Next week, an army of nerds, er, innovators will flood into Chicago for the city's fifth annual Techweek. Events will take place across town throughout the week, as well as a few opportunities to win some cool prizes. Here are six events that are definitely worth checking out at this year's Techweek Chicago.
Chicago Hackathon: Teams of programmers and designers will have 24 hours to create projects from scratch. Winning prizes will include $5,000, round-trip tickets to any city in the continental U.S. and a drone. 111 W Illinois St. June 20, noon.
Robots to the Rescue: The Evolution of Unmanned Vehicles: With drones everywhere, a self-driving car in the works at Google and much more, the unmanned vehicle industry is set to boom. You'll be able to take a hands-on look at some of these emerging tools at Techweek. 1130 W Monroe St. June 23, 5:30pm.
Tech in Motion: Future of Mobile Payments: Ever use Venmo, Modest or Pangea to pay your friends? Chicago is home to all three of those companies, and this keynote discussion will discuss emerging trends in payment solutions and the challenges that mobile payment companies are facing. 200 E Randolph St. June 23, 6pm.
State of Innovation in Chicago Tech: Chicago has become a tech hub for tech companies and innovation in recent years. This event will involve three discussions about where the technology industry stands in Chicago, and where it's going. Merchandise Mart. June 25, 10:30am.
Lifestyle & Technology: From online dating to the Fitbit craze, technology is having a growing impact on the way we go about our lives. Check out this event to see what you can expect next from lifestyle technology brands. Merchandise Mart. June 25, 3pm.
Waves of Change Boat Ride: Techweek caps off with a three-hour boat cruise on Lake Michigan. There will be an open bar and DJ on board. This'll be a great way to usher in summer and mingle with some innovative thinkers over copious amounts of alcohol. DuSable Harbor. June 27, 12:30pm
Disclaimer: Time Out Chicago is the media sponsor for Techweek Chicago's Hackathon.
You can get a 25 percent discount on your Techweek Chicago tickets with the promotional code "TIMEOUTTWCHI"