Software Development in Chicago
Chicago is the enterprise software capital of the Midwest. Companies like CME Group, Morningstar, and Allstate drive billions in tech spending. Loop agencies charge $200-350/hr. We deliver the same quality of work at 40-60% less with a hybrid team model that gets Chicago companies to market faster.
Why Chicago for Software Development?
Chicago doesn't get the hype of San Francisco or Austin, but it consistently ranks among the top 5 tech markets in the US. The reason is simple: Chicago has real industries that need real software — financial exchanges, insurance companies, manufacturers, healthcare systems, and logistics networks. These aren't companies chasing trends. They need reliable, scalable, maintainable systems that work for 10+ years. Chicago's tech workforce is 150,000+ strong, anchored by graduates from Northwestern, UChicago, and the University of Illinois system.
- 3rd largest US metro with $700B+ GDP — bigger than many countries
- Home to CME Group, the world's largest financial derivatives exchange
- 150,000+ tech workers with strong Midwestern work ethic and retention rates
- Central timezone — same as our Dallas HQ, perfect alignment for collaboration
What We Build in Chicago
Chicago companies need software that handles enterprise complexity, regulatory requirements, and Midwest-scale operations.
Custom Enterprise Software
Large-scale enterprise applications for Chicago corporations. ERP integrations, business process automation, and internal tools that replace spreadsheet workflows with proper systems. We build for 10,000+ user organizations.
Fintech & Trading Platforms
Order management, market data processing, and risk analytics for Chicago's financial services sector. We understand FIX protocol, real-time data feeds, and the latency requirements of exchange-adjacent systems.
AI & Business Intelligence
Predictive analytics for insurance underwriting, demand forecasting for manufacturers, and anomaly detection for financial compliance. We build AI systems that integrate with your existing Chicago enterprise stack.
Cloud Modernization
Migrating legacy mainframe and on-prem systems to cloud infrastructure. Chicago enterprises often run COBOL, AS/400, or legacy .NET systems. We modernize them without disrupting daily operations.
Mobile & Web Applications
Customer-facing apps for insurance, healthcare, and retail. Employee-facing tools for field service, logistics, and manufacturing floor management. Built for the specific workflows Chicago industries demand.
Healthcare & Insurance Tech
HIPAA and state-compliant systems for Chicago's massive healthcare and insurance sectors. Claims processing automation, provider portals, and patient engagement platforms used by hospital systems across Illinois.
Industries We Serve in Chicago
Chicago's economy runs on finance, insurance, healthcare, and manufacturing. We build software for all of them.
Financial Services & Trading
Chicago is home to the CME Group, CBOE, and hundreds of trading firms. We build electronic trading systems, risk management dashboards, and regulatory reporting tools. Our systems handle millions of messages per second during peak market hours with the reliability that trading floors demand.
Insurance & Insurtech
State Farm, Allstate, and CNA Financial are all Chicagoland companies. We build policy administration systems, claims automation tools, and actuarial modeling platforms. Our insurance clients have cut claims processing time by 40% with automated workflows.
Healthcare Systems
Northwestern Medicine, Rush, and Advocate Aurora Health serve millions of patients across Illinois. We build clinical decision support tools, patient scheduling systems, and health data exchanges. Every system meets HIPAA and Illinois-specific health data regulations.
Manufacturing & Supply Chain
Chicago's manufacturing base includes Caterpillar, John Deere, and thousands of mid-market manufacturers. We build MES systems, quality tracking tools, inventory management platforms, and supply chain visibility dashboards that connect factory floor to front office.
How We Work with Chicago Teams
Dallas and Chicago share Central Time. Our teams operate in perfect sync — no timezone math required.
Requirements & Discovery
We start with a thorough requirements gathering — on-site at your Chicago office or remotely. For enterprise clients, this includes stakeholder interviews, existing system audits, and integration mapping. We document everything before writing any code.
Solution Architecture
Our architects design the system with Chicago enterprise needs in mind: high availability, compliance, integration with legacy systems, and scalability. We present the architecture to your technical team for review and sign-off.
Iterative Development
Two-week sprints with working software demos. Your Chicago team reviews each sprint and adjusts priorities. Our India engineering team handles overnight development in parallel, doubling your effective development velocity.
Enterprise Testing
Beyond unit and integration tests, we run performance tests under enterprise-scale loads, security penetration tests, and compliance validation. For regulated industries, we test against specific regulatory frameworks before deployment.
Phased Rollout
Enterprise systems don't flip on overnight. We run phased rollouts — pilot group first, then department-by-department, then full production. Each phase includes monitoring, feedback collection, and adjustments.
Long-Term Support
Ongoing maintenance, monitoring, and feature development. Chicago enterprise clients typically stay with us for 2-5 years as their systems evolve. We assign consistent team members so institutional knowledge grows over time.
Ready to get started? Let's discuss your project.
Engagement Models for Chicago Companies
Chicago enterprises have different needs than coastal startups. Our pricing reflects the reality of Midwest business.
Dedicated Team
A full engineering team assigned to your project long-term. Popular with Chicago enterprises that need ongoing development and maintenance. Includes developers, QA, DevOps, and a project manager in Central Time.
Custom pricing based on your requirements
- Full team dedicated exclusively to your project
- Central Time alignment — same timezone as Chicago
- On-site visits to your Chicago office as needed
- Stable team composition for institutional knowledge
- 40-60% savings vs Chicago Loop agency rates
- 3-month minimum, most clients stay 1-3 years
Project-Based
Fixed scope and price for defined initiatives. System migrations, new feature builds, or greenfield applications with clear requirements. Popular with Chicago companies that need budget certainty.
Custom pricing based on your requirements
- Fixed price based on detailed scope
- Milestone payments tied to deliverables
- Full code ownership and documentation
- All testing and QA included
- 30-day post-launch warranty
- Typical enterprise projects: 12-24 weeks
Staff Augmentation
Extend your Chicago engineering team with our senior engineers. They integrate with your existing processes and tools. Best for companies that need specific expertise — cloud migration, AI/ML, or mobile development.
Custom pricing based on your requirements
- Engineers work as part of your Chicago team
- Central Time hours for full alignment
- Available for on-site work in Chicago
- No recruiter fees or placement charges
- Start within 1-2 weeks of signing
- Flexible monthly agreements
Software Development in Chicago Questions Answered
Quick answers to the questions we hear most often.
Our headquarters is in Dallas, TX — same timezone as Chicago (Central Time). We serve Chicago clients through our hybrid model with regular on-site visits to your office. Many of our Chicago enterprise clients prefer this setup because they get lower rates without any timezone or communication friction.
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Ready to Get Started with Software Development in Chicago?
Let's discuss your project and discover how we can help you achieve your business goals with our expert team.