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5TH ANNUAL TECHCHICAGO WEEK TO GATHER MORE THAN 15,000 FOUNDERS, INVESTORS & TECH WORKERS

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Chicago’s largest tech gathering features 13 main events including the second annual Global Quantum Forum and over 130 partner events

CHICAGO, July 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — P33 today announced the event lineup for its fifth annual TechChicago Week, its largest ever, set to be held from July 20-26. Over 15,000 attendees are expected to participate in the weeklong celebration of Chicago’s tech ecosystem featuring 13 anchor events and over 130 partner events taking place across the city.

TechChicago Week opens Monday, July 20, with a VIP fireside chat between P33 co-founder and former U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker and Eric Lefkofsky, founder and CEO of Tempus and co-founder of Groupon. Throughout the week, the gathering will bring together technologists, founders, researchers, policymakers, philanthropists, and civic leaders tasked with Solving Grand Challenges, the official theme of TechChicago Week 2026. The convergence answers a citywide call to action for Chicago to tackle the most critical challenges of our time.

The centerpiece of TechChicago Week is the second annual Global Quantum Forum (GQF) which will attract quantum leaders from 25 countries. Over 60 speakers will participate in 15 expert-led panels, fireside chats and keynotes. Together they will explore the defining opportunities of the quantum era and how quantum technologies will help address issues across interconnected economic, scientific, and social systems, from pharma, finance, energy, climate, and beyond.

TechChicago Week will feature 12 additional anchor events:

Chicago Climate Week: (July 18-25) A shared moment connecting and amplifying climate action across Chicagoland and the Midwest.Aspen Ideas: Climate 2026: (July 20-22) This multi-day event convenes policymakers, scientists and academics, business and NGO leaders, industry experts, artists, and emerging leaders for a series of dialogues that educate, inspire, and drive climate action.Chicago Sports Tech Week: (July 20-23) Bringing together leaders across sports, tech, startups, media, fashion, investment, and culture, the week will feature a startup pitch competition, a fashion show, women’s sports, and programming about the future of the sports industry.1871 TechPalooza: (July 21) Experience the pulse of the city where innovation meets festival energy. Discover how 1871 is driving global impact and explore their latest offerings.Smart Tech, Big Dreams: Learning AI for the Future: (July 21) Hosted by Chicago State University, the one‑day, high‑energy event designed to spark curiosity, creativity, and real talk about tech‑powered careers. Industry and community partners will present hands-on experiences that break down what it truly takes to step into tech-enabled careers.Founder Fest: (July 21) Presented by Kamp, the event brings Seed and Series A founders, operators, and investors together during Chicago Tech Week for AI infrastructure panels, VC Insights, live startup pitches, and a happy hour.WMNFintech Showcase: (July 23) An exclusive look at what’s next in fintech. Join 1871 and BMO and meet the 2026 WMNfintech Cohort founders building real, scalable innovation across AI, payments, financial operations, and beyond.Co-Invest Climate: (July 23) 1871 is partnering with Evergreen Climate Innovations for Co-Invest Climate. The annual investment showcase brings together the Midwest’s brightest climate tech founders, investors, and ecosystem builders shaping the future of climate, and features curated matchmaking, industry programming, and a closing reception.Technology That Starts in the Community: (July 23) In this webinar hosted by United Way, hear from leaders advancing community engagement, workforce development, and entrepreneurship as they discuss how Chicago is ensuring innovation creates opportunity for everyone.Best Buy Teen Tech Center’s Grand Opening: (July 23) A partnership between Best Buy Foundation, Clubhouse Network, and the Gary Comer Youth Center, the new tech hub which will serve as an accessible space for youth on Chicago’s South Side and will offer youth-led tech demos and tours.Building Resilient Communities Brunch: (July 24) This session deconstructs a high-impact partnership between Verizon and Hyfi, exploring how a global corporate leader and an agile startup leveraged a cross-sector pilot to deploy 5G-powered IoT flood sensors in Chicago.Quarterlies Leaders Brunch: (July 25) The brunch will feature a fireside conversation with Mary Dillon, former CEO of Ulta Beauty and Foot Locker, and current Board Director of KKR and American Airlines. The conversation will be moderated by Clarissa Flores, Founder and CEO of Level Sporting Club, Chicago’s first sports bar dedicated to women’s sports.

As part of TechChicago Week, more than 130 partner events will take place across the city. To view the full TechChicago Week schedule visit: gotechchicago.com/2026-event-calendar.

“TechChicago Week is a moment to celebrate all of the incredible innovation happening in the city, but it is even more than a celebration,” said Brad Henderson, CEO of P33. “It’s an inclusive and enriching experience and opportunity to learn, network, and work together to solve complex problems that will move our world forward.”  

TechChicago Week’s presenting sponsors are Bank of America and Merrill. Supporting sponsors include Thompson Hine and The Comer Science and Education Foundation. TechChicago Week’s official coworking partner is Workbox which is opening its doors to all TechChicago Week guests looking to experience a vibrant coworking and workspace community. Registration is free all week at their seven locations across the city.

More details and ticket registration for TechChicago Week is available at gotechchicago.com/week.

About P33

P33 is a publicly and privately funded nonprofit with a mission to transform Chicago into a tier one tech and innovation hub driving inclusive economic growth. P33’s work is anchored in deep research and driven by a need to unlock the potential of the digital age to solve some of the toughest problems facing Chicago, such as equitable access to digital careers, talent retention, deep science commercialization, and gaps in the growth-stage startup ecosystem. P33 was launched in 2019 by Penny Pritzker, former U.S. Secretary of Commerce and founder and chairman of PSP Partners; Chris Gladwin, CEO and co-founder of Ocient and Cleversafe; and Kelly Welsh, former president of the Civic Committee of The Commercial Club of Chicago. Learn more at p33chicago.com.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/5th-annual-techchicago-week-to-gather-more-than-15-000-founders-investors–tech-workers-302829438.html

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Gravity Game Unite (GGU) Successfully Concludes European User Meetup for PC MMORPG ‘Ragnarok Zero: Global’!

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KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, July 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Gravity Game Unite (GGU), the Malaysian subsidiary of global gaming company Gravity, successfully concluded the “Ragnarok Zero: Global European User Meetup” held in Germany.

Gravity Game Unite (GGU) hosted its first offline event for European users in Frankfurt, Germany, on July 18. The event was organized to demonstrate the company’s commitment to directly serving the European market and to build long-term relationships with the local community.

The event was attended by key Gravity Game Unite (GGU) executives, including CEO Yoshinori Kitamura, as well as members of the Ragnarok Zero: Global development team. Local users, influencers, and media representatives were also present, reflecting strong anticipation for the game. Europe was one of the regions where Ragnarok Zero: Global received particularly positive feedback during its OBT. CEO Yoshinori Kitamura’s attendance underscored the importance of the event and Gravity Game Unite (GGU)’s commitment to providing dedicated service to the European community.

The event began with welcoming remarks from the CEO of Gravity Game Unite (GGU), followed by an introduction to the title from the development team, a presentation on the service direction and roadmap for Europe, a developer talk featuring behind-the-scenes insights, a user Q&A session, and networking among users, developers, media representatives, and influencers. Attendees also received exclusive merchandise and enjoyed a variety of activities designed to create lasting memories.

Gravity Game Unite (GGU) stated that it plans to strengthen communication with users through the direct service of Ragnarok Zero: Global. During the event, the development team listened to user feedback and exchanged a wide range of views, while reaffirming its commitment to the game’s post-launch service direction and the growth of its community in Europe.

Harry Choi, President of Gravity Game Unite (GGU), said, “This event marked a significant milestone and laid a strong foundation for Gravity Game Unite (GGU)’s entry into the European market. We are making thorough preparations to repay the tremendous support and enthusiasm users showed during the OBT. We will continue to create opportunities to engage and communicate with our local community.”

Stay Connected

Players can follow the official Ragnarok Zero: Global channels for the latest news and updates.

Join OBT: https://roz.mygnjoy.com/en/event/obt
Pre-Register: https://roz.mygnjoy.com/event/prereservation?media=pr9
Discord: https://discord.gg/bFg77WjcHT
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ragnarokzeroglobal/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ragnarokzeroglobal/
YouTube: www.youtube.com/@RagnarokZeroGlobal
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ragnarokzeroglobal

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The 18th Annual Globee® Awards for Innovation Invite Local, Regional, and Global Workplace and Business Achievement Nominations Worldwide

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Recognizing achievements across innovation, leadership, organizational advancement, products, services, and workplace excellence with worldwide participation

SAN FRANCISCO, July 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The Globee® Awards, organizers of merit-based, data-driven business awards programs with worldwide participation that recognize achievements across industries, announced that entries are currently being accepted for the 18th Annual Globee® Awards for Innovation (Golden Bridge Awards®), inviting organizations, professionals, business owners, teams, and departments worldwide to nominate their local, regional, and global workplace and business achievements for consideration.

Apply now: https://globeeawards.com/innovation/

Originally established as the Golden Bridge Awards®, the program is now in its 18th year and continues its tradition of recognizing achievements across innovation, leadership, business transformation, organizational advancement, products, services, and measurable impact across industries and markets worldwide.

The awards recognize achievements that improve how organizations operate, serve customers, develop products and services, strengthen workplaces, advance technologies, enhance communications, and create measurable value for businesses, communities, and industries.

The program welcomes nominations representing achievements in innovation, operational excellence, customer experience, digital transformation, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, healthcare, financial services, manufacturing, sustainability, workforce initiatives, brand, communications, creative, and other business and workplace environments.

Organizations of all sizes are invited to participate, including startups, small and medium businesses, large enterprises, public and private companies, government entities, educational institutions, research organizations, and non-profit organizations worldwide.

The Globee® Awards for Innovation recognize achievements across category groups including products and services, company and organization, individual and team, and brand, communication and creative. These recognitions are part of 10 awards programs that collectively reflect achievements across business and technology domains.

Nominations are welcomed for local, regional, and global achievements, recognizing that meaningful innovation and organizational progress can originate at every level and in every workplace.

Entries are evaluated through a merit-based, data-driven process involving participation from experienced professionals across multiple industries worldwide. Evaluations are conducted through a structured, consistent, and transparent framework based on defined scoring criteria.

Entries are open to organizations and professionals worldwide.

About the Globee® Awards

The Globee® Awards are organizers of merit-based, data-driven business awards programs with worldwide participation. Through 10 awards programs, the Globee® Awards recognize achievements across multiple industries and sectors. The programs use a structured evaluation approach involving participation from professionals across various industries.

Follow: @globeeawards

Hashtags: #GlobeeAwards #InnovationAwards #GoldenBridgeAwards #WorkplaceAchievements #BusinessAchievements #Innovation #Leadership #BusinessTransformation #GlobalRecognition #OrganizationalImpact

All trademarks belong to their respective owners.

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Finatical Software: The Next Decade of Finance Will Be Built on a Structured Financial Data Layer

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As AI transforms finance, trusted and structured financial data—not better prompts—will determine which organizations realize its full value.

DURHAM, N.C., July 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Finatical Software, creator of Flash Reports for QuickBooks Online, today announced its vision for what it believes will become the next essential layer of the modern finance technology stack: the Structured Financial Data Layer.

For decades, finance technology has evolved in response to changing business needs.

1995–2015

Finance needed better reporting.

2015–2025

Finance needed real-time reporting, dashboards, and automated KPIs.

2025–2035

Finance needs trusted data for AI-powered decisions.

While organizations are investing heavily in artificial intelligence, many finance teams are discovering that AI is only as effective as the financial data and business logic it receives. Without a single source of truth built on reconciled, complete, and accurate financial information, AI can produce inconsistent analyses, conflicting recommendations, and outputs that are difficult to validate or trust.

“Much of the conversation around AI has focused on choosing the right model or writing better prompts,” said Shaun Pendrigh, Chief Technical Officer of Finatical Software. “We believe the real competitive advantage will come from building trusted, structured financial workflows that AI can consistently understand. Before finance teams can trust AI’s recommendations, they first need confidence in the data, calculations, and business logic behind them.”

Finatical believes finance organizations need more than access to AI—they need a governed foundation that organizes financial information into consistent, reusable, and auditable structures before AI enters the workflow.

That foundation is what Finatical describes as the Structured Financial Data Layer.

Unlike disconnected spreadsheets or opaque AI workflows, the Structured Financial Data Layer creates a trusted financial foundation where data, calculations, reporting logic, and business rules are transparent, reusable, and reviewable. Finance professionals can trace recommendations back to their source, understand how conclusions were reached, and maintain confidence in the decisions supported by AI.

Rather than replacing finance professionals, the Structured Financial Data Layer enables them to work more effectively with AI by combining trusted financial data with human judgment. AI can accelerate analysis, identify patterns, and generate recommendations, while finance professionals retain the ability to review assumptions, validate results, and understand the reasoning behind important business decisions.

“Finance professionals should remain in control of financial judgment,” Pendrigh added. “AI should amplify that expertise—not replace it. But that only happens when AI operates within a trusted financial workflow where both the data and the underlying logic can be reviewed.”

Finatical’s Flash Reports platform is designed around this philosophy by connecting live QuickBooks Online data with Microsoft Excel to create governed, refreshable financial models that become a trusted source of truth for reporting, forecasting, analysis, and AI-assisted decision support. By preserving financial logic within structured Excel workflows, finance teams gain the flexibility of Excel while maintaining the governance and transparency required for trustworthy AI.

“Finance has always required trust,” Pendrigh said. “AI doesn’t change that—it raises the standard. Organizations won’t gain a competitive advantage simply by adopting AI. They’ll gain it by building financial data foundations that make AI trustworthy, explainable, and repeatable.”

“Reporting was the last generation of finance technology,” Pendrigh concluded. “Decision support will define the next. The organizations that build a trusted Structured Financial Data Layer today will be best positioned to unlock the full potential of AI tomorrow.”

About Finatical Software

Finatical Software helps finance professionals transform live QuickBooks Online data into structured, trusted financial information and workflows for reporting, analysis, and AI-assisted decision support. Its flagship solution, Flash Reports, connects Microsoft Excel directly to QuickBooks Online, enabling finance teams to build refreshable, governed financial models while preserving the flexibility of Excel. Finatical’s vision is to become the trusted Structured Financial Data Layer for finance professionals working in Excel with QuickBooks Online.

Media Contact:

melissa.neal@finaticalsoftware.com

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