20 Companies to Watch This Summer

With the “dog days of summer” officially upon us, many of us are looking forward to a future filled with cooler days — and nonstop innovation. 

Tech companies across the country are focused on enhancing their products and services to keep up with industrywide advancements. For instance, automotive technology company Magna International recently unveiled its new integrated interior sensing systems, which are designed to offer an even safer driving experience. Meanwhile, at food and beverage company Mondelēz International, tech teams are leaning into a systematic approach to leveraging AI in an effort to maximize the organization’s impact. 

As companies such as these pursue cutting-edge projects and refine their technical acumen, they’re ensuring their people have the tools and support they need to drive progress. At fintech platform provider Adyen, technologists leverage tools like Kotlin, Jupyter and Java to build solutions that will help businesses thrive. On the other hand, learning platform provider Skillsoft empowers its people to help enterprises prepare for the future of work by providing perks that promote a healthy work-life balance, such as generous PTO, a gym reimbursement and generous parental leave. 

For these four companies and 16 others, the key to continued success lies in powerful technology — and supportive cultures. Read on to learn what makes these 20 companies ones to watch this summer. 

 

 

What Anduril does: Anduril develops defense technology for U.S. and allied military forces. 

In the news: The company recently announced it was awarded a $99.6 million Other Transaction Authority agreement to lead the delivery of a Next Generation Command and Control prototype. According to a blog post on the company’s website, Anduril and its partners plan to create an ecosystem that can rapidly integrate a range of technologies into a singular architecture, which will enable soldiers to access various kinds of compute, communications and information processing capabilities at the same time. 

 

 

What Magna International does: Magna International is a mobility technology company that focuses on developing safe, sustainable and efficient automotive technology. 

In the news: Last month, the company announced the launch of its integrated interior sensing systems. These new systems include Magna’s Child Presence Detection technology, which is designed to prevent incidents of children being left behind in cars. Additionally, the systems integrate cameras and radars to monitor and analyze interior conditions, such as driver attentiveness, seat occupancy, seatbelt usage and environmental factors. 

 

 

What Mondelēz International does: Mondelēz International is a multinational confectionery, food and beverage company that owns brands like Cadbury, Belvita and Wheat Thins. 

Maximizing the impact of AI: Last year, Meenakshi (Vora) Ghoge, senior director of data and analytics at Mondelēz International, spoke with Built In about the work she does spearheading the company’s systematic approach to leveraging AI. She explained that, by fostering this approach through its AI Community of Practice, the organization aims to arm its data scientists with the tools and support they need to get the most out of AI. “We want to ensure all of our data scientists have the right path to success, access to technology and data,” Ghoge said. “It’s about having a systematic approach to make the biggest impact.” 

 

 

 

What Adyen does: Adyen’s fintech platform is designed to enable businesses to accept payments, protect revenue, and control their finances. 

A culture unlike any other: Adyen Enterprise Account Executive Morgan Clark spoke with Built In last year to share why she decided to join Adyen’s sales team. She shared that, during the interview process, she could tell that the company’s culture was unlike anything she had seen before, and that sentiment still holds true to this day. “Working across regions can be challenging without the right support, but Adyen sees collaboration and putting one’s ego aside as critical components to the success of the sales organization and the company,” Clark said. “This environment is prime for personal and professional growth, which is exactly what I was looking for.”

 

 

What Snap does: Snap Inc., the parent company of Snapchat, is a technology company dedicated to empowering people to express themselves, live in the moment, learn about the world, and have fun together.

In the news: Last month, the company released its new Home Safe feature for Snapchat, which enables the app’s users to automatically notify their friends and family once they’ve arrived home. The feature, which must be manually activated by the user, sends an automatic, one-time alert within the chat conversation the user has with a specified friend or family member. 

 

 

What PNC Financial Services Group does: PNC Financial Service Group provides banking services for individuals, small businesses and corporate and institutional clients.

Westward expansion: In an interview with Built In earlier this year, Eric Hunsaker, a site reliability engineering group manager at PNC Financial Services Group, along with two of his colleagues, described what it’s like to work at the company’s growing Site Reliability Center in Phoenix, Arizona. “The team has an awesome culture of really being open and not afraid to ask tough questions and get honest feedback,” he said. “I think we’ve developed a culture of ‘let’s focus on fixing what’s wrong and what happened,’ as opposed to finger pointing and placing blame on people.”

 

 

 

What Klaviyo does: Klaviyo’s platform is designed to enable business-to-consumer brands to deliver personalized, real-time customer experiences. 

A dream job: In an interview with Built In earlier this year, Senior Software Engineer Reina Feng described how her role at Klaviyo feels like a dream job due to the countless opportunities she has to grow. Over the years, she has learned how to work with numerous technologies and led important initiatives, all while receiving support from her peers. “Whether it’s engineers, product managers or designers, everyone is approachable, and there’s a strong culture of helping each other out,” Feng said.

 

 

What Affirm does: Affirm partners with retailers to enable consumers to pay for products and services through monthly installments. 

A unique engineering culture: Affirm Senior Vice President of Engineering Geddes Munson recently spoke with Built In to describe how the company’s commitment to supporting customers underpins everything employees do, including how they build products. He shared that he and his teammates lean into their unique engineering culture to create the best user experience, prioritizing learning, iteration and constant improvement. “We’re very serious about our work and taking ownership of our decisions,” Munson said.

 

 

What MassMutual does: For more than 170 years, MassMutual has helped people secure their future and protect the ones they love. The mutual life insurance company is run for the benefit of its members and participating policyowners.

An unforgettable onboarding experience: In an interview with Built In last year, Derek Valego, head of supplier risk and governance at MassMutual, described his onboarding experience at the company. In addition to taking part in supportive training opportunities, he came to understand what truly sets the company’s employees apart. “Everyone was down to earth,” Valego shared. “Everyone was also very smart — I would meet team members who were so kind and welcoming, and later I would be blown away by how talented they are in their roles.”

 

 

 

What Square does: Square’s integrated, omnichannel solutions are designed to help merchants sell online, manage inventory, book appointments, offer a “buy now, pay later” functionality through Afterpay and more. 

In the news: Earlier this year, the company launched Square Handheld, a portable point-of-sale device. According to a blog post on the company’s website, the new device is designed to help sellers and their staff gain the mobility, speed and efficiency needed to maintain their operations and deliver high-quality customer experiences. 

 

 

What Skillsoft does: Skillsoft’s learning platforms, courses and programs are designed to help enterprises prepare for the future of work and overcome critical skill gaps. The company’s solutions support a wide range of areas, including leadership coaching, coding, employee safety and legal and ethics compliance training. 

In the news: Earlier this year, the company announced its partnership with Salesforce to bring Skillsoft CAISY agent actions to agentforce and the Salesforce ecosystem, which will make it easier for organizations to upskill and reskill their customer support teams at scale. In a statement posted on the company’s website, Skillsoft General Manager of Talent Development Solutions Apratim Purakayastha described the impact of the partnership, sharing, “Our work with Salesforce will bring the transformative learning experience of CAISY directly into the tools customer-facing teams use every day, helping organizations strengthen relationships, improve performance, and turn their support function into a competitive advantage.”   

 

 

What BlackLine does: BlackLine’s solutions are designed to automate and control financial close and accounting processes. 

An enhanced approach to AI: Earlier this year, the company announced it had expanded its AI capabilities. According to a report from CFOtech, these capabilities include AI agents that transform raw financial data into insights, automated processes that reduce manual effort, and advanced anomaly detection that operates at a scale not achievable by humans alone.

 

 

 

What Northwestern Mutual does: Northwestern Mutual provides financial planning, insurance and investment services. 

Cultivating a culture of security: Last year, Oritse J. Uku spoke with Built In about his role at Northwestern Mutual, where he leads a team dedicated to “security culture.” “Security culture really gets to the heart of what we’re trying to do,” he explained. “We’re not trying to do ‘check-the-box’ training.” Uku described how his team helps the organization embed security into every aspect of its operations, from its decision-making process to its relationships with vendors. 

 

 

What Realtor.com does: Realtor.com’s platform helps people find properties for sale and enables current homeowners to track their home’s value over time, research and manage home improvements, and find similar properties nearby.

All eyes on innovation: Realtor.com Software Engineer Sara Marlowe caught up with Built In earlier this year to discuss the creation of the company’s first on-demand image tagging service, which is designed to help realtors more easily and accurately tag features on a property. She shared how her experience working on this project enabled her to make an impact on the company while growing significantly in the process. “This project has expanded my technical expertise and honed my ability to manage complex, cross-team initiatives; skills that will benefit me in driving innovation at Realtor.com,” Marlowe said.

 

 

What Imprivata does: Imprivata’s secure access management solutions are designed to help organizations in healthcare and other mission-critical industries enable, control and monitor digital identities. 

In the news: Earlier this year, the company announced that its Mobile Access Management platform now offers enhanced analytics capabilities, which provide critical insights into how frontline workers access corporate-owned mobile devices and applications. In a statement on the company’s website, Imprivata CEO Fran Rosch shared, “Incorporating advanced analytics gives organizations the insights they need to make informed decisions about their mobile strategy to drive improved productivity, security, and compliance.”

 

 

 

What Caterpillar does: Caterpillar is the world’s leading manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, off-highway diesel and natural gas engines, industrial gas turbines and diesel-electric locomotives.

Unparalleled growth opportunities: In an interview with Built In earlier this year, Gavin Stec and another team member from Caterpillar’s digital arm, Cat Digital, described how the company has empowered them to grow with access to enriching opportunities and supportive people. Stec shared how he has learned how to navigate the nuances of working with globally distributed teams while refining his technical skill set. “I feel that I’ve been able to grow professionally at Cat in a way I couldn’t in my previous roles,” he said. 

 

 

What Upgrade, Inc. does: Upgrade, Inc. is a fintech company that provides responsible credit and payment products. 

Rooted in collaboration: April Bacsafra, a program manager for employee engagement at Upgrade, Inc., caught up with Built In earlier this year to describe how the company’s culture is rooted in collaboration, which empowers everyone to do more. “At Upgrade, collaboration doesn’t mean relying on others to carry the weight; it means taking ownership while also showing up for your team,” she said.

 

 

What Opendoor does: Opendoor’s platform enables consumers to buy and sell properties and view insights on the real estate market. 

A multi-pronged AI strategy: Last year, Opendoor Director of Engineering Dinesh Sukhija spoke with Built In about how the company is integrating AI across both engineering enablement and product development. He explained that the company has embraced a multi-pronged strategy to stay ahead of the rapid advancements in AI and machine learning. “We prioritize thoughtful implementation by leveraging our governance, risk and compliance function to assess potential risks, including data security and ethical considerations,” Sukhija said.

 

 

 

What KUBRA does: KUBRA develops customer experience management solutions for utility, insurance and government entities. 

Support all around: Alex Arkarakas, a talent acquisition manager at KUBRA, caught up with Built In last year to share how the company has adapted its compensation and benefits package to meet the evolving needs of its people. This includes highly competitive salaries in both Canada and the United States, a performance-based bonus structure and generous leave options. “These tailored offerings set us apart, ensuring our employees feel valued, supported and motivated to achieve their best while maintaining a healthy work-life balance,” Arkarakas said. 

 

 

What Jabra Hearing does: Jabra Hearing develops a variety of hearing aid solutions, offering an online test designed by audiologists that enables consumers to gauge which product suits their needs. 

Women leading others: In celebration of International Women’s Day, Jabra Hearing Chief Operations Officer Deri Winston caught up with Built In to highlight Director of Audiology Katie Keese, sharing how she has made an impact on her team — and the company as a whole. “She inspires and motivates her team while also demonstrating genuine empathy and understanding,” Winston shared. “Her leadership style inspires others to follow her example and strive for excellence in all that they do, which is evidenced in the patient outcomes her team is achieving.”