The COVID-19 public health crisis has disrupted everything about life: the way we work, the way we do business, the way we seek and provide healthcare, and more.
But in adversity, there’s always opportunity.
The following five San Francisco-based tech companies have been fortunate enough to work in fields that work around these obstacles, from digital human resources to cloud-based customer service to healthtech. And because of that, they’re in demand, securing record-breaking investments and doing lots of hiring. Their explosive growth means “a great environment for a self-starter,” as Sensor Tower’s Head of Financial Sales Anthony Bartolocci told Built In San Francisco.
“As a fast-growing company, new hires ramp quickly and can expect to begin making an impact within a few months,” Bartolocci said of the mobile data intelligence firm.
Read on for more on the growing San Francisco tech companies where you can make your mark right now.
What they do: The rise of telemedicine during the pandemic has been a financial boon to digital health startups like Alto Pharmacy. The online prescription drug seller and delivery service has raised over $350 million from private investors since 2015, and $250 million of that was secured this year, putting it over the $1 billion valuation mark.
Describe your company culture in one word: Care. During my time here, I’ve learned how tough it can be for people who are already struggling — either with their own illness or a loved one’s — to navigate the typical pharmacy experience. To make real change in pharmacy, we have to be careful, thoughtful and empathetic. Above all else, we prioritize taking good care of our patients, and that mindset holds true with the way we approach our work and how we treat each other.
How long have you been with the company, and what professional growth or development have you seen in that time?
I’ve worked at Alto for over a year, and in that time, I’ve gained more confidence in my abilities. Because we do such impactful, interesting work and have a supportive team, there’s no shortage of growth opportunities. I have the autonomy to take on challenges that felt intimidating at first, and have the help I need to successfully navigate them. In my time at Alto, I’ve strengthened my ability to contribute individually and started to grow as a technical leader.
What they do: Even — and especially — as most of the world works remotely for the long term, Lattice’s people management software is helping over 1,900 companies launch performance reviews, run employee engagement surveys, keep track of company OKRs and more. It’s largely why Lattice was able to close a $45 million round of Series D funding in mid-July, putting the company’s valuation at $400 million, double from what it was just last October.
Describe your company culture in one word: Human. There are so many parts of Lattice’s culture that point back to the simple concept of being human. Execs and senior leaders share their word-for-word meeting notes with the whole company via email. Have a question on someone’s process? They'll likely record a Loom walking you through the ins and outs. It’s human to not know the answer to everything, and at Lattice it’s the norm to seek out knowledge and guidance from your peers. Working in this way brings people together, and you really feel like a family executing toward the same vision. It’s a special thing to be a part of.
How long have you been with the company, and what professional growth or development have you seen in that time?
I’ve been with Lattice for six months. As I look back on my time here, I really feel like a different designer and professional. I have the autonomy I’d been craving and I can confidently embrace the unknowns much more than I imagined was possible in a work environment. Looking at things as opportunities rather than shortcomings truly goes a long way, especially when you have the support you need. As my manager told me last week, “You’re not growing if you’re comfortable” — which I think perfectly represents my journey over the last six months.
What they do: San Mateo-based Freshworks provides cloud-based customer engagement software to businesses so they can more easily acquire and retain customers for life. The company is currently valued at over $3.5 billion and is rumored to be going public as soon as next year.
Describe your company culture in one word: Embracing. Personally, many people at Freshworks have provided guidance in my career. They have gone out of their way to ask me about my goals, my vision and how I can play a role in Freshworks’ success. Specifically, as a new member of the solution engineering team, I was asked to present at our global user conference, Refresh. That gave me a platform to grow in my career and further develop my confidence.
How long have you been with the company, and what professional growth or development have you seen in that time?
I have been with the company for over two years. When I first started, I was a sales development representative. From the very beginning, my managers and peers included me on projects that developed my career, and I was quickly promoted to an account executive role. After some time in a formal sales cycle, I realized I was not quite happy in that role. Because of how embracing this culture is, I was able to communicate this. This ultimately led to a career change to solution engineering and receiving mentorship from someone who is now my manager. I have weekly meetings with my manager to talk about both short- and long-term goals, and career paths I may be interested in.
This experience also led me and a few other female employees to start a women’s mentorship program here at Freshworks. We want to continue to invest in the culture Freshworks has created.
What they do: Big data is in big demand. Earlier this year, Sensor Tower raised $45 million from Riverwood Capital to support more rapid scaling and innovation of its data analytics products used by brands and investors in a wide range of industries.
Describe your company culture in one word: Collaborative. One of the best things about working at Sensor Tower is the opportunity to collaborate on projects with talented individuals with different skills and backgrounds. Our ever-evolving data platform is the product of much creative and cross-departmental work. As the head of the financial sales vertical, I frequently sync with our data science and engineering teams on data improvements and feature enhancements. Not only do these meetings deepen my understanding of our product, but they give our product side a direct window into the needs of our subscribers. As an added bonus, our collaborative workflow allows individuals to form relationships across the organization.
How long have you been with the company, and what professional growth or development have you seen in that time?
I have been with Sensor Tower for over three years. In my time at the company, I have progressed from being an individual contributor in sales and account management to leading a vertical and managing a team. Sensor Tower is a great environment for a self-starter. As a fast-growing company, new hires ramp quickly and can expect to begin making an impact within a few months. The company also offers many opportunities for training and professional development. Like many new hires at Sensor Tower, this is my first job working in the mobile app industry (my background was in law and finance). Sensor Tower provided me with a great platform to grow my career and gain subject matter expertise.
What they do: Helix is a consumer genomics company that sequences DNA and provides personalized applications via its partners. The healthtech startup aims to advance research and accelerate integration of this data into patient care. In January, it partnered with Mayo Clinic to study 100,000 people and screen for genetic determinants of certain cancers and other diseases.
Describe your company culture in one word: Agility. In 2020, Helix was able to shift its priorities and focus to best serve our community. In response to the COVID-19 public health crisis, Helix is leveraging its expertise and infrastructure to develop and deploy more scalable and sensitive COVID-19 testing, and also accelerate research on the influence of genetics on COVID-19 infection and severity.
How long have you been with the company, and what professional growth or development have you seen in that time?
Because I am one of the newest additions to team Helix, I’d rather tell you why I chose Helix. At this stage of my career, alignment on mission, core values and impact were at the top of my list. Working at a high growth, mission-oriented organization dedicated to providing a truly unique, supportive and inclusive environment for its employees is exactly where I wanted to be. When I pushed the leaders in each of these areas, it was clear that Helix was the right place for me.
