Chicago-area tech and startup companies had a strong start to 2018, collectively raising at least $175 million in venture capital funding, according to data compiled by Chicago Inno.
In December, local tech and startup funding topped $113 million. In 2017 overall, they raised nearly $1.6 billion.
Throughout January, three local companies led the month’s fundings, with NextCapital raising $30 million, Evive raising $43 million and VillageMD raising $80 million.
Here are eight Chicago tech and startup companies that raised money in January:
Bringg: The startup, which helps their customers digitize their supply chain to create more efficient delivery processes, raised $12 million, bringing its total Series B funding to $22 million. Investors in the round included Salesforce Ventures, automotive investor Shmuel Harlap and real estate and shipping magnate Eyal Ofer. The company says the new funding will help it expand its international presence. Bringg now has $31 million in total funding, according to Crunchbase.
ClostraBio: Founded by Cathryn Nagler, ClostraBio creates a drug that aims to prevent allergic reactions to food. It raised a $3.5 million seed round in December from investors like Morningstar Founder Joe Mansueto and the University of Chicago.
Evive: The local SaaS company that makes a benefits engagement platform raised $43 million in funding from Susquehanna Growth Equity, a Bala Cynwyd, Penn.-based venture capital firm. The funding is the first outside capital that Evive has received.
First Stop Health: The telemedicine provider raised $650,000 in a financing round led by the company's co-founders Patrick Spain and Mark Friedman. The startup now has more than $7.8 million in funding.
Inprentus: The Champaign, Ill.-based maker of X-ray and EUV diffraction gratings for radiation facilities raised a $2.5 million Series A round led by Flyover Capital, according to the Term Sheet newsletter. Serra Ventures also participated in the round.
NextCapital: The company raised $30 million in a Series C funding round, bringing its total funding to more than $52 million. NextCapital makes a software to help companies give digital financial advice to their clients, like portfolio tracking, planning, savings advice and other information. John Hancock, Russell Investments and TransAmerica are among those who use it.
Packback: The startup, which makes an artificial intelligence software for college courses, raised a $4.2 million Series A round of funding led by University Ventures and Mark Cuban, along with Wintrust Ventures and Wildcat Capital. The round includes the $1.5 million investment Packback announced last September from University Ventures.
VillageMD: The health care startup, which partners with primary care providers to help them cut costs and deliver better patient outcomes, raised $80 million in a funding round led by Athyrium Capital Management, a New York-based investor in healthcare companies. The company now has more than $116 million in total funding.
