Funded Commerce and Shopping Startups in Chicago
Chicago's commerce and shopping sector spans early-stage consumer brands through late-stage and post-IPO companies, with 48 disclosed or partially disclose…
Chicago's commerce and shopping sector spans early-stage consumer brands through late-stage and post-IPO companies, with 48 disclosed or partially disclosed rounds dating from August 2020 to August 2025. The most recent activity includes GeoWealth's $38M Series C in August 2025 and Raise's $63M round in February 2025. At the larger end of the dataset, Avant raised $250M in debt financing in July 2022, Vivid Seats pulled in $225M via post-IPO equity in October 2021, and Provi closed a $75M Series C the same month.
Seed is the most common labeled stage, represented by companies including Groomie, Tusk, Continuum, Renterra, and EarlyBird. A notable share of rounds carry no disclosed amount or stage — Science On Call, Small Wonder, and hostU among them — a pattern that runs consistently across the timeline. Verticals are broad, running from B2B wholesale marketplaces and payments infrastructure to consumer packaged goods, personal care, and fulfillment logistics.
Most recent rounds
48 shownRelated listings
Frequently asked
What are the largest disclosed rounds among these Chicago commerce companies?
Avant raised $250M in debt financing in July 2022, Vivid Seats raised $225M in a post-IPO equity round in October 2021, and Provi closed a $75M Series C in September 2021. Among more recent rounds, Raise raised $63M in February 2025 and GeoWealth raised $38M in a Series C in August 2025.
What funding stages appear most often in this segment?
Seed is the most frequently labeled stage — Groomie, Tusk, Continuum, Renterra, EarlyBird, Funny Water, and Improovy all show seed rounds in the dataset. A significant share of entries are listed as "Series Unknown," reflecting rounds where stage was not publicly confirmed at the time of disclosure.
How active has deal flow been in 2025?
Ten of the 48 rows carry a 2025 close date, with activity running from January through August 2025. Raise ($63M) and GeoWealth ($38M Series C) are the two largest disclosed 2025 rounds. Several 2025 entries — Science On Call, Small Wonder, and hostU — have undisclosed amounts.
What product categories do these Chicago commerce companies cover?
The dataset spans B2B wholesale marketplaces (Provi for alcohol, Leaf Trade for cannabis), consumer packaged goods (MUSH Foods, Lil Bucks, Funny Water), payments and gift card commerce (Aeropay, Raise), fulfillment and logistics software (Logiwa, ShipFusion), and personal care brands (Groomie, Oars + Alps).
Are there any post-IPO or private equity-backed companies in the dataset?
Yes. Vivid Seats raised $225M in a post-IPO equity round in October 2021, and ShipFusion raised $40M in a private equity round in April 2022. Avant's $250M round in July 2022 is classified as debt financing, making those three the non-venture rounds in the set.
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