VSCO, a popular photo editing app that's reportedly valued at $550 million, is opening an office in Chicago.
The startup announced this week that it plans to open a Chicago outpost this fall at the Working From, a co-working space inside The Hoxton hotel in the West Loop. The Chicago office will start with a handful of employees and plans to grow to 20 over the next 12 months.
The Windy City space will be VSCO's second office outside of its headquarters in Oakland, where it currently employs 150 people.
Founded in 2011, VSCO has created a photography mobile app that allows users to edit images with different filters and other tools. Even if you're not familiar with the app, you've probably come across a VSCO image on Instagram, as more than 200 million Instagram posts have been tagged with the hashtag #vscocam.
The startup has raised $90 million in total venture funding to date, and its backers include Accel, Glynn Capital Management and Obvious Ventures.
"With a strong talent pool, a city-wide appreciation for the arts, and a diverse mix of cultures and points of view, Chicago was an easy choice," VSCO’s VP of People Katy Shields wrote in a company blog post.
VSCO has grown quickly, doubling its revenue in 2018 to $50 million. It's been downloaded more than 150 million times on Android and iOS.
The company said it will be hiring in Chicago across "all disciplines," and its current local job openings include director of engineering, senior product manager and technical recruiter.
