With Q4 underway, and 2020 beginning to come to a close, a year of noteworthy accomplishments, initiatives and endeavors of local tech companies starts to come more comprehensively in focus.
For any-sized organization, across virtually every field, the year has been significantly defined by an ongoing need to grapple with the business effects of COVID-19 on their respective industry. That response ranges from pivoting products and adapting roadmaps to embracing remote work and more.
But the flurry of change has also provided an opportunity for orgs to support users, industry colleagues or impacted organizations in a variety of ways, like extending financial resources, educational support or offering comped use of their services.
As the year winds down, learn more about the objectives of three local tech companies, the teams that help advance their missions and how they’ve been able to direct their efforts to the benefit of others.
What they do: Launched in 2014, the Cerritos- and El Segundo-based company’s platform helps businesses tackle risk, audit and compliance management. According to the company’s website, users include Dunkin’, Carvana and Priceline.
Employee insight: Recently, Director of Customer Success Vanessa Serrano described AuditBoard’s company culture to Built In LA as having a “warm, home-like vibe,” saying, “Our teammates, regardless of position and department, truly demonstrate what being ‘about the assist’ means.”
Stepping up: In October, the company announced the Elevate Internal Audit Scholarship Program. An initiative in partnership with the Institute of Internal Auditors, it provides learning resources for internal auditors whose roles were affected by COVID-19. “We’re proud to partner with The IIA to help internal auditors grow professionally and expand the modern audit skills needed to position them well for their next career step and their future,” AuditBoard President and CEO Scott Arnold said in a statement recapping the program.
What they do: Located in Santa Monica — with outposts in Kiev and Austin as well — this org equips businesses with SMS marketing capabilities, letting them leverage texting to power efforts like sales, promotions and lead generation. Industries supported include real estate, retail and automotive.
Employee insight: Earlier this year, software engineer Catherine Moy pulled back the curtain on some of the team’s go-to tech tools.
“Our team’s preferred programming tool is Angular, which is written in TypeScript. It lets us easily describe our data models and set the data types we expect to receive from our APIs,” Moy said.
Stepping up: In March, the company lent its support to schools and government orgs by extending them complimentary use of their service to help them weather the impact of COVID-19. In a statement, CEO Norman Happ said, “As new developments related to COVID-19 continue to unfold, it’s imperative that schools and government organizations keep communities informed by sharing real-time information from national and worldwide health organizations.”
What they do: This Manhattan Beach-headquartered incubator — which was launched in 2014 by Boston Consulting Group and touts more than 1,000 global team members — hatches new businesses and helps power their growth.
Employee insight: Experience Design Lead Jessica Rudzewicz previously recounted the ability of teams to have an impact at the organization to Built In LA. “Each venture team is their own startup, with their own methods, values and norms. The room for independence helps teams break free from “process” and quickly evolve,” Rudzewicz said.
She added: “Outside of ventures, if you have a passion area, just go for it. There will be a huge network of people to help you.”
Stepping up: In June, the org announced in a Medium post the creation of Digital Boost in tandem with London-based Founders4Schools. Originally born out of a BCGDV hackathon focused on COVID-19 support, the initiative helps U.K. charities and organizations impacted by the pandemic learn digital fundamentals by linking them with digital pros for free.
“We felt that building digital skills in these organizations would help them navigate through these choppy waters and also help build muscle to succeed post-COVID-19,” London-based BCGDV Partner and Managing Director Ajay Chowdhury said in the post.
