YWCA opens North Lawndale tech center
This week, YWCA opened a new technology center in the North Lawndale neighborhood on Chicago’s West Side. The center will provide economic empowerment services including business and entrepreneurship services for women and minority business owners, as well as leadership, arts, English, and STEM education programs for girls and boys in the community. [YWCA opens doors to North Lawndale tech center: Chicago Tribune]
Jellyvision launches new financial wellness tool
, a Chicago-based maker of interactive software that walks people through boring but important processes like choosing health care or managing their finances, announced the launch of a new tool that helps users with debt management, retirement savings and other aspects of financial wellness. “For many people, talking about your financial situation simply feels icky,” said Jellyvision CEO Amanda Lannert in s a statement. “We built ALEX: Financial Wellness to take the ickiness out the equation. ALEX is private, helpful and will never, ever judge you.” [Read more here]
Chicago gets new co-working spaces
MakeOffices, a Virginia-based co-working space provider, opened two new Chicago locations on February 1. The offices, located in the Loop and River North, measure 26,000 and 43,000 square feet, respectively. The company plans to expand its Loop location and add several other locations over the next few years, with a total planned square footage of about 160,000. [Co-working firm to open River North, Loop offices: Crain’s Chicago Business]
Future Founders expands board and startup team
Future Founders — a nonprofit organization centered around the belief that every youth can become an entrepreneur — announced the appointment of three new board members: Maria Burud (Zanon Group), Shep Dunlap (Motorola Solutions) and Matthew Goldfine (Google). The organization also expanded its Startups team by two members. [Read more here]
Green Key launches web-based platform
, which makes encrypted voice communication software for financiers, launched Voice Box, its first web-based platform, on Wednesday. Voice Box uses secure HTML5 container technology to create a thinner application that can run on cheaper hardware like $100 tablets. The company also announced a new partnership program with Trading Technologies International, a provider of trading software. [Read more here]
Geofeedia raises $17M after tripling employee count
Starting February off right,
, the Chicago-based leader of location-based social media analytics, announced a $17 million round of funding on Wednesday. The round was led by Silversmith Capital Partners and joined by existing investors. [Built In Chicago]
Chicago tech raised over $100M in January
During this first month of the year, tech companies in the area raised over $100 million dollars, with three rounds over $20 million. The top fundraisers were
,
Uber opens new South Side support center
At the end of last week, 
announced it will be opening a new South Side Partner Support Center on 839 W. 115th Street in the West Pullman neighborhood. The office, which will provide Uber drivers with in-person support in uploading documents, answering questions, and sorting out any issues with the service. [Built In Chicago]
Images via YWCA, Jellyvision, MakeOffices, Future Founders, Green Key Technologies, Geofeedia, Shutterstock, and Uber.
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