Photo via Shutterstock.
November was a cooler month for Chicago tech. In terms of funding, it proved to be slower than much of 2015 — but perhaps the arrival of the holiday season and all of its distractions offer the ecosystem somewhat of a pass.
Shiftgig’s $22 million turn late in the month accounted for about half of the month's total fundings, which collectively topped $45 million. For reference, the top five fundings in October alone raked in $136 million.
Here are five of November’s largest fundings for tech companies across the Chicagoland area.
5.
Investors: Mark Tebbe, Lon Chow, Kevin Price
Bio: Foxtrot’s mobile app grants you access to a curated selection of food, beverages, and various other sundry, which you can order at your whim. Your goods are then delivered right to your door — which the company says usually takes under an hour.
In the News: In addition to the announcement of their seed round, Foxtrot also opened a new storefront in the West Loop — their second brick-and-mortar location for in-store pickup yet.
5.
Bio: Launched in 2012, Evanston-based Mystery Tackle Box is a monthly subscription service that brings fishing lures and tackle to anglers of all experience levels.
In the News: “There is a lot of competition in the fisherman lure space. If someone walks into a Bass Pro Shop, there is an entire aisle of spinner bait. Unless you’re an expert, that can be overwhelming. We are experts in the field so we know what is hot, what is not,” Jeremy Gwynne, Mystery Tackle Box CEO and founder told Built In Chicago in an interview last year.
4.
, $1.5 million, November 13
Investors: Not listed
Bio: Sentic Technologies helps uncover meaning from mounds of social data. Their solution works to interpret and manage social media conversations so that brands can raise awareness, improve customer satisfaction, and ultimately increase ROI.
3.
Investors: The round was led by Argentum Group, a growth-stage private equity and venture capital firm based in New York. Chicago’s First Analysis, which led the company’s $6 million Series A last year, also participated.
Bio: Chicago-based Yello is a leading recruitment platform whose software and talent relationship management tools help companies big and small source the top talent around.
In the news: At the time of the launch, Yello CEO Jason Weingarten told Built In Chicago the funds will be used primarily to scale operations.
2.
, $10.38 million, November 11
Investors: Flare Capital Partners, Alerion Partners
Bio: DeliverCareRx is an e-commerce site that helps to facilitate patient compliance through prescription home delivery and prescription refill management services.
(Photo via Shutterstock)
1.
Investors: The round was led by Renren Inc. and saw participation from a number of local and national VCs, including Chicago Ventures, DRW Venture Capital, GGV Capital, Garland Capital Group, KGC Capital, Pritzker Group, Wicklow Capital. Angel investors Fabrice Grinda and Match.com CEO Sam Yagan also participated.
Bio: Shiftgig is an online marketplace that helps connect workers in various industries — from restaurants and nightlife to hospitality and retail — with open jobs. Their hiring platform uses everything from client requirements and real-time shift data to find the best fit possible.
In the News: Last November, Shiftgig raised an additional $10 million, and in April of this year, they were part of a cohort of startups that commited to collectively hiring 1000 tech workers in Chicago.
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