Check Out Built In Chicago’s Featured Companies of the Month

The bustling O’Briens Riverwalk Café, Grant Park and the Maxwell Street Market.. 

These are just a few of the many reasons people are drawn to Chicago.

Another compelling reason? Its thriving tech scene.

Chicago’s tech ecosystem is a crucial component of the city’s economy. And unlike other cities, no single industry niche dominates. From government and healthcare to food and gaming, over 7,000 companies of all sizes contribute significantly to economic activity and tax revenue. 

According to the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce, the tech sector has grown 18 percent in the past decade, compared to just 1 percent for the overall economy.

For job seekers and professionals eager to contribute, these companies are expanding their teams, offering unique perks like a four-day workweek and paid volunteer time — so employees can fully embrace all the city has to offer.

 

What they do: Made in Tandem offers custom software services to help businesses solve complex challenges.

 

 

Continually collaborating: In a recent discussion with Built In, Engineering Manager Darcy Garrett shared how the company’s collaborative engineering culture is a pillar for success. “We have a very collaborative engineering culture that includes daily pairing sessions and code reviews, weekly engineering discussions and presentations, sharing of new things we're learning and open discussions about questions or challenges we’re facing,” she said. 

 

 

What they do: Basis Technologies is a global automation software provider for enterprise marketers.

 

 

Traits beyond tech: Reflecting on her experience at Basis Technologies, Vice President of Data Science Ayemon Myo told Built In that while she joined the company eager to tackle tech challenges, working on those projects also allowed her to improve non-tech skills, as well. “Although being skillful in all these areas is great, that’s not enough to be a great data scientist,” she said. “There are non-technical skills that are as important. Intuition and empathy are as important as machine learning and statistics.”

 

 

What they do: The digital arm of Caterpillar, Inc., Cat Digital uses data, technology, advanced analytics and AI capabilities to help its customers build a better, more sustainable world.

 

 

Surpassing the slogan: While Director of Digital Product Kyle Cline’s attraction to the company was his fascination with its machinery, its culture and mission have led him to build a decades-long career at the organization. “We’re contributing to building a better world by offering solutions that promote sustainability,” he said. “It’s more than a slogan; it’s evident in everything we do.”

 

 

What they do: Fusion Risk Management helps companies achieve greater organizational resilience and mitigate risks within their business. 

 

 

Pride in practice: At Fusion, Pride persists beyond the month of June. Training and Development Manager Christopher Mahoney told Built In Chicago the company is focused on providing education on LGBTQIA+ issues. “We have opportunities to learn about the history, the community flags and their meanings, the importance of pronoun disclosure and a session on terminology, stereotypes and inclusion for allies,” he said.

 

 

What they do: OCC clears and settles trades for the options industry.

 

 

Encouraging evolution: For Associate Principal, Business Analysis Chris Nichols, OCC didn’t just allow him to pivot his career; it helped him do so. “Since joining in 2017, I began with editorial tasks but soon expanded into leading meetings and collaborating with developers,” he shared. “Today, I create content on options and serve as product owner for two websites.”

 

 

What they do: Invenergy is a leading global privately-held developer and operator of sustainable energy solutions.

 

 

Always advancing: In addition to the company’s commitment to reach Net Zero emissions by 2025, this year it’s announced a new, three-part goal to build the workforce of the future and increase access for more communities to the clean energy economy. Per a recent report, Invenergy will expand its training infrastructure by the end of 2025, maximize local hiring by ensuring a majority of Invenergy-owned and operated projects hire locally, and promote an equitable and just transition by facilitating training for 2,500 underserved workers by 2030. 

 

 

What they do: Warner Bros. Discovery is a powerhouse in global media and entertainment, offering a portfolio of content across television, film, sports, news, streaming and gaming.

 

 

Pioneering progress: NetherRealm Studios, a Warner Bros. Games development studio based in Chicago, renowned for creating blockbuster franchises like “Mortal Kombat” and “Injustice,” is committed to providing a creative, collaborative and ambitious environment where team members are encouraged to reach beyond what has been done before. Team members have spoken of its passionate and hardworking yet laid-back environment and within the office, employees find everything from an arcade and expansive patio for eating lunch or having a meeting. 

 

 

What they do: Bectran provides a range of tailored tools designed to enhance companies’ accounts receivable processes, from invoicing and billing to resolving disputes and managing cash applications.

 

 

Prioritizing people: Bectran recently introduced the concept of customer hierarchies into its self-service payment portal. Unprecedented in the industry, Bectran sees the change as a vital step toward offering more intuitive and convenient payment experiences. “Our commitment is to enhance our solutions to meet the evolving needs of our clients,” commented CEO Louis Ifeguni in a press release.