In 2023, San Francisco’s tech scene has contended with an uneasy economic environment and languishing progress. But, there are promising signs the city’s pull towards innovative thinkers and organizations will remain powerful.
The rapid advancement and adoption of AI, for instance, has proven to be an explosive and magnetic force in the area. In the first three months of the year, generative AI startups raised a massive $10.7 billion. Much of this went to Bay Area companies, which accounted for 34 percent of all AI-targeted funding.
Additionally, despite layoffs that have impacted tech professionals, the city remains the foremost hub in the United States, according to CBRE’s Scoring Tech Talent 2023 report. The scorecard, based on weighted metrics like market depth, vitality and attractiveness to tech workers seeking employment, placed San Francisco first out of the 50 markets analyzed.
Vacant office space is another useful indicator of the industry’s health, and recent data seems to suggest that record-low vacancies may be in the rearview mirror. According to commercial real estate technology firm VTS, demand for office space in the city grew by 10 percent in the second quarter compared to the previous one, largely driven by AI organizations.
As the Bay Area’s tech industry recovers from a rocky period, four of its companies are standing out from the pack. Built In SF dove into the recent developments, strong cultures and attractive perks and benefits that motivate their teams to succeed.
What Cisco Meraki does: Cisco Meraki is an IT company that provides businesses with cloud-managed workplace technology that connects workforces like wifi, cybersecurity and other digital solutions.
Work-life balance: At Cisco Meraki, new and expecting parents benefit from generous parental leave, flexible work hours, subsidized child care and even access to breastfeeding consultants. “Meraki sends gifts to first-time parents and gives us a generous amount of paid time off — our managers are great about encouraging people to take time off,” said VP of Operations Joe Zitomer in a 2022 interview with Built In SF.
Launching Careers: The company’s three seasonal internship terms give those starting careers access to mentorship, educational opportunities and impactful projects. “Our internship program has helped our interns kickstart successful careers by giving them a platform to share and expand upon their skills,” said Intern Program Manager Juliet Rodriguez in a recent interview with Built In SF.
What Render does: Render is a user-friendly cloud platform that hosts static sites, complex applications and everything in between. The company enables developers and teams to prioritize building products rather than managing servers.
New funding: In June, Render secured a $50 million infusion during its Series B funding round led by Bessemer Venture Partners. “Funding from this round will be used to expand the platform to support the needs of larger engineering teams and double down on best-in-class workflow and tooling,” said CEO Anurag Goel.
Cross-functional teams: In February, Built In SF spoke to Developer Community Manager Audrey Maldanado about the company’s supportive culture. “The collaborative spirit at Render was evident to me from the beginning. I was speaking with people on all teams to understand our product and gain the context needed to understand our customers,” said Maldanado.
What Sparrow does: Sparrow is an end-to-end employee leave management system that handles every step of the leave process, from auditing and establishing compliant policies and automating paperwork to providing accurate payroll calculations.
Notable perks and benefits:
- Home office stipend for remote employees
- Parental leave in line with industry benchmarks
- Family medical leave
- Competitive equity packages
Valuable mentorship: Built In SF spoke to Chief Technology Officer Samarth Keshava in 2022 about how Sparrow provides mentorship to team members from the very beginning of their time at the company. “Mentors have regular check-ins for the duration of the onboarding process. Beyond that, mentors serve as sounding boards once the onboarding process is complete,” said Keshava.
What Wish does: The E-commerce platform Wish connects millions of customers with a wide range of products, from home improvement items and pet accessories to toys and craft supplies.
Advancing DEI: At Wish, ERGs serve as a vital tool in fostering community and creating an inclusive workplace. “From welcoming new hires to saying farewell to those who are moving on, successful ERGs are champions of their members at every stage of their employment,” said Manager of Talent Sourcing Emory Lydick while discussing Wish’s ERGs with Built In SF in 2022.
Try new things: Wish embraces learning through risk-taking and innate curiosity. “Experimentation is in the DNA of our data-driven culture. The organization continues to allow its data scientists the autonomy to drive complex projects with the support of experienced coworkers,” said Staff Data Scientist Max Li in a 2022 interview with Built In SF.
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