THE BOOK
These 25 up-and-comers are making a mark in Chicago-area technology. A number are entrepreneurs starting companies using technology to offer innovative products and services. Some startups are finding niches in businessto-business software, whether for targeted industries such as law, insurance and construction or for broader application such as cybersecurity and online payments. Many of the rising stars have specialties in software development, IT operations, cloud migration and data analytics needed to grow young
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companies but also to help larger and more established enterprises make better use of technology. During the pandemic, their skills are in more demand than ever. They’ve helped firms transition their teams to remote work. And many are leading digital businesses that are surging, from e-commerce shipping to restaurant delivery. These stars are contributing to Chicago’s profile as an emerging technology center. By Judith Crown
METHODOLOGY: The rising stars featured did not pay to be included. Their profiles were drawn from nomination materials submitted. This list is not comprehensive. It includes only technical managers and executives for whom nominations were submitted and accepted after an editorial review. These honorees have less than 15 years in the profession and have demonstrated an impact at their company or in their field, with their work advancing Chicago as a tech hub. We asked for letters of recommendation, and excerpts are quoted in the profiles below.
CHRIS DEVITT
Director Altman Solon
Chris Devitt supports business development initiatives at the growing consultancy specializing in telecommunications, media and technology. His expertise is in wireless and network infrastructure, cloud computing, security and IT services. He’s a member of Altman Solon’s management committee. In the past 18 months, Devitt led strategic planning and due diligence on acquisitions for technology investors. Devitt previously was principal at Altman Vilandrie, a boutique consultancy that merged with Germany’s Solon Management Consulting this year. Earlier, he was a manager in Accenture’s wireless technology consulting practice. Devitt spent a few years in the San Francisco Bay Area and “brought his knowledge and skills back to his roots in the Midwest, where he has a foundation of business and academic relationships to build upon,” says company partner Patrick Marshall.
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RUBEN FLORESMARTINEZ
Founder and CEO Cashdrop
The Cashdrop app developed by entrepreneur Ruben Flores-Martinez enables small-business owners to quickly create an online store from their phone. The startup this summer raised $2.7 million seed funding led by Harlem Capital in New York. The company has more than 200 customers. In recent months, Flores-Martinez added features enabling merchants to accept payments in a variety of ways and bypass digital marketplaces that take commissions. Flores-Martinez immigrated from Mexico when he was 13 and taught himself to code through YouTube tutorials. He later became a U.S. citizen. Cashdrop has “proved to be a platform that empowers restaurants and other merchants to adapt quickly to a new way of doing business during the global public health crisis,” says Harlem Capital Managing Partner Jarrid Tingle.
BEN FORGAN
Co-founder and CEO Hologram
Entrepreneur Ben Forgan founded Hologram, a cellular platform for internet of things devices such as scooters, robots and farm sensors. The Hologram network covers 550 carriers in 220 countries, with connections through SIM cards. Hologram SIM cards automatically switch to the strongest network, which means devices won’t go offline. The platform is seeing a 150 percent increase in device usage over the past year, due in part to the increased demand for lightweight micromobility vehicles like scooters that have been used by contact tracers. “Ben has navigated his team through the COVID waters, and they are as strong as ever,” says board member Nick Solaro, general partner at Drive Capital. Hologram recently launched a product for managing fleets, which enables teams to work together in real time.
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