Rated the #1 broker by Barrons for Trade Execution in 2005, and #1 for Trade Technology and #1 Portfolio Analysis and Reports in 2006. Along with rival optionsExpress, thinkorswim fixes Chicago at the center of options trading technology. They revolutionized the industry by "teaching and executing complex, non-directional option strategies with single-click functionality that has now become the industry standard" (why try to paraphrase that). In addition to their platform, they offer courses for beginning traders as well as the pros.
Tom and Scott founded the firm in 1999 after careers as market-makers at the Chicago Board of Options Exchange (CBOE). The firm also runs a wild matrix of sister companies: Red Option, Option Planet, TOS Advisors. In 2004 they raised $22.5 million from Technology Crossover Ventures (TCV).
Dimensions: TBD people x 7 years x $ NDA
Funding: TCVentures
Customers: Amateur and professional options traders
Location: Chicago [River North] + www.thinkorswim.com
