Inside 14 Chicago Tech Companies Where You Can Grow Professionally

In 2025 it’s easy to feel like tech jobs are blooming and wilting at the same time. 

Software developer jobs saw a rise and fall, peaking in 2022 and dropping again in 2023, according to data from Indeed and Axios. 

On the other hand, Forbes reported that in 2025, AI engineering roles will likely be the top hiring priority. The article notes that 60 percent of U.S. tech managers are hiring for AI roles, nearly double what we saw in 2024. 

Finding the right tech job is one thing, but making sure it’s one where you can grow professionally, transplant into other roles when necessary and receive the kind of professional development needed to thrive in a competitive job market — that is something else entirely. 

Built In Chicago found 14 tech companies that are eager to bring in new team members who want to put down roots and grow. 

 

 

 

What Caterpillar does: Caterpillar is a manufacturing company of construction and mining equipment, off-highway diesel and natural gas engines, industrial gas turbines and diesel-electric locomotives.

Caterpillar’s longevity: The manufacturing company has nearly a century of  experience under its belt. Being around that long allows internal teams to measure history just from the company archives — which is why Caterpillar has an in-house historian. Corporate Archivist Lee Fosburgh recently shared the origin story behind Caterpillar becoming one of the first companies to create a formal business code of conduct and ethics guide, back in 1974. The result is a company culture that stands the test of time — and trends. 

 

What UL Solutions does: UL Solutions transforms safety, security and sustainability challenges into opportunities for customers in applied safety science. 

How UL Solutions is learning: UL Solutions introduced a new multi-laboratory facility on its 110-acre campus in Illinois, which is intended to help fire-safety and building-material product manufacturers bring products to market. “Fire safety testing represents the very core of our business, deeply intertwined with our founding principles,” said Jennifer Scanlon, president and CEO of UL Solutions in a press release. “From the beginnings of our company more than 130 years ago, public safety has guided our business, and fire safety still stands as a cornerstone of our mission of working for a safer world.”

 

What Ahold Delhaize USA does: Ahold Delhaize USA, a division of global food retailer Ahold Delhaize, is part of the U.S. family of brands like Food Lion, Giant Food, The GIANT Company, Hannaford and Stop & Shop. 

Cutting greenhouse gas: Over the next three years Ahold Delhaize USA will work with The Campbell’s Company to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in potato farming. The program will assist with methods like cover cropping, compost application, nutrient management and conversion of farm equipment to renewable energy sources, according to a press release. “As a company committed to enabling both healthier people and a healthier planet, we’re excited to explore the potential positive impacts of regenerative agriculture on another crop as part of our continued progress,” said Chief Sustainability Officer Marc Stolzman in the release. “Both companies have strong commitments to environmental sustainability, and we’re proud to work alongside the Campbell’s team to test how we can best collaborate to reduce emissions in the value chain.” 

 

What Adyen does: By providing end-to-end payments capabilities, data-driven insights and financial products in a single solution, Adyen helps businesses achieve their ambitions faster.

Building for scale: When Built In asked Data Engineer Team Lead Maria Tzeka how the engineering team builds with scalability in mind, Tzeka shared: “I’m a big advocate of separating concerns and breaking down the code into modular components. This makes it easier to plug and play in the development process. There are always challenges, whether it’s inheriting old code that may not meet our standards or understanding how to generalize common functionality for constant evolution — all of these require adaptability. I recommend starting with something basic and building upon it with more use cases. As a result, the code becomes much easier to scale, and you’re able to finish projects faster by reusing code.”

 

What Wipfli LLP does: Wipfli is an accounting and advisory firm that delivers holistic solutions to help clients navigate the modern marketplace, optimize performance and drive growth

AI to assist rural healthcare: According to Wipfli’s 2025 “State of Rural Healthcare” report, rural hospitals are optimistic about the future. The report also found that roughly 32 percent are using AI to cope with workforce shortages. A press release from the company noted: “Rural healthcare organizations have emerged from Covid and managed to level off the staffing problem,” said Kelly Arduino, a partner in Wipfli’s healthcare consulting practice. “But expenses are mounting, so they’re focusing on revenue-generating activities, like optimizing reimbursements.”

 

What The Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago does: The Federal Reserve is one of 12 regional Reserve Banks across the United States that, together with the Board of Governors in Washington, D.C., serves as the nation’s central bank. 

Federal Reserve architecture: Who doesn’t want to have their commute end in a historical and architectural wonder? The Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago was completed just over a century ago in the Beaux-Arts style. The famous Corinthian columns can be found at the intersection of South LaSalle Street and West Jackson Boulevard. In 2001, a 5,600 square foot Money Museum was built to showcase how “Chicago’s progression of culture and its location in a commercial setting made it a dichotomous representation of Chicago’s journey to becoming a great giant,” according to Northwestern University.

 

What Basis does: Basis improves the lives of digital marketers with an automated and comprehensive advertising platform.

Culture of support: Basis Technologies prides itself on having a culture of diversity, equity and inclusion that values “personal growth and creative problem-solving and challenging the status quo.” It’s this culture that landed Basis the top spot on Ad Age’s Best Places to Work among companies with over 150 employees two years in a row.

 

What MoLo Solutions does: MoLo Solutions is a third-party logistics provider that connects businesses with transportation to get products delivered. 

Award-winning: In 2024, MoLo was named a Top Food Chain Provider by Food Chain Digest magazine. “Every day, our customers count on us to deliver their perishable shipments exactly where they need to be, right on time,” said Chief Operating Officer Sara McQuilkin in a press release. “MoLo makes it happen, keeping our customers in the know while building trust along the way.”

 

What Vivid Seats does: Vivid Seats is an online ticket marketplace.

Building innovation: Last year, Vivid Seats was named to Fast Company’s prestigious list of the World’s Most Innovative Companies of 2024. “Vivid Seats is honored to be recognized and named among the world’s greatest innovators,” said Vivid Seats CEO Stan Chia in a press release. “Over the last year, we have gone to new lengths to drive innovation and optimization, launching new products for both buyers and sellers, expanding internationally and strengthening our tech stack. Our efforts to build valuable and differentiated products have continued to set us apart and created long-term stickiness on both sides of our marketplace, with higher buyer repeat rates and continuing seller adoption. 2023 was truly a transformational year for our business and brand, and we look forward to continuing to set the pace for the live events industry at large.”

 

What FourKites does: FourKites assists global supply chains through real-time visibility technology.

How FourKites is evolving: FourKites recently announced the release of its Intelligent Control Tower, a tool that uses the power of agentic AI to take in data from legacy systems.  The company blog detailing the release notes, “Ultimately, this was born out of necessity. We waited 10 years thinking legacy players would catch up. They haven’t. Then, GenAI and agents arrived on the scene as incredible force multipliers for getting value out of quality data.” 

In a press release about the launch, FourKites President of Product, Technology and Operations Priya Rajagopalan noted: “We have pioneered a unified system of agents tailor-made for supply chain workflows, eliminating the need for companies to manage multiple solutions and vendor relationships while taking advantage of the value that AI-powered agents provide,” said Rajagopalan. “We are pushing the boundaries of what’s possible with multi-agent AI systems, turning abstract research concepts into practical solutions for the world’s most complex supply chains, all while maintaining the security and governance of enterprise supply chain data. We’re proud to continue our tradition of innovation, working closely with customers to solve their most pressing supply chain challenges.”

 

What Wolverine Trading does: Wolverine Trading includes a number of diversified financial institutions specializing in proprietary trading, asset management, order execution services and technology solutions. 

Community bonding: The team at Wolverine Trading makes a point to take part in activities outside of the office to connect with one another. Sports are a company favorite with volleyball, soccer, hockey and 5K races. The company also hosts picnics, parties and trivia nights. The Wolverine Trading website notes, “By getting out of our usual environment and doing out-of-the-ordinary things together, we foster creativity and broaden our imaginations to accomplish new challenges.”

 

 

What Bectran does: Bectran develops comprehensive credit, collections and accounts receivable automation software, consolidating all essential functions into one platform to create a seamless credit-to-cash cycle. 

New networks: Bectran customers can now use the platform for their credit and accounts receivable management through the Trade Reference Network. The new solution will improve automation of customer references for users. “We aim to continuously elevate the credit management experience overall,” says Bectran CEO Louis Ifeguni in a press release. “By implementing the Trade Reference Network, Bectran offers a new, streamlined approach to references, making the collection and analysis of customer account information instant and automatic.”

 

 

What Hireology does: Hireology’s HR technology empowers businesses to build great teams.

Job market outlook: Hireology analyzes employment trends and national data regularly to better serve its client base. The January 2025 Employment Situation Summary data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics revealed to the team that “wage growth and labor shortages will likely continue, particularly in high-demand industries like hospitality and healthcare. Employers should double down on strategies that attract and retain high-quality talent to stay competitive.” 

 

What Energy CX does: Energy CX is an energy brokerage in the U.S. known for using data-driven approaches, and recently reported new growth and market expansion. 

New headquarters and awards: Recently Energy CX relocated to Chicago’s River North neighborhood. The 25,000-square-foot River North office represents a meaningful transformation in the company. “This relocation is more than just a change of address — it’s a symbol of our vision and a reflection of our culture of innovation,” said co-CEO Miles Rice in a press release. “Our new headquarters is designed to inspire our growing team and provide an ideal environment to recruit top-tier talent, collaborate and deliver exceptional service to our clients.” The announcement comes on the heels of a Great Place To Work and Fortune magazine award for being one of the Best Workplaces in Chicago in 2024. Energy CX also made it onto the 2024 Inc. 5000 list as one of the fastest-growing private companies in the U.S.