Some of the tech advances that we saw in 2024 sound like they’re straight out of a sci-fi movie.
In the last year, doctors implanted a metal heart in a patient, who lived with the mechanical organ for several days.
The first gene therapy using CRISPR was approved by the FDA at the tail end of 2023.
AI took a step toward logic reasoning — similar to the way the human brain solves a problem — with the OpenAI O1 model. Also, ChatGPT received a major upgrade through the GPT-4o model, allowing it to process text, audio, images and videos — now a stack of PDFs can be turned into an AI-generated podcast, complete with real sounding vocal changes and cues. AI even found tuberculosis in a patient just by listening to their voice.
The Firefly Petunia was developed this year — it appears like a typical flower in the daytime and glows like the moonlight at night.
For this 2024 year of future-forward progress, Built In found 24 companies that made a big impact — either through technical thought leadership, product development or offering job seekers a unique challenge and team to work on.
What PwC does: PwC is a cybersecurity and AI company.
PwC’s Health and Wellness Perks
- Health, dental and vision insurance
- Disability insurance
- Flexible spending account
- Life insurance
- Pet insurance
- Team workouts
- Wellness programs
- Mental health benefits
- Transgender health care benefits
2025 Predictions in AI: PwC conducts regular surveys with business leaders and produces prediction reports based on the research. One of its predictions for 2025 is a rise in AI agents, or “digital workers.” Workforce Transformation Practice Leader Anthony Abbatiello noted in the report that, “AI agents are set to revolutionize the workforce, blending human creativity with machine efficiency to unlock unprecedented levels of productivity and innovation.”
What General Motors does: General Motors is an automotive company with tech focuses in big data, robotics and software development.
General Motors’ Family Perks
- Adoption Assistance
- Childcare benefits
- Company-sponsored family events
- Family medical leave
- Generous parental leave
- Return-to-work program post parental leave
- Fertility benefits
Intelligence Platform: General Motor’s new intelligence platform forms an electrical architecture that is five times as powerful as the company’s previous one. Built In spoke with Executive Director of Product Management for Infotainment, Charging and Viewing Mike Hichme about the tech in September 2024.
“Customers expect the latest in terms of technology in their new vehicle,” said Hichme. “We’re entering an era of vehicles improving as they age through regular software updates, and the level of integration between the navigation system and other functions of the vehicle, such as the EV charging experience, has grown in importance.”
What Spectrum does: Spectrum is an IT company that creates, develops and operates mobile services, internet service, live TV app and WiFi for nearly 100 million users.
Spectrum’s Office Perks
- Commuter benefits
- Company-sponsored outings
- Onsite gym
- Onsite office parking
- Recreational clubs
- Relocation assistance
- Some meals provided
- Mother's room
Faster connection: Spectrum announced in November that it had begun deployment of its new next-generation Advanced WiFi 7 routers.
“With the introduction of our WiFi 7 routers, Spectrum continues to lead the way in bringing cutting-edge technology to our customers,” said EVP of Product and Charter Communications Danny Bowman in a press release. “These new routers are designed to support the ever-increasing number of connected devices in homes and businesses, delivering faster speeds, lower latency and greater capacity to handle the most demanding digital activities. Additionally, WiFi 7’s ability to support multigigabit speeds ensures our routers will be ready for future Spectrum innovation.”
What Mondelēz International does: Mondelēz International is an American multinational confectionery, food and beverage company.
Mondelēz International’s Culture Perks
- Volunteer in local community
- Flexible work schedule
- Open-door policy
- Open office floor plan
- Partnerships with nonprofits
- Employee resource groups
- Employee-led culture committees
- Hybrid work model
- In-person all-hands meetings
- Summer hours
- Employee awards
AI Community of Practice: The tech that powers Mondelēz International has a heavy focus on leveraging data to guide sales, like the “suggested order” tool that recommends products and quantities to sellers in over 1.7 million stores. The team that develops this AI connects through Mondelēz’s AI Community of Practice, a way for data scientists to ensure they have the right tools and support.
“We want to ensure all of our data scientists have the right path to success, access to technology and data,” Meenakshi (Vora) Ghoge, senior director of data and analytics, told Built In in August. “It’s about having a systematic approach to make the biggest impact.”
What NBCUniversal does: NBCUniversal is a telecommunications and entertainment company that includes film, television, news, theme parks, interactive media and streaming.
NBCUniversal’s Professional Development Perks
- Continuing education stipend
- Customized development tracks
- Job training and conferences
- Mentorship program
- Online course subscriptions available
- Paid industry certifications
- Promote-from-within culture
- Lunch-and-learn sessions
Ahead of the data curve: In January of 2024, NBCUniversal announced the full-scale launch of One Platform Total Audience, the company’s AI-driven planning and activation tech that, according to an announcement post on its website, allows “new investments in automation and data to provide brands unduplicated reach through a single media buy across linear and streaming.”
“We’re driving the industry on the paradigm of the data mesh,” Jeff Szuba, SVP of data and analytics and leader in the Operations and Technology team told Built In back in 2023. The team at the time was focused on moving the company toward a growing direct-to-consumer model. “The data architectural paradigm is in its infancy, and we’ve been ahead, driving the major cloud providers to unlock capabilities on their product roadmaps.”
What ZS does: ZS is a management consulting and technology firm that partners with companies by bringing together data, science and technology.
ZS’ DEI Perks
- Dedicated diversity and inclusion staff
- Diversity manifesto
- Documented equal pay policy
- Highly diverse management team
- Mandated unconscious bias training
- Diversity employee resource groups
- Hiring practices that promote diversity
- Diversity recruitment program
Women in AI tech: As a large multinational company, ZS takes supporting women in tech seriously and makes sure to do so in a localized way.
“I like challenges and I like ventures,” Principal Bazgha Qutab told Built In in April 2024. “It’s very cool to be developing products and serving clients while being under the umbrella of an established organization. I’d say that’s why ZS is a good place to be for women in tech. They can constantly be in startup mode while also being nurtured. ZS takes care of our people.”
What Chamberlain Group does: Chamberlain Group is a Blackstone portfolio company whose products and software solutions provide intelligent access to homes and businesses.
Chamberlain Group’s Office Perks
- Company-sponsored outings
- Company-sponsored happy hours
- Onsite gym
- Onsite office parking
- Recreational clubs
- Some meals provided
- Meditation space
- Mother's room
AI in IoT: Chamberlain Group creates IoT access control systems, part of which is the myQ ecosystem. In its latest camera, AI-driven notifications identity whether the car in the driveway or dog outside is known or unknown, as explained in a blog by Jackie Lorenty, EVP of residential services and international.
What Adyen does: By providing end-to-end payments capabilities, data-driven insights and financial products in a single solution, Adyen helps businesses achieve their ambitions faster.
Adyen’s Office Perks
- Commuter benefits
- Company-sponsored outings
- Fitness stipend
- Free daily meals
- Company-sponsored happy hours
- Recreational clubs
- Relocation assistance
- Free snacks and drinks
- Some meals provided
- Home-office stipend for remote employees
- Meditation space
- Mother's room
New tech at work: In late September, the company announced the launch of a new payment terminal called SFO1 that will “reimagine the in-person shopping experience” with an 8-inch touch screen.
“The SFO1 will fundamentally change the way brands interact with customers at the point of purchase,” said VP of Product, Payment Channels Derk Busser in a press release. “Rich video content allows fashion retailers to showcase next season’s collection on stunning screens while offering shoppers the chance to sign up for loyalty programs to receive discounts or early access to the clothing shown. We are pushing the boundaries of innovation, ensuring that merchants can provide cutting-edge, customizable in-store checkout experiences.”
What Squarespace does: Squarespace is a design-driven platform helping entrepreneurs build brands and businesses online. The company’s suite of products ranges from websites, domains, e-commerce and marketing tools, scheduling tools with Acuity, as well as tools for creating and managing social media presence with Bio Sites and Unfold.
Squarespace’s Professional Development Perks
- Continuing education stipend
- Job training and conferences
- Online course subscriptions available
- Promote-from-within culture
- Lunch-and-learn sessions
- Continuing education available during work hours
- Personal development training
- Virtual coaching services
New AI features: Building websites is now even easier with the most recent addition to Squarespace’s toolbox. As part of Design Intelligence, unveiled by Squarespace earlier this year, the company launched the next evolution of Blueprint AI, its first AI-powered website builder. The company announced in September that new features to Blueprint will offer users curated design and content recommendations that are already aligned with their brand guidelines.
“Squarespace champions the irreplaceable value of human creativity, and our latest platform innovations are designed to further empower entrepreneurs to easily bring their visions, brands and businesses to life,” said Anthony Casalena, founder and CEO of Squarespace, in a press release. “It has been an incredible year of innovation at Squarespace as we combine the latest technologies with our deep-rooted focus on design to deliver unmatched capabilities for customers globally.”
What Sprout Social does: Sprout Social provides social media management and analytics software.
Sprout Social’s Office Perks
- Commuter benefits
- Company-sponsored outings
- Fitness stipend
- Free daily meals
- Company-sponsored happy hours
- Onsite gym
- Free snacks and drinks
- Home-office stipend for remote employees
Agentforce integration: At Dreamforce 2024, Sprout Social announced a new integration with Salesforce’s Agentforce assistant for Service Cloud. The integration will allow customers to gather customer insights from social and take action quickly.
“This latest extension not only showcases our commitment to AI innovation but to the enduring strength of our collaboration with Salesforce,” said Chief Marketing Officer Scott Morris in a press release. “At a time when customer care makes or breaks what defines a good brand, AI innovations that capture important context from social are critical for supporting long-term, holistic care strategies and empowering brands to personalize customer interactions at scale.”
What Crunchyroll does: Crunchyroll is an anime and manga experience company, providing fans with videos, merchandise, events and gaming.
Office Perks
- Commuter benefits
- Company-sponsored outings
- Free daily meals
- Onsite office parking
- Pet friendly
- Relocation assistance
- Free snacks and drinks
- Home-office stipend for remote employees
Equity in tech: “If we want to be ‘the brand’ for the diversity that defines anime, then our organization, employees and teams should equally represent that,” SVP of Product Sree Kaushik told Built In late last year. Kaushik grew up in India, where she said she felt “women are almost 10 to 15 years ahead in terms of representation in STEM.” After moving to the United States and advancing her engineering career in the tech industry, Kaushik is driven to make a difference, and motivated by Crunchyroll’s mission: to “help everyone belong.”
What OCC does: OCC provides stability to the listed options marketplace by guaranteeing options trades.
OCC’s Professional Development Perks
- Customized development tracks
- Job training and conferences
- Online course subscriptions available
- Paid industry certifications
- Promote-from-within culture
- Lunch-and-learn sessions
- Tuition reimbursement
DEI focus: When the company was looking to hire for a DEI leadership role, Chief HR Office Carla Dawson told Built In that OCC has “always embraced diversity by welcoming people from all backgrounds, it became clear that we needed a person dedicated to our strategy and programs to increase engagement.”
Since then, OCC has successfully developed a DEI-focused recruitment strategy and launched employee resource groups. “We have also implemented training on diversity and inclusion topics as well as hosted a speaker series, events and workshops to help increase our cultural competence and inspire a culture where everyone feels a sense of belonging,” added Dawson.
What Zocdoc does: Zocdoc is a healthtech company that helps patients find in-network neighborhood doctors, instantly book appointments online, see what other patients have to say, get reminders for upcoming appointments and preventive check-ups, fill out their paperwork online and more.
Zocdoc’s Health and Wellness Perks
- Health, dental and vision insurance
- Disability insurance
- Flexible spending account
- Life insurance
- Team workouts
- Wellness programs
- Mental health benefits
- Wellness days
- Abortion travel benefits
Better search: Zocdoc surveyed over 1,000 U.S. patients, of which 57 percent said they went to a doctor appointment and discovered it wasn’t the right medical fit for them to see. The survey also found that 24 percent of providers said the same. The company launched a tool called Guided Search earlier this year to address that.
“We know that choosing the right provider is very important to patients, but far too often, that decision-making process can feel confusing and overwhelming,” said founder and CEO Oliver Kharraz in a press release. “We introduced Guided Search to give patients greater control, more confidence and ultimately peace of mind that they’re selecting a provider who is able to see and treat them for their specific needs.”
What Redgate Software does: Specializing in database software for over 24 years, Redgate creates software to help organizations and professionals get the most value out of any database.
Redgate Software’s Financial Perks
- 401(k) matching
- Company equity
- Charitable contribution matching
- Pension
- Pay transparency
Team synthetic data: There is a debate among AI experts about whether using synthetic data to train AI and ML models is the way to go. Redgate Software is in the pro-synthetic data camp. When the company announced advanced AI capabilities across its database DevOps portfolio, a press release also noted that an AI synthetic data generation capability would be added to Redgate Test Data Manager.
“With the introduction of the AI capabilities in Redgate Monitor and Redgate Test Data Manager, we’re removing the bottlenecks and errors that come with manual processes, freeing up time for teams to create new value and keeping data even more secure,” noted CPO David Gummer in the press release.
What Taskrabbit does: Taskrabbit is a marketplace platform that conveniently connects people with Taskers to handle everyday home to-dos, such as furniture assembly, handiwork, moving help and more.
Taskrabbit's DEI Perks
- Dedicated diversity and inclusion staff
- Diversity manifesto
- Documented equal pay policy
- Highly diverse management team
- Mean gender pay gap below 10%
- Mandated unconscious bias training
- Diversity employee resource groups
- Hiring practices that promote diversity
Hello, Dolly: Taskrabbit announced its acquisition of Dolly, a leading on-demand moving and delivery service, in November.
“This acquisition brings us one step further in fulfilling our mission of transforming lives, one task at a time,” said Ania Smith, CEO of Taskrabbit, in a press release. “Moving can be a stressful experience for many. With our customers at the forefront of every decision we make, Taskrabbit and Dolly will together bring more flexibility and accessibility to moving and delivery services, aiming to solve key customer and partner pain points across combined platform offerings.”
What Huntress does: Huntress is a leading cybersecurity company focused on protecting and empowering small businesses to mid-sized enterprises.
Huntress’ Founding Ethos
Huntress was started in 2015 by former NSA cyber operators. The company is and has been intentionally fully remote and unifies its team under a simple premise, as noted in its job descriptions: “Huntress was built on a simple premise: to force hackers to earn every inch of their access.”
New product: In September, Huntress announced the arrival of a new Managed SIEM solution that is said to simplify life for IT professionals “with purpose-built protection and expert management at a price that makes sense.”
In a press release from the company, CTO Chris Bisnett said: “Our modern approach is directly based on what our partners have been asking for. This new solution provides a huge opportunity for organizations who have struggled to get value out of a SIEM solution, with efficient data collection and retention that keeps costs stable and accessible and helps service providers and business IT departments stay safe and compliant. Together, we’re going to write a new playbook for what SIEM should look like, and it starts by putting SMBs and their protection first — Huntress Managed SIEM delivers on that.”
What Coro does: Coro is a cybersecurity software company with a modular platform, allowing customers to snap modules together with the click of a button.
Coro’s Professional Development Perks
- Customized development tracks
- Job training and conferences
- Mentorship program
- Online course subscriptions available
- Paid industry certifications
- Promote-from-within culture
- Lunch-and-learn sessions
- Personal development training
- Virtual coaching services
- Apprenticeship programs
Enterprise-level AI: Coro is scaling quickly — it landed number 51 on the Deloitte Technology Fast 500 list and was on the Fortune Cyber 60 list. The growth is partially because of its AI Modular Cybersecurity Platform, which is built to grow alongside the businesses that use it. The company calls it an affordable “enterprise grade” cybersecurity choice for small- and medium-sized businesses.
What Arity does: Founded by The Allstate Corporation in 2016, Arity is a mobility data and analytics company that collects and analyzes enormous amounts of data, using predictive analytics.
Arity's Culture Perks
- Volunteer in local community
- Flexible work schedule
- Partners with nonprofits
- Remote work program
- Team-based strategic planning
Joining forces: The new Arity Marketing Platform — which has the technical backing of Transparent.ly and LeadCloud Integration Services — is an omnichannel behavior data tool to help marketers connect with their ideal customers
A press release from the company noted: “The Arity Marketing Platform helps marketers optimize their book of business via Arity’s ability to generate insights on nearly 175 million U.S. drivers. This enables marketers to target their best prospects across the customer journey with driving behavior data. Adding Transparent.ly’s strong ability to connect marketers with high-intent prospects helps the Arity Marketing Platform to be a more robust solution for marketers to generate clicks, leads and calls, and reach prospects across the entire customer journey.”
What Bold Penguin does: Bold Penguin is an insurance technology company founded by insurance agents for insurance agents.
Bold Penguin’s Culture Perks
- Flexible work schedule
- Open door policy
- Open office floor plan
- Pair programming
- Employee resource groups
- Hybrid work model
New partners: According to an October press release, Bold Penguin will join HawkSoft’s Solution Partner program, with a goal to “simplify the exchange of data between HawkSoft’s agency management system and Bold Penguin’s commercial lines quoting platform, the Bold Penguin Terminal.”
COO Jim Struntz said in the release, “Bold Penguin was founded by insurance agents, for insurance agents, so we have a deep appreciation for how complex the commercial quote and bind process can be. Partnering with HawkSoft represents an exciting step in removing a few of the hurdles our mutual agency partners face as they serve small business owners across their communities.”
What LeafLink does: LeafLink is the unified B2B cannabis platform, empowering thousands of licensed cannabis brands and retailers across North America with the tools and technology they need to streamline ordering, payments and logistics.
LeafLink's Health and Wellness Perks
- Health, dental and vision insurance
- Disability insurance
- Flexible spending account
- Life insurance
- Pet insurance
- Wellness programs
- Mental health benefits
Growing green: In November, LeafLink announced it acquired Leaf Trade, a wholesale marketplace primarily used by multistate operators and enterprise cannabis companies. LeafLink also recently boosted its Series D fundraising round from $100 million to $125 million.
“This acquisition is an incredible win for our team, our customers and the advancement of the cannabis industry,” said Brian Ward, CEO of Leaf Trade in a press release. “The Leaf Trade team has done a tremendous job driving significant growth while achieving profitability. With LeafLink’s acquisition of Leaf Trade, we’re unifying our strengths to create even more innovative solutions that drive growth and value across the supply chain. We are excited that our customers will now be able to leverage some of the major product investments that LeafLink has made recently.”
What Monte Carlo does: Monte Carlo is the creator of an end-to-end data observability platform.
Monte Carlo’s Professional Development Perks
- Job training and conferences
- Mentorship program
- Promote-from-within culture
- Lunch-and-learn sessions
- Personal development training
- Virtual coaching services
Autodetecting errors on Databricks: The website BigDATAWire reported that Monte Carlo has created a way to detect erroneous data through code changes in Databricks and pull requests in GitLab.
Monte Carlo CTO and Co-founder Lior Gavish told BigDATAWire that, “Up until this summer, Databricks did not allow vendors to access query logs directly. So when they made this functionality available, we jumped at the opportunity and built the integration quickly. With this new release, we can collect Databricks’ query history so we can surface information about Databricks’ query logs to our customers.”
What Moov Financial does: Instead of stitching together multiple vendors, software teams can add Moov to their products to improve their payment technology, user onboarding, licensing, compliance and more.
Moov Financial’s DEI Perks
- Dedicated diversity and inclusion staff
- Documented equal pay policy
- Mean gender pay gap below 10%
- Mandated unconscious bias training
- Hiring practices that promote diversity
Team open source: Moov is a champion of open source. The fintech company’s website notes that the business began as an open source project for Nacha file creation and validation for automated clearing houses.
Moov’s open source page notes, “We now make it easier for developers to build without having to understand low-level banking protocols, but open source is in our DNA, and our commitment to fostering open collaboration continues.”
What OneView Commerce does: OneView Commerce empowers retailers to optimize store and digital experiences from a single commerce platform.
OneView Commerce’s Professional Development Perks
- Continuing education stipend
- Customized development tracks
- Job training and conferences
- Mentorship program
- Online course subscriptions available
- Promote-from-within culture
- Lunch-and-learn sessions
- Continuing education available during work hours
- Tuition reimbursement
New partnerships: OneView Commerce announced a new partnership with Annex Cloud in November. The two companies hope to make use of the other’s technical expertise and “empower retailers to create customer-centric engagement strategies within physical stores,” as noted in a press release.
“With Annex Cloud, OneView is working with a partner who brings years of leadership in loyalty solutions to deliver full-featured omnichannel capabilities for today’s fast-moving physical stores,” said CEO Linda Palanza in a press release. “With brand loyal customers proving they are worth an average of 2.5 times more revenue than new or future customers, it is imperative for retailers to maximize the loyalty experience at every point of engagement to protect valuable market share. We look forward to offering this powerful capability with our joint offerings.”
What New Era ADR does: Headquartered in Chicago, New Era ADR is the first fully virtual mediation and arbitration platform that resolves legal disputes in less than 100 days, saving businesses and individuals up to 90 percent in time and expenses.
New Era ADR’s DEI Perks
- Dedicated diversity and inclusion staff
- Diversity manifesto
- Documented equal pay policy
- Highly diverse management team
- Mean gender pay gap below 10%
- Mandated unconscious bias training
- Hiring practices that promote diversity
Accessible design: Product Design Lead Heidi Fleck spoke with Built In last year about the company’s accessible design ethos.
“New Era has a goal to provide access to justice and make the law available to everyone regardless of skill set, background or circumstances via our platform,” she said. “We want to understand how our users adapt to our technology at any given time, and thus we adapt in return, viewing our product through different lenses. … We plan to showcase neutrals’ strengths in the selection process using a variety of mediums, including video and audio. These solutions will keep accessibility top of mind so people that are hard of hearing, with vision impairments or have other needs can evaluate our neutrals effectively and choose the right one for their case, ultimately giving them the best chance at a fair outcome.”
