Take Note: 26 NYC Companies to Watch This Fall.

Autumn is unfolding in New York. Whether you’re jogging around leaf-strewn Central Park, appreciating the witch hazel bloom at the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens or taking a day trip to Long Island for apple picking, it might also be a good time to catch up on the movers and shakers in your local tech scene — and Built In New York has curated 26 noteworthy companies to get you started.

After venture-backed startups in the greater New York City area raised more than $52 billion in 2021 — more than doubling funds from the year before — many of the city’s tech employers are unveiling upgrades to the breadth, depth and inclusion of their culture and perks.

The New York-based companies we featured are special in many ways, but all 26 have one thing in common: They are unique, people-first organizations well worth keeping on your radar in the fall season ahead.

 

 

What Rightpoint does: RightPoint is a digital consultancy for businesses, helping them launch creative technology-based initiatives from inception through roll-out. The agency is part of Genpact, a business process management company. 

 

 

Transparency and inclusion: “Here at Rightpoint, we foster a transparent and inclusive environment where team members are challenged, inspired, have fun and thrive,” Kelli Schaaf, senior manager of internal communications, told Built In NYC in March. “We achieve this through initiatives that aim to align team members with the RP’s common goals and vision while equipping people with information and resources to help them excel, both professionally and personally.”

 

 

 

 

What Garner Health does: Garner Health is an HR tech company that connects employees to medical providers. With a mission to ensure high-quality, affordable healthcare for all, the big data startup runs analytics on doctors, alters the financial incentives typically baked into health insurance plans and creates consumer-friendly tools — ultimately guaranteeing a 10 percent savings or more for employers’ health costs. 

 

 

Curiosity is key: “Curiosity is the substrate of everything that we work on as a larger technical team, which creates an absolutely phenomenal place to work,” Pedro Jofre Lora, director of data science engineering, recently told Built In NYC. “It drives us from discovery to deployment, and it inhabits the spaces in between.”

 

 

 

What Headway does: Headway is a mental health care platform that provides a software-enabled network of therapists who accept insurance. The healthtech company connects clients to mental health providers who specialize in a range of topics including anxiety and depression, family issues, grief and trauma, disordered eating, gender identity and sexuality counseling, substance use disorder and more. 

 

 

DEI-focused: “An open, consistent bridge between the executive team and employees is crucial for Headway’s success,” Jerome Wright, senior provider growth associate, told Built In NYC in April. “Employees have voices that need to be heard, and receiving support or sponsorship for the introduction of DEI-related initiatives from leadership is special. Executive buy-in sends the message that DEI initiatives are both high priority and valuable to the company’s overall success.”

 

 

 

What Aptos does: Aptos was founded in 2021 by the team who developed the blockchain for Meta’s discontinued cryptocurrency-based payment system, Diem. Headquartered in Palo Alto, the remote-friendly company builds safe and scalable Layer 1 blockchain, with a goal to create universal and fair access to decentralized assets. 

 

 

In the news: In September, Crunchbase reported that Aptos quadrupled its valuation since March after receiving an undisclosed strategic investment from Binance Labs, the venture capital arm of global cryptocurrency exchange Binance.  

 

 

 

What Lattice does: Lattice is a people management software for growing companies. The HR tech company launches 360 performance review cycles, tracks objectives and key results, and gathers employee feedback. 

 

 

Leading with empathy: “One of the characteristics we prioritize is empathy,” Jamie Lau, senior software engineer, told Built In NYC in June. “Working with empathy means we support each other to reach goals, move fast but with realistic timelines, and operate on trust and good intentions.”

 

 

 

What PitchBook Data does: PitchBook Data is a financial data and software company for private and public markets. A subsidiary of Chicago-based financial services firm Morningstar, PitchBook is headquartered in Seattle, London and Hong Kong, with additional offices in New York and San Francisco. 

 

 

A winning mentality: “At PitchBook, we’re all about helping our clients win. That mindset applies to our team members, too,” Caroline Shomber, senior manager of East Coast account management, told Built In NYC in December 2021. “Given the challenges I faced early in my career, I value the way my company and organization prioritize every employee’s professional growth and celebrate team and individual accomplishments.”

 

 

 

What SmartAsset does: SmartAsset offers an online platform for consumer-focused financial information and advice. By connecting consumers to expert financial advisors, the company aims to help people make more informed financial decisions. 

 

 

Fostering an inclusive remote culture: “The secrets to success to reinforce culture are effective leadership, clear communication and solid talent management with culture as the outcome,” Meghan Lapides, chief people officer, told Built In NYC in July. “Another way SmartAsset fosters a business environment that is inclusive, diverse and collaborative is through our various employee resource groups. Despite a fully-distributed workforce across the U.S., employees have formed groups and initiatives that center around positive impact and change.” 

 

 

 

 

What Bilt Rewards does: Bilt Rewards offers a program through which people earn points by paying their rent. A renter may dedicate their points toward a down payment on a home or redeem them for perks such as airline tickets, hotel stays and fitness classes.

 

 

Bilt Rewards’s fastest-growing teams: Operations, development and engineering, marketing product, content, data and analytics, sales and design and UX 

 

 

 

What EnergyHub does: EnergyHub is a Brooklyn-based greentech company whose platform transforms customers’ smart thermostats, electric cars and other devices into virtual power plants. This allows people to save energy and money, while enabling greater solar and wind power efficiency. 

 

 

In the news: In March, EnergyHub announced that it acquired Packetized Energy, a Burlington-based software startup that enables flexible grid services from distributed energy resources. 

 

 

 

What Lemonade does: Lemonade’s AI bot named Maya creates easy, personalized insurance policies for people’s homes, cars, pets and more. Users pay a flat fee for their plans and can dedicate unclaimed money to nonprofit causes they care about — such as the ACLU, Malala Fund and Charity: Water. 

 

 

Lemonade’s fastest-growing teams: Operations, data and analytics, finance, design and UX 

 

 

 

What Miro does: Miro provides an online collaborative whiteboard platform where remote, in-person and hybrid teams can brainstorm, plan and design together. Co-headquartered in Amsterdam and San Francisco, Miro hires team members from all around the world.

 

 

In the news: In January, Miro announced that it raised $400 million in Series C funding, bringing the overall company valuation to $17.5 billion. With this financing, Miro said it planned to invest in product and program development designed to expand its platform to more enterprises. 

 

 

 

 

What CreatorIQ does: CreatorIQ develops cloud solutions for enterprises to manage and optimize influencer campaigns. The marketing technology company allows brands to tap into the creator economy — revenue opportunities and consumption patterns driven by social media content creators. 

 

 

Quickly changing industry: “The nature of our business has become much more strategic and impactful as the influencer space has evolved, so it is critical to uncover and align our solution to these initiatives in order to open the right doors, unlock budgets and increase the stickiness of the CreatorIQ solution,” Annie Tarkington, senior account executive, told Built In NYC in March 2021. 

 

 

 

What Axoni does: Axoni is a fintech company that specializes in blockchain services and multiparty workflows and infrastructure. With support from banking titans such as Wells Fargo, JPMorgan Chase & Co., and Goldman Sachs, Axoni provides core data infrastructure, application development and automation tools. 

 

 

Axoni’s fastest-growing teams: Development and engineering, operations and product 

 

 

 

What Clyde does: Clyde is an e-commerce company that offers product protection, registration and issue resolution on a single platform. Founder and CEO Brandon Gell was inspired to launch Clyde after two personal mishaps: The first was spending more than six months trying to find a company’s warranty program for 3D scanning products, and the second was accidentally throwing out the receipt for his tent’s extended warranty. 

 

 

E-commerce evolution: “Clyde empowers merchants to fulfill the core tenet of traditional commerce by removing the barriers between the consumer and the merchant when they need to connect the most,” Kyu Gavin Kim, implementation engineer, told Built In NYC in May. “It keeps the relationships and commerce sustainable — as we continue to shape the societal impacts of our e-commerce evolution.”

 

 

 

What Flowcode does: Flowcode creates beautifully designed QR codes and personalized landing pages to help brands better connect with consumers. Through its data-driven QR designs, the company aims to bridge the real world with the digital world.

 

 

In the news: In July, Flowcode announced a strategic partnership with POAP, a developer of NFTs for life experiences, to distribute tokens and event-based memorializations, creating a fully integrated Web3 suite connected to the offline world. 

 

 

 

What Enigma does: Enigma builds data infrastructure, developer-friendly APIs and intelligent tools. These offerings empower financial companies — such as PayPal, Capital One and American Express — to better serve their small business customers. 

 

 

Prioritizing holistic health: “Wellness benefits for physical, mental and emotional health are table stakes at Enigma,” Stephanie Spiegel, vice president of people, told Built In NYC in May. “It’s a choose-your-own-wellness adventure.”

 

 

 

What StrongArm Technologies does: StrongArm Technologies is a Brooklyn-based worker safety science company. Applying smart sensors, AI and machine learning, StrongArm develops and manufactures industrial safety equipment that employees wear on their hips or backs, which have reduced workplace injuries up to 50 percent year over year. 

 

 

Encouraged leadership for all: “We focus on creating a ‘leader-leader’ environment — pushing control to the edges and empowering every member of the team with a voice to enact change,” Esther Zohn, executive director of people, told Built In NYC in May. “We believe in the people we hire. No matter their title or seniority, every employee is trusted to take ownership and accountability of their corner of the business.”

 

 

 

 

What OpenWeb does: OpenWeb partners with powerhouse publishers such as AOL, Yahoo!, Fox News and the Wall Street Journal to monitor online comments sections and drive reader engagement. Tackling what it calls a “crisis of toxicity online,” the social media company hopes to inspire and elevate quality digital conversations. 

 

 

Open mindsets and communication: When asked to describe OpenWeb’s company culture in one word, Senior Growth Marketing Manager Jordan Stein chose “openness.” 

“This applies to how we bring new ideas to the table, but also with our broader culture and how we communicate,” Stein told Built In NYC in November 2021. “There’s accomodation to different work styles, schedules and life outside of work that’s mature, transparent and understanding.” 

 

 

 

What Pumpkin does: Pumpkin is a pet insurance company that wants to “make the best pet care possible fur all.” With its guiding principle of “pets come first,” the company offers insurance plans with 90 percent cash back on all covered vet bills and extensive accident and illness coverage for dogs and cats. 

 

 

Pumpkin’s fastest-growing teams: Operations, finance, design and UX, development and engineering 

 

 

 

What Kaia Health does: Kaia Health applies AI technology to connect people with chronic illnesses to affordable, accessible care. Founders Konstantin Mehl and Manuel Thurner were inspired to start the healthtech company after years of personal suffering from chronic back pain.  

 

 

Staying connected: “At Kaia, we can and do move quickly, but while also remaining connected to those around us,” Max Tedaldi, head of content, told Built In NYC in March. “To be able to adapt, be remote and find emotional connection with those who are far away is incredibly unique.”

 

 

 

What Alfred does: Alfred directs apartment dwellers to an array of local services and events — including grocery deliveries, pet and childcare, yoga classes, book clubs and more — transforming properties into communities and residents into neighbors. It also hosts a building management platform, through which property owners may enable residents to pay rent, submit maintenance requests and receive package notifications. 

 

 

Community care: “I’m proud of Alfred’s agility during Covid-19 and our choice to prioritize taking care of our communities,” CEO and Co-Founder Marcela Sapone told Built In NYC in December 2021. “At the same time, we are glad the market has finally caught up to the innovation we’ve been trying to help landlords adopt for some time, and our push has become a pull from consumers.” 

 

 

 

What Capitalize does: Capitalize is a fintech company that enables people to easily move old 401(k)s into retirement savings plans. Through partnerships with IRA providers, Capitalize is able to offer its services to users for free. 

 

 

Supporting retirees: “When I learned more about the mission at Capitalize, I knew it was the place for me,” Ben Warburton, senior software engineer, told Built In NYC in November 2021. “Optimization is something every business has to do to thrive, but Capitalize’s core mission is to help people retire with dignity. That really spoke to me.”

 

 

 

 

What PointsBet does: PointsBet is an Australian-founded sports betting company operating out of Jersey City. Through its PointsBetting platform — which the company says is disrupting the legacy online sports wagering industry — users may bet on baseball, basketball, boxing, football, hockey, soccer, tennis and more.

 

 

Customer-focused messaging: “At PointsBet, we thoroughly analyze the wants of each type of customer and tailor our marketing language based on those wants,” Heather Schiraldi Laferriere, director of product marketing, told Built In NYC in May. “Our goal is to become the customer’s solution for anything they need from a sports betting platform — and to showcase that through our messaging.” 

 

 

 

What IPONWEB does: IPONWEB is an agency that specializes in programmatic and real-time advertising technology and infrastructure. Founded in the United Kingdom in 2001, IPONWEB is dedicated to the principles of scientific achievement, problem-solving, mathematical abstraction and engineering at scale. 

 

 

IPONWEB’s fastest-growing teams: Sales, data and analytics 

 

 

 

What Xceptor does: Xceptor delivers no-code data automation software for the financial industry. The fintech company’s AI-powered platform can automate even the most complex processes for sectors such as capital markets, securities services, asset management and insurance. 

 

 

In the news: In March, Xceptor announced that, in collaboration with Loughborough University, it had created a new AI-based solution for automatically analyzing documents for banking, financial and insurance industries. 

 

 

 

What INVISR does: INVISR is a consulting firm that created Polystack, a low-code app development platform. Using Amazon Web Services-based technology, Polystack can develop a business application in days or weeks — as opposed to months or years. 

 

When in-office, fun comes first: “Every day we’re in the office, we take our team to lunch and keep regular happy hours and social events,” Chief Operating Officer Jeb Hunsinger told Built In NYC in May. “It’s important to focus on our fully remote employees: to make sure they’re included and to create opportunities for in-person events and digital company events.”