It was welcome news in the tech industry. In late October, the White House announced 31 new regional “tech hubs” in the United States. These hubs—in places like Rhode Island, Oklahoma, Wisconsin, Minnesota and Louisiana—will unlock federal funding and stimulate local economies.
As the proverb says, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.
While it’s exciting to see such a major investment in infrastructure, Apple, Uber and other giants still know where to look for the top talent. After all, the area around San Francisco remains the undisputed tech capital of the world, and is the only place you can find the leading software companies, hardware brands, research universities and VC firms densely packed into one stretch of 1,850 square miles.
San Francisco is a special city where innovation, transformation, skill, hustle, grit, agility and tenacity are on display each and every day. Companies big and small are doing remarkable things here. Course Hero is in acquisition mode; Unity has more than 50 job openings. If you don’t want to miss out on the fast-paced happenings in the City by the Bay, make sure to keep reading.
What they do: Course Hero’s online learning platform gives members access to more than 60 million course-specific study resources contributed by student and educator communities.
Pursuing Something New: Andrew Grauer, the co-founder of Course Hero and CEO of Learneo, has steered an impressive financial journey. In 2014, Course Hero secured $15 million at a $120 million valuation. During the COVID-19 pandemic, they raised an additional $80 million and, in late 2021, welcomed a substantial $395 million infusion. With a robust financial position, Learneo embarked on strategic acquisitions, including CliffNotes, LitCharts and parts of Barnes & Noble Education, in response to declining college enrollments and growing AI study tool use. They also acquired LanguageTool, an AI-based program for detecting errors in 32 languages, showcasing their commitment to ed-tech innovation.
Building Customer Loyalty: Course Hero, together with Learneo, is poised to capture lifelong users. To do so, the company is doubling down on its relationships with educators to support learning and accompany classroom lessons. Students may start engaging with Course Hero's flashcards and other products in elementary school, continue to use its suite of services throughout their academic careers and then take Learneo resources into their workplaces. “We are looking to have an incredibly long relationship with the customer,’’ Grauer recently told Forbes.
What they do: Sendbird’s advanced conversation platform powers engagement in apps over chat, voice and video.
Impressive Perks: Employees at Sendbird don't just receive the basics like medical benefits and retirement plans—they also get an incredible Be Your Best Self Boost. This annual allowance of $3,500 is meant for employees to use on anything they’d like. Some Sendbird employees have attended conferences, taken trips or purchased exercise equipment. Another favorite perk known as the Global Citizen Boost provides additional funding for language learning.
Future Forward: As the Lead Customer Success Manager at Sendbird, Lucy Lei thrives in a dynamic work environment. With 400 employees and nearly $22 million in revenue, Sendbird has staked its claim as a top real-time chat and messaging provider. That means every day at work is dynamic for Lei and her colleagues. “What I love about Sendbird is the fact that every day could bring a new challenge, which naturally promotes personal growth and evolution. What’s even better is having a support system in colleagues and teams to help execute on those ideas and vision,” Lei told Built In in a recent article.
What they do: Calm is a software company best known for a subscription-based app that hosts guided meditations, sleep stories and other meditation products.
Remote Workplace: All of Calm’s 375 employees work remotely. Yet, the company is committed to strong culture and close connections. Calm routinely hosts team retreats, and optional, in-person hosted meditations create an inviting environment where employees can drop in, recharge and connect. “I’m so proud of the work we do helping employers prioritize and destigmatize mental health for their employees through Calm Business,” said Director of SMB, Mid-Market and Renewals Scott Nelson. “Not all companies encourage you to bring your whole self to work, but here at Calm, it’s table stakes!”
Hiring Goals: The Palo Alto company now has four open roles. Calm is looking to hire new talent in design, project management and sales.
What they do: Sibros provides cloud-based automotive solutions including OTA software updates, data logging, fleet management and vehicle analytics.
Stronger Together: Sibros has domestic offices in Folsom and San Jose. At the San Jose headquarters, the company offers group fitness classes for boxing and cardio kickboxing—all with a personal trainer. Other past events have included group soccer matches and Tough Mudder competitions.
Respected Leaders: In October of 2023, AutoTech Breakthrough recognized Sibros Technologies CEO Hemant Sikaria as its AutoTech CEO of the year. The awards program celebrates achievement in the automotive industry in electric vehicles, engine tech, automotive cybersecurity and vehicle telematics. Under Sikaria’s leadership, the company has united firmware and cloud software development to create a secure end-to-end platform that scales to provide millions of drivers with log data and other information.
What they do: Unity is a software development company with a platform capable of building interactive 2D, 3D, VR and AR experiences. Niantic built its popular game Pokémon Go with Unity engine.
Hiring Boom: With 7,000 current employees, Unity is leveling up by trying to fill a whopping 64 positions. Openings are across various departments including sales, project management, production, operations, marketing, design and IT.
A Bite of the Apple: Unity made headlines in the summer of 2023 when the company announced the launch of its new beta program for Apple’s visionOS. The spatial operating system features access to Unity PolySpatial and integration with the Unity editor. Content creators can use the new program to build visionOS experiences and unlock the potential of the new mixed reality headset known as Apple Vision Pro. The two companies have partnered to ensure users will have first-class support from Apple for visionOS and Unity for PolySpatial so they can find and use Unity apps after every new hardware release.
