Ah, summer. Nothing beats the simplicity of lying on the beach with a book in one hand and a beer in the other, right?
Not anymore. In order to live this summer to the fullest, you'll need to stay connected. Looking to spend the next few months staying in shape, keeping up with the best summer fashion trends, or enjoying a night or two on the town? These 10 startups will help mazimize your leisure time and keep you feeling cool all summer long.
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Trunk Club, an e-commerce platform for men’s fashion, is the perfect investment for any guy looking for a bit of style rehabilitation. By signing up with Trunk Club — whose service was acquired by Nordstrom last year — you’ll be teamed up with a real-life stylist who will whip you up a box full of fresh outfits to keep you looking hot and feeling cool this summer. No stress, no mess, and no shopping.
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What’s summer without an ice cold cocktail to help you cool down and unwind after work? Chicago’s own Drinkfly, an alcohol delivery service that can bring a variety of drink orders straight to your door, is perfect to help make sure your bar stays stocked and your friends stay happy. Seriously, if you don’t have this app yet, go download it, use it this weekend, and watch as your summer suddenly becomes that much more fun.
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Nothing can kill your vibe before an event more than circling a block for fifteen minutes trying to snag an already overpriced parking spot. Luckily, you can channel your inner movie star and reserve a killer spot ahead of time, courtesy of SpotHero, an app that can find and book parking spots for you and your crew. You’ll not only save time and stress, but you’ll also save a buck or two.
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Take advantage of Chicago's awesome summer afternoons with Divvy, the city’s bike-sharing system administered by the Chicago Department of Transportation. Fun, green, cheap, and helpful in burning off one of those extra summer beers, Divvy employs thousands of durable and comfy bikes accessible at any of the four hundred-plus bike stations across the city. Remember to bike responsibly, folks.
Nothing says summer more than music festivals and outdoor concerts. Even if we can’t all be rockstars, there’s a little bit in us that'll always dream. That’s where Reverb.com comes in. Reverb is Chicago’s premier online marketplace for musicians to buy and sell music gear. From guitars and drumsets to amps, mics, and lighting equipment, Reverb has what it takes for the musician in all of us — total amateurs and seasoned vets alike — to play what we love.
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If you’re the type of person that dreads the dog days of summer and prefers to stay inside working on your latest DIY project, you should check out Blitsy. Creative types have flocked to Blitsy’s website — a venture-backed, e-commerce platform for buying arts and crafts supplies — for all of their artistic needs. Investors are flocking to Blitsy, too. In April, Blitsy secured over $3,500,000 in funding.
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Don’t waste a second of your summer shopping for groceries or sweating over the stove. Check out Foxtrot instead, an app that can home deliver anything from fresh food or booze to paper towels whenever you need them most. You can do a bit of browsing for specific products you're running low on, or you can skip the hassle by ordering one of their featured collections, organized around themes like brunch or game day.
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Launching in June of 2015, Fit Patrol promises to be the Uber of personal training. Using Fit Patrol, you’ll be able to search for available personal trainers at the drop of a hat. Need someone to help you master that new yoga pose or push you to do an extra set? With Fit Patrol, you can be sure to have an expert working with you to help meet your goals. Thanks to Fit Patrol, your body could be beach-ready for the rest of the summer.
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Is that farmer’s market table you’d originally started as a fun hobby performing a bit better than you expected? That’s great news, but what next? For starters, you might head over to ThreadMeUp to design some merchandise for your brand. Not only will you look sleek, but you’ll also get your name out a little bit. After you order, you can sit back and relax as you watch your side project evolve into something more.
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Summer can’t be all fun and games, right? You’ve still got to make it through the workday. But if you use Kapow Events for all of your corporate gigs, you’ll have a blast the rest of the summer--both in and out of the office. Whether it’s entertaining clients at a sporting event, touring some local microbreweries with your sponsors, or something a little more formal downtown, Kapow’s got you covered.
Do you know a tech startup that deserves coverage? Email us via [email protected]
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