There is a lot going on in the Windy City, especially on the tech scene. Funding rounds, team expansions, new office openings and more came out of Chicago last week. Catch up on the latest. This is the Built In Chicago weekly refresh.
Leap gained $50M. The retail tech company provides management, real estate expertise and technology to help retail stores open, while also helping to build retail markets and shopping centers. Leap raised a $50 million Series B round led by BAM Elevate. The funding will help Leap innovate its platform, expand its location network and hire across its offices. [Built In Chicago]
BasicBlock is moving to Chicago. Founded in 2018, BasicBlock was initially used for truck drivers to easily scan and send load documents but has since grown into a payment platform allowing these drivers to gain capital. The company raised $78 million in equity and debt and will open an office in Chicago. BasicBlock says it will hire between 20 and 30 team members for its Chicago office. [Chicago Inno]
CHICAGO TECH QUOTE OF THE WEEK
Here are 5 up-and-coming startups to watch in Chicago. Chicago continues to foster new startups changing the tech industry. Five local startups worth keeping an eye on this quarter include software AutoCloud, meal delivery service The Cumin Club, financial learning platform Dirt, mental health platform STIGMA and review platform SupplyHive. [Built In Chicago]
Decasonic closed its inaugural fund. The Chicago-based VC firm that invests in NFTs, metaverse and Web3, closed its inaugural fund totaling $48.8 million. The inaugural fund was named Disruptive Innovation Venture and Digital Assets Fund and will be used to invest in crypto, gaming and other types of Web 3 startups. Decasonic has invested in more than a dozen companies since its first close in October. [Chicago Inno]
Provi partnered with SevenFifty. Two tech companies in the alcohol beverage industry are teaming up. Chicago-based Provi is a B2B e-commerce marketplace for the alcohol beverage industry while NYC-based SevenFifty is a supply chain platform connecting distributors, buyers and sellers in the same industry. The new partnership will provide an expanded marketplace and a distributor toolkit to streamline operations. The two companies are also in the midst of hiring sprees. [Built In Chicago]
Catch Co. expanded its executive team. Catch Co. is a fishing brand offering content, products and shopping experiences through its e-commerce platform. Catch Co. added two new executives to its team, including its first chief people officer. Elles Skony was appointed as chief people officer and Lisa Kempa was appointed CFO. The news comes after Catch Co.’s recent acquisition of Recur Outdoors and its $38 million Series B funding round. [PR Newswire]
