Chicago Regional 2026
April 4, 2026 · Sheraton Lisle Naperville
Winners by Track
architect
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Qanit Al-Syed
oracle
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Branden Reeves
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Jeffrey Lambert
muse
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Zachary Smith
The Challenge
Chicago’s Hospital Closure Crisis
Across 2024–2025, ten Chicago-area hospitals shut down or drastically reduced services, displacing 47,000+ patients. Communities on the South and West sides were hit hardest — the areas least able to absorb the shock.
The question: How does a displaced patient find care? How do the remaining clinics scale without drowning? How does the system route people based on what they actually need?
The scenario: Build a patient-navigation solution that helps displaced patients find the right care, helps the remaining clinics triage, and shows the city a scalable path forward.
Three tracks: Architect built the navigation app, Oracle built the data/business model, Muse built the outreach to patients and providers.
The Panel
Meet the Judges
Submissions will be evaluated by a distinguished panel of three industry experts and one non-human (AI) judge, providing a comprehensive and unbiased assessment.
Jason McKinley
CEO, Arc Technologies Group
Joni Cobb
Partner, Creative Planning
Justin Massa
Remix Partners
James Evans
University of Chicago
Rohan Subramanian
Motion
Codex-A
Non-Human Judge,
Arc Technologies Group
Sponsorship as a Service
Your Business Problem is the Challenge. The Reward is the Solution.
Partner with us to transform your toughest business challenges into thrilling competitive events. We provide the platform and the talent; you get innovative, crowdsourced solutions.
Challenge Partner
Targeted Problem-Solving
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- Submit a challenge for a Collegiate or High School regional event.
- Receive top solutions and performance data from competitors.
- Brand exposure and access to emerging talent.
Innovation Partner
Mission-Critical R&D
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- Co-design a headline challenge for the National Championship.
- Get exclusive access to all solutions, data, and top-tier professional talent.
- Sponsor a Keynote Speaker or Certification Track.
Event Itinerary
A Day of Innovation
9:00 AM - 9:30 AM
Registration & Welcome Coffee
Check in, grab some coffee, and get ready for an exciting day of AI challenges and learning.
9:30 AM - 12:00 PM
Competition Block 1
Dive into the first set of challenges for The Architect track. This block includes a brief kick-off workshop to get you started.
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
Networking Lunch (Provided)
Connect with fellow AI enthusiasts and local tech leaders. Lunch is on us!
1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Competition Block 2 & Finals
Tackle the final set of challenges. The regional champion will be decided based on performance across all challenges for the day.
3:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Awards Showcase & Happy Hour
Celebrate the achievements of our competitors and enjoy a closing happy hour with drinks and snacks provided.
Become a Foundational Partner
Connect your brand with the future of AI. We invite you to join us as a sponsor to engage with top-tier talent, gain brand visibility, and help nurture the architects of our intelligent future.