XNet hosts successful first Silicon Prairie Social

There are a lot of tech businesses in the western suburbs, but no real sense of a tech community. Downtown Chicago has its events and associations, but where are these things along the I-88 corridor? That’s why we hosted Silicon Prairie Social last month at Mullen’s in Lisle.

Building a community doesn’t happen within a single event; the relationships that bring professional growth, business deals, and new opportunities are built up over time. The first Silicon Prairie Social was a step in the right direction, and we couldn’t be happier with the results:

Over 200 attendees – many of them successful entrepreneurs, executives, and high-level technology professionals
Great feedback on the quality of networking, thanks in part to the innovative “I Need” and “I Know” name badges that encouraged conversations.
High compliments on the location—I-88 and Naperville Rd. are central to DuPage County, and the location made for an event that was accessible for people who can’t easily make downtown events in the evening.

See some photos of the event here:

To find out when we’re holding the next Silicon Prairie Social, visit the event’s web site and either add the RSS feed to your reader or sign up for the mailing list (right sidebar, below the sponsors).