ReTel Technologies has created a system that allows retailers, consumer packaged goods companies and quick service restaurants to tap into their own surveillance cameras to deliver large scale analysis of consumer behavior and operational factors in retail and restaurant locations.
Founders of Re Tel George Aspland, Adam Rodnitzky and Scott Roberts competed in the University of Chicago New Venture Challenge in 2007-2008. Adam previously co-founded tixnix.com
Dimensions: <10 people x 2008 x $NDA
Funding: Grants from the Illinois Technology Association and the Midwest Venture Summit
Customers: Retailers, CPG companies and quick-service restaurants
Location: Chicago + reteltechnologies.com
Posted by Mike Evans. See an interview with Adam
Cappex has set out to improve the college admissions process by helping universities and students connect. High school students fill out a profile on Cappex and receive invitations to apply to universities they may have never heard about otherwise. Meanwhile, Cappex works one-on-one with colleges to help them target appropriate students. The service is free students and most colleges, it will be advertiser supported.
Humanized is a small start-up on the north side of Chicago that is re-thinking the way you interact with your computer. Their product, Enso, takes simple tasks you do every day, in lots of your applications, and makes them easier. If you are writing an email and need to multiple two numbers, with Enzo you can just multiply, no need to launch a separate calculator program. You have to 
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If you have posted a job on Monster or CareerBuilder and been flooded with applicants, then you could use an Applicant Tracking System like PeopleFilter. Their software helps you search, sort, and manage incoming resumes for each job opening. There are a lot of competing companies who have popped up in the past few years, but PeopleFilter's unique spin is to automatically analyzes resumes to determine how good of a fit each person is.
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