These 7 Local Companies Are Ones to Watch This Fall

Golden leaves, crisp air and doorsteps adorned with pumpkins; these are just a few of the signs that autumn has arrived in Chicago. 

At this time of year, change seems to be everywhere — even in the tech industry. Local businesses are making strides across a wide range of sectors, from fintech to edtech, while ensuring employees have the support and resources they need to drive progress. 

At BigTime Software, team members are focused on optimizing operations for professional services firms while finding time to connect through the company’s various employee resource groups. Meanwhile, Elevate K-12 is staying busy supporting educators with its live-learning platform while providing its people with perks that support their overall well-being, such as unlimited PTO and mental health benefits. 

So before you take a stroll around Lincoln Park with a pumpkin latte from Colectivo Coffee in hand, see what makes these seven organizations ones to watch in Chicago this fall. 

 

OCC calls itself “the foundation for secure markets,” offering risk management, clearing and settlement services for various products, including standard options and futures contracts. 

A New Era: Last year, team members at OCC caught up with Built In Chicago to discuss the organization’s transition to cloud-based architecture; a move that Executive Principal of Cloud Architecture Candice Schmidt considers essential for weathering market fluctuations. “The cloud lets us make changes in capacity and technology to accommodate performance even more quickly,” she said.

 

One of 12 regional reserve banks in the United States, the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago conducts economic research, bank supervision, community outreach and education and central bank services. 

The Future of Women in Tech: Last year, Assistant VP of Business Analytics and Finance Trisha Hunt caught up with Built In Chicago to describe her experience leading the organization’s Women in Tech internal employee group, which fosters community among women and their allies. “We break down barriers through meaningful discussions, creating a conduit for psychological safety and a space for women to be themselves and excel,” she said. 

 

ABN AMRO Clearing USA LLC is a global clearing firm that offers various financial services to traders, including securities clearing, settlements and energy and commodities trading. 

A Fresh Perspective: In an interview with Built In Chicago, Chief Human Resources Officer Jodi Coplan discussed her decision to join the organization earlier this year and her first impressions of the company so far. “After a few short weeks with the company, I am already impressed by how much the HR team has accomplished,” she said. “We have a great management team in place that is open to new ideas and innovation.”

 

BigTime Software’s operating system helps professional services firms with time and expense tracking, project management, invoicing and payments and more. 

Inclusion Meets Connection: Earlier this year, Built In Chicago caught up with BigTime Software team members to discuss the company’s employee resource groups, which enable team members to build friendships and broaden their perspectives. “Our ERGs have helped us to stay connected and promote our authentic selves at work,” said Director of People Lauren Hill. “It’s been awesome to watch our employees share their cultures and experiences and just build deeper personal connections with each other.”

 

Widely known for its iconic green tractor, John Deere manufactures a broad range of agricultural and industrial products, many of which are powered by AI and other technologies. 

Invested in Security: Several John Deere team members spoke with Built In Chicago earlier this year to discuss the organization’s cybersecurity strategy, which involves educating employees and instilling a security mindset into the product development process. “Our adversaries are only getting faster, better and stronger,” said Megan Wheelock, business information security officer and director of enterprise governance risk and compliance. “We must be invested in lifelong learning in order to remain vigilant.”

 

Adage Technologies designs and develops web solutions for nonprofits, museums, manufacturers and other organizations. 

Outcome Comes First: Earlier this year, Adage Technologies Associate UX/UI Design Director Amy Tolle caught up with Built In to describe the impact of embracing an outcome-oriented mindset. “By staying outcome-oriented, we ideate and design inside a feedback loop that requires us to confirm that our designs are not just visually exciting, but impact outcomes through user behavior in measurable ways,” she said.

 

Elevate K-12’s platform enables educators to deliver live instruction virtually for students ranging from kindergarten to twelfth grade. 

A Refined Approach: Elevate K-12 Strategic Growth Manager Michele Charles caught up with Built In Chicago last year to share her approach to sales pipeline management. “When managing my pipeline, I rely heavily on planning backwards,” she said. “I take a look at where I need to end up and then map backwards based on what deals are in play and how risky those deals may be.”