We all know that Chicago is a great place for startups; it's gratifying to see others taking note of the innovation and energy in our community. Forbes featured several Chicago companies, including G2 Crowd, Vibes, Silkroad, and others, in this article published yesterday.
Tech Startup City: G2 Crowd in Chicago
When Godard Abel began the B2B sales and software company, BigMachines, he was based in Chicago, so planting the startup seed near the city was a no-brainer. After he sold the company to two private equity firms for over $100 million in 2011, he and the company’s sales VP, Matt Gorniak, could’ve started their next project anywhere. Guess what! They’re staying in Chicago, and not just for sentimentality’s sake.
“The vibe here is very supportive of high tech startups,” Gorniak said. Since the business community in Chicago is not as saturated with tech as Silicon Valley, New York and other cities are, there’s a novelty surrounding such startup ventures that creates buzz. “Here there’s a general interest to understand what the startup is about and when you ask for help, to get help.”
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