2020 Best Tech Startups in Chicago

July 31, 2019October 24, 2022 thetechtribune

The Tech Tribune staff has compiled the very best tech startups in Chicago, Illinois. In doing our research, we considered several factors including but not limited to:

Revenue potential
Leadership team
Brand/product traction
Competitive landscape

Additionally, all companies must be independent (unacquired), privately owned, at most 10 years old, and have received at least one round of funding in order to qualify.

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1. Uptake

Founded: 2014

Also honored in:

“Uptake is a proven, robust predictive analytics SaaS platform delivering products that enable outcomes across industries. Uptake has integrated our unparalleled data science, machine learning and state-of-the-art security with deep industry knowledge to create market-leading solutions worldwide.

We focus on outcomes that positively impact the productivity, reliability, safety and cyber security of your business – providing the right insight to the right users at the right time.”

2. Raise

Founded: 2013

Also honored in:

“Raise, a leading retail payments company and the world’s largest gift card marketplace, connects consumers to buy discounted gift cards or sell their unwanted cards for cash. As the leading retail technology partner with nearly 400 national brands, Raise offers a new type of digital payment for retailers. Since the company launched in 2013, Raise has saved millions of consumers more than $150 million and has received $147 million in funding from investors including Accel, PayPal, Bessemer Venture Partners and New Enterprise Associates.”

3. VillageMD

Founded: 2013

Also honored in:

“VillageMD is a leading provider of healthcare for organizations moving toward a primary care-led, high-value clinical model. The VillageMD solution provides the tools, technology, operations, and staffing support needed for physicians to drive the highest quality clinical results across a population. VillageMD works with physician groups, independent practice associations, and health systems to improve quality, deliver a first-rate patient experience, and lower costs in the communities they serve.”

4. ShopRunner

Founded: 2010

“For customers, we’re an online, members-only service that provides benefits across 100+ of the best online stores. Our members save time and money with benefits including free 2-day shipping, seamless checkout, and free returns.

For merchants, we’re driving ecommerce business, producing insights with a growing data analytics practice to boot. And we help them compete in today’s marketplace. It’s the ultimate ecommerce win-win.

With people in offices in Chicago and Conshohocken, PA we’re perpetrators of good vibes and great experiences for our customers, our merchants and each other.”

5. Sprout Social

Founded: 2010

Also honored in:

“Sprout Social is a social media management tool created to help businesses grow their social media presence. The web application integrates with multiple social networks where consumers are engaging with businesses and brands.

The application also offers team or individual engagement and publishing tools with in-depth analytics, brand monitoring, competitive insights and social CRM features. Sprout Social is known for its intuitive, easy-to-use web and mobile platforms.”

6. FourKites

Founded: 2014

Also honored in:

“FourKites is the fastest-growing predictive supply chain platform, delivering real-time visibility and execution for Fortune 500 companies and third-party logistics firms. Using a proprietary algorithm to calculate shipment arrival times, FourKites enables customers to lower operating costs, improve on-time performance, and strengthen end-customer relationships. With a network of more than four million GPS/ELD devices, FourKites covers all modes including ocean, rail, parcel and over-the-road. The platform is optimized for mobile and equipped with market-leading end-to-end security.”

7. G2

Founded: 2012

Also honored in: 2019 Best Tech Startups in Illinois

“G2 is the world’s leading B2B software and services review platform!

Until recently, selecting business software or services was difficult, risky and inherently biased. G2’s real, verified user reviews help you objectively assess what’s best for your business.

Leverage the crowd, limit your risk, and get what works!”

8. Braviant Holdings

Founded: 2014

“Braviant is a leading provider of tech-enabled credit products and services for underbanked consumers. Our Chicago-based team of technologists, data scientists, and fintech veterans has developed a next-generation approach to lending. By combining breakthrough technology and cutting-edge machine learning, we transform how people access credit online.

Our ‘Path To Prime’ mission means we offer financial solutions that help non-prime consumers graduate to lower rates as they work toward prime credit.”

9. project44

Founded: 2014

Also honored in: 2019 Best Tech Startups in Illinois

“project44 is the world’s leading advanced visibility platform for shippers and third-party logistics firms. project44 connects, automates and provides visibility into key transportation processes to accelerate insights and shorten the time it takes to turn those insights into actions. Leveraging the power of the project44 cloud-based platform, organizations are able to increase operational efficiencies, reduce costs, improve shipping performance, and deliver an exceptional Amazon-like experience to their customers. Connected to over 175,000 carriers worldwide and having comprehensive coverage for all ELD and telematics devices on the market, project44 supports all transportation modes and shipping types, including Parcel, Final-Mile, Less-than-Truckload, Volume Less-than-Truckload, Truckload, Rail, Intermodal, and Ocean.”

10. Signal

Founded: 2009

Also honored in:

“Signal is the first and only Customer Identity Solution for the enterprise. Signal’s platform transforms the customer experience by providing contextual relevance at all points of engagement, regardless of place or time.

Today, Signal’s technology runs on more than 45,000 digital properties in 158 countries. The platform facilitates billions of data requests monthly, supporting top brands around the world that generate more than $1.5 trillion in commerce, including Allstate, Audi, Crate & Barrel, JetBlue Airways, Starcom MediaVest Group, Starwood Hotels and Resorts, and many more.”