Chicago in and of itself is an innovative marvel to behold. Established on soggy land adjacent to Lake Michigan, the city underwent major architectural efforts to physically raise the urban area to its current height. Since its founding, Chicago continues to embody this spirit of ingenuity, having evolved into a tech hub that has branched out into various sectors. Fintech, healthtech, IT, and software are just a few specializations that the Windy City now includes in its ever-growing business ecosystem.
With companies and startups reshaping numerous industries, Chicago has firmly established itself as a major force within the global economy. We’ve put together a list of companies that have offices in Chicago and are lifting the city further into the upper echelons of the tech realm.
Major Companies in Chicago to Know
- Caterpillar
- Thoughtworks
- Wintrust Financial Corporation
- The Kraft Heinz Company
- Rightpoint
- OCC
- CNA
- Echo Global Logistics
- Grubhub
- Morningstar
Industry: Artificial intelligence, big data
CCC solutions connects companies and businesses within the automotive industry. Whether collision repair shops, parts suppliers, insurance companies or manufacturers, CCC enhances industry collaboration, makes claims management simple and gets drivers back on the road quickly.
Industry: Fintech
Proprietary trading firm Wolverine Trading specializes in a wide range of securities and derivatives, including equities, ETFs, cash bonds and futures. A designated market maker, Wolverine Trading can both buy and sell any asset through bids and asks. Wolverine Trading is part of the larger group of Wolverine companies, including Wolverine Execution Services and Wolverine Asset Management.
Industry: Fintech
NinjaTrader offers a cloud-based futures trading platform and brokerage services that allow traders to see influential data across leading financial markets. Its customizable development, market analysis and trade simulation tools can be accessed via web applications, desktop and mobile devices.
Industries: Healthtech, information technology, insurance, sales
GoHealth seeks to improve access to healthcare in America. It's a health insurance marketplace that uses a mix of technology and industry expertise to connect customers with the right coverage options.
Industry: Manufacturing, construction
The Heico Companies is a parent holding company for a wide range of manufacturing, construction and industrial services businesses. With divisions for construction solutions, applied solutions, metal processing and industrial technology, the family-owned company has two Chicago-area offices: a headquarters and a corporate office.
Industry: Financial services
Commonly known as The Chicago Fed, the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, describes itself as “an organization devoted to serving the public good,” with its work contributing to U.S. monetary policy and ensuring responsible banking operations. Its team includes professionals who specialize in areas such as IT, economic research, auditing and law enforcement.
Industry: Food, e-commerce
Home Chef is a food delivery service that provides its customers with weekly pre-portioned meal kits. Its customers can customize their deliveries, choosing from a diverse selection of recipes that include options that can be cooked in 15 minutes and oven-ready meals that don’t require any prep.
Industry: Software, consulting
UL Solutions specializes in applied safety science. It aims to bring businesses testing and consulting services and software products that help them achieve strategic business growth while also making safety and sustainability a core priority. The company works with organizations across industries such as automotive, construction, oil and gas, financial services and pharmaceuticals.
Industry: Gaming
Allwyn North America specializes in services and technology to support lottery operations. The company serves as the official Illinois Lottery operator, helping to manage a network of approximately 7,000 retailers that sell tickets for games like Powerball with Power Play, Lotto with Extra Shot, Lucky Day Lotto and Fast Play.
Industry: Information technology, professional services
Companies may not know how to execute a digital transformation, so Rightpoint stands by its clients every step of the way. Blending expertise with tried and true practices, Rightpoint introduces technologies that improve communications and customer experiences. From giving employees online outlets to revamping customer-facing web and mobile platforms, Rightpoint develops frictionless processes for more satisfying interactions.
Industries: Social media, software
Sprout Social is a social media management platform that enables users to schedule posts, engage with followers and create analytics-based strategies in one place. Sprout Social works across social platforms like Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Pinterest and Instagram.
Industry: Software, transportation
Drivers use SpotHero’s platform to reserve parking spaces at airports and event venues and near their homes and workplaces. Users can make hourly or monthly reservations and are able to update or cancel the booking for a full refund up until the time it starts. The company also promises its customers that a parking spot will be available for them at the price they paid online or through the app or they’ll get their money back.
Industry: Professional services
West Monroe Partners is a business and technology consulting firm that works with clients in a variety of industries, offering digital transformation, customer experience, operations and other services.
Industry: Fintech
Tegus offers a platform investors and companies can use to access insights to inform their decision making. Its products bring users SEC filings, public data, transcripts of calls with experts, pre-built data models and other resources for investment research. The company’s solutions cover hedge funds, private equity, public equity, venture capital and corporate development.
Industry: Fintech, software
Managing investment portfolios becomes effortless with the all-around technology of Enfusion. A cloud-native platform unites front, middle, and back offices for an experience centered on simplicity. With a single platform, managers can evaluate account risks, compile market data, and monitor all trading and non-trading activity. Enfusion also allows updates to reach clients simultaneously, ensuring all parties remain on the same page.
Industry: Fintech
Adyen, a global digital payments platform, provides businesses with a comprehensive financial technology solution to accept payments both online and in person. The platform supports various payment methods, including cards and digital wallets, while offering end-to-end payment capabilities and data-derived insights to simplify operations for clients. Companies like Facebook, H&M, Microsoft, eBay and Uber turn to Adyen for streamlined transaction processing.
Industry: Software
Relativity is a software company that gives businesses the technology to understand massive amounts of data. With the RelativityOne platform, employees can automate processes, develop applications quickly and enjoy an intuitive interface. Plus, Relativity’s in-house security team Calder7 monitors each client’s data and snuffs out cyberattacks. Because Relativity does the hard work of managing information, companies can shift their attention to bigger issues.
Industry: Software
Jobba Trade Technologies is a software company focused on developing cloud-based solutions that enable smooth operations for roofing companies. It has offerings for both commercial and residential contractors, and Jobba says more than 10,000 users trust its technology to streamline their business practices.
Industries: Fintech, machine learning
Enova is a financial technology company providing people and small businesses with access to credit through its portfolio of brands like NetCredit, CashNetUSA and On Stride Financial. The company utilizes data and analytics to provide customers with the right amount of credit, whenever they need it.
Industry: Healthtech
Healthtech company Medtelligent’s flagship product ALIS, or Assisted Living Intelligent Solutions, resources senior living communities to improve resident care and operational efficiency. The platform is tailored to the unique needs of these organizations, enhancing communication, documentation and management processes. Founded in 2005, Medtelligent’s headquarters are in the River North neighborhood of Chicago.
Industry: Fintech
Capital One is a leading financial services provider that offers products ranging from credit cards and checking accounts to auto loans and commercial banking solutions.
Industries: Retail, healthcare
Walgreens is a behemoth pharmacy chain that retails prescription drugs, health and wellness products, general merchandise and non-emergent healthcare appointments. Its sales operations take place on multiple channels: through stores as well as online, over the phone and through the mail. The company also has substantial technology operations, employing professionals in fields like data science and software engineering to develop, improve and maintain the systems that enable Walgreens to effectively serve its customers.
Industry: Fintech
TransUnion is well-known for its credit reporting services, but the company offers numerous consumer and business products ranging from digital lending and customer analytics to fraud prevention and portfolio management.
Industry: Risk Management Software
Fusion Risk Management provides enterprise software that helps businesses mitigate risk, recover from IT disasters and manage crises. Built on the Salesforce Lightning Platform, its Fusion Framework System enables clients to securely access their programs anywhere to ensure data security, system availability and data storage.
Industry: Edtech
School districts use Elevate K-12’s products to address staffing issues through livestreamed lessons from experienced teachers. Certified teachers who want the flexibility of working from home work for Elevate K-12, expanding access to live education in classrooms across the country amid crisis-level teacher shortages. Elevate K-12 was founded in 2015.
Industries: Big data, HR tech, information technology, software
Qualtrics offers a technology platform for experience management. The Qualtrics XM Platform gives teams, departments and entire organizations the tools to manage the four core experiences of business — customer, product, employee and brand.
Industry: Fintech
NinjaHoldings offers three products: EDGE, NinjaCard and CreditNinja. EDGE provides businesses with analytics, payment processing and customer service. NinjaCard offers a full suite of online banking services, while CreditNinja allows underserved demographics access to personal loans. The company aims to challenge how Americans think of their finances.
Industry: Logistics
Project44 is the world’s leading advanced visibility platform for shippers and logistics service providers as defined by number of carriers, number of customers, ARR, net retention, shipments per day, growth rate and gross margin. Project44 connects, automates and provides visibility into key transportation processes to accelerate insights and shorten the time it takes to turn those insights into actions. Leveraging the power of the project44 cloud-based platform, organizations increase operational efficiencies, reduce costs, improve shipping performance, and deliver an exceptional experience to their customers. Connected to thousands of carriers worldwide and having comprehensive coverage for all ELD and telematics devices on the market, project44 supports all transportation modes and shipping types, including air, parcel, final-mile, less-than-truckload, volume less-than-truckload, groupage, truckload, rail, intermodal and ocean.
Industry: Travel, Software
Rocket Travel serves as a technology partner to brands in the travel industry, offering custom solutions meant to help businesses gain a competitive edge so they can improve customer loyalty and grow their revenue. Rocket Travel’s expertise extends to areas like marketing, analytics and customer support.
Industry: GreenTech, Energy
Invenergy develops and operates sustainable energy solutions. The company has developed wind, solar, natural gas and green energy storage facilities around the world, in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Scotland, Poland, Uruguay, Israel and Japan. Invenergy also works with municipalities to create clean water projects to deliver clean water to local industries.
Industry: Fintech, Healthtech, Software
Strata Decision Technology provides financial software, data and insights that help businesses make good decisions. Over 2,300 organizations in healthcare, higher education and financial institutions use Strata’s SaaS solutions to manage financial planning, analytics and performance. Strata was founded in 1996.
Industry: Financial services
Discover is a prominent player in the financial services sector, providing individuals and businesses with crucial funding and savings solutions. As the corporation behind Discover Bank, it offers a range of personal and business banking services, including credit cards, to over 50 million cardholders. With a commitment to digital banking and payments, Discover aims to offer diverse financial products like loans, online banking and identity theft protection.
Industries: Fintech, professional services
OCC is a financial institution focused on providing investors and organizations with seamless experiences. The company has developed a reputation as a leading clearinghouse with its emphasis on risk management. OCC relies on the Monte Carlo-based method for carrying out its risk analyses. As a result, institutions are able to accurately weigh the potential risks of their customers’ portfolios with the tools and insights of OCC.
Industry: Logistics
Third-party logistics provider MoLo Solutions connects businesses with transportation to get products delivered. Located in Fulton Market, MoLo helps companies streamline their supply chains and expand their carrier networks. The company prioritizes transparency, collaboration and trusted relationships with its carriers, shippers and people.
Industry: Marketing Tech
tms is a strategic consulting firm specializing in technology, marketing and sourcing solutions for brands seeking innovative customer experiences. With a global team of over 1,200 professionals, tms collaborates with household names like T-Mobile, Samsung and Adidas. Operating in more than two dozen countries, tms is headquartered in Chicago.
Industry: HR tech
Envoy Global offers companies its full-service immigration solution to hire and manage their international talent. It combines legal representation for inbound and outbound immigration, as well as services to onboard international workers. Access to its platform is always available and the company says its dedication is to mobility and security.
Industry: Cloud, professional services
Digital transformation has become a must for businesses, which is why Kin + Carta offers strategic guidance on next steps. The consultancy works with businesses to develop personalized plans for embracing cloud platforms and state-of-the-art technologies. Companies can then deliver digital experiences that meet customers’ needs in a fast-paced, interconnected ecosystem.
Industry: IoT, software, hardware
Chamberlain Group makes technology meant to ensure secure access for homes, businesses and community spaces. It operates a family of brands that includes myQ, a smart access ecosystem of products used by over 11 million people. Another well-known product line from Chamberlain is LiftMaster, which manufactures products for operating commercial garage doors and housing community gate systems.
Industry: Food
McCain Foods is made up of multiple companies and brands that support the production of french fries and other prepared foods for restaurants and consumers. The company says the majority of its potatoes come from local farmers, with its network of agriculture partners harvesting close to 6.8 million tons of potatoes annually.
Industry: Energy, Consulting, Business Intelligence
Energy CX is an energy brokerage that connects businesses with intelligence to fuel efficient energy procurement, support to address utility issues and green energy solutions. The company serves more than 1,000 customers, working with them to save money and fulfill their sustainability commitments.
Industry: Cloud, software
Turning visions into concrete realities lies at the core of Caterpillar Inc. Renowned for products under the Cat brand, Caterpillar equips workers with the tools to maximize productivity at construction sites. Caterpillar’s technology wing Cat Digital has crafted features that power machines remotely, detect potential dangers and accurately track work data. These advancements have made Caterpillar a company that workers depend on to help them get the toughest jobs done.
Industries: E-commerce, food
Food builds stronger bonds between people, and Ahold Delhaize USA accelerates this process with exceptional service. Crafting convenient online platforms, planning route logistics, and ensuring a speedy delivery are all details that Ahold Delhaize USA accounts for. By overseeing the customer journey from start to finish, Ahold Delhaize USA has developed a grocery experience that exceeds the expectations of customers.
Industry: Cannabis, Retail, Pharmaceutical
Green Thumb Industries is a national consumer packaged goods company and retailer. Founded in 2014, the company’s mission is to promote well-being through the power of cannabis while giving back to the communities it serves. Headquartered in Chicago, Green Thumb operates across 14 markets and employs more than 4,300 people.
Industry: Healthtech
To maintain the quality of healthcare in the later stages of life, Oak Street Health is committed to Medicare and senior populations. A network of neighborhood primary care centers makes up the organization, which provides a care team for each patient. Patients in need of a ride can also rely on Oak Street Health’s van service, making every visit that much more convenient.
Industries: Fitness, hardware, software
For more than 45 years, Life Fitness has been creating fitness solutions that benefit both facilities and exercisers. With a family of brands dedicated to inspiring healthier lives, the company started with the Lifecycle exercise bike and has gone on to produce a range of cardio, strength and group training products as well as innovative connected and digital fitness solutions.
Industry: Software
While many companies embrace technology, Thoughtworks is encouraging its clients to remain mindful of how they implement digital products. Thoughtworks finds ways for businesses to better organize their data, adopt cloud platforms and train their workforces with specialized skills. These steps still involve a customer-centric outlook, so companies select only the tools necessary for improving their customers’ experiences.
Industry: Professional services
ZS is a professional services company providing a variety of tech, marketing and business services to clients around the world. The company helps clients develop new products and solutions to solve problems and grow their businesses.
Industry: Food, e-commerce, software
McDonald’s, known for its global network of over 36,000 fast casual restaurants, is not only a food and beverage retail giant but also operates as a food-tech and ag-tech enterprise. Leveraging advanced technology like AI and machine learning, McDonald’s optimizes its processes for scalability and efficiency. The company’s global headquarters, known as “MHQ,” is situated in the vibrant West Loop.
Industry: E-commerce, Proptech
Proptech company Purchasing Platform offers an online marketplace that helps property management companies simplify procurement. The B2B online marketplace streamlines buying processes, automates spend management and tracks workflows for cost savings. Over 3,000 property management communities across the country use Purchasing Platform’s tools, which include pre-negotiated pricing and the ability to create a corporate catalog that standardizes products and services across locations.
Industry: Fintech
Over 7 million clients use Inspira Financial’s health, wealth, retirement and benefits solutions. The financial service firm works with employers, plan sponsors and record keepers to help individuals plan, save and invest. Headquartered just outside of Chicago in Oak Brook, Illinois, Inspira provides automatic rollover accounts, health savings accounts and a self-directed IRA program.
Industry: Fintech, Financial Services
Belvedere Trading is a proprietary trading firm specializing in equity index and commodity derivatives. The firm combines wisdom of both trading and technology experts to continually re-engineer and optimize its trading models. Founded in 2002 and headquartered in Chicago, Belvedere Trading also has offices in New York, Boulder and Singapore.
Industries: Logistics, software
Echo Global Logistics is a leading provider of technology-enabled transportation and supply chain management services. Headquartered in Chicago with more than 30 offices around the country, Echo offers freight brokerage and Managed Transportation Solutions for all major modes, including truckload, partial truckload, LTL, intermodal, temperature-controlled shipping and warehousing, and warehouse services.
Industries: E-commerce, food
Grubhub is a mobile and online food ordering service connecting local restaurants with diners. The platform currently operates in more than 2,200 cities and works with over 115,000 restaurants.
Industries: Enterprise web, fintech
Morningstar offers financial companies independent finance-focused research. The company uses its in-house products to provide data and research for clients like private capital markets, public companies and global markets.
Industry: Software
LogicGate builds technology to support risk management and compliance for businesses in industries like fintech, utilities, insurance and pharmaceuticals. Its platform’s capabilities cover a variety of use cases, from regulatory compliance and operational resiliency to artificial intelligence governance.
Industry: Fintech
Supernova Technology specializes in cloud-based software tailored for securities-based lending, streamlining the entire lifecycle of loans from origination to maturity. Its digital wealth management tools not only facilitate transactions but also offer comprehensive guidance for navigating the securities-based lending landscape, catering to banks, insurance companies, financial advisors and wealth managers. The company is headquartered in Chicago.
Industry: Fintech
Gelber Group is a team of more than 200 traders and technologists who work together to develop innovative proprietary trading solutions. The company has been around since the 1980s, and today uses algorithmic trading strategies to engage with exchanges around the world.
Industry: Food, software, hospitality
Tock makes software for restaurant reservations, takeout ordering and event booking. Used by restaurants, event venues, wineries and hotels, Tock’s hospitality tech includes features for managing tableside service and accessing data insights on guests. The company is headquartered in Chicago, but its services reach more than 200 cities.
Industry: Fintech + Financial services
Beyond Finance aims to help consumers find long-term financial stability by easing their debt burdens. Using proprietary technology, the company analyzes individual debt situations to identify areas where the company can intervene. By developing strategies such as debt consolidation, Beyond Finance says it helps users find a path toward financial freedom.
Industry: Analytics
EDGE assesses consumer credit risk through its platform for bank analytics and transaction data. Its platform allows stakeholders like lenders and financial institutions to gain insight from large amounts of granular transactional data. The company aims to have a more accurate, nuanced and unbiased assessment of creditworthiness as compared to a traditional reported credit score.
Industry: Machinery manufacturing, agriculture, construction
John Deere produces equipment, parts and technology for customers in the agriculture and construction industries. It’s known for heavy machinery like tractors and dozers, but also offers digital tools such as the John Deere Operations Center, which has features that allow users to efficiently manage farms or other job sites. John Deere established a technology center in Chicago’s Fulton Market neighborhood.
Industry: Food and beverage
Mondelez International is a snack food company — the largest global manufacturer of cookies and crackers, the second largest in chocolate and a contender in baked snacks. Its brands, which include Ritz, Oreo, Cadbury Dairy Milk, Toblerone and Tate’s Bake shop, are internationally beloved. The company operates a corporate office out of the trendy Fulton Market area in Chicago.
Industries: E-commerce, retail
Grainger keeps the world working by supporting manufacturers, hospitals and other vital industries. The company’s next-generation technology and tailored digital experiences connect millions of businesses to a wide range of products and services, such as technical support and inventory management, that save customers time and money. With online and mobile platforms, Grainger provides customers with the resources they need to keep their operations running and their people safe.
Industry: Information technology
Companies partner with CDW to help them leverage technology, enabling them to reach their goals and fuel innovation. CDW provides customized solutions, services and relationships to help businesses realize their visions. Its goal is to help companies navigate the complex IT market and get the most out of their technology investments.
Industry: Food
It may be most known for Mac and Cheese and ketchup, but The Kraft Heinz Company does much more than simply produce food. Adapting to a digitized world, Kraft Heinz is sculpting intelligent processes for its global workforce. Employees can now monitor factories remotely and coordinate supply chain movements with data-rich insights. With efficiency at the heart of its next chapter, Kraft Heinz is poised to distribute its beloved products in record time.
Industry: E-commerce
Provi serves buyers, distributors and sellers with its wholesale alcohol online marketplace. It has partnerships with alcohol distributor Johnson Brothers and online marketplace SevenFifty. The company provides its clients with Storefronts, a distributor space in the Provi platform with a configurable landing page, and Sell Sheets, a click-to-order list of new and relevant products.
Industry: Insurance
CNA provides insurance solutions for tech-enabled businesses around the world. CNA offers products like computer insurance, hacker protection, cloud coverage and cyber security insurance.
Industry: Big data, information technology
Customers have come to expect personalized experiences, so NielsenIQ informs every choice with a data-backed approach. Companies looking to stand out from the pack can enlist NielsenIQ’s services to track consumer behaviors and spending habits. A clearer picture of target audiences then allows businesses to refine their marketing strategies and create more relevant products.
Industries: Cloud, information technology
Preparing companies for a tech-heavy future, Netrix helps teams adopt a suite of digital solutions. Netrix listens to the goals of businesses and shapes cloud platforms around the strategies of each customer. Teams can also work with Netrix to fortify their security practices and systems. With partners like Microsoft and Cisco, Netrix has the resources to support companies as hybrid and remote workforces are becoming the norm.
Industry: Healthtech
Patient Point provides products and services to thousands of medical providers, giving them the capabilities to acquire more patients, better educate patients and remotely monitor high-risk patients. Its offerings are intended to help providers generate more revenue while also improving health outcomes.
Industries: Biotech, healthtech
To facilitate increased activity within the healthcare industry, Tempus has constructed a library of molecular and clinical data. Harnessing the power of AI has enabled Tempus to compile data and extract insights for genomic profiling, clinical trial matching, and other areas. The company has also developed the ONE device to serve as a portable format for its insights. Physicians can now operate quicker and make more discoveries with the data solutions of Tempus.
Industry: Logistics
Flexport aims to make global trade easier through its platform for supply chain management. The company brings together technology and analytics, logistics infrastructure and hands-on supply chain expertise.
Industry: Software
Motorola Solutions creates communication solutions and technology designed to create safer communities and cities. From body-worn cameras and two-way radio systems to command center software and access control solutions, the company keeps businesses and first responders connected to crucial information.
Industry: Financial services, real estate
From businesses to individuals, Wintrust Financial Corporation is giving people the resources to forge a path toward financial security. The financial services company offers a range of solutions, including checking accounts, savings accounts, and loan options. Customers can also enjoy a faster experience through online and mobile banking. Check deposits, debit card controls and digital transactions are all easily accessible with the technology of Wintrust Financial Corporation.
Industries: Digital media, marketing tech
Epsilon is a marketing company that does more than just offer advice, carrying out strategies with cutting-edge technology. When teams partner with Epsilon, they gain access to comprehensive data on consumer transactions. Marketers can then determine how to wield the Epsilon PeopleCloud platform, which allows businesses to connect with consumers through their preferred channels. As a result, teams can tailor their marketing journeys to the unique needs of potential customers.
Industry: Software
Caxy provides organizations in industries like higher education, nonprofit, fintech and manufacturing with software consulting and development services. It emphasizes user-centered design in its building technologies. The company assesses where its client stands and crafts a strategy for the user’s specific needs.
Industry: Cloud
SMS Assist provides property management solutions that simplify maintenance services for residential and commercial properties. The proprietary software is utilized across more than 140,000 client locations and a network of more than 20,000 subcontractors.