Luke Tanen

Executive Director

Luke Tanen oversees Chicago Innovation’s efforts to celebrate, educate and connect innovators throughout the Chicago region. He works closely with the Chicago Innovation staff, along with the organization’s 40+ person Board of Advisors to carry out all activities designed to drive growth at the organization. He oversees the recruitment of sponsors and all fundraising activities, provides counsel on all events and programs, and manages the process through which the Chicago Innovation Awards are announced and nominations gathered.

Luke is the author of two books, Innovating…Chicago-Style: How Local Innovators are Building the National Economy, which profiles the stories of 80 companies that have launched groundbreaking new products and services in the marketplace; and Rising Together: The Story of Chicago’s Innovation Ecosystem which chronicles the factors and forces that have nurtured a culture of innovation within the Chicago region.  He has been published and featured in the Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times, Bloomberg BusinessWeek, Crain’s Chicago Business, NBC News, WGN Radio, WBEZ Radio, and other media.

In 2020, Luke was selected as one of Crain’s Chicago Business’ “Top 25 Emerging Leaders in Tech.”  He is also a recipient of the 2011 Chicago Ideas Week “Ideas Award” and was selected to Crain’s “20 in their 20’s” list in 2014, which annually recognizes twenty leaders who are on-the-rise.

Luke received his undergraduate degree from Northwestern University and his MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management. He lives in Lakeview with his wife and twin boys.