Though Silicon Valley is starting to see the return of tech employees who left the city during the pandemic, there’s a city closer to home that’s looking to steal away some of the West Coast’s workers: Chicago.
In addition to being ripe for unicorns (nine of 71 companies that hit a billion-dollar valuation this year are based in Chicago), it’s also one of the most diverse tech landscapes, as one-quarter of tech workers are either Black or Hispanic, according to data from Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s office. In a recent interview with Fast Co., Lightfoot explained the city’s efforts to be a locale ripe for tech, citing 32 companies that made the move to the Windy City during the pandemic.
“We’re being very intentional about making sure that Chicago is part of the conversation for people who are starting to look around and say, ‘You know what? Maybe I don’t need to be on the West Coast and in Silicon Valley and the Bay Area,’” Lightfoot said.
Lightfoot isn’t the only one boosting the city’s efforts. In part one of Built In Chicago’s mid-year featured companies, we rounded up six companies that are making an impact on not only the local tech scene but their respective industries as well.
What they do: Stride is a tech consulting firm whose staff has created custom software for companies like Spotify, Codecademy and Casper.
Expanding its reach: Though Stride has called New York City home for the past seven years, it’s expanding its reach to Chicago soon. “We believe small, locally curated teams are happier and more fulfilled in their work when working with their peers,” the company says. Stride will be work-from-home friendly once offices in the Windy City open.
Current openings: As a tech consultancy, Stride is in the market for several technical roles including a handful on the development and product side of the house.
What they do: CoinFlip is the “industry’s leading cryptocurrency ATM operator,” the company says. The company has built a network of over 2,200 ATMs across 47 states that allow users to buy or sell bitcoin and eight other cryptocurrencies.
No. 1 spot: CoinFlip took the No. 1 spot on the Crain’s Chicago Business’ annual Fast 50 list, which tracks the fastest-growing startups in the Chicago area.
Star power: Actor Neil Patrick Harris starred in a 30-second spot for CoinFlip in June.
What they do: One North is a full-service digital agency.
Empowering women: In January, Jen Frost, managing director of marketing at One North, told Built In Chicago about how the company’s women-focused employee resource group has created a more cohesive culture. “By opening up the group to all employees, we’ve made it possible for our male colleagues to learn about some common struggles women face and become our allies in the workplace,” Frost said.
Current openings: Looking for a designer or UX role? One North currently has four openings for you, and it’s also hiring for roles in engineering and sales.
What they do: CPI delivers mission-critical criminal justice solutions to law enforcement and public safety agencies with its OpenFox product suite.
Moving fast: In May, Software Engineering Director Noah Alcantara told Built In Chicago about his team’s successful start to the decade. “In 2020, the team successfully delivered on 76 projects. All the while, the team created a new product for the industry in six months’ time and successfully delivered it. We grew by almost double and reduced ramp-up time from one year to about four months.”
Current openings: Looking to make Bolingbrook your new work home? The CPI team currently has three openings, including a technical writer, a software engineer in test on the UI applications team, and a junior software engineer in test.
What they do: Label Insight drives growth for its grocery retail and consumer packaged goods customers through product transparency. The company performs comprehensive ingredient and nutrient analysis to identify brand attributes.
Join the family: In May, NielsenIQ acquired Label Insight, a move that “supercharges a mission to help retailers and manufacturers better meet the needs of the health and wellness-focused consumer with a one-stop-shop of powerful solutions for the digital future,” Jeanne Danubio, president of NielsenIQ North America, said.
Up, up, up: The consumer packaged goods space, which Label Insights provides services for, is expected to reach more than $2 trillion by 2027, up from $1.9 trillion in 2020.
What they do: Tall Ridge is an e-commerce company that partners with brands and agencies to develop successful Amazon and Walmart growth strategies.
Employee buzz: With the return to the office in the cards for many companies, Tall Ridge’s culture looks to support in-person gatherings soon. “Happy hours, bag tourneys, Halloween costume contests, and Friday lunches are just some of the fun group events we've had,” an employee said.
Culture is key: “Our culture helps us stay on top of current trends and provide the best services to our clients,” an employee told Built In Chicago. “Plus, it doesn’t hurt that it’s fun going to work every day. Working with people who are always willing to help and build the team up creates a sense of community.”
