while buying time for new transmission projects to get built.

Illinois sits at the middle of the US grid, a natural bridge between MISO in the west and PJM in the east.

We also have the largest nuclear fleet in the country which (I write about often) is true baseload power that can anchor interregional flows.

More transmission = more jobs tied to grid expansion, higher tax revenue, and a stronger case for companies to invest in Illinois.

Just like O’Hare turned Chicago into the nation’s aviation hub, transmission could make Illinois the interchange of the American grid.

Illinois has the assets, the geography, and the urgency to lead. The question is whether we’ll step up and claim that role.

AI Agents Designed For Complex Customer Support

Maven AGI delivers enterprise-grade AI agents that autonomously resolve up to 93% of support inquiries, integrate with 100+ systems, and go live in days. Faster support. Lower costs. Happier customers. All without adding headcount.

👉 Book your demo to see how.

Vibe Coding Unlocked: Effortless App Building with Databricks

Coffee on Us - Capital Resources with IL DCEO

Chicago Coffee Club | DeepTech Founders & Funders

Generation Work Networking Event

Machine Learning Reading Group Social Hour

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