11 ms·

Chicago startup companies to watch in 2022

81 points by connor11528 4y ago

NonNefarious 4y ago
frozenport 4y ago
Hard to call unicorns startups.
eatonphil 4y ago
Looks like an aggressively hidden overflow for Android. I can't see the right parts of the table and can't scroll to them.
- hibbelig 4y ago
  Happens to me on iPhone too. Switching to landscape helps. Now the table is scrollable horizontally.
bluedino 4y ago
I've always been disappointed that Chicago didn't get Amazon HQ2
guptaneil 4y ago
This is a fun[1] list that highlights how much is going on in Chicago despite how little attention it gets from the broader tech community. It’s the third largest US city, insanely good cost of living compared to Bay Area or NYC, a central hub with easy flights to anywhere, etc but it still isn’t talked about like NYC, Miami, Austin, etc. [1] however take the numbers and descriptions with a large grain of salt. I’m not sure how they are sourcing their database but there are at least a few very incorrect investment amounts and company descriptions and those are just from the companies I personally know.
- bkuehl 4y ago
  Second this! For a such a great, world-class city, Chicago is very affordable compared to other major metropolitan areas. I bought a single-family home in the city within walking distance to the "L" for 350k in 2017. And this was not in some undesirable area. The tech scene does not get enough love either, but I guess that matters less now that more jobs are fully remote.
  - sbmthakur 4y ago
    The public transit makes living at Chicago significantly less car dependent. My only beef is the harsh winters.
    - tedivm 4y ago
      The harsh winters beat the wildfire smoke of the bay area. I moved to Chicago last year and couldn't be happier.
    - halfmatthalfcat 4y ago
      The public transit is fine but could be leagues better. Wish the CTA would finally create the Circle Line - going to the Loop and back out to get to disparate parts of the city is so inefficient. The bus system is pretty good tho.
    - bkuehl 4y ago
      Yes, some winters can be absolutely brutal. But like others have mentioned, you don't have to deal with drought, wildfires, hurricanes, etc. And the upper Midwest summer weather is amazing IMO.
- 60654 4y ago
  Also they only include startups headquartered within city limits, not in the suburbs and the greater Chicagoland? It's a funny omission, like a list of SF startups eliding the rest of the Bay Area. :) For anyone interested - BuiltInChicago maintains a different list which is good, it doesn't have funding info but it's more comprehensive: https://www.builtinchicago.org/companies https://www.builtinchicago.org/companies
kyawzazaw 4y ago
Cameo in the list just did layoffs
AlwaysRock 4y ago
A lot of these companies are great. Some are... doing just okay. The total funding number isnt all that helpful if its been raised over a very long period of time. Would be happy to give more insight into anyone targeting these companies in Chicago. Was a tech recruiter in Chicago for many years before becoming a dev.
curiousllama 4y ago
It has always surprised me that Chicago's tech scene never really took off. I recently left (for a tech job), and it saddened me - Chicago is the best city in the world from June-Sep. I really wonder why tech doesn't thrive there. Common diagnoses (crime, taxes, regulation) all undoubtedly make an impact - but none are as bad as SF/NY. And frankly, crime and taxes aren't really as bad as the news make them seem. Meanwhile, it has 3 top-20 tech universities, major employers, huge population, low COL, and so many things to do. What gives?
- xhkkffbf 4y ago
  It is a great city, but the tax rates are outrageous and they're going to get worse. Just look at the funding of the pension plans. Illinois and Chicago have some of the worst funding ratios. They've promised too much to workers and never set enough aside. There's a reason why companies like Boeing or Citadel are fleeing.
  - colinmhayes 4y ago
    Boeing left because their tax break ended for what it's worth.
    - tptacek 4y ago
      Boeing was barely here to begin with. They consistently missed their job targets, despite being allowed to count contractors towards the anemic targets they were meant to hit. Citadel is a body blow, but Boeing? Who cares.
    - Kon-Peki 4y ago
      A few years ago the Citadel CEO went through a very public and extremely acrimonious divorce, during which the wife and kids left Chicago for the east coast and refused to come back. So now, he's all alone, and seemingly getting angrier by the day. His politics are increasingly distanced from what people in the area are interested in, etc. Moving to a location where he might see his kids more often might just make him a lot happier and less angry. If so, that's good for him.
nopeopenope 4y ago
Some of these startups have interesting Glassdoor reviews to read before applying SpotHero review on #Glassdoor: "Toxic and Sexist Environment" https://www.glassdoor.com/Reviews/Employee-Review-SpotHero-RVW58918913.htm https://www.glassdoor.com/Reviews/Employee-Review-SpotHero-R...
joezydeco 4y ago
Did Uptake pivot, or something else? Flush with filthy Groupon money and trying to surf the IoT wave a few years ago but then they lost Caterpillar and now they're back but doing analytics or something else.
- connor11528 4y ago
  The Uptake description is from wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uptake_(business) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uptake_(business)
wuliwong 4y ago
I use Reverb everyday. It's a great app and I'm pretty sure it is located in Chicago.
- connor11528 4y ago
  I'll add them thanks :+1: https://reverb.com/ https://reverb.com/
posix_compliant 4y ago
Avant and Amount were the same company not too long ago.
- connor11528 4y ago
  Ugh financial engineering.
- toomuchtodo 4y ago
  Amount just laid off 18% of their staff yesterday, about 72 people. https://techcrunch.com/2022/06/27/fintech-amount-which-was-valued-at-1b-last-year-lays-off-18-of-staff/ https://techcrunch.com/2022/06/27/fintech-amount-which-was-v...
adam 4y ago
Somewhat similar conversation going on in the /r/chicago subreddit. Top comment from that thread[1]: Anthony Bourdain is a far superior wordsmith than myself, so I will leave this here: Here are Bourdain’s most memorable quotes about Chicago. “I’ve done shows in LA, but LA’s a fantastic sprawl. San Francisco? A great town. New Orleans? A state of mind. Chicago? Chicago is a city.” — No Reservations, 2009 “Chicago is big — not just any kind of big — I’m talking major metropolis big. I love this city. In my opinion, it’s the only other real metropolis in America.” — No Reservations, 2009. “You wake up in Chicago, pull back the curtain, and you KNOW where you are. You could be nowhere else. You are in a big, brash, muscular, broad shouldered motherfuckin’ city. A metropolis, completely non-neurotic, ever-moving, big hearted but cold blooded machine with millions of moving parts — a beast that will, if disrespected or not taken seriously, roll over you without remorse.” — Medium essay for Parts Unknown, 2016. “It is, also, as I like to point out frequently, one of America’s last great NO BULLSHIT zones. Pomposity, pretentiousness, putting on airs of any kind, douchery and lack of a sense of humor will not get you far in Chicago. It is a trait shared with Glasgow — another city I love with a similar working class ethos and history.” — Medium essay, 2016 “Chicago is a town, a city that doesn’t ever have to measure itself against any other city. Other places have to measure themselves against it. It’s big, it’s outgoing, it’s tough, it’s opinionated, and everybody’s got a story.” — Parts Unknown, 2016 [1] https://www.reddit.com/r/chicago/comments/vlxv9m/comment/idxxmb5/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3 https://www.reddit.com/r/chicago/comments/vlxv9m/comment/idx...
binarynate 4y ago
Chicago is incredibly underrated, especially compared to the amount of hype that Austin and Miami receive. Don't get me wrong, Austin is cool, but Chicago beats it in so many dimensions (art & culture, events, scenic views, architecture, even music). No city is perfect, though, and I think the best option is to live in multiple throughout the year to experience the best of each. For example, living in Chicago for most of the year but then flying to Miami or SoCal for the winter would be a good combo.
- codemonkey-zeta 4y ago
  > Austin is cool, but Chicago beats it in so many dimensions... scenic views Now hold on there partner. Ever been out to hill country before?
  - binarynate 4y ago
    I've been to Mount Bonnell—does that count, are you thinking further west? The view from Mount Bonnell is definitely beautiful, especially at sunset: https://www.instagram.com/p/CZYPh_5Mkuz https://www.instagram.com/p/CZYPh_5Mkuz And don't get me wrong, I also think the views just from Congress Ave bridge are gorgeous. But to me, (and this is completely subjective) I found I was much more captivated by Chicago's views of Lake Michigan, its skyline, and its architecture. I think part of it is that I love beaches, and Chicago has some really great beaches.

81 points by connor11528 4y ago

NonNefarious 4y ago

frozenport 4y ago

Hard to call unicorns startups.

eatonphil 4y ago

Looks like an aggressively hidden overflow for Android. I can't see the right parts of the table and can't scroll to them.

hibbelig 4y ago
Happens to me on iPhone too. Switching to landscape helps. Now the table is scrollable horizontally.

bluedino 4y ago

I've always been disappointed that Chicago didn't get Amazon HQ2

guptaneil 4y ago

This is a fun[1] list that highlights how much is going on in Chicago despite how little attention it gets from the broader tech community. It’s the third largest US city, insanely good cost of living compared to Bay Area or NYC, a central hub with easy flights to anywhere, etc but it still isn’t talked about like NYC, Miami, Austin, etc. [1] however take the numbers and descriptions with a large grain of salt. I’m not sure how they are sourcing their database but there are at least a few very incorrect investment amounts and company descriptions and those are just from the companies I personally know.

bkuehl 4y ago
Second this! For a such a great, world-class city, Chicago is very affordable compared to other major metropolitan areas. I bought a single-family home in the city within walking distance to the "L" for 350k in 2017. And this was not in some undesirable area. The tech scene does not get enough love either, but I guess that matters less now that more jobs are fully remote.
- sbmthakur 4y ago
  The public transit makes living at Chicago significantly less car dependent. My only beef is the harsh winters.
  - tedivm 4y ago
    The harsh winters beat the wildfire smoke of the bay area. I moved to Chicago last year and couldn't be happier.
  - halfmatthalfcat 4y ago
    The public transit is fine but could be leagues better. Wish the CTA would finally create the Circle Line - going to the Loop and back out to get to disparate parts of the city is so inefficient. The bus system is pretty good tho.
  - bkuehl 4y ago
    Yes, some winters can be absolutely brutal. But like others have mentioned, you don't have to deal with drought, wildfires, hurricanes, etc. And the upper Midwest summer weather is amazing IMO.
60654 4y ago
Also they only include startups headquartered within city limits, not in the suburbs and the greater Chicagoland? It's a funny omission, like a list of SF startups eliding the rest of the Bay Area. :) For anyone interested - BuiltInChicago maintains a different list which is good, it doesn't have funding info but it's more comprehensive: https://www.builtinchicago.org/companies https://www.builtinchicago.org/companies

kyawzazaw 4y ago

Cameo in the list just did layoffs

AlwaysRock 4y ago

A lot of these companies are great. Some are... doing just okay. The total funding number isnt all that helpful if its been raised over a very long period of time. Would be happy to give more insight into anyone targeting these companies in Chicago. Was a tech recruiter in Chicago for many years before becoming a dev.

curiousllama 4y ago

It has always surprised me that Chicago's tech scene never really took off. I recently left (for a tech job), and it saddened me - Chicago is the best city in the world from June-Sep. I really wonder why tech doesn't thrive there. Common diagnoses (crime, taxes, regulation) all undoubtedly make an impact - but none are as bad as SF/NY. And frankly, crime and taxes aren't really as bad as the news make them seem. Meanwhile, it has 3 top-20 tech universities, major employers, huge population, low COL, and so many things to do. What gives?

xhkkffbf 4y ago
It is a great city, but the tax rates are outrageous and they're going to get worse. Just look at the funding of the pension plans. Illinois and Chicago have some of the worst funding ratios. They've promised too much to workers and never set enough aside. There's a reason why companies like Boeing or Citadel are fleeing.
- colinmhayes 4y ago
  Boeing left because their tax break ended for what it's worth.
  - tptacek 4y ago
    Boeing was barely here to begin with. They consistently missed their job targets, despite being allowed to count contractors towards the anemic targets they were meant to hit. Citadel is a body blow, but Boeing? Who cares.
  - Kon-Peki 4y ago
    A few years ago the Citadel CEO went through a very public and extremely acrimonious divorce, during which the wife and kids left Chicago for the east coast and refused to come back. So now, he's all alone, and seemingly getting angrier by the day. His politics are increasingly distanced from what people in the area are interested in, etc. Moving to a location where he might see his kids more often might just make him a lot happier and less angry. If so, that's good for him.

nopeopenope 4y ago

Some of these startups have interesting Glassdoor reviews to read before applying SpotHero review on #Glassdoor: "Toxic and Sexist Environment" https://www.glassdoor.com/Reviews/Employee-Review-SpotHero-RVW58918913.htm https://www.glassdoor.com/Reviews/Employee-Review-SpotHero-R...

joezydeco 4y ago

Did Uptake pivot, or something else? Flush with filthy Groupon money and trying to surf the IoT wave a few years ago but then they lost Caterpillar and now they're back but doing analytics or something else.

connor11528 4y ago
The Uptake description is from wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uptake_(business) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uptake_(business)

wuliwong 4y ago

I use Reverb everyday. It's a great app and I'm pretty sure it is located in Chicago.

connor11528 4y ago
I'll add them thanks :+1: https://reverb.com/ https://reverb.com/

posix_compliant 4y ago

Avant and Amount were the same company not too long ago.

connor11528 4y ago
Ugh financial engineering.
toomuchtodo 4y ago
Amount just laid off 18% of their staff yesterday, about 72 people. https://techcrunch.com/2022/06/27/fintech-amount-which-was-valued-at-1b-last-year-lays-off-18-of-staff/ https://techcrunch.com/2022/06/27/fintech-amount-which-was-v...

adam 4y ago

Somewhat similar conversation going on in the /r/chicago subreddit. Top comment from that thread[1]: Anthony Bourdain is a far superior wordsmith than myself, so I will leave this here: Here are Bourdain’s most memorable quotes about Chicago. “I’ve done shows in LA, but LA’s a fantastic sprawl. San Francisco? A great town. New Orleans? A state of mind. Chicago? Chicago is a city.” — No Reservations, 2009 “Chicago is big — not just any kind of big — I’m talking major metropolis big. I love this city. In my opinion, it’s the only other real metropolis in America.” — No Reservations, 2009. “You wake up in Chicago, pull back the curtain, and you KNOW where you are. You could be nowhere else. You are in a big, brash, muscular, broad shouldered motherfuckin’ city. A metropolis, completely non-neurotic, ever-moving, big hearted but cold blooded machine with millions of moving parts — a beast that will, if disrespected or not taken seriously, roll over you without remorse.” — Medium essay for Parts Unknown, 2016. “It is, also, as I like to point out frequently, one of America’s last great NO BULLSHIT zones. Pomposity, pretentiousness, putting on airs of any kind, douchery and lack of a sense of humor will not get you far in Chicago. It is a trait shared with Glasgow — another city I love with a similar working class ethos and history.” — Medium essay, 2016 “Chicago is a town, a city that doesn’t ever have to measure itself against any other city. Other places have to measure themselves against it. It’s big, it’s outgoing, it’s tough, it’s opinionated, and everybody’s got a story.” — Parts Unknown, 2016 [1] https://www.reddit.com/r/chicago/comments/vlxv9m/comment/idxxmb5/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3 https://www.reddit.com/r/chicago/comments/vlxv9m/comment/idx...

binarynate 4y ago

Chicago is incredibly underrated, especially compared to the amount of hype that Austin and Miami receive. Don't get me wrong, Austin is cool, but Chicago beats it in so many dimensions (art & culture, events, scenic views, architecture, even music). No city is perfect, though, and I think the best option is to live in multiple throughout the year to experience the best of each. For example, living in Chicago for most of the year but then flying to Miami or SoCal for the winter would be a good combo.

codemonkey-zeta 4y ago
> Austin is cool, but Chicago beats it in so many dimensions... scenic views Now hold on there partner. Ever been out to hill country before?
- binarynate 4y ago
  I've been to Mount Bonnell—does that count, are you thinking further west? The view from Mount Bonnell is definitely beautiful, especially at sunset: https://www.instagram.com/p/CZYPh_5Mkuz https://www.instagram.com/p/CZYPh_5Mkuz And don't get me wrong, I also think the views just from Congress Ave bridge are gorgeous. But to me, (and this is completely subjective) I found I was much more captivated by Chicago's views of Lake Michigan, its skyline, and its architecture. I think part of it is that I love beaches, and Chicago has some really great beaches.