Illinois General Assembly seeks transparency around third-party data sharing
Stepping up to fill the void after the Trump administration’s rollback of internet privacy protections, the Illinois General Assembly has scheduled a committee hearing for new statewide privacy regulation on Thursday. Dubbed the Right to Know Act, the proposed legislation requires companies to disclose the consumer data they share with third parties. The act also requires companies to set up a toll-free number or email address that consumers can use to request the information. [Chicago Tribune]
Higi lands Series B from BlueCross BlueShield Venture Partners
Higi announced on Wednesday that it has raised a Series B investment from BlueCross BlueShield Venture Partners. The company also announced that it has acquired EveryMove, a Seattle-based health and wellness startup that lets employers offer incentives to promote healthy lifestyle choices. The terms surrounding the deal were not disclosed, but the round follows $40 million Series A raised in January 2016. [Built In Chicago]
UPshow lands $1.5M for social selfie platform
UPshow, a Chicago-based startup that lets bar patrons display their photos on a TV screen inside the venue, has raised a $1.5 million round of funding. Launched two years ago, UPshow has a presence in more than half a dozen cities across the country. The company has also grown from 10 employees to 25 in the past year, according to Crain’s. Chicago entrepreneurs Howard Tullman and Jai Shekhawat participated in the round, as did ComScore co-founder Gian Fulgoni. [Crain’s]
Healthbox now accepting applications for post-accelerator program
Healthbox just started accepting applications for its 2017 Healthbox Chicago Studio program. The five-day program, designed to foster collaboration among digital health startups, is free of charge and available to companies from across the country. The program does not take equity in exchange for participation, and is intended for companies with a product on the market or with market-ready prototypes. [Healthbox]
GiveForward has a new owner
On Wednesday, GiveForward announced that it has been acquired San Francisco’s YouCaring. Founded in 2008 by Ethan Austin and Desiree Vargas Wrigley, the crowdfunding platform focused specifically on helping people raise money for unexpected expenses like medical bills and emergency home repairs. Josh Chapman, who took over as GiveForward’s CEO in 2015, told the Chicago Tribune that the company has been in talks with YouCaring since last summer. [Chicago Tribune]
4C launches analytics platform for TV advertising
On Monday, Chicago adtech provider 4C announced the launch of a new suite of SaaS tools for planning, buying and impact measurement of TV advertising. The suite aims to provide TV ad buyers the kinds of insights they have come to expect from the world of digital marketing. “4C is uniquely positioned with the data sets, science, and workflow to help marketers operate in today’s multi-screen world with 4C TV allowing brands to effectively draw in their audiences,” said CEO Lance Neuhauser in a statement. [Press release]
Coding Dojo moves Chicago campus to accommodate growth
Coding Dojo, a Seattle-based programming education company, is expanding its Chicago campus to accommodate the growing demand for its program. The company, which opened its Chicago campus in the fall of 2016, expects to graduate 360 students in the upcoming year. Coding Dojo is also expanding its offerings to include free weeknight classes covering popular languages like HTML, JavaScript and Ruby. [Press release]
DesignHouse to host IoT event for CPS students
DesignHouse, a Chicago-based nonprofit that aims to promote local manufacturing innovation, is hosting an IoT workshop for students in the Chicago Public School system this weekend. Participants at the workshop will build an internet-connected light that can be controlled by using a Twitter hashtag. The event is hosted in partnership with Aeris (a Silicon Valley-based IoT technology provider that recently opened a major Chicago office), Indiegogo, and the newly opened mHUB innovation center. [Press release]
Placester lands $50M Series D
Placester, which builds marketing solutions for the real estate industry, landed a $50 million Series D on Friday. The Boston-based startup acquired HomeFinder last year and is currently in the process of expanding its Chicago-based engineering team. New Enterprise Associates led the round, which brings the company’s total funding to $100 million. [BostInno]
Images via listed companies and Shutterstock.
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