Data Center Investment Conference & Expo (DICE): Midwest
Exploring Development and Technology Trends Around Digital Infrastructure in Chicago and Beyond
To Be Held in Chicago
Event Ended On: Thursday September 25 2025
Registration Questions?
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Are you an end user*?
Click here to be considered for a complimentary pass. *Hyperscaler, colocation provider (non-sales), investor, private equity, or enterprise tenant.
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Speakers and Panels
State of the Midwest Market: Trends, Opportunities, and Challenges in Chicago and Across the Midwest
Data Center Cooling Innovations: Preparing for the AI Era
Site Selection, Permitting and Lease Negotiation: Navigating the Early Phases of Development and Where to Build Next
Next-Gen Data Center Operations: Managing Uptime, Automation, and Human Capital in the AI Era
From Blueprint to Build: Best Practices for Physical Security Throughout Development
Powering the Future: Onsite Energy Strategies, Utilization Efficiency & Sustainable Design
Engineering for AI and Beyond: Designing for Density, Efficiency, and Flexibility
Greg Charman
Jonathan Mesik
Modern Data Center Construction: Navigating Speed, Scale, and Sustainability in the Field
WHAT YOU'LL LEARN AT THIS DATA CENTER EVENT
What You'll Learn
- What data center development trends are taking shape in Chicago and Midwestern states such as Ohio, Missouri and Kansas?
- Chicago absorbed 308 MW of capacity in 2024, second only to Northern Virginia - how much more development is expected?
- What are the current cooling strategies being deployed for the nex-gen chips being released that are extremely power hungry?
- How can data center operators utilize current tools and strategies to make their new and current facilities smarter and more efficient?
- One of the biggest challenges today is building data centers in an environment that is rapidly changing and advancing, how are developers navigating the hurdle and building in flexibility?
- What are current power strategies to support the capacity that is coming online? What is the most feasible option in this market?
- What innovations are we seeing in data center construction given the growing scale and total cost of ownership?
How You'll Do More Business From Attending: Get up to speed on one of the fastest growing tier I data center markets, learn what customers are looking for and make better business decisions based on the right insights.
Who You'll Meet During Networking: CEOs, investors, vice president of design and construction/operations, owners, head of acquisitions, providers, contractors, engineers, brokers, developers
Are you an end user*?
Click here to be considered for a complimentary pass. *Hyperscaler, colocation provider (non-sales), investor, private equity, or enterprise tenant.
To request disability-related accommodations, please contact ally.araco@bisnow.com no later than seven business days prior to the event.
For questions, group ticket rates or interest in becoming a speaker or sponsor, please email our DICE Global Director, Adam Knobloch, adam.knobloch@bisnow.com
Venue
Renaissance Chicago O’Hare Suites Hotel
8500 W Bryn Mawr Ave
Chicago, IL 60631
Ballroom: Renaissance Ballroom
Parking Information:
$20 Overnight/ $10 Daily.
Agenda
| Time | Activity |
|---|---|
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7:30 AM 8:20 AM |
Registration, Breakfast and Networking
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8:20 AM 8:25 AM |
Opening Remarks: Welcome to DICE!
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8:25 AM 8:35 AM |
Opening Remarks
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8:30 AM 9:10 AM |
State of the Midwest Market: Trends, Opportunities, and Challenges in Chicago and Across the Midwest
The Midwest is rapidly emerging as a pivotal hub for data center development, driven by the escalating demands of AI and machine learning. In 2024, Chicago solidified its position as a leading market, absorbing 308 MW of capacity—second only to Northern Virginia—amidst a North American vacancy rate that plummeted to a record low of 2.6% . This surge is fueled by the region's strategic location, abundant fiber connectivity, and relatively lower energy costs.
Beyond Chicago, cities like Columbus, Minneapolis, and Des Moines are attracting attention due to affordable land and energy availability. With that, what are the current challenges today given the growth, opportunities and future outlook of this region?
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9:10 AM 9:50 AM |
Data Center Cooling Innovations: Preparing for the AI Era
The rise of AI workloads has intensified heat generation in data centers, prompting a shift towards advanced cooling solutions. Liquid cooling technologies, including immersion and direct-to-chip systems, are gaining traction, with 22% of data centers already adopting such methods. Innovations like AI-optimized dielectric fluids and neural cooling control systems are enhancing efficiency and reliability, ensuring facilities can accommodate high-density AI clusters without overheating. How is cooling and operations evolving to support this new era?
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9:50 AM 10:05 AM |
Presentation: Federal And State Regulatory Trends Powering Data Centers
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10:05 AM 10:35 AM |
Coffee Break
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10:35 AM 11:15 AM |
Site Selection, Permitting and Lease Negotiation: Navigating the Early Phases of Development and Where to Build Next
With demand for data centers expected to continue growing, site selection and permitting is increasingly top-of-mind for developers and becoming more challenging, and the way deals are getting done is not the same as it used to be. How are the discussions with developers and city officials changing given industry growth? How is the permitting process and lease negotiations changing?
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11:15 AM 11:55 AM |
Next-Gen Data Center Operations: Managing Uptime, Automation, and Human Capital in the AI Era
As AI workloads bring unprecedented complexity and power demands, data center operators are being asked to manage more with less — less downtime, less latency, and fewer people on the floor. Operations teams are embracing DCIM platforms, predictive maintenance, robotics, and automation, while still grappling with workforce shortages and evolving skill requirements. How are operators evolving their models to balance automation, resiliency, and human expertise in high-demand environments?
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11:55 AM 1:00 PM |
Networking Lunch!
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12:40 PM 1:00 PM |
Lunch & Learn: From Blueprint to Build: Best Practices for Physical Security Throughout Development
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1:00 PM 1:40 PM |
Powering the Future: Onsite Energy Strategies, Utilization Efficiency & Sustainable Design
With power availability becoming a limiting factor, developers are turning to onsite generation, storage, and smarter utilization models. From hydrogen fuel cells to heat reuse and carbon-aware computing, this session explores innovations reshaping how data centers are powered. What blend of onsite solutions will define sustainable, resilient power strategies in the AI era?
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1:40 PM 2:00 PM |
Quick Coffee Break!
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2:00 PM 2:40 PM |
Engineering for AI and Beyond: Designing for Density, Efficiency, and Flexibility
The rise of AI, HPC, and immersive workloads is pushing traditional engineering boundaries. As average rack densities jump from 10kW to 30kW+ and liquid cooling becomes essential, engineers are redesigning mechanical, electrical, and structural systems to keep pace. This panel will explore how leading engineering teams are approaching flexibility, power provisioning, and envelope optimization in next-gen designs.How can engineers design with enough adaptability to support today's performance demands and tomorrow's unknowns?
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2:40 PM 3:20 PM |
Modern Data Center Construction: Navigating Speed, Scale, and Sustainability in the Field
As timelines compress and sites become more complex, construction teams are turning to prefabrication, integrated delivery models, and automation to meet demand. The panel will discuss how contractors, developers, and integrators are overcoming power infrastructure delays, land use challenges, and regulatory complexity — all while aiming for carbon reduction and project certainty. What innovations in construction are redefining how hyperscale and colocation data centers are delivered in 2025 and beyond?
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3:20 PM 4:30 PM |
DICE Midwest 2025 Post-Event Cocktail Party!!
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Platinum Sponsor
Gold Sponsors
Silver Sponsors
Media Partners
Impact Partner
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