GiveForward founder Desiree Vargas Wrigley to launch new startup in February

by Sam Dewey
January 12, 2016

In Chicago, all eyes are on Wrigley.

No, we’re not talking about the Cubs (despite their favorable showing last season and highly anticipated return come April). According to the Chicago Tribune, seasoned entrepreneur Desiree Vargas Wrigley (pictured left) today unveiled her newest venture,

.

Set to launch in mid-February, Pearachute is a monthly subscription service that helps parents find, book, and reschedule classes and activities for their children. Packages include $99/mo for unlimited access to classes (with a three class per facility per month ceiling), while five classes a month will go for $79.

Vargas Wrigley cut her entrepreneurial teeth founding and building out GiveForward, a Chicago-based crowdfunding platform that launched in 2007. She left GiveForward in November of 2015, following an eight-month stint as chief strategy officer after Josh Chapman took over as CEO in April.

Vargas Wrigley told the Tribune she’s already working with two FT employees from an office in the Gold Coast, with wheels in motion to bring on five additional staffers to work on product and operations.

Starting off, users will be able to peruse activities at 25 local facilities from their smartphones, tablets, and computers, with subscriptions plans unlocking a number of activity options for parents in search of flexibility, affordability, and variety, she said.

Chaired by illustrious businessman Sam Yagan, Pearachute is also tied to Paul Lee’s startup factory 11

, which Vargas Wrigley is leaning on for development, sales, and operational support.

With some lofty goals on the horizon (like the pursuit of $1 million seed round and the intent to roll out to additional cities sooner rather than later), Vargas Wrigley is starting from square one to cook up another something great.

But she wouldn’t have it any other way.

"It just felt like the thing I love most about founding and building from scratch I wasn't able to do anymore," Vargas Wrigley told the Tribune. "Once that founding bug bites you, it's hard to shake it.

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Jobs at Pearachute

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