Raise2017 was a historic year for venture capital funding in the Midwest. In fact, a breakdown of the ten­­­ highest valued companies in the region showed that Illinois had eight of them, while Michigan and Minnesota each had one. This is in keeping with a broader trend in which Illinois leads the region in the number of unicorns, or companies valued over $1B overall. Of the top ten highest valued venture-backed companies in 2017 we listed here, two were in the healthcare space (Tempus Health, and Bright Health) and three were consumer-facing (Avant, Raise, and Home Chef). After raising $70M from investors like Meritech Capital Partners and Lead Edge Capital, Duo saw its valuation shot up to over $1B.

Source: Forbes December 21, 2017 17:37 UTC