No-glamour startup SMS Assist becomes a unicorn

New York

CHICAGO'S latest unicorn is all about grit.

Unicorns - private, venture capital-backed companies valued at US$1 billion or more - are often defined by flashy new technology or millions of users, and are often based in Silicon Valley. But the ones based in the Midwest have tended to be more about sprinkling digital dust on the dirtiest industries.

SMS Assist connects property managers with outside vendors, such as snow removal services, landscapers and window washers, through a cloud-based digital platfor…