Giddy anticipation for the holidays, renewed optimism for the new year and the invigorating bite of cold weather — there’s a certain magic in the Chicago winter air.
As Millennium Park is adorned with twinkling lights and Pilsen Yards fills with gathering friends, Chicago’s tech scene creates its own winter wonderland. Built In Chicago has curated a list of eight noteworthy companies gearing up for a flurry of growth.
These Chicago companies bring good to the world in their own ways, but all eight have put time and effort into their people-first benefits — and each one has its eyes on a stellar 2024. Grab a toasty mug of hot toddy and learn more about what Chicago’s tech winter wonderland has to offer.
Featured companies
What ActiveCampaign does: ActiveCampaign specializes in email marketing, marketing automation and sales automation, offering intelligence-driven services to help businesses connect with customers.
The Perks
- Generous 401(k) employer match
- One-on-one mentorship through the Aspiring Leadership program
- Seven employee resource groups
Shared goals: ActiveCampaign prioritizes team collaboration and customer impact. Engineering Manager Alexandra Bloch emphasized this commitment to fostering a unified and mission-oriented work environment. “I had a fantastic team of supportive individuals who showed up every day with the same goal in mind: to make a positive impact on our customers’ lives by providing a stellar application that was easy to use and incredibly informative,” said Bloch in a 2023 interview with Built In Chicago.
What Home Chef does: Home Chef is a subscription-based meal kit delivery service offering pre-portioned ingredients and recipes for home cooking.
The Perks
- Pay transparency
- Generous PTO and floating holidays
- Mean gender pay gap below 10 percent
Prioritizing DEI: Home Chef is focused on promoting gender equality and diversity in the workplace. “In addition to equitable compensation practices and benefits specifically supporting women, we have a dedicated DEI team and internal employee resource groups that support women and underrepresented communities, with the goal of building connection and inclusion,” said Chief Technology Officer Katie Bevier in a Built In Chicago interview.
What RedShelf does: RedShelf is an EdTech company focused on helping publishers, schools and businesses transition to more affordable and efficient digital textbooks and course materials.
The Perks
- Continuing education stipend and tuition reimbursement
- Generous parental leave
- Dedicated diversity and inclusion staff
Award-winning services: In June, RedShelf was honored with the Global EdTech Award for Best Established EdTech Company, recognized for its significant impact on student learning, accessibility and cost. The accolade acknowledges RedShelf’s compelling and academically credible approach and coincides with the launch of RedShelf Manager version 2 and the release of their acclaimed version 7 eReader, both enhancing digital material delivery on campuses.
What Locusview does: Locusview offers a digital infrastructure construction platform that manages the entire construction process, from planning to revenue for utility companies.
The Perks
- Home-office stipend for remote employees
- Highly diverse management teams
- Flexible work schedule
Company culture: Working at Locusview is all about positivity, purpose and ownership. Team members like Karin and Maya highlighted the company’s welcoming atmosphere and commitment to making the world a better place in their Built In reviews. With a work-hard-play-hard mentality, regular team-building events and a focus on personal growth, Locusview offers an inclusive work environment where everyone contributes to the company's success.
What Bringg does: Bringg is a delivery management platform that helps businesses manage and unify their last-mile delivery operations globally.
The Perks
- Customized development tracks
- Wellness programs and mental health benefits
- Paid volunteer time
Clarity in vision: Bringg is advancing the e-commerce sector by optimizing its delivery logistics solution. In a recent interview with Built In Chicago, Chief Technology Officer Ryan Leigh emphasized their strategic vision: “We focus on the ‘why.’ Everything we do between now and then is to help achieve those long-term goals, which includes the work we did to make the platform modular and removing risk from the projects we deliver.”
What Crafty does: Crafty is a food and drink company that assists offices in crafting better workplaces through centralized management of food, beverage, events and alcohol.
The Perks
- Documented equal pay policy
- Paid industry certifications
- Company equity and performance bonuses
Company growth: Crafty is gearing up for significant growth in the hybrid work era, as highlighted in Built In Chicago, a move in line with Crafty’s development of a centralized platform for decentralized teams. CEO and Co-Founder Nate Rosenstock remarked, “The future of work is always top of mind for our team. As the figurative space between the employee and the employer increases, we must build connections — both physical and digital — to foster a sense of community within companies.”
What tastytrade does: Tastytrade is a financial media company providing trade and finance-related edutainment content, focusing on options trading and the stock market.
The Perks
- Employee stock purchase plan
- Paid volunteer time
- Pet insurance covers up to 90 percent of out-of-pocket expenses
Championing women: The company is dedicated to advancing women’s careers in a traditionally male-dominated field. In a 2023 interview with Built In Chicago, Project Manager Maggie Pinkawa noted, “IG North America and tastytrade have a penchant for disrupting business as usual for the better. In the finance world, that means amplifying the voices of women. We employ a higher percentage of women than other firms in the industry and we have a continuing commitment to grow the diversity of our team.”
What Tovala does: Tovala is a food-tech company offering a meal service paired with a countertop smart oven, aiming to reinvent home cooking and save time.
The Perks
- Generous parental leave with a return-to-work program
- Continuing education available during work hours
- Unlimited vacation policy
Innovative tech: Home and Gardens recently named Tovala the best toaster oven for smart features, distinguishing it from typical toaster ovens with its unique capabilities, highlighting its diverse range of oven-ready meals, restaurant-quality taste and ease of preparation through the app’s automated temperature and timer controls. It noted that the oven also excels in standard cooking functions and is compatible with popular food brands, making it a versatile and space-efficient choice.
