Radar Companies Auto IT · Illinois
Radar · Auto IT in Illinois

Best Auto IT Companies in Illinois, United States

The 43 best Auto IT companies in Illinois, United States in 2026, ranked by funding and momentum. Funding, investors, founders, valuation, tech stack and live signals. Top: Cobalt Group.

43companies tracked
$86.2Mdisclosed funding
0unicorns
11have raised

Ranked: Best Auto IT companies in Illinois

#CompanyDisclosed fundingLast roundStageFounderFoundedTech stackPatents & IP focusRecent signals
1Cobalt Group
Marketing services for automotive industry
$47M266 mo agoAcquiredSteve Anenen
CEO & President
199593 patents
Microbial strain engineering and fermentation processes for bioproduct production
2Drivin Dealer
Optimizing dealer inventory with data-driven vehicle recommendations and market insights
$18M123 mo agoAcquired2015
3CCC
AI and cloud-driven insurance claims solution for the insurance and automotive industry
$14M76 mo agoPublic1980WebflowMarkerApple iCloud Mail+283 patents
Passive dust suppression systems for bulk material transfer chutes and conveyors
4CarDr.com
Provider of Used Car Inspection
$5M68 mo agoSeed2019WordPressMySQLPHP+15
5Xcite Automotive
Provider of a suite of management solutions for automotive dealerships
$2M25 mo agoSeries A2007HubSpot CMS HubApple iCloud MailGoogle Workspace+19
6Carbly
SaaS-driven car pricing & appraisal tool for auto dealerships
$375K14 mo agoSeed2017SentryBootstrapEmotion+20
7Dealer Inspire
Website builder for Automotive dealers
$300K155 mo agoAcquiredMarc Damon
Co-Founder & VP
2013Cart FunctionalityWordPressApple iCloud Mail+343 patents
Digital automotive dealership marketing platforms and data-driven sales tools
8Affinitiv
Cloud based marketing automation platform for the automobile industry
83 mo agoLate StageBlair Hawthorne
Founder & Co-CEO
1999WordPressApple iCloud MailMicrosoft 365+15
9Cars Commerce
Dealership management solutions for automotive dealerships
90 mo agoSeries AAlex Vetter
Director
2015WordPress Block EditorWordPressApple iCloud Mail+382 launchs
10CDK Global
Platform offering software and services for automotive retail operations
135 mo agoAcquired1972WordPressMySQLMariaDB+2647 patents
Automotive dealer management platforms integrating AI, cloud services, and data verification

Top 11 Auto IT companies in Illinois

#1
Seed · Chicago, Illinois · founded 2017 · 8 employees
$375Kraised

SaaS-driven car pricing & appraisal tool for auto dealerships. Its mobile-based appraisal tool features a VIN scanner, valuations tools, vehicle reports, and market data. The system also combines a dealer-only vehicle marketplace. Apps are available for both Android & iOS devices.

Funding rounds
  • May 2025Seed$375K
Investors
Chicago Early Growth Ventures, MATH Venture Partners
Tech stack
Apache Http ServerApolloBootstrapCloudflareCloudflare Bot ManagementCore-Js
#2
Series A · Chicago, Illinois · founded 2007 · 500 employees
$1.9Mraised

It is a company that specializes in providing vehicle photography and inventory management software for automotive dealers. They offer services such as photos, window stickers, and 360 spin. They also have various brands under their umbrella, including ReconLogic, CarStudioPros, VehicleStickers.io, CarsByText, and Frontline Inventory.

LinkedIn Pulse recent public activity · Jul 2026
Audience: 3k LinkedIn followers
Funding rounds
  • Jun 2024Series A$3.4M
Tech stack
Animate.CssApple Icloud MailCloudflareCloudflare Bot ManagementCore-JsGoogle Analytics
#3
Acquired · Hoffman Estates, Illinois · founded 1995
$47Mraised

The Cobalt Group provides marketing services for automotive industry. It works in the automotive retail market and helps the manufacturers and dealers increase their profits. The company has developed several products such as for CRM - Prospector, Lead Manager, Media Tracker; online retailing packages like dealer group portal solution, content management tools, and others; also has additional packages for inventory marketing, image marketing, vehicle research and others. The Cobalt Digital Marketing, was acquired by ADP Dealer Services in 2010. Further ADP rebranded itself to CDK Global. Acura, Audi, Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Dodge, GMC, Honda are some of its clients.

Funding rounds
  • Jun 2004Venture Debt$7M
  • Jun 2004Series B$47M
  • Jun 2000Post IPO$15M
Founders & team
Steve AnenenCEO & President
Investors
SVB, Oak Investment Partners, Warburg Pincus, ABS Capital, First Analysis
#4
Public · Chicago, Illinois · founded 1980 · 6 employees
$14.1Mraised

AI and cloud-driven insurance claims solution for the insurance and automotive industry. It also provides workflow software and enabling technologies to automotive collision repairers, parts suppliers, property and casualty insurance carriers. It provides marketing solutions for users.

LinkedIn Pulse recent public activity · Jul 2026
Audience: 48k LinkedIn followers — 12.3% of this cohort's audience · 42 engagements/post (2.9× cohort median)
Funding rounds
  • Mar 2020Unattributed$14.1M
  • Jul 2013PE
  • Dec 2011Unattributed$1.8M
  • Sep 2011Unattributed$1M
Investors
Hillhouse, TPG, Golden Valley Capital, TCV, Capricorn Holdings, Asal Capital
Tech stack
AkamaiAkamai MpulseAmazon SesAmazon Web ServicesApple Icloud MailBoomerang
#5
Acquired · Chicago, Illinois · founded 2015 · 69 employees
$17.5Mraised

Optimizing dealer inventory with data-driven vehicle recommendations and market insights. The company helps dealers optimize their inventory to better meet buyer demands. Focused on improving each dealer's bottom line, the platform provides streamlined vehicle recommendations, delivering cars proven to perform on their lot directly to their inbox. Leveraging data insights and experienced inventory consultants, the company identifies ideal inventory matches. The company empowers dealers to improve their lot fitness with tailored vehicle recommendations. Through a user-friendly application, car dealers gain instant access to industry-sourced pricing guides and market reports. Features include a VIN scanner for real-time car information, live auction inventory browsing, and vehicle search capabilities across computer and smartphone platforms. The company also provides vehicle history reports with unique and extensive data, actively sourced to ensure the most up-to-date information. This is a B2B SaaS platform.

Funding rounds
  • May 2016Series A$7.5M
  • Jul 2015Series A$10M
Investors
Columbus Nova Technology Partners, Lightbank
Tech stack
Amazon Web ServicesAmazon S3Amazon CloudfrontAws Certificate Manager
#6
Seed · Oak Brook, Illinois · founded 2019 · 15 employees
$5Mraised

Provider of Used Car Inspection

LinkedIn Pulse recent public activity · Jul 2026
Audience: 730 LinkedIn followers
Activity: 4 partnerships (incl. PAVE) announced in 12 mo
Funding rounds
  • Dec 2020Seed$5M
Investors
Red Fort Capital
Tech stack
Contact Form 7Core-JsElementorJqueryJquery MigrateJquery Ui
#7
Acquired · Chicago, Illinois · founded 2013 · 678 employees
$300Kraised

DealerInspire is a website platform for the auto dealership industry, offering customized solutions for website building. The analytics dashboard allows administrators to monitor true ROI, SEM, SEO etc.

Funding rounds
  • Sep 2013Conventional Debt$300K
Founders & team
Marc DamonCo-Founder & VP
Tech stack
Amazon Web ServicesApple Icloud MailCdnjsCloudflareCloudflare Bot ManagementFont Awesome
#8
Late Stage · Buffalo Grove, Illinois · founded 1999 · 508 employees
raised

Cloud based marketing automation platform for the automobile industry. Their solution includes digital marketing campaigns such as pay-per-click campaigns, social media, direct mails, telephony, etc. It also promotes customer engagement through greetings, reminders, and customized messages. It offers retention marketing and product service solutions such as equity mining, digital solutions, CRM, and more.

LinkedIn Pulse recent public activity · Jul 2026
Audience: 13k LinkedIn followers — 3.5% of this cohort's audience
Funding rounds
  • Sep 2019PE
  • Sep 2016PE
Founders & team
Blair HawthorneFounder & Co-CEOAdam MeierCo-CEO
Investors
CIP Capital, Riverside, Maranon Capital, Churchill Asset Management
Tech stack
Apache Http ServerApple Icloud MailCloudflareCloudflare Bot ManagementCrazy EggElementor
#9
Series A · Chicago, Illinois · founded 2015
raised

Dealership management solutions for automotive dealerships. The platform offers features that includes inventory management, website development, marketing management, sales management, and more.

LinkedIn Pulse recent public activity · Jul 2026
Audience: 47k LinkedIn followers — 12.2% of this cohort's audience
Activity: 2 product launches announced in 12 mo
Funding rounds
  • Feb 2019Series A
Founders & team
Alex VetterDirector
Investors
TrueCar
Tech stack
Amazon Web ServicesApple Icloud MailBootstrapBootstrap IconsCdnjsCloudflare
#10
Acquired · Hoffman Estates, Illinois · founded 1972 · 4977 employees
raised

Platform offering software and services for automotive retail operations. It provides tools to help dealerships and vehicle sellers manage inventory, sales processing, customer interactions, and dealer operations. The platform supports workflows across sales, service, and back-office functions to streamline business operations.

LinkedIn Pulse recent public activity · Jul 2026
Audience: 158k LinkedIn followers — 40.7% of this cohort's audience
Funding rounds
  • May 2015Post IPO
  • Oct 2014Post IPO
Investors
Sachem Head, Elliott Management, TechAlliance
Tech stack
AdrollAdroll Cmp SystemCloudflareCloudflare Bot ManagementCore-JsDigicert
#11
Acquired · Oak Brook, Illinois · founded 2005 · 60 employees
raised

Automotive software solutions for inventory management and maximizing dealership profitability. The company provides cloud-based software and data-driven insights to help dealerships optimize their new and used car inventory, wholesale sourcing, merchandising, and reconditioning processes. Their solutions offer live market views, performance management tools, and training resources to improve efficiency, increase sales, and enhance profitability. They offer multiple products and services, including inventory management software, wholesale sourcing software, reconditioning software, and merchandising tools. The company's platform supports mobile and desktop access, providing real-time data and recommendations for pricing, appraising, and stocking vehicles. They offer training, webinars, and a help center to support their clients. The company focuses on helping dealers make data-driven decisions to improve their ROI and gain a competitive advantage in the automotive market.

LinkedIn Pulse recent public activity · Jul 2026
Audience: 43k LinkedIn followers — 11.0% of this cohort's audience
Funding rounds
  • Jan 2007Seed
Investors
Bain Capital Ventures
Tech stack
Amazon Web ServicesAngularjsAudioeyeCdnjsCloudflareCloudflare Bot Management

Funding & investor landscape

$86.2Mtotal disclosed funding
7companies funded
12disclosed rounds
0rounds last 90 days
Most active investors
ABS Capital1 rounds
Asal Capital1 rounds
Bain Capital Ventures1 rounds
Big Sky Partners1 rounds
CIP Capital1 rounds
Capricorn Holdings1 rounds
Chicago Early Growth Ventures1 rounds
Churchill Asset Management1 rounds
Columbus Nova Technology Partners1 rounds
Elliott Management1 rounds

Notable founders

Steve Anenen
CEO & President · Cobalt Group
Marc Damon
Co-Founder & VP · Dealer Inspire
Blair Hawthorne
Founder & Co-CEO · Affinitiv
Adam Meier
Co-CEO · Affinitiv
Alex Vetter
Director · Cars Commerce
Prism market signals · United States · country-scoped Prism corpus, 13,320,378 docs

Market landscape — 10 sub-themes by coverage

Share of Auto IT coverage by sub-theme.

Regulatory-risk over time rising

Funding & growth over time

funding rising · growth rising

Common questions

How many Auto IT companies are there in Illinois, United States?
Radar tracks 43 indexable Auto IT companies headquartered in Illinois, United States that meet our profile-completeness bar.
What is the total funding raised by Auto IT companies in Illinois, United States?
The Auto IT companies in Illinois, United States on this list have raised a combined $86.2M in disclosed equity funding across 7 funded companies.
Which is the highest-funded Auto IT company in Illinois, United States?
Cobalt Group is the highest-funded Auto IT company in Illinois, United States, with $47M in disclosed equity funding.
How many Auto IT companies in Illinois, United States are funded?
7 of the 43 Auto IT companies in Illinois, United States on this list have disclosed at least one equity funding round.
How many Auto IT unicorns are there in Illinois, United States?
None of the Auto IT companies in Illinois, United States on this list currently has a disclosed valuation of $1B or more.
Who are the top investors in Illinois, United States Auto IT companies?
The most active investors in Illinois, United States Auto IT companies on this list include ABS Capital, Asal Capital, Bain Capital Ventures, Big Sky Partners, CIP Capital.
Riya SenguptaFinancials

Riya reads income statements for fun. She covers the real money in a sector — revenue, growth, who actually earns — and never met a vague claim she didn't want a number for.

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