This is our round up of Chicago tech and startup companies that received venture capital investments during the month of November. If we missed one, let us know at info@chicagoinno.com.
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Chicago tech and startup companies raised at least $56 million in venture capital throughout the month of November, a sharp drop from October, according to data compiled by Chicago Inno.
The Windy City saw its largest funding rounds of the year in October, when Chicago tech and startups raised more than $405 million. The month was led by $100 million rounds raised by local cannabis companies Cresco Labs and Verano Holdings.
The largest funding rounds throughout November, however, came from Cameo, which raised $12.5 million, and Tock, which raised $9.5 million.
Below are nine Chicago tech and startup companies that raised money in November.
Cameo: The app, which lets you buy video shout-out messages from celebrities, closed a $12.5 million Series A round led by Silicon Valley firm Lightspeed Venture Partners. Other backers include Pritzker Group Venture Capital and Bedrock, along with existing investors, such as Chicago Ventures, Starting Line, Origin Ventures and LinkedIn CEO Jeff Weiner. Cameo previously raised a $3.2 million round in February, according to an SEC filing.
FLEx Lighting: The tech company, which creates low-power LED lighting for display screens, raised $9 million in a Series B funding round led by the Energy Foundry, with participation from SABIC Ventures and Bascom Ventures. In 2014, FLEx Lighting raised a $5.5 million Series A round, and now has more than $18 million in total funding.
Jiobit: The Chicago-based startup making wearable GPS trackers for children and pets raised $6.5 million in a financing round that included California-based NETGEAR, MATH Venture Partners and Techstars Ventures. Other investors include Wakestream Ventures, Sandalphon Capital and Uber Executive Lior Ron. This latest funding brings Jiobit’s total funding to $11 million.
Jiobit says it will use the new money for sales and marketing initiatives, and to hire more software engineers.
Nubundle: The Chicago startup, which makes family planning support and insurance available as an employee benefit, raised $1.5 million in a seed round led by Chicago VC firm Lightbank. Aside from Eric Lefkofsky and Brad Keywell’s firm Lightbank, the startup also raised money from NFP Ventures, the investment arm of insurance broker NFP, as well as San Francisco-based Village Global.
Opternative: The eye care tech company raised $9 million in a round led by Trust Ventures, a new, Austin-based VC firm, and Koch Industries, which invests in and supports startups facing regulatory challenges. Additionally, Chicago VC firms Pritzker Group Venture Capital and Jump Capital participated in the funding round. This latest financing brings Opternative’s total funding to more than $18 million.
ParkWhiz: The Chicago parking startup picked up an additional $5 million in venture capital funding in November to add to its $20 million Series D round that it received in September. The additional financing this month was given to ParkWhiz by Amazon’s Alexa Fund, Alate Partners, Chaifetz Group and Purple Arch Ventures. The startup has now raised more than $60 million since it launched in 2007.
ShoppingGives: The startup that turns e-commerce checkouts into microgiving platforms by letting shoppers easily donate to charity while they’re shopping raised a $1.2 million seed round led by Nasrin Thierer, a Motorola vet and Chicago tech investor.
The Minte: The local startup, which aims to bring hotel-style cleanings to apartment buildings, raised $2.25 million in a round led by Dundee Venture Capital, with participation from MATH Venture Partners, Revolution’s Rise of the Rest Seed Fund, Firebrand Ventures and Blue Notes Ventures. The startup has now raised $4.7 million to date.
Tock: The restaurant reservation startup raised $9.5 million in a round led by Chicago investors Valor Equity Partners and Origin Ventures. Tock has now raised more than $17 million since launching in 2014. Other investors in the round include Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises, Pritzker Group Venture Capital and others.
