Top Illinois Social Impact Startups (81)

Over the last 15 years, we’ve grown from a startup to a market-leading organization with over 150 team members, and we’ve created an award-winning culture that makes this company an amazing place to work. We've been ranked on multiple best places to work lists including the 2026 BuiltIn Chicago rankings.

Pangea is a digital money transfer platform that makes sending money abroad simple, reliable, and cost-effective. Founded in 2012 and based in Chicago, we’ve helped millions of people send money securely and efficiently, empowering financial freedom across borders. We serve a global customer base with a mobile-first platform that offers low fees, competitive exchange rates, and fast*, secure delivery. Our work...

Motion is an independent creative agency that builds the brands of tomorrow by uncovering the cultural truths of today. With creative, content, public relations and branding at our core, Motion is filled wall-to-wall with curious thinkers, problem solvers and strategic storytellers, partnering and building relationships with brands to create what makes them truly move. For more information, visit www.agencyinmotion.com.

The Winfield Park District exists to maintain and enhance the quality of life for its citizens by providing year-round recreation, education, and leisure opportunities. It specializes in recreational facilities and services.

Double Good is a company built on creating joy and helping others. By reimagining product-based virtual fundraising, we help expand organizations' missions by giving back 50% of every dollar sold. We make ultra-premium popcorn sold through our simple-to-use software. We've helped raise over $200 million to support organizations nationwide that tilt the playing field for all kids. Double Good is not...

Planned Parenthood Great Rivers is a patient-focused health care organization that provides, protects, and supports sexual and reproductive health services, access, and rights. It serves as a leading provider, educator, and protector of reproductive health care in the St. Louis region, Missouri Ozarks, and beyond, offering high-quality, convenient health care for all genders with or without insurance.

STEAMe's digital and data platform powers workforce development pathways to employment, connects system partners, simplifies workflows, and helps get the right person, to the right training, and the right job, so people and communities can flourish.

The Environmental Law & Policy Center is the Midwest's leading environmental legal advocacy organization that combines public interest litigation with policy advocacy to protect natural resources, advance climate solutions, and promote environmental justice.

Flowers for Dreams is the artisan flower service. Made to order and crafted locally, all bouquets start at just $35 with free hand delivery in Chicago & to Milwaukee. Every purchase benefits an amazing local charity. Named one of Business Insider's 20 Most Inspiring Companies in America.

Amp Americas owns and operates one of the largest carbon negative fuels producing portfolios in the U.S. Amp makes ultra-low carbon intensity renewable natural gas (RNG) from dairy waste at 7 facilities in 3 states processing manure from over 100,000 cows. Amp operates three business units: Amp Americas Development, Amp Americas Services, and Amp Americas RNG Marketing. Amp’s dairy RNG...

WINGS Program, Inc. is Chicagoland's largest anti-domestic violence agency, providing housing, integrated services, education, and advocacy to end domestic violence for men, women, and children.

To enrich the community through recreational opportunities and open spaces that sustain the natural environment.

The Cove School provides a highly individualized education and life strategies for children with complex learning disabilities.

Founded in 2009, TeamSnap is the #1 platform for organizing youth, recreational, and competitive sports activities. Over 25 million users use TeamSnap’s web and smartphone apps to sign up, schedule, communicate and coordinate everything for the team, the club, and the season. TeamSnap makes organizing as simple as click, tap, and go.

Crossing Healthcare is a federally qualified health center and non-profit organization providing primary outpatient healthcare services, including treatment for common illnesses, injuries, mental health, and substance use disorders, to the community.

Chicago Shakespeare Theater is a leading international theater company dedicated to the works of Shakespeare, producing a year-round season of plays, musicals, and world premieres, alongside extensive education and community engagement programs. It is a Regional Tony Award recipient.

The GreenLight Fund works at the intersection of community need and social innovation. GreenLight helps open opportunities for children, youth and families experiencing poverty by engaging deeply with the community and running a consistent annual process to: elevate priority issues not yet being addressed; invest in innovative, proven programs that have a significant, measurable social impact; and galvanize local support...

Not every candidate is a top performer—and neither is every hiring assessment provider. Wonderlic’s mission is to help HR professionals identify top applicants and predict on-the-job performance by providing them with the most trusted, scientifically validated assessments on the market. Since the company was founded in 1937, more than 200 million Wonderlic assessments have been administered to job candidates. Our...

HowToFund (HTF), previously known as HowDoWe, is a SaaS company that helps schools and nonprofits maximize their fundraising efforts. We build free donation pages that match the look of the organization's website, helping them to raise money for their fundraisers, track incoming donations, automatically send receipts and thank you's, and much more.

Thought Collection Publishing is an independent publisher supporting social change through publishing literary and visual artists in our nonfiction publications. Our publications are a collection of stories and art depicting expressions of our lives, a collaboration of those that want to explore the world and expand their life perspectives and w