Startup Makes Shark Tank, $20M for Homethrive, and More Chicago Tech News

Catch up on all things Chicago tech with Built In’s Weekly Refresh.
Written by Abel Rodriguez
May 23, 2022Updated: May 23, 2022
Chicago Weekly Refresh 5.23.22.
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker attends the grand opening of DOT Security. | Photo: DOT Security

With summer quickly approaching, Chicago is heating up and so is the tech news. This past week the tech community had several wins from both large and small startups alike. Read up on recent funding announcements, new offices or Chicago’s latest startup to appear on Shark Tank with the Built In Chicago weekly refresh. 

DOT Security opened a new operations center. In an effort to curb cyberattacks, DOT Security, a cybersecurity firm founded in 2021, opened a state-of-the-art operations center in Mettawa, about 35 miles north of downtown Chicago. The center will help the company monitor its client’s networks and prevent attacks. DOT Security is on track to hire 150 employees in its first year and has plans to continue expanding in the Midwest and to the West Coast. [Built In Chicago]

Amount raised $40M. The startup’s most recent raise comes a year after it reached unicorn valuation. Amount develops software and tech solutions for banks and other financial institutions looking to digitize their products. Amount develops features such as point-of-sales, lending solutions and fraud prevention for retail banks. [Crain’s Chicago Business]

Chicago Tech Quote of the week

“Many organizations cannot keep up with the growing scale and scope of security operations, increasing the potential for a devastating cyberattack or data breach. That is what makes companies like DOT Security, that stand ready to help businesses of all sizes right here in Illinois and across the country, so critical to our future.” — Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker

A Chicago startup appeared on Shark Tank. The Players Trunk, a startup founded by two Chicagoans, helps college athletes sell their game-worn gear and other memorabilia. Brothers Jason and Austin Lansing, along with Hunter Pomerantz, were inspired to launch the company after a change in the NCAA that allows players to make money from their likeness. The episode was filmed back in September but finally aired this past Friday. [Chicago Inno]

Homethrive raised $20M. Homethrive, a Chicagoland startup, is a digital platform that connects seniors living at home with services and solutions meant to help them live independently. Axios reported last week that the company raised $20 million in venture capital. According to Crunchbase, Homethrive had previously raised $18 million in a Series A round back in 2020. [Axios]

Chicago startup guides

LOCAL GUIDE
Best Companies to Work for in Chicago
LOCAL GUIDE
Coolest Offices in Chicago Tech
LOCAL GUIDE
Best Perks at Chicago Tech Companies
LOCAL GUIDE
Women in Chicago Tech