Not all developments stemming from NATO are cause for protest or overly cautious security measures. According to a release, British Prime Minister David Cameron took his time in the city as an opportunity to pop on over to 1871, the new hub for entrepreneurs in the Merchandise Mart, "as part of his ongoing mission to strengthen economic ties between the UK and the United States, especially in the technology sector."
During his visit, Cameron reportedly chatted with SimpleRelevance's Erik Severinghaus, UK native Louise Monger who came to the US to start FunRaising Events USA and also Inc. Well contributor/Code Academy Founder Neal Sales-Griffin.
Via email, Sales-Griffin says he and Cameron discussed the "startups, venture capital firms and non-profits that are testaments to the ever-expanding Chicago spirit of greatness... what happens now is we work. We work and we collaborate with Chicago's incredible business leaders and pioneers."
Sales-Griffin added that Cameron "related it back to the need for developers oversaes and worldwide and in particular game devs."
Cameron was shown around by Kevin Willer, the president and CEO of the Chicagoland Entrepreneurial Center, which manages 1871. Willer noted that Cameron respected the "tremendous potential of technology innovation to grow our respective economies."
Here's a video clip of Cameron's visit, with our boy Sales-Griffin rubbing elbows with the man himself:
David Wolinsky is a freelance writer and a lifelong Chicagoan. In addition to currently serving as an interviewer-writer for Adult Swim, he's also a columnist for EGM. He was the Chicago city editor for The Onion A.V. Club where he provided in-depth daily coverage of this city's bustling arts/entertainment scene for half a decade. When not playing video games for work he's thinking of dashing out to Chicago Diner, Pizano's, or Yummy Yummy. His first career aspirations were to be a game-show host.
