MegaCorps

The economy of 2117 Chicago is dominated by the "Megacorps", corporations larger than any that existed in the 20th Century. Most got their start as state-run enterprises of one of the four regional blocs in the post WWIII era, eventually being privatized once the global situation began to improve. While most Megacorps are known for one or two primary lines of business, usually the one that they started with, nearly all have diversified extensively. The situation is further complicated by the mutually interlocking systems of ownership. The biggest dozen Megacorps each wield the power of a nation state. Indeed, many of them offer their employees a de-facto alternative form of citizenship. Instead of being "French", or "Peruvian", or "Sudanese", a person could hold "Biomundo" citizenship, and be treated as a foreign national in his country of birth. This has both advantages and disadvantages. What follows is a list of the biggest, most influential, or simply best known Megacorps in the world. 

Entries with an * have heavy presences in the Chicago Sprawl.

The Asukaga Group*

Formed after the breakup of Merril, Asukaga, & Finch, one of the largest investment and financial counseling firms in the AFR. The Asukaga Group formed their new company in the Chicago Sprawl, taking over half of the super groups former clients in the break up. They own a small arcology in the North Side, close to downtown.

Biomundo*

They focus on food production, pharmaceuticals, and genetic engineering. They are the largest of the agrocorps operating out of Chicago. Headquartered on an artificial island in the Atlantic off the Brazilian coast, Biomundo has a somewhat disturbing reputation due to their involvement in lazurogenesis and their rumored ties to Provolution.

CyberGenetica*

A food production, bio-engineering and nano-technology firm out Costa Rica and a direct competitor to Biomundo. CyberGenetica operates a conglomerate of smaller agricultural farms in the heartland of the AFR which they run out of Chicago. They are also rumored to own several islands in Lake Michigan that they use for R&D purposes. 

Devaraja Foods*

The only Megacorp of note from South Asia, this SACPA-based firm is focused on food production, aquaculture, and consumer goods. The owner and CEO, Rajiv Halanvishal, is the founder of a religion based on Hindu principles of meditation and reincarnation. His company is run by the precepts he outlines in the "White Book", a lengthy work of morals and philosophy. Devaraja is well known for its omnipresent humanitarian efforts and progressive agenda, as it spends billions on recovery efforts in Asia. Devaraja Foods is petitioning the AFR to build an aquaology (aquatic arcology) in Lake Michigan.

Durham-Blackwood

Durham-Blackwood is one of the smaller Megacorps, one of the few in England, It devotes itself to a policy of racial harmony and a generally progressive agenda. Their business is centered on banking and mass-media, with sidelines in vehicle production, consumer goods, and highly advanced robotics. Among all of the Megacorps, Durham-Blackwood is the most popular, due to intense and aggressive efforts by their public relations department. 

Dynalar Technologies*

Dynalar Technologies' medical branch Dynalar Medical Services has its headquarters in Chicago. DMS has a focus on medical cyber-prothesis. DMS operates the popular Dynalar Medical Clinics and Body Shops found throughout the sprawl. They have also partnered with Iron Mountain Security to provide medical pick up in local hot spots, assuming you have a pre-existing contract. Headquarters in the Eastern Annex.

Fairbarne-Willis Industries

Perhaps the most powerful of the Megacorps, FWI is owned by a vastly powerful Australian ranching family. FWI is involved in nearly every form of heavy industry; mining, power generation, weaponry, vehicle construction, consumer goods, mass media, and finance. From its headquarters in Sydney, the leadership of FWI controls an empire of its own, manipulating politics and events for its own labyrinthine schemes. 

Frost Electronics Corporation*

Chicago's premiere manufacturer of electronics, having set up deals with the local government to monopolize the market. The average household in 2100 is probably filled with FEC products (the vidscreen in the living room, the computer terminal in the den, half the appliances in the kitchen, all of the lightbulbs in all of the fixtures, and many pieces of the vehicle in the garage). 

Gibson-Sterling Media*

A mass media retailer, they run news sites, news stations (including Chicago's own Network 23), and other media outlets all over the world. Headquartered in New York, if you turn on a TV in Chicago, there's better than average odds it's programming is provided by Gibson-Sterling. It is believed that a free Amurian AI with a sometimes anti-authoritarian bent moves stealthily behind the scenes at Gibson-Sterling, manipulating media events and generally causing a ruckus for the AFR.

Hoshi-Matsuda

A top line electronics firm based in Japan, Hoshi-Matsuda is best known for its high quality premium electronics and energy weaponry. Most of its products are expensive status items, including its computers. 

Ling-Suharno

The dominant SACPA Megacorp, Ling Suharno was founded by the ruling Triad of Singapore before the Third World War War. Ling Suharno is the second largest Megacorp, involved in banking, construction, power generation, computers, mass media, advanced materials, and consumer goods. They are headquartered in Singapore, the capital of SACPA. They are also well known for their funding and support of traditional Chinese religion and culture, maintaining their cultural distinctiveness in the face of the heterogeneity of SACPA. 

Neurocyne Systems*

NeuroCyne Systems is a powerful cybernetics corporation based in the heart of Chicago. Renowned for its cutting-edge advancements in neural interfaces, bionic enhancements, and artificial intelligence, NeuroCyne has become a dominant player in the cybernetics industry. With a sprawling headquarters towering over the skyline, the corporation significantly influences the city's technological landscape. 

New Edison*

Focused on energy, primarily renewable but with many pre-existing oil and coal operations, New Edison is the oldest MegaCorp whose headquarters is in Chicago, having lead the reconstruction efforts after WWIII, giving them major influence with the local government. By local Chicago laws, they provide power to the entire Chicago Sprawl, and thus, to all of the wealthy corporations that are located there. The New Edison Arcology was the first built in Downtown Chicago after WWIII. While it's smaller than some of the newer arcologies, it's subterranean tunnels link up with the power conduits beneath the city. Knowing how to access those tunnels could get someone around downtown discreetly.

Orbus Space

Orbus Space is the largest single transportation company, accounting for nearly 30% of all air and space transport in the solar system. They also manufacture spaceship components and dabble in military equipment for aircraft. 

Saeder-Krupp*

Saeder-Krupp Schwerindustriegesellschaft or S-K is headquartered in Essen, Germany and is arguably the largest corporation in the world (although not with the most reach). S-K's main business interests lie in heavy industry, nuclear energy, oil, chemistry, aerospace, and telecommunications, and they have a heavy presence in the port area. 

Shiawase Corporation*

Generally considered to be the second megacorporation (after Amazon), Shiawase and it's many subsidiaries have their hands in tech, foodstuffs, biotech, envirotech, financial services, logistics, health care, mass multi-media, manufacturing, and personal security. Shiawase is headquarters in Osaka, Japan, but they have corporate offices and enclaves all throughout the AFR, including Chicago.

Syndic-Tech*

Barely qualifying as a megacorp and specializing in international defense contracts, Syndic-Tech is responsible for several different variations of standard, powered, and mechanized armors, personal and squad weapons utilizing variable munitions, and custom android designs that fill any number of military roles. Syndic-Tech is run by Marko Cygnus.

Worldspan Products

Worldspan Products produces low cost, middling quality consumer goods, foodstuffs, and mass media for commoners throughout the solar system. It has production lines almost everywhere, and its dozens of product brands can be seen on almost every shelf in human space. Associated with cheapness, not quality, Worldspan has factories all over the world, mostly outside of the Superstates.