They say no news is good news, but that couldn’t have been further from the truth this week in Chicago. From Avant’s massive new funding or Raise’s first acquisition to PayPal buying Harper Reed’s startup, there was plenty of news in the city, and all of it was great news. With the surplus of headlines, though, you might have missed a thing or two. To help you out, here are five launch announcements you need to know this week.
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AptAmigo
AptAmigo wants to help you find your next apartment. A lot of housing services may tout that mission, but AptAmigo actually means it. Using crowdsourced, comprehensive, and unbiased ratings and reviews by former and current apartment dwellers, users get a better picture of what neighborhood, building, and individual unit is best for them. They announced their launch in the city this Wednesday and already offer thousands of apartment reviews.
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Shyp
Although it has yet to officially launch in the city, Shyp has announced it has plans to come to Chicago by the end of the summer. Shyp, a San-Francisco based company that simplifies the shipping process by picking up, packing, and shipping all of your items for you, has quickly established itself as a major playing in the on-demand market. Keep an eye out for an official announcement in the coming weeks.
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Trendy Butler
Trunk Club just got itself a competitor, because Los Angeles’ Trendy Butler is moving in next door. With Trendy Butler, men receive a stylized box of two to three new wardrobe items every month, personalized to complement the consumer’s style preferences. Package options range from shirts and pants to jackets and outfit accessories. Boxes worth up to $150 are available for $65, the company said.
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Olfactif
Olfactif, a popular Chicago-based, month-to-month subscription service for perfume, announced this week it has plans to extend its services to men’s fragrances. The services will launch September 1 for $18 a month (with discounts available depending on subscription length). The expansion to men’s fragrances follows Trunk Club’s expansion to women’s services later this fall.
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Sprout Social
Sprout Social, one of Chicago’s most promising startups and one of the country’s fastest growing social media marketing platforms, announced this week the launch of its new product, Bambu. Bambu arms employers with centralized advocacy platform for employees to share company content using a unified voice and adhering to brand standards. Sprout Social already work with over 15,000 organizations across the world, and the new products gives each of them more opportunities to authentically connect with their communities.
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