Mixer Events

TECH cocktail started on a warm spring day in April 2006 when Frank Gruber and Eric Olson met at a Chicago Pot Belly’s for lunch and discussed the idea of helping the Chicago technology scene be better connected. Since that fateful lunch Frank and Eric have hosted and helped promote a number of TECH cocktail events.

TECH cocktail Chicago 1 - On July 6, 2007, at STATE Restaurant and Café in Chicago, the first TECH cocktail featured Stormhoek South African wine and united over 225 Midwest participants — including venture capitalists, entrepreneurs, developers and tech enthusiasts. Nine Chicago-area companies presented.

TECH cocktail Chicago 2 - October 12, 2006, had over 350+ guests in attendance, some of which were from Google, Orbitz, Cars.com, FeedBurner, Apartments.com, AOL and a number of other companies. Limo rides home were provided by midPhase to help TECH cocktailers get home safely.

TECH cocktail Chicago 3 - On a cold evening in late January 2007, close to 600 piled into Amira at the NBC Tower for TECH cocktail 3 and was the largest gathering of great people and great tech ideas/companies in Chicago history (or at least since the bubble burst). Unfortunately, Frank was stuck in Silicon Valley with all flights into Chicago’s O’Hare airport cancelled due to weather but the show definitely went on.

TECH cocktail Chicago 4 - On April 12, 2007, the venue shifted to to John Barleycorn Wrigleyville in Chicago for TECH cocktail 4, where 550 gathered to meet and greet. The great turnout quickly filled the huge upstairs space at JB’s, still allowing demo’s and sponsors space to comfortably maneuver.

TECH cocktail DC 1 - On May 17, 2007, more than 250 bloggers, technology enthusiasts, entrepreneurs, and venture capitalists gathered at the premier DC night club MCCXXIII for drinks, fun, and socializing at TECH cocktail DC 1. In addition to free beer and wine (some brought by Wine Library TV who recently acquired Cork’d.com) the bar was filled with music as up-and-coming website developers highlighted promising sites.

TECH cocktail Chicago 5 - Close to 600 guests attended TC5 on July 12, 2007, at John Barleycorn in Wrigleyville. A sea of green was seen by all as guests wore green and tried to win great prizes from SingleHop. This was the one year celebration of TECH cocktail so we made sure to go all out.

TECH cocktail Boston 1 - On September 6, 2007, over local Boston 500 guests visited Tequila Rain, in the shadow of Fenway Park for TcBoston 1. Sponsors and start-ups provided the fun and Blue Sky Factory provided a slick Hollywood-style backdrop for photos and many were taken. This was the second non-Chicago event hosted by TECH cocktail.

TECH cocktail Chicago 6 - Over 500 guests came together on blustery Chicago evening November 16, 2007, for another full house at John Barleycorn - Wrigleyville, to mingle and show their enthusiasm for the Chitown tech scene.