Funded Artificial Intelligence Startups in Chicago
Chicago's AI funding record across 39 tracked companies spans from May 2020 through September 2025, with activity at every stage from pre-seed through debt…
Chicago's AI funding record across 39 tracked companies spans from May 2020 through September 2025, with activity at every stage from pre-seed through debt financing. The most recent disclosed equity raises include HOPPR's $32M Series A in June 2025, Vermillio's $16M Series A in March 2025, and Arvist's $4M seed in September 2025. By dollar amount, the largest rounds belong to Tempus ($175M debt financing, October 2022) and Evozyne ($81M Series B, September 2023), while Paro's $25M Series C (June 2023) stands as the largest disclosed equity growth round in the dataset.
Seed rounds account for the most frequently occurring stage by count, and Chicago seed checks have reached well into eight figures — Quantum Rise raised $15M at seed in July 2024, Teragonia raised $10M in September 2023. A substantial share of entries carry a "Series Unknown" classification, reflecting undisclosed or bridge financing across companies including Livly, Arturo, and Cloverpop.
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Frequently asked
What are the largest disclosed rounds among Chicago AI startups in this dataset?
Tempus leads at $175M via debt financing (October 2022), followed by Evozyne's $81M Series B (September 2023) and HOPPR's $32M Series A (June 2025). Paro's $25M Series C (June 2023) and Vermillio's $16M Series A (March 2025) rank fourth and fifth by disclosed amount.
Which Chicago AI companies raised rounds in 2025?
Seven companies appear with 2025 round dates: Vermillio ($16M Series A, March), Metopio (undisclosed, April), Cloverpop ($3M, May), Perscient ($4M Series B, June), HOPPR ($32M Series A, June), Arvist ($4M seed, September), and Plutus (seed, undisclosed, September).
What funding stages are most common among Chicago AI startups here?
Seed is the most frequently occurring round type, covering at least 11 companies including Quantum Rise, Teragonia, Letter AI, and Arvist. A large share of entries — including Livly, Arturo, and RiseKit — carry a 'Series Unknown' classification, which often reflects bridge, undisclosed-structure, or secondary rounds.
Have any Chicago AI companies in this dataset raised at Series C or beyond?
Paro closed a $25M Series C in June 2023. Tempus raised $175M in debt financing in October 2022, and Venzee Technologies appears with a post-IPO debt round of $460K in June 2022, indicating at least three companies that have progressed well past early growth stages.
What verticals do Chicago AI startups in this dataset operate in?
Healthcare applications are prominent, with Evozyne, Cardiosense, Prenosis, ImmersiveTouch, and Tempus operating in clinical or life sciences AI. Financial services appear via Alphathena, WealthBlock, and Social Market Analytics. Enterprise automation and operations are represented by ModelOp, Ashling Partners, and 86 Repairs.
What is the typical check size for seed-stage Chicago AI deals in this data?
Disclosed seed amounts vary widely — from Social Market Analytics at $100K (February 2021) to Quantum Rise at $15M (July 2024). Most disclosed seed rounds cluster between $2M and $4M, as seen with Arvist ($4M), EvenFlow AI ($2M), and Letter AI ($3M).
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