The Chicago metro holds 30 Fortune 500 headquarters, and its business press covers who sells to them.
Pocket PR, a remote team in Kyiv and Brno, pitches Crain's, Chicago Inno and the trade editors your buyers read for B2B companies.
Chicago reporters care more about a named customer in manufacturing or food than about round size, so we build each pitch around the buyer or the hire.
30Fortune 500 headquarters in the Chicago metro, second in the USrealpage.com
$2.6BVenture money raised by Chicago companies in 2025, a seven-year lowchicagobusiness.com
78.7%Share of Illinois Q3 2025 funding taken by the top five roundsstart-midwest.com
1952Year Edelman, now the largest PR firm, opened in Chicagoen.wikipedia.org
Selling to Chicagoheadquarters
Chicago reporters cover the local economy through its big employers and big buyers.
Archer Daniels Midland and United Airlines are headquartered here, as are Mondelez and McDonald's.
A contract with a Chicago Fortune 500 buyer is local news, even for a company based elsewhere.
Venture funding fell to a seven-year low in 2025. Reporters now look for revenue and customers rather than round size.
Fintech is the exception that still draws money, with more than half of Illinois startup funding in Q3 2025.
Hardware has a home in mHUB, the manufacturing innovation center spun out of World Business Chicago.
Food and logistics stories fit too, given the city's role as a rail and food processing hub.
Pitching Chicagothrough itstrade press
1
Trade press first, city press second
For B2B companies we pitch the trade editors that cover your buyers, then bring the Chicago angle to Crain's and the Business Journal.
2
Stories built for Fortune 500 buyers
We frame news around what Chicago headquarters buy, from supply chain to food service to health systems.
3
McCormick Place calendar
Announcements get planned around RSNA and ProMat, with interviews booked before the halls open.
Since 1952A PR industry townDaniel J. Edelman founded his firm in Chicago in 1952, and the 1871 incubator now works out of Edelman's office on Canal Street.B2B PR in detailIllustration
McCormick Placeand the CentralTime morning
The Loop keeps Central Time, seven hours behind Brno.
A pitch sent at 3 p.m. in Brno lands at 8 a.m., before the morning news meetings.
McCormick Place sets the trade calendar. RSNA brings radiology and health AI press from 29 November to 3 December 2026, and the Chicago Auto Show runs 13 to 21 February 2027. Trade editors book four to eight weeks ahead and are hard to reach during show week.
Illustration
Which Chicago desktakes which story
Crain's Chicago Business is the paper of record, a weekly print edition with a daily site.
Chicago Inno and Built In cover startups and hiring, while WTTW's Chicago Tonight explains industry shifts on camera. Match the story to the desk.
Outlet
Best story type
Crain's Chicago Business
Customer wins, executives, financing with context
Chicago Inno
Startup rounds, launches, local hiring
Built In Chicago
Engineering teams, culture, hiring
Chicago Tonight
Industry shifts explained on camera
Start Midwest
Round data for its quarterly roundups
Chicago retainerscomparedwith New York
AM World Group's 2026 Chicago guide lists boutique firms at $4,000 to $18,000 a month, mid-size agencies at $12,000 to $35,000 and global agencies from $15,000 to $40,000.
The same guide says Chicago agencies charge 20 to 30 percent less than New York equivalents.
Pocket PR starts from $390 a month, and the PR cost guide compares US retainers.
Rising bars for Chicago retainers from boutique to global agency
A European warehouse robotics company opens a Chicago sales office and will exhibit at ProMat in April 2027.
What we do
In February we pitch a supply chain trade editor on a pilot with a Midwest distributor, give Chicago Inno the office news, and offer Crain's a founder interview on why industrial buyers in Chicago are automating now.
Outcome
A trade story that buyers read before the show and a Chicago business story that explains the move. Illustrative, not a client result.
Chicagoheadquartersand incubators
Venture funding 2025 per PitchBook and NVCA via Crain's
$2.6 billion, a seven-year low. First year under $3 billion since 2018
Illinois Q3 2025, Start Midwest
$358.2 million across 24 reported rounds, fintech over half of the money
Fortune 500 headquarters, Chicago metro 2026
30, second only to New York, RealPage
Incubators
1871, founded 2012, now at Edelman's office on Canal Street, and mHUB for hardware
PR industry roots
Edelman was founded in Chicago in 1952 by Daniel J. Edelman
Largest employers, Crain's 2026
Federal government, Chicago Public Schools, City of Chicago, Northwestern Medicine, University of Chicago
Shows atMcCormick Place
29 November to 3 December 2026, McCormick Place
RSNA annual meeting
The largest radiology show, a hook for medical imaging and health AI companies with healthcare trade press in town.
13 to 21 February 2027, McCormick Place
Chicago Auto Show
The 119th edition, a moment for EV charging and dealer software stories.
April 2027, McCormick Place
ProMat
The supply chain show, with more than 1,200 exhibits, is the right window for robotics and warehouse news.
22 to 25 May 2027, McCormick Place
National Restaurant Association Show
Food service technology and restaurant brands meet trade and business press.
AM World Group lists Chicago boutiques at $4,000 to $18,000 a month and mid-size agencies at $12,000 to $35,000, and says Chicago firms often charge 20 to 30 percent less than New York.
Which Chicago outlets cover startups?
Start with Chicago Inno and Built In Chicago. Crain's covers venture funding, Start Midwest logs the data, and the Polsky Center follows university spinouts.
Is Chicago a good market for B2B PR?
Yes. The metro holds 30 Fortune 500 headquarters, so buyers of logistics and food services read Chicago business news.
Why is Chicago venture funding low if the city is so big?
PitchBook and NVCA counted $2.6 billion in 2025, a seven-year low, as Crain's reported. Reporters now look for revenue and customers rather than round size.
When should I pitch Chicago trade shows?
Four to eight weeks before the show opens. By show week editors have filled their schedules.
