These Tech Companies Opened Headquarters in Chicago in 2022
As one of the largest cities in the Midwest, Chicago serves as the region’s innovation and tech hub. The city is also the best place to launch a startup, according to VC firm M25’s 2022 Best of the Midwest: Startup City Rankings list.
Historically, startups based in larger cities like New York City or San Francisco were more successful raising capital and finding talent; however, the rise of remote work has bucked that trend and led more tech companies to Chicago.
Here are some of the tech companies that relocated to Chicago or opened new headquarters in the city this year. This article will be updated as more startups move to the Windy City.
Tech Companies With New Headquarters in Chicago in 2022
- Clever Carnivore Crafty
- Crafty
- FTX US
- Halo Investing
- Hazel Technologies
- In Mind Cloud
- Next Gen Foods
- Schafer Condon Carter
- SHOWRUNNER
- Stacked
Advertising company Schafer Condon Carter announced plans in November to move into a 15,000-square-foot office in Fulton Market. With the move, the company will occupy the same building as many enterprise companies including Coca-Cola and Bissell, according to the Chicago Business Journal.
Food and beverage provider Crafty relocated from Chicago’s West Loop to a new building in the Loop. The new space, which features quiet stations, mother’s rooms and gender-neutral bathrooms, is larger than its last location and more hospitable for its employees, according to the company. Crafty partners with employers to provide pantry services for their offices and for remote workers.
Next Gen Foods, a Singapore-based company, announced in September it will open its U.S. HQ in Chicago and launch a research and development program in the city. Next Gen Foods is the parent company of Tindle, which makes plant-based chicken products for retail sale and restaurant use. The company’s move came after it saw an uptick in the popularity of its products among Chicago restaurants earlier this year.
Previously headquartered in Chicago, Clever Carnivore announced in August the opening of its new HQ in Chicago’s Lincoln Park neighborhood as the company looks to ramp up production of its meat products. The foodtech startup uses cow, pig or chicken tissue and bioengineering to create meat in a process similar to alcohol fermentation. The company’s new 4,179-square-foot HQ is located near several universities and what Clever Carnivore calls “Chicago’s academic epicenter.”
Stacked is a cryptocurrency platform that provides automated tools and guidance for people to implement investing strategies. In the spring, the company subleased an 8,000-square-foot office. According to the Chicago Business Journal, Stacked expects to grow its employee headcount by 70 percent.
FTX, previously one of the largest crypto exchanges, opened its U.S. headquarters in Chicago in May. The company operates out of the Carridan Island of Nassau. With its Chicago headquarters, the company occupied a 9,000-square-foot office in West Loop to house its 70 local employees. Along with the new HQ, FTS US also launched a supplemental income program that provided 100 Chicago residents with a $500 monthly stipend.
In early May, SHOWRUNNER moved its headquarters from New York City to Chicago. The company recently emerged from stealth and said its software is useful for independent filmmakers producing movies without the need for blockbuster producers, crews or big budgets. SHOWRUNNER considered moving to several other cities before deciding on Chicago. The Windy City was selected due to the bevy of independent filmmakers in the city, according to the company.
Hazel Technologies moved into a new headquarters located in Fulton Market in April. The company’s new space takes up two floors and totals 54,000 square feet. Hazel Technologies develops packaging for food that releases anti-fungal vapor and is meant to increase a product’s shelf life.
Halo Investing is an investment platform that enables users to purchase structured notes. In March, the company opened a new larger HQ in Chicago to accommodate its growing team. Halo Investing said in March it planned to hire 100 new employees for the new space.
Based in Munich and Singapore, SaaS e-commerce platform In Mind Cloud launched its U.S. headquarters in the Windy City back in March. The company’s software helps manufacturers create product pages for their products and enables clients to purchase directly from the manufacturer’s website instead of relying on third-party sites.
