In The Middle of Everything: "Will it play in Peoria?”

Let’s start with a simple hypothesis: If you’re not from here, or haven’t done business here, most people haven’t thought twice about the Midwest region as a center of gravity for power, influence, or commerce.

They think New York. 

They think Los Angeles. San Francisco.

Maybe Boston, sure.

The coasts dominate the mental map when it comes to technology, innovation, and culture. And the Midwest? That’s ‘flyover country.’ A place you skip. A market you might eventually try to break into.

But when you start to actually look - to pay attention to the brands, businesses, and billion-dollar industries not only based here, but deeply rooted here - you begin to wonder: 

What exactly are the coasts still holding over us?

There’s a reason the phrase “Will it play in Peoria?” exists. It dates back to vaudeville, a phrase comedian Groucho Marx made famous. If something resonated in Peoria, Illinois, it could work anywhere.

And that’s always been the Midwest’s power: grounded, expansive, quietly setting the bar for what’s relevant, resilient, and ready to scale.

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The Midwest is home to the most culturally relevant, built-to-last brands in America

Let’s look at just a few names:‍

1. McDonald’s. You’re lovin’ it. Built in Oak Brook, Illinois.

2. Ford Motor Company. Born in Michigan.

3. Your Frosted Flakes (Kellogg’s) and Cheerios (General Mills). Michigan and Minnesota.

4. Target. Mayo Clinic. Minnesota

5. United Airlines. Chicago

6. The many household names from Charmin to Gillette of Procter & Gamble. Boldly building in Cincinnati, Ohio. 

7. Abercrombie & Fitch? Victoria’s Secret? The heart of the Wexner retail empire? New Albany, Ohio.

8. Anheuser-Busch? MillerCoors? Yes, the beer you’re drinking was brewed in St. Louis or Milwaukee.

9. Airstream — the icon of American travel and design — rolls out of Jackson Center, Ohio.

These aren’t just companies.

These are category creators. Taste-makers.

They’ve shaped how America looks, eats, shops, travels, and dreams.

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For startup founders, flying into (not over) the Midwest is strategically relevant.  Here’s why… 

If you’re building a new company today, think about where your potential customers, partners, and acquirers actually live. 

They’re here.

Behind every household name is a massive need for deep tech, AI, logistics, manufacturing, and supply chain innovation, as well as sustainable infrastructure. Companies like Illinois-based Kraft Heinz aren’t just CPG giants. They’re actively investing in the future of food, packaging, robotics, and smart operations.

- Healthcare innovation? Look at the Mayo Clinic. Abbvie. Cleveland Clinic.

- Retail innovation? Target’s R&D and digital backbone is no joke.

- Mobility? GM, Ford, Polaris, THOR Industries, Brunswick Boat Group

The Midwest region is home to your next enterprise customer. This is where real industry challenges exist. And increasingly, this is where startups are planting roots - not as a second choice, but because they see what’s next.

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So Why Does the Midwest Still Get Treated Like an Underdog?

Honestly, I think it’s just a branding problem, not a substance problem. We lead with product, with revenue, with staying power.  Midwesterners let the work speak for itself. We don’t always shout the loudest, even when we should. That modesty has served us in many ways. But if we want the next generation of founders, investors, and innovators to see what’s possible here, we need to start telling a story with more verve.

One that reflects the grit and glisten of the modern Midwest. A place that’s not just catching up to the innovation economy, but driving the global economy forward.

So let’s start now.

What startup, founder, or emerging company do you see making bold moves from the Midwest?

What legacy brand surprised you most when you realized it was built here?

Drop a name. Start a thread. Let’s connect the dots between what’s been built and what’s being built right now.

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‍This is a regular, monthly series contributed by TechNexus Venture Collaborative in Chicago. Connect with Start Midwest here to share your perspective. This contribution is from Madelyn Rutter, Senior Director of Collaboration at TechNexus. Her role involves sharing stories from the front lines of active corporate & startup engagement. Prior to TechNexus, she spent a decade in global consumer research. A proud Chicagoan and Midwesterner, she enjoys thrift store shopping in her spare time.