Related: Best Startups to Work for in Chicago

Whoa, all your kinetic energy is turning me on! ...said your cell phone. Sorry, we’re not hitting on you - but we are introducing you to AMPY, a product that puts your daily motion in charge. The device (which was 300% funded in it’s KickStarter campaign) generates “smart power” that charges phones and/or wearables that connect to USB devices. Don’t plan on moving much? AMPY can also be charged off your body as a backup battery. Another bonus is product’s app - see how much wattage you generated and calories you burned each week. Strap it anywhere on your body and get that power pumping. Ready to get AMPY? Ready to get AMPY? Pre order today





Need a website or app developed? AppDevy is a great place to start. The company is made up by creatives with flexible processes that go beyond web and mobile development - they really step in and help you define your brand and create strategy around your online efforts. AppDevy takes on limited clients at a time - a strong indication of dedication to their projects. The company recently built the website for West Loop restauresident, TÊTE Charcuterie - which looks as delicious as the menu sounds.

Blitsy View Profile Follow Blitsy is an online marketplace where creative crafters can buy their supplies - at up to 70% off. What Blitsy realized was that “big box” retailers had knit up the majority of the market and wanted to give people a thriftier outlet to source their supplies. Along with building a mobile and ecommerce platform, Blitsy is creating a strong community of people who knit, weave, sew, hot glue, mâché among other crafty activities.

Bolstr is a marketplace where vetted, revenue-generating small businesses meet investors - in a more deliberate and tactical way than, say, Kickstarter. Once approved, a company is sifted into Bolstr’s marketplace. This company can be anything from a local lollipop shop, vintage clothing store or microbrewery. Investors scan the marketplace and select the company they want to fund. From there, the business shares a percentage of gross revenue each month until the predetermined “Investment Multiple” has been met. Companies have found great success - some have even met their funding goals within 24-hours. Tech-driven, this really is “The New Face of Small Business”.





Charlie was one of the most exciting apps to come out of Chicago in 2014. Consider it a personal assistant in your pocket - and not in the way that gets you into trouble with HR. Before a big first meeting, notify Charlie and get a brief on the person you’ll be speaking with. Find out what makes them tick, where they went to college, what they like to drink, past companies they’ve invested in and whatever else Google can dig up. Along with Google, Charlie combs through search collects information from an average 57 searches on that person. Charlie syncs up with your Google Calendar and will soon be locking lips with Outlook.

Recent Milestone: In the fall of 2014 Charlie closed $1.75 million in funding from Lightbank, Hydepark Ventures and others.





DRYV is an on-demand dry cleaning service as flexible as those yoga pants you never end up working out in. The app-based service allows a user to request a pickup when and where it’s most convenient to them. When done, the user is notified via text and then schedule the drop off -wherever they want it. DRYV is opening up to partnerships with local businesses and apartment complexes - giving those establishments the opportunity to provide another amenity to those working and living under them. Additionally, they offer eco-friendly drycleaning and cashless transactions making them the perfect fit for the modern millennial.

Built In Special: Download the DRYV app from the AppStore or DRYV.com and use promo code BUILT for $20 off your first order.





Think of Everyauto as GPS for finding your dream car. The company has a rev’d up database of new and used cars all funneled into simple, easy-to-navigate web and mobile applications. Founded in August 2014, Everyauto has managed to integrate almost all components of the car-buying process into their platform - they give assistance with financing, unbiased reviews, and are active across the country.





Earshot captures location-based and real-time social media insights about consumers and provides that information to brands that want to take a smarter approach to reaching their audience. Say for instance, you’re a new brewery in West Town. Within earshot, there are tons of restaurants and bars full of potential new customers. Using Earshot, the brewery can collect data from platforms like Instagram and Twitter and use it for future marketing and outreach initiatives. The ultimate goal of a campaign run through Earshot is to achieve a balance of “reach and relevance”. Earshot has gotten quite a few big players to listen up too - including Spotify, Honda and IBM.

FoxTrot puts a new step in getting fast-food (and booze). The company is an on-demand delivery system with pre-selected items and packages for users to order. A particularly interesting feature is the FoxTrot “Collections” - a grouping of complementary items that go together for brunch or a boozy happy hour. Scanning their site, it’s nice to see local vendors like Koval, Intelligensia and Lillie’s Q. Another plus: they guarantee delivery within one-hour of tapping “Order” in the app.

Milestone: From digital to doorstep, FoxTrot recently opened a store in Lincoln Park.





GeoFeedia is a social media intelligence platform that works with journalists, marketers and law enforcement to capture and analyze social media content, real-time, from an location in the world. Say, for instance, someone got mugged outside of the Merchandise Mart. Police could utilize GeoFeedia to track all social media posts (Facebook check-ins, Instagram photos) and use that data to help track down the perp. In another light, news organizations like CNN can plug into posts around protests or rallies and pull live-photos to help their story.

Recent Milestone: In October of 2014 GeoFeedia raised $3.5million in Series A funding.







Whether you like or hate to cook, KitchIn is a great aid and resource for, well obviously your kitchen. Take a photo of your grocery receipt, upload it to their app and watch your digital pantry fill up. The app keeps track what food you have, when it’s expiring and even offers meal suggestions based on your current roster of food. Missing that sprig of thyme for your roasted chicken breast? Fear not, KitchIn will direct you to the closest grocery store.

Lyteshot is a mobile gaming platform that’s sensor-based and ready to ignite your imagination. The company, which was launched by gaming industry-veterans Mark Ladd and Tom Ketola, is a hardware, software and platform-based company designed to work in the three-dimensional world. A top highlight is Lyteshot’s high tech spin on lazer tagging. The company recently introduced the package which comes with a Lyter (the gun) a LytePick (the receiver) and an open-source software development kit (where, if you happen to have a 3D printer handy, you can print the guns and receivers for yourself. Boom.)

Interested in taking some extra steps to learn about topics like parenting, entrepreneurship or snowboarding? Then take a look at MentorMob - a website that enables people to build “learning playlists” that are produced by top vetted mentors across all learning areas. MentorMob highly social - it gives user the ability to create communities and track their learning progress. And it’s mobile - the company released a Parenting Guide app that features lessons like “Saving money with a baby” and “What other mothers forgot in their registry”. Another benefit to fostering your digital literacy? It’s free.





PrettyQuick is for the urban-working woman, pressed for time but not enough so to sacrifice her beauty needs. Within the app, you can discover new salons and book appointments for pedicures, blowouts, hair removal and more. In an Uber-kind of way, all transactions are cashless and tip is factored in - putting the user at ease from reaching into their purse and smudging those perfectly manicured hands. In the fall of 2014, the company raised $1million in seed funding and is using that money to expand their reach here in Chicago, D.C., Miami and other markets where the working woman rules.

Recent Milestone: PrettyQuick launched a Beauty VIP beta rewards program that gives frequent users 20% off services Sunday through Wednesday.





Public Good Software is potentially the most positive marketplace on earth. The company makes it easy for people to discover and make donations to local organizations that truly matter to them. On the flipside, it gives non profit organizations like Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metropolitan Chicago, Feeding Illinois and Growing Home Inc. a digital platform to spread their message and open up new lines of communication and donations. Public Good Software is an effort led by two of Chicago’s most successful startup veterans, Jason Kunesh and Dan Ratner, who helped found leading online marketplaces like Orbitz, The Point (later Groupon) and Sittercity.com.

Recent Milestone: Already this year, Public Good Software has raised $1.6 million in seed funding from a list of star investors: Chicago’s Hyde Park Angels, Firestarter Fund, founder of WordPress Matt Mullenweg, founder of OpenTable Chuck Templeton, and Mike Sands, CEO of Signal.





Quxsi exists to get you the best fare on your next cab ride. It was born as a result of Uber’s “Surge Pricing” - you know, when a notification pops up that the ride will be 2.5X more and you have no idea what that actually means. In real-time, Quxsi calculates the UberX fare vs. that of a normal taxi and steers you into the cheapest route.

Bonus Feature: The app is connected to your Uber App - if the fare right, simply tap the “UberX” on the screen and it opens up automatically.





Rentulations is a landlord’s dream come true. All within the platform, a landlord can screen, accept monthly payments, set up meetings and create digital leases. Rentulations connects with popular apartment-finding applications like Zillow, Padmapper and CraigsList - making everything as central as that in-unit air conditioner you installed last summer. On Regulations, managing one unit is free and has pricing all the way up to 30+ units - or “Mougel” status - which is $99/month.





Are you someone who monitors products online like a hawk - just waiting for that pair of shoes to go on sale or for it’s host website to run a 25% off promotion? With Resultly, you don’t need to waste time checking back and back...and back (and back). Think of the app as a personal shopper in your pocket. Resultly aggregates products from over 200,000 retailers and boasts over 55 million products. It also brings in top bloggers and fashion-thinkers, known as “Influencers”, to help buyers get inspiration and discover products they'll like. In addition, Resulty has partner stores like Adidas, Ann Taylor and American Apparel - ensuring you get notified when your favorite retailer runs that sale.

Fun Fact: Shark Tank’s Damond John is an investor in Resulty.





Want to control your news? Rivet News Radio is on the scene. They give users the opportunity to stream the local, national and international news that matters to them most and make smart suggestions based off of previous choices. Just this past January, Rivet announced a partnership with American Public Media, the second largest producer of public radio in the country, which will give users access to award-winning shows like Marketplace and The Dinner Party Download.





Any interest in having your new big screen television moved by a bike? Schlep is on it. The company is essentially a P2P company - connecting people who need something moved with people (certified, of course) ready and willing to help. Costs generally range from $50 to $150 and are generated from an algorithm that includes factors like weight and distance. Schlepers keep 80% of the price and the remaining 20% goes back to the company.





Scout is a sleek home security system that makes your home or apartment safer - and look cooler. The company found out that 17% of the country utilizes a home security system but an overwhelming majority are dissatisfied with their provider. So, they combined the most updated sensor technology with modern design and invented a home security system that comes in the form of a door panel, access sensor, motion sensor and even HD camera. Scout sends you text alerts if a door is open or it detects unsolicited motion - day or night. Another top feature - they don’t make you sign up for long-term contracts.

Good to know: Scout is just as great for the urban-renter as it is the home owner.





Silver Chalice - which considers itself “no ordinary startup” - is a company that helps sports teams with media production, distribution and monetization. Backed by the Chicago White Sox, Silver Chalice offers a range of services that all come down to helping industry players create strategic digital campaigns ranging from mobile to programming to video and sales. In 2014 they announced the “120 Sports” network - a first-of-it’s-kind live-streaming service that helps transitions traditional TV viewership onto devices new audiences value the most. Through that network, they offer video on demand and social networking engagement led by a number of hosts.





Make your merchandise interactive with Tangilbee. The TechStars alum has created a solution for retailers that allows a shopper to measure and really visualize a product on the web. Interested in a pair of earrings? On their platform, a viewer can measure it with a ruler and even compare it to familiar items like a nail polish bottle or Apple USB plug. The results? Happy customer and even happier vendors. Tangilbee is proven to increase conversion rates, lift order values and create more interactive user experiences.





Tempo IQ has made it possible to start monitoring sensors with just three lines of code. The backend software allows companies to stream sensor data, create flexible monitoring parameters and push alerts to users. Built through the cloud, Tempo IQ was designed with predictive performance - so as you scale, so will the system automatically. Tempo IQ’s service fits well into the rapidly growing wearable industry too - companies operating within this industry can easily connect the product to Tempo IQ’s code, expanding the possibilities of realtime alerts for users.





There are two things in life we can count on: death and taxes. So why not try to save as much money as you can on those taxes to put back into living the life you want? Enter TurboAppeal - the first to market, patent-pending technology solution that helps you appeal your property taxes. There is no charge if your appeal doesn’t go through and if it does, you pay a percentage of your savings. TurboAppeal launched in Cook County and plans to expand nationwide within the next five years.





WeDeliver runs on a two way street: they work with with both businesses and people to enable safe, quick deliveries from a store to your door. The company launched it’s app - WeDeliver Locally - which enables people to order anything from shoes at Wicker Park’s CitySoles to Belgian Bread from the city’s northside. Startup Weekend Winner and TechStars Alumni, WeDeliver been in the drivers seat of Chicago’s mobile commerce market since 2013.





“Be Smarter. Buy Better.” This is a mantra of Zest Health a healthcare startup that puts the consumer first when it comes to all things medical. Top features of their platform (both in API and mobile app form) are appointment scheduling, clarity around benefits of insurance plans and a 24/7 “Nurse Concierge”. And then there’s the “Zest Shopping Marketplace” - a place where they’ve negotiated rates on everything from an x-ray to x-press acupuncture to ensure members get the lowest market-price for their services.

Did you know that it rains metal on Venus? Or that no matter what height an ant falls from, it will almost always survive? Neither did we, until we spent about thirteen-seconds on curiosity.com, a website that aggregates and organizes the most interesting content from around the web. Curiosity features videos, articles, talks, memes and more that are rich in information and quality. The company, which encourages visitors to “Never stop learning”, raised $6 million in Series A last fall.

Related: Best Startups to Work for in Chicago