Winter is arriving in Boston. Whether you’re ice skating off the hot-chocolate calories at the Boston Common Frog Pond, browsing for Christmas presents at the festive Quincy Market or enjoying the the North End’s decked-out restaurants with world-class Italian fare, it might also be a good time to catch up on the movers and shakers in your local tech scene — and Built In Boston has curated 12 noteworthy companies to get you started.
What’s more: Many of the city’s tech employers are developing upgrades to the breadth, depth and inclusion of their company culture, tech stacks and benefits.
The Boston-based companies we featured are special in many ways, but all 12 have one thing in common: They are innovative, people-first organizations with intriguing perks — and well worth keeping on your radar in the winter season ahead.
What it does: Cohere Health is a healthtech company with software that aims to reduce administrative friction faced by doctors and patients. The company’s software solution focuses on reducing roadblocks to treatment delivery with intelligent prior authorization that tackles the patient journey. Its blend of AI, real-time analytics and clinical expertise helps expedite care plans for costly procedures and medications.
The perks:
- Remote work program
- Comprehensive health benefits with FSA option
- Fitness subsidies and wellness programs
- Stocked kitchen, happy hours and company outings
- 401(k) and matching charitable contributions
Sharing is caring: Mentorship and knowledge sharing are supportive pillars of Cohere Health’s work culture. After all, to streamline complex medical logistics, the company’s employees must be well-integrated and collaborative. At its core, mentorship at Cohere is “about giving every member of the team the opportunity to be a full partner in the process at every stage,” Director of Engineering Andrew MacLeay told Built In Boston this past June.
What it does: Carrot Fertility is a family-forming benefits provider for employer and health plans, with a focus on fertility healthcare. The fully remote company embraces the goal of making fertility care and family-forming needs accessible to everyone, regardless of background. As part of that endeavor, Carrot’s global solution can be tailored to members around the world and their personal, location-specific journeys.
The perks:
- $15,000 lifetime maximum benefit for family-forming needs
- $100 per-month productivity stipend
- $750 home office stipend and WeWork credits
- More than 10 paid holidays per year and flexible PTO
- 14 weeks paid parental leave for all new parents
Built from inclusivity: Carrot Fertility’s healthcare-minded solution touts accessibility, which necessitates an inclusive workforce to properly carry out its mission statement. Fortunately, the company’s culture is built out with that vision in mind, with a C-suite that is over 50 percent women, as well as “benefits and programs in place that aim to support and empower women in the workforce,” Kirsten Ferro, vice president of employer sales, told Built In Chicago in August.
What it does: Lusha is a HR and sales platform that helps users connect with leads, contacts and candidates more efficiently. The company’s B2B solution provides enriching tools to help business professionals reach revenue goals faster and more effectively, with clients ranging from small and medium-sized businesses to global enterprise organizations.
The perks:
- 100 percent paid health insurance benefits for individuals, 80 percent for family
- Stocked kitchen and meals provided
- 401(k) option and company equity
- Commuter benefits and parking onsite
- Company outings and happy hours
Scaling customer success: As a B2B platform, Lusha’s business model revolves around customer success. VP of Sales Henry Spitzer believes a key aspect of ensuring client-facing success is to actively invest in the sales team’s growth and retention. This includes initiatives such as using automation to alleviate CSM administrative burdens and helping with the team’s career development through opportunities and transparency. “Even if you can find the answers yourself, ask the team,” Spitzer told Built In Boston in September.
What it does: Immuta is a data tech company focused on helping organizations do right with data. Its Data Security Platform allows data teams to streamline control of their organizations’ data on one platform, while the solution discovers, secures and monitors the information for them. Based in Boston, the company has additional locations in Columbus, Ohio, and College Park, Maryland, as well as a European headquarters in London.
The perks:
- 100 percent employer-paid health plan premiums and mental wellness platform
- 12 weeks fully paid maternity leave and 3 weeks for paternity leave
- Hybrid work policy
- Company outings and happy hours on Thursdays
- Stocked kitchen and lunch two days a week
All access: Recently, Immuta launched its All Access Tour, which marks seven stops around the world spotlighting data security trends and innovations for leaders in the industry. The premium event series kicked off in New York City and will go through Sydney, London, Dallas, Washington DC, San Francisco and end in the company’s hometown of Boston.
What it does: BlueSnap is an international fintech company that operates an all-in-one payments orchestration platform. By leveraging a single integration, BlueSnap’s clients can streamline how they take payments with automated billing and invoicing, as well as embedded payments for other platforms.
The perks:
- Onsite gym, team workouts and wellness programs
- Comprehensive medical insurance with FSA option
- Stocked kitchen and free daily meals
- Pet insurance, plus Slack channel for photos of furry friends
- 401(k) matching
European expansion: BlueSnap operates out of Ireland and the U.K., but its ambitious inroads came recently when it partnered with London-based consulting firm objectsource to expand its European integration efforts. “We are bridging the gap between international retailers and global consumers ... at a time when convenient and familiar payment experiences are only predicted to grow in Europe,” Nikhita Hyett, BlueSnap’s EU MD said in a press release.
What it does: EFFECT Photonics is a communication tech company that works on high-speed optical transceivers. The company’s products for fiber-optic communication systems utilizes its proprietary technology in digital signal processing and error correction to make digital communication more compact, seamless and efficient.
The perks:
- Medical, dental and vision insurance benefits with FSA option
- Free parking, game room and gym onsite
- 401(k) with matching contributions up to 3 percent
- Flexible work schedule and unlimited PTO
- Company outings and sponsored family events
Global reach: Headquartered in the Netherlands, with facilities operated in the U.K., the United States and Taiwan, EFFECT Photonics’ worldwide network reflects its importance in the field. To further underscore its growth, the company opened its regional U.S. HQ this past June, with a focus on its North and South American clientele and partners. The location also gives it strategic access to global customer operations in the region.
What it does: iZotope is an intelligent audio tech company that streamlines digital music production with its suite of software and hardware products. By blending audio processing tech, machine learning and a well-designed interface, the company aims to facilitate musicians and audio engineers in their craft.
The perks:
- 401(k) with employer match
- Free breakfast every day and lunch on Fridays
- $5,000 annual max tuition reimbursement
- Free subway passes and fully paid e-learning subscription
- Reduced gym rates and subsidized identity theft protection
Leadership focused: iZotope has ambitious plans to revamp audio production, and relies on its roster of strong leaders to do so. At the company, mentorship and career opportunities help spotlight members ready to transition to leadership roles, as Emily Ferola, software quality assurance manager, can attest. “Each team, project and problem that I’ve worked on has given me the opportunity to develop leadership skills and grow in incremental ways,” she told Built In Boston in November.
What it does: MORSE Corp is a group of selected scientists, engineers and software developers deploying solutions for the U.S. national security ecosystem, with a focus on user-centered development. The team’s aerospace engineering roots, coupled with experience working on cutting-edge technology, allows them to integrate feedback and a hands-on approach into their projects to better tailor user needs.
The perks:
- Remote monthly game nights and happy hours
- Quarterly events like go-karts, archery and volunteering
- Fully stocked kitchen and some meals provided
- Fitness subsidies and wellness programs
- Comprehensive medical, dental and vision insurance benefits with FSA option
- Generous parental leave and flexible work schedule
Veterans welcome: As a company that works closely with national defense, MORSE welcomes those with military background and their experience directly interfacing with the ecosystem. Program Manager Sam Harrison, for example, transitioned from an illustrious career serving the country to leading AI-powered projects for the Department of Defense. “We provide the government unique perspectives and practical solutions,” he told Built In Boston in November. “It’s a place where I can consistently feed my curiosity and inspire myself and our teams to deliver excellence to our customers.”
What it does: Piaggio Fast Forward is in the business of intelligent mobility solutions, dedicated to moving people and goods in a better way. Creators of the gita robot, a two-wheeled robotic transporter that follows a human leader, the company makes products that travel with people as part of its mission for a more efficient and sustainable robotics-based mobility solution for society.
The perks:
- 100 percent medical and dental coverage
- Pet-friendly office with stocked kitchen and free daily meals
- Commuter and home office stipends
- Tuition reimbursement and continuing education stipend
- 401(k) with 3 percent employer match
The gita family: Two of Piaggio’s most spotlighted products, the gitamini and gitaplus, are luxury companion robots that follow users as they walk, observing and adjusting for pedestrian etiquette. With built-in Bluetooth speakers and gear-carrying capacity, the gita series exemplifies Piaggio’s dogma of using tech-improved mobility to promote a healthier and more sustainable lifestyle.
What it does: Cogo Labs is a startup incubator that operates in Cambridge, Massachusetts, leveraging its proximity to promising tech organizations and talent. The company’s tech and operations platform uses valuable knowledge sharing and insights among the incubated companies to accelerate mutual growth.
The perks:
- Team workouts including group meditation and yoga sessions
- Community and employee outings
- Sabbatical option offered
- Generous PTO, parental leave and return-to-work programs
- Employee stipends for child care, gyms and home costs
Valuing ownership: A culture of ownership is important at Cogo, according to VP Engineering John “Geech” McGeachie. The company has a unique workflow of targeting the end-state solution first and working from there. Team members are granted autonomy to attain that goal, which powers efficient delivery to customers. “Companywide, we refer to this as ‘target backward’ — once you know what ‘done’ looks like from the perspective of your customer, you can focus on the straight-line path to getting there,” McGeachie told Built In Boston in August.
What it does: SmarterTravel is a data-driven online travel platform, using AI and machine learning to curate recommendations and selections for consumers. The traveltech company wants to streamline the travel booking process to establish itself as a go-to resource in the massive industry.
The perks:
- Catered lunches on Mondays and Thursdays
- 16 weeks of paid parental leave
- Flexible work schedule with start and end times
- $400 per month commuting stipend
- Company events once a month and recreational leagues
Travel smarter: SmarterTravel’s goal to become the authority on consumer-oriented traveling includes content strategy built around its YouTube channel and a blog series offering tips, listed rankings and reviews. Originally a media spinoff of Tripadvisor, the company formerly known as HopJump has 7 million newsletter subscribers as of 2021, including notable travel brands such as Airfarewatchdog and Oyster.
What it does: Cambridge Semantics is a data management and enterprise analytics software that allows companies to turn siloed data into scalable knowledge graphics, making organizational data easier to use, access and connect. The utility of the platform makes it a versatile tool across industries, from life sciences and government to financial services and manufacturing.
The perks:
- 401(k) with company equity options
- Generous parental leave and return-to-work program, plus child care benefits
- Comprehensive medical benefits with pet insurance and FSA options
- Team workouts and onsite gym
- Learning and development program includes online courses, job training and conferences
A growing field: As the graph database market grew to an astonishing $1.59 billion in 2020, companies in this industry are facing exciting times in a rapidly scaling market. Driven by demand for healthcare database software and AI, major players like Cambridge Semantics are well-positioned to expand. “Harnessed data is vital to the digital transformation initiatives driving the vast new revenue opportunities,” HR Director Brooke Morton told Built In Boston in May. “The world of data is booming, and the possibilities are compounding quickly.”
