Mark Smith
This article showcases our top picks for the best Illinois based Social companies. These startups and companies are taking a variety of approaches to innovating the Social industry, but are all exceptional companies well worth a follow.
We tried to pick companies across the size spectrum from cutting edge startups to established brands.
We selected these startups and companies for exceptional performance in one of these categories:
- Innovation
- Innovative ideas
- Innovative route to market
- Innovative product
- Growth
- Exceptional growth
- Exceptional growth strategy
- Management
- Societal impact
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Top Illinois Social Startups
Data sourced from Crunchbase and SemRush.
Zebra Technologies
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Zebra Technologies is a global leader in barcode printing and RTLS technology including printers, RFID, software and supplies.
Groupon
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Groupon is a deal-of-the-day website that offers discounted gift certificates usable at local or national companies.
Sprout Social
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Sprout Social provides a platform for businesses to manage social media engagement, publishing and analytics.
Five to Nine
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Five to Nine manages & evaluates virtual event programming so you can focus on building the employee experience.
Popular Pays
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Popular Pays is a platform that connects brands with creators who make content worth sharing.
4C Insights
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Scope by 4C™ is the leading self-service intelligence platform for marketers to drive business outcomes across closed ecosystems.
ShoppingGives
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ShoppingGives encourages consumers to make an impact through its change commerce technology.
Argonne National Laboratory
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Argonne National Laboratory conducts researches in basic science, energy resources, and environmental management.
tastytrade
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Tastytrade is a financial media company that offers trade and finance-related edutainment content for traders and investors.
Cameo
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Cameo is a marketplace where fans can book personalized video shoutouts from their favorite people.
Hunt Club
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Hunt Club is a new kind of talent company that leans on subject matter experts to find your next great hire.
Rise Interactive
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Rise Interactive is a full-service digital marketing agency, helping leading brands drive better business outcomes.
Basecamp
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Basecamp is a private, secure space online where people working together can organize and discuss.
Networked Insights
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Networked Insights provides analytics that enable companies to make data-driven marketing decisions and improve media efficiency.
Blinkfire Analytics
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Blinkfire Analytics uses artificial intelligence and computer vision to analyze multimedia resources and generate reports.
UpCity
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UpCity helps businesses find service providers they can trust.
Geofeedia
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Geofeedia is specializing in location-based social media monitoring, intelligence, and analysis for corporate security and more.
UpNext
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UpNext The Game of Music Discovery that maximizes exposure for new & emerging artists.
SIM Partners
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SIM Partners is a marketing businesses that focuses on improving communication with local markets.
Professional Diversity Network
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A best resource for meeting diversity recruitment goals.
RiseKit
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RiseKit connects un(der)employed job candidates to careers, training, and resources while providing analytics for employers and grantmakers.
TruePublic
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TruePublic is a crowd-sourced platform that allows users to ask questions, share honest opinions, and learn about the world around them.
Social Market Analytics
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Social Market Analytics quantifies social media data and provides actionable market intelligence primarily to financial market investors.
Cision
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Cision is a global media intelligence company that offers PR and social software as well as analytics.
Abe’s Market
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Abe’s Market is an online marketplace that provides natural product entrepreneurs with a platform to showcase their products.
PeopleVine
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PeopleVine was built for private clubs and member-based business looking to provide premier and elevated experiences for their members.
Future Founders
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Future Founders is a nonprofit that believes every youth can become an entrepreneur.
Sentic Technologies Inc
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Sentic is a Chicago-based startup that programmatically incorporates trends, inventory levels, and social activities into digital marketing.
Strike Social
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The global leader in AI for social advertising
Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority
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Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.® is an international service organization.
SportsLock
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First of its kind, real-time, short duration fantasy sports experience. Draft against friends, compete in brackets, survive and win cash!
PowerPublish
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PowerPublish is a virtual newsroom that leverages technology and content automation that turns modern brands into power publishers.
WeSolv
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WeSolv is a technical solution that engages diverse candidates in real business.
Tagkast
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Tagkast is a photo marketing platform to help event marketers increase social reach and capture consumer data
mRelief
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mRelief offers an online and SMS tool for low-income Americans to find out if they qualify for social services.
Ditto
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$1-A-Ditto across Brokerages & Exchanges Globally -A StatsBased IncomeDriven Platform Powering Decentralized PonziProof Investing
Earshot
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Earshot is a precision-based customer acquisition platform
elicit
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elicit develops onsite search software solutions for the internet, mobile devices, and social media.
Noirefy
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Noirefy is a web platform that connects diverse professionals to corporations using data and referrals.
Sivic
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A Chicago, IL-based maker of a ‘post function’ app.
Health As We Age, Inc.
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HAWA is Your Friend In Healthcare. Let us connect you to health & fitness providers, device and lab data, incentiv and well-being solutions.
Growth Geeks
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Growth Geeks is an online marketplace for high quality, vetted marketing services.
StageBloc
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StageBloc is the best way to create, promote and sell anything.
Pairade
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Pairade is an application where fans can see and interact with entertainers and bands.
matchist
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Matchist is a product design company that helps businesses with APIs develop certification programs.
Sarah’s Circle
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Sarah’s Circle envisions a safe and secure home for every woman in Chicago.
Yapmo
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Yapmo is a mobile software company providing tools that enhance employee engagement and productivity and reduce information overload.
For True Foodies Only
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True Foodies is the culinary world in your pocket.
SiteVibes
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A User Generated Content & Visual Marketing Platform helping ecommerce businesses engage shoppers.
BCKSTGR
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BCKSTGR, an authenic way to engage and influence today’s digitally connected consumers through virtual currency, rewards, and gamification.
TableNOW
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TableNow is a web based online table booking software.
PreeMe+You
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PreeMe+You is a social benefit health startup that works to improve premature infant health and developmental outcomes.
SketchMe
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SketchMe is a social media application that enables its users to capture their friends’ special moments and share them with one another.
Transparentrees
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Transparentrees is a web-based app, listing company and employee reviews while revealing the reporting structure within an organization.
Lasso
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Lasso is a communications platform that develops social networking and mobile applications.
Bambu
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Bambu is software that renders advocacy solutions for employees of a company to share curated content on social networks.
CloudSpotter Technologies
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CloudSpotter is an advanced photo analytics firm paving the path for private, automated photo sharing.
SocialKaty
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SocialKaty is a social media marketing agency developing strategy and daily execution of social media marketing for brands.
Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation
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The Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation drives venture creation and technology commercialization at the University of Chicago
eMazeMe
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eMazeMe allows its users to find and share their preferred service providers by creating a social directory of trusted businesses.
Sensefolio
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Artificial Intelligence ESG Data startup specialized in socially responsible investment #AI #ESG #SRI #AM #FinTech
soundBYTE App
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soundBYTE is a social application that allows its users to record audio, called BYTES, and share them on a limitless platform.
Buzz Digital (formerly Buzz Referrals)
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Buzz Referrals enables companies to have their own referral programs that integrate with both social media and their company websites.
VivaKi
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Vivaki, a marketing communications organization, provides digital advertising solutions that connects advertises with consumers.
Sycamore Media
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Sycamore Media Holdings is a media startup that focuses on promoting entrepreneurship
LuminAID
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LuminAID seeks to make safe light and energy accessible for all.
Transistor.fm
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Podcast hosting and analytics for creatives, brands, and professionals.
BCV
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BCV is a full service social media provider focused on the hospitality industry.
Laudville
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Laudville observes users’ activities on social and entertainment sites to recommend movies, music and books.
WOW
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WOW is an online content provider in entertainment, health, technology, food, lifestyle, family, sports, and finance.
Kumbuya
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Kumbuya is a social commerce site that allows users to create communities of people with similar interests.
DateBox
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Dating is hard, how about a little help from your friends?
Dishable
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Dishable’s method for Consumer Research is faster, broader, more expanse, and less expensive than using traditional survey tecniques.
Walker Sands
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Walker Sands is a B2B marketing agency focused on accelerating growth.
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Save money, make money and strengthen community ties via sharing, rental & sales within closed trusted groups such as residential buildings.
Black Doctor
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BlackDoctor.org is the nation’s leading health website for African Americans. Currently reaching 14.5 million users per month, BlackDoctor.
snapAsong
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snapAsong is a smartphone app that enables its users to take and share pictures with its current background music.
ScoreMore
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ScoreMore is a mobile technology that enables users to increase their fan engagement and drives team revenues at large venues.
Exact Data
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Direct Marketing Services including Postal, Email, and Phone Lists and Social Media Pay-Per-Click Advertising
Golin
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Golin offers businesses with technology solutions and insights that focus on connecting brands with their customers.
GiftPrompt, Inc.
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GiftPrompt is a tech company with a vision to automate and personalize eCommerce via mobile app.
Straight North
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Straight North is a digital marketing, search engine optimization, and website design company.
Innovare – Social Innovation Partners
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Our data strategy app Inno™ empowers education leaders to impact students and communities.
Aspen Marketing Services
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Aspen Marketing Services is a digital marketing company focusing on both response and engagement techniques.
Graham Media Group
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Graham Media Group is a broadcast media company.
EdgeRank Checker
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EdgeRank Checker is a free tool enabling Facebook marketers to check their page’s exposure within Facebook.
SocialDefender
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Social Defender helps businesses manage and protect their social presence across all social platforms.
Brickfish
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Brickfish provide social media software that enables brands to build, manage and monitor social engagement and ROI.
Student Film Channel
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Student Film Channel provides an online video platform for films and videos created by students.
Chicago Tribune
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Chicago Tribune is a daily newspaper that features local and international news, along with in-depth coverage of sports, business, and more.
Bizware
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Bizware provides an online platform that allows networking, financing, prequalification, and connecting for selling or buying businesses.
Mirror.me
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Mirror.me is a company that provides technology for customer service representatives to video chat and access remote control capabilities.
Birdfeud
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Birdfeud is a Twitter-powered social debate platform that gives its users a place to engage in the biggest conversations online.
COS
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COS is a Chicago-based online music publication that reports on all of music’s breaking news, in addition to hyping new artists and more.
Pear (formerly Apparel Media Group)
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Pear helps groups and events obtain sponsorships support from major brands and local businesses.
debate.org
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Debate.org is a free online community where intelligent minds from around the world come to debate online and read the opinions of others.
Attack of the Fanboy
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Online media platform that covers video game news, video game reviews, game guides and more.
Be Found Online
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Be Found Online is a boutique digital marketing company that is focused on search engine marketing strategies.
