Another Chicago Start-Up Has Been Named A $1 Billion 'Unicorn'
By Kate Shepherd in News on Oct 29, 2015 4:45PM
600 West, the headquarters of Uptake
Chicago-based Uptake has reached "unicorn" status this week with a $1.1 billion estimated value after raising $45 million in investments.
The predictive analytics firm is run by Groupon co-founder Brad Keywell. It's rare for a start-up to reach the $1 billion "unicorn" valuation mark, especially in the Midwest, according to the New York Times.
The company's partnership with Peoria-based Caterpillar, also an investor, has helped Uptake grow. They will be rolling out new projects in locomotives and then construction equipment.
"Had Brad not come along, we'd probably be in Silicon Valley," Douglas R. Oberhelman, the manufacturer's chief, told the Times.