Chicago Capital

Ben Johnson is the Founder and CEO of Spruce, which develops a platform that enables individuals to receive services in their homes through a mobile app. The company is the nation's largest tech-enabled apartment amenity provider, serving more than 450,000 apartment homes in 15 markets across the country

Show Notes

Ben Johnson is the Founder and CEO of Spruce, which develops a platform that enables individuals to receive services in their homes through a mobile app. From full housekeeping to a quick tidy-up or a dog walk for your furry friend, Spruce is available to residents on-demand.  At the end of 2020, Spruce raised an $8M Series A, led by Mercury Fund.

Ben spent a little over 5.5 years at ING working on digital banking before starting Spruce. He attended the University of Texas at Austin and got his MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.

Earlier this year, the company purchased The Minte, a Chicago-based startup known for their hotel-style apartment cleaning services, which also enabled the Spruce team to officially expand into the Chicago market. And now, after tallying up their various wins from the year so far, including a 400% YOY growth in revenue, the Spruce team has announced that they are officially the nation's largest tech-enabled apartment amenity provider, serving more than 450,000 apartment homes in 15 markets across the country

What is Chicago Capital?

The Chicago Capital Podcast explores the startup and Venture Capital ecosystem in the Windy City. Each episode will feature a prominent founder, Venture Capitalist, or Angel investor who plays an integral part in the city's entrepreneurial story. Join host Matt Castellini as he chats with guests about their career journey, their perspective on a particular market, and their thoughts on the Chicago VC and startup scene.