Bill Fienup, a mechanical engineer originally from St. Louis, Missouri, has become a force in Chicago's startup scene. After getting his undergraduate and graduate degrees in mechanical engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Fienup worked for several years in product design consulting for firms including Insight and IDEO. He later went on to found Catalyze Chicago NFP, BikeSpike, Inc., and MB Labs. However, it's perhaps his most recent project, which he co-founded, that's gained the most attention. MHub, a manufacturing innovation hub, offers startups access to a $6 million assortment of prototyping equipment, resources, industry experts, mentors, and a large manufacturing network to help them bring products to market.

Bill Fienup has appeared on national news programs, such as CNBC, as well as in the pages of local publications, including Crain’s Chicago Business, which named him one of its 40 Under 40 in 2018. He was also featured in Newcity's Design 50: Who Shapes Chicago 2019. He has lent his expertise in hardware design and entrepreneurship to a variety of organizations, including HASBRO and the White House, where he has spoken on topics ranging from the maker movement to international trade.