San Francisco companies reopening offices

The State of California reopened back in July and most restrictions have been lifted in San Francisco, although specific businesses still require full vaccination and/or wearing masks. The Department of Public Health has also provided guidelines to safely return to normal activities.

Back to the office policies vary widely among tech companies, so we’ll give you an overview of what the leading companies in the industry are doing.

Among the companies that started coming back to the office in the last few months is Salesforce.com Inc, which started reopening back in April for vaccinated employees. It did so starting with a workforce of just 100. Facebook reopened the following month with 10% capacity, but has now held off on further progress for a few months.

Apple, on the other hand, has pushed back its plans to get employees in the office at least three times a week to January of 2022 due to the Delta variant. Amazon and Uber have made similar decisions.

When it comes to Google, they have implemented a voluntary return-to-the-office policy until January, requiring all returning employees to be fully vaccinated.

Other companies, such as DoorDash and Adobe, will require employees to spend half their time at the office and the other half working remotely. Adobe has already opened its offices at 50% capacity while DoorDash will be implementing its plans early next year.

Finally, companies such as Grammarly, Slack, Twitter and Dropbox are focusing on a mostly or completely remote work experience. Twitter actually reopened its San Francisco headquarters back in July to swiftly close them once COVID cases started surging again. It has now vowed to let employees work from anywhere forever.

What reopening looks like

As we’ve seen, San Francisco companies have taken different approaches to reopening their offices, but we would like to focus on a particular company that has greatly adapted to the challenges the COVID pandemic has posed.

Fast has a 10,000 square feet office in San Francisco and started the reopening process with 10 on-site employees last July (out of a workforce of 228). In-office employees must be vaccinated, but are not required to wear masks. Fast does not force its staff to get vaccinated, but won’t allow unvaccinated employees back to the office or at company functions. 

Fast went fully remote during the pandemic, hiring talent remotely, and its staff is currently spread around the globe. Although 86 of the company’s employees still reside in the Bay Area, Fast has decided to give them the choice to work at the office or from home.

The current setup makes for a quieter office and Fast is still adjusting to the new dynamic but seems to have succeeded in creating a healthy and safe work environment for all. 

Hybrid work

As we’ve seen above, hybrid work (i.e., splitting time between remote and on-site work) seems to be the most popular option for tech companies in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Hybrid work has been proven to increase productivity and often save employees a considerable amount of time they would usually spend on their commutes. It also makes it easier to implement social distancing and balance work and personal life.

The hybrid model also allows companies to hire talent from around the globe and works wonders for employee retention.

Of course, this sounds wonderful in theory, but it definitely has its challenges. Companies choosing to turn to a hybrid work model should make sure to consider employee needs, build an infrastructure that supports remote work and invest in company culture.

Final thoughts on reopening San Francisco companies

Although San Francisco companies are reopening their offices, it is clear that this will be a slow and complex process. Moreover, they will probably not return to their usual work dynamics, with many tech companies opting for a safer and more productive hybrid work model. We’ll have to wait a few more months to see this fully implemented but, hopefully, 2022 will bring more stability.

If you are planning to reopen your business or offices, you can get the necessary information and resources from the City and County of San Francisco here.

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The Bay Area is home to big shots like Google, Apple, HP, Zoom, Microsoft, and Adobe, and of course, many up-and-coming companies, all of which support 200,000 tech jobs and the highest average high-tech salaries in the US.

All of this makes San Francisco one of the most coveted places to work, which is why today we’ll focus on some of the best places to work in the Bay Area in 2021.

1. Adobe

Founded in 1982, Adobe currently has over 11,000 employees in the US alone and rakes in over $11B worldwide. The company is behind some amazing software products such as Adobe Acrobat, Photoshop and InDesign.

Some of the advantages of working for Adobe include a full health care plan (including dental and vision benefits) and the chance to take personal time off in addition to your annual leave (not to mention a paid sabbatical every five years!). Moreover, there is meditation and mindfulness coaching, a 401(k) plan, company stock options, higher education and leadership training opportunities, and volunteering and funding opportunities for causes you believe in.

These benefits have gotten the San Francisco company in Fortune’s 100 Best Companies to Work for 2021 (a list it has been part of for 21 years), PEOPLE Companies That Care 201, and Forbes’ The Best Employers for Diversity 2021, just to name a few popular employee satisfaction surveys.

You can see Adobe’s careers page here.

2. Postmates

Postmates was established in 2011 and has managed to reach $920M in yearly revenue since then. It also has a workforce of over 6,000 people.

If you want to learn a bit more about the company, you can check out our article from the talk Co-founder and CEO Bastian Lehmann gave at Disrupt San Francisco 2019. However, you should know that Postmates was acquired by Uber in early 2020.

According to its employees, the Bay Area business provides room for growth and a challenging work environment. The benefits Postmates offers include family medical leave, a flexible work schedule, generous parental leave, a remote work program, dental and mental health benefits, a pet-friendly office, professional development programs, a 401(k) and company equity, and paid holidays and sick days.

You can take a look at the employment opportunities Postmates offers under Uber’s name here.

3. Atlassian

This San Francisco business was founded in 2002 and has amassed 1,679 employees in the US and over $1B in worldwide revenue since then. Atlassian is known for having developed team and project management tools such as Jira and Trello.

Some of the great perks the Bay Area giant offers include generous parental leave, a flexible work schedule, paid holidays, an unlimited vacation policy, performance bonuses, 401(k) matching and company equity, continuous education, mentorship and diversity programs, not to mention free daily meals, happy hours and company outings. 93% of Atlassian’s employees say it’s a great place to work because of its values, people and team.

Explore Atlassian’s careers page right here!

4. SentinelOne

SentinelOne is one of the fastest-growing cybersecurity companies according to Growjo. It was founded in 2013 and is located in the Bay Area. It now has a workforce of over 800 and $169.5M in yearly revenue.

The company has been dubbed one of the best places to work by the San Francisco Business Times, the Bay Area News Group and Inc. As for what it has to offer, the list is extensive: medical, dental and vision insurance, mental health and mindfulness benefits, gym reimbursement, paid parental leave, life insurance, paid sick time and holidays, team building activities, happy hours, and much more.

You can browse its job opportunities here.

5. Nvidia

AI-driven Nvidia has had a long run, starting out in 1993. During this time, the San Francisco Bay Area company has hired over 7,000 employees in the US and accrued over $11B in revenue around the globe.

Its workers praise Nvidia for being a pet-friendly environment and providing great support for remote workers. Some of its other benefits are an employee stock purchase plan, full medical insurance, paid parental leave, senior care planning, disability and personal leave, student loan repayment, and mental health resources.

You can dig into the careers page here.

6. CrowdStrike

This San Francisco Bay Area company was created in 2011 and is focused on cybersecurity (particularly, ransomware). It currently has almost 2,000 employees across the country and $481M in revenue worldwide.

CrowdStrike is focused on employee growth, remote work and making an impact. It also offers comprehensive health insurance, an employee stock purchase plan, parental and fertility assistance, coaching and mentorship, a 401(k) plan, and a health and wellness program.

The company is included in Fortune’s 100 Best Companies to Work for in 2021 and its employees highlight how approachable the management team is.

You can take a peek at the job opportunities CrowdStrike offers here.

7. ServiceNow

ServiceNow is a software company that creates digital workflows. It was founded in 2004 and now has over 12,000 employees and about $3.5B in revenue.

Among the benefits it offers are generous family leave, flexible PTO, 401(k) matching, matched donations, annual learning stipends, paid volunteer time, adoption assistance, a remote work program, an equal pay policy, an onsite gym, and commuter benefits. 91% of ServiceNow’s workforce says it’s a great place to work because of its people, culture, and leadership, among other factors.

ServiceNow is one of the best places to work according to Fortune and LGBT equality and its employees highlight that no matter how young you are or how entry-level your position is, you are always treated as an equal and given opportunities to grow.

Explore the career page here.

8. Dropbox

This San Francisco cloud storage giant was established in 2007 and now has a workforce of over 2,342 in the US alone and makes over $1B in revenue across the globe.

Its benefits include full medical coverage, a 401(k) plan, free Dropbox storage, up to four weeks of paid time off, a remote work program, an equal pay policy, life insurance, team workouts, a game room, a diversity program and various professional development opportunities. 91% of Dropbox workers say it’s a great place to work because of its people, culture, food and benefits, among other factors. It is also one of the best places to work according to USA Today and Fortune.

You can take a look at Dropbox’s job openings here.

9. Udemy

Established in 2010, Udemy is all about online learning. The company is 4,697 employees strong, offers over 150,000 courses and rakes in around $775M per year in revenue.

Employees praise the company for its learning culture and how easy it makes it for everyone to be themselves in the workplace. Other advantages this Bay Area online academy offers are learning incentives and programs, charitable matching, family medical leave, parental leave, group brainstorming sessions, unconscious bias training, an equal pay policy, full medical insurance, free daily meals, company events, and well-being memberships.

You can take a peek at Udemy’s careers page here.

Final thoughts on best places to work in the Bay Area 2021

As you can see, there are plenty of incredible workplaces in San Francisco, particularly for those in the IT business. The companies in our list of best places to work in the Bay Area in 2021 strive to create a safe environment that offers an excellent work-life balance, in addition to growth and training opportunities. Would you like to give any of these a try?

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About Figma

Figma started back in 2011 by trying to answer the question “Could tools for designers be built on the web?” Since then, the company has been proving that it definitely can. With the aim to provide more people with access, Figma has expanded to a whole range of services focused on collaboration, transparency, open-source ideals, and community. The company also has offices in New York and London.

Now, before we go into their amazing San Francisco offices, let’s take a look at the services the company offers.

Figma services

• Design

Figma offers a web platform that includes powerful design features. Some of its exclusive features include a modern pen tool, instant art designs and OpenType. The platform also offers auto layout, plugins, flexible styles and accessible libraries.

• Prototyping

Its tools also let designers bring their ideas to life through animated prototypes. This helps you test concepts with an intuitive build and with mobile optimization. It also includes animated GIFs, dynamic overlays and embedded commenting, among many other features.

• Design system features

As we’ve mentioned, Figma is community-focused, this means anyone can contribute to their system. You can develop new features and build libraries to keep improving these wonderful styles. 

• FigJam (Beta)

FigJam is “an online whiteboard for teams to ideate and brainstorm together.” You can access it for free to brainstorm, map user flows, riff on ideas and much more. You can also plan get-togethers and workshops, and use mood boards and flow charts.

If you are interested in any of their services, you can check out their pricing here.

Why San Francisco?

The San Francisco Bay Area is known for its tech environment, with Silicon Valley as the main tech hub for innovative technology companies around the world. Hundreds of companies choose San Francisco as their headquarters and many tech events take place in the city. Some of the reasons why tech companies chose San Francisco are access to capital and an excellent business ecosystem, its cultural diversity and the various top-tier universities available in the area that provide an endless supply of talent. The company is home to big shots like Google, Apple, HP, Zoom, Microsoft and Adobe, and of course, many up-and-coming companies, supporting 200,000 tech jobs and the highest average high-tech salary in the US. This makes San Francisco the heart of the tech industry.

Figma’s offices in San Francisco

Source: link

It’s no news that workspaces have changed over the last decades, particularly when it comes to tech companies. The goal is to create a supportive environment that improves productivity and creativity without putting pressure on employees.

Source: link

Figma is one example of this type of workspace. Its San Francisco headquarters are spacious and look homey and warm with areas for employees to relax and enjoy their breaks. There are bookcases full of resources and modern art patterns on the walls. It also has long tables in shared spaces (like the kitchen or break room) that encourage people to interact and get to know each other.

Source: link

The company’s careers page highlights the values that make their workspace what it is: building a community, running with it, loving your craft and growing as you go. In addition to the spaces we’ve described, Figma also hosts a series of in-company events to make these values come to life. These include show and tells so team members can show off the work they’re proud of, a Café Figma held every quarter, an annual variety show where employees can show off their out-of-office skills, and biyearly maker weeks that give people the chance to pursue their wildest ideas.

Moreover, with mental health and wellness benefits, a learning and development stipend, parental leave, and company recharge days among many other benefits, we can surely say the San Francisco company goes all the way to make its offices a welcoming and safe environment for all team members.

If you are tempted to work for the company, you can take a look at its current job offers here.

Final thoughts on Figma (San Francisco headquarters)

We would like to leave you with two thoughts today: our love for Figma’s products and how San Francisco is definitely a great city for a tech company to set up camp. These two come together in Figma’s offices, which is important because we know having the right space to motivate your team is quite an important issue to consider if you want your company to succeed. Providing employees with a space that feels bright, homey and relaxing can do wonders for their motivation and company loyalty. That is why we are such fans of Figma’s work!

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What is Amplitude San Francisco?

Amplitude describes itself as a “Digital Optimization System”, helping businesses “optimize the business value of digital product innovation.” The San Francisco company has over 500 employees, 1000 enterprise customers and is at the core of mobile app analytics innovation with its Behavioral Graph, a major database of customer behavior.

Some of the company’s most notable customers include Atlassian, Postmates and Ford. In addition to its San Francisco offices, over the last decade, Amplitude has expanded to the Netherlands, France, England, Japan and Singapore.

How did Amplitude get to No. 1?

Amplitude did not become the best in product analytics overnight. It took time, talent, effort and a lot of funding to get to where it is now. With that in mind, let’s have a look at how this startup made the “jump”.

Amplitude San Francisco was born in 2012 at the hands of co-founders Spenser Skates and Curtis Liu. Skates and Liu were accepted into the San Francisco Y Combinator program (a seed funding accelerator for early-stage startups) that same year. The company worked covertly on its analytics database in 2013 and launched its mobile analytics platform the following year.

Between 2015 and 2018, the San Francisco startup continued to raise funds (from Series A to D) amounting to over $130 million, while launching several innovative products for services such as mobile apps. In 2019, Amplitude focused on growth not only through additional features but by giving back. To that end, they launched a scholarship program that provided free access to its products for one whole year. In 2020, the company continued to raise funding and expand globally. By then, it was valued at over $1 billion.

Finally, in 2021, the San Francisco giant was named No. 1 in product analytics and No. 22 for software products by tech marketplace leader G2. In just 10 years, Amplitude has shown great potential for growth and proven to be an outstanding tool for mobile app and software analytics in general.

Amplitude San Francisco products and results 

Now that we know what Amplitude San Francisco is and how it got there, let’s take a look at some of what it has to offer.

Products

• Data management

You can view all of your data in one place with maximized security and real-time integrations such as Salesforce, Slack and Google Play. You can also track mobile app users’ sign-ups, logins, subscriptions, ads viewed, purchases, and opened messages. Everything you need to know about your business and your customers is at the tip of your fingers.

• Product analytics

Amplitude’s product analytics lets you understand your customers, improve your experience, optimize outcomes and accelerate innovation. You’ll gain valuable insight into your customers’ behavior that will allow you to make smart business decisions. You can explore behavioral data, measure key metrics, analyze digital journeys, predict future outcomes, and more.

• Personalization

The San Francisco startup makes personalization easy and hassle-free with recommendations and predictive personalization. This way, you can create experiences that adapt to each and every one of your users.

• Experimentation

Amplitude also offers A/B testing experiences that stem from your existing analytics and customer behavior data. This makes experimentation easier and also more accurate.

Reach and results

• Over 900B monthly customer behaviors tracked
• Over 45,000 products implemented
• 1T targeted experiences delivered
• 46% increase in conversions
• 80% increase in productivity
• 655% average ROI

Final thoughts on this San Francisco company

It takes a lot of effort and drive to make it to the top, but Amplitude has proven that a startup can definitely get there. This San Francisco startup has not only soared within its field, but it has become an innovation leader. Is your startup up to the task?

If you are interested in its products, you can learn more about Amplitude’s plans and pricing here.

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The San Francisco Bay Area is one of the main tech hubs in the world for innovative technology companies. Hundreds of tech companies have chosen to set up their headquarters in San Francisco due in part to the wonderful ecosystem that supports them. Countless development events take place in the Bay Area every year and there are also many incubator and accelerator programs established there. As one of the tech meccas of the world, it’s no surprise it also has some of the best programming courses out there. In this article, we’ll take a look at the 5 best coding bootcamps in San Francisco.

Hack Reactor

Tony Philips founded Hack Reactor in 2012. His idea was to use an immersion approach inspired by his language-learning experience in Korea. In 2018, the project was acquired by Galvanize and expanded to campuses in other US cities, including Austin, New York and Seattle. Since opening, Hack Reactor has taught over 5000 students and over 2000 companies have hired their graduates.

The San Francisco academy offers an intense software engineering coding bootcamp both onsite and remotely. The core course is 12 weeks long, but Hack Reactor also offers 5-7 weeks of prep, 80 hours of pre-course self-study and career and job search services after finishing the bootcamp. If you don’t have the time for such an immersive course, the remote version also has a part-time 9-month option. During the course, you will learn about full-stack JavaScript development and application design, with the option to also explore blockchain technology.

Tuition for the bootcamp amounts to $17,980, but there are scholarship and financing options available. You can also enter into an income share agreement through which you will pay most of the tuition once you are employed. Even if the cost seems a bit steep, keep in mind that Hack Reactor has quite a high hiring rate within six months of completing the program and an average salary of $91,000 for graduates.
If you are interested in Hack Reactor’s coding bootcamp, you can apply here.

Rithm School

Rithm School was co-founded by educators and developers Elie Schoppik, Tim Garcia and Matt Lane. Their San Francisco coding bootcamp is 16-week long. Classes have a maximum of 18 students with one instructor every five students and focus on JavaScript and Python.
The program is project-based which means that, in addition to gaining coding knowledge, you will also be building your own portfolio. There are also 60-80 hours of pre-work on technology such as Bootstrap, Git and HTML available.

Classes for Rithm School’s 16-week boot camp are held Monday to Friday from 9 to 6 and include lectures, sprints, work on projects and job applications. The topics covered here include front-end development, full-stack web development, applications with React and Node.js, company projects and computer science. You will also receive plenty of support to find a job after graduation.

Tuition is $23,000 (plus a $1,000 deposit), but you can also apply for a loan, or defer part or all your tuition until you become employed. However, if you aren’t ready to make a financial commitment, Rithm School also offers free online courses. When it comes to results, 76% of students are hired within 90 days of completing the course with a median salary of $115,000, making it one of the best coding bootcamps in San Francisco. Some of the hiring companies include Google, Pinterest, LinkedIn and Apple.

Hackbright Academy

Founded in 2012, Hackbright Academy is an engineering school solely for women. In addition to its 12-week software engineering program, the school offers a 5-week prep course and a Python 101 course. Its software engineering program is also available part-time and includes work on core programming, data structure, APIs and web technologies, and covers technologies such as JavaScript, Python, Flask and PostgreSQL.

Meanwhile, Hackbright Academy’s prep course covers Python, iteration and debugging among other topics. Moreover, in addition to the paid Python 101 course, the school also offers free Python learning modules. Hackbright Academy’s software engineering program is available both remotely and onsite in San Francisco. Tuition costs $12,900-$14,900 and there are payment plans (including deferred tuition) available, as well as scholarships to help you cover part of the cost.

Over 900 women have graduated from Hackbright Academy’s coding bootcamp and are currently working at more than 100 tech companies, including GitHub, Uber and Slack. The school also has a strong alumni network and offers career development and mentorship programs. If this seems like the right fit, you can apply to their coding bootcamp here.

App Academy

App Academy offers a 16 and 24-week software engineering immersive course, available online and onsite in San Francisco and New York. Even though both programs share the same goal, they differ in more than their length. For instance, the 16-week one has fewer students per class, is cheaper, and includes work on Ruby on Rails, while the 24-week course focuses on Python and does not require a deposit.

Some of the things you’ll learn during your time at App Academy include how to build full-stack apps, how to build dynamic websites with JavaScript, and how to prepare for job interviews. The courses cover a wide variety of programming languages and technologies, such as Python, Flask, React, HTML and Git.
When it comes to Tuition, the 16-week coding bootcamp costs $17,000 upfront or in installments, or $25,000 (plus a $3,000 refundable deposit) if you choose a deferred plan, while the 24-week program costs $20,000 upfront and can also be paid through deferred tuition. In addition to the two main coding bootcamps, there are also prep and free online courses available.

As one of the best coding bootcamps in San Francisco, most graduates find work within 6 months of graduating and report a 40% salary increase within the first three years of employment. Some of the 2000 companies hiring App Academy graduates include Google, Amazon and Microsoft.

Holberton School

Sylvain Kalache and Julien Barbier founded Holberton School in San Francisco in 2016. It has expanded all over the globe since then, with campuses in Europe, Latin America and Africa. The school’s program is 2 years long, but includes no pre-course work and gives you the opportunity to specialize in different areas including full-stack web development, machine learning and augmented and virtual reality. The project-based program includes training in JavaScript, Node.js, HTML, React, Python and TypeScript among many other tools and languages.

Holberton School’s comprehensive program will help you gain experience in a variety of different projects as well as help you work on your soft skills. In addition, the school also provides job search guidance. Tuition can be deferred and costs $45,000 during the first year and $40,000 during the second year. Most students find a job after six months of graduating with an average salary of $105,000 and some of the companies that hire Holberton School graduates include Apple, Facebook, NASA and IBM.

Final thoughts on best coding bootcamps in San Francisco

When it comes to learning how to code, there are plenty of options available, but there are also a few variables to take into consideration. In addition to the quality of the coding instruction and the specific technologies you’ll learn to use, you should take into account the job possibilities and assistance once you graduate. We hope our list of the 5 best coding bootcamps in San Francisco has given you an idea of the best options out there.

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It is no secret that the San Francisco Bay Area is home to countless innovative technology companies, hosts countless startup events and offers many funding opportunities. As the tech hub it is, many startups decide to establish their headquarters in San Francisco, while others move from all around the globe to settle there. In this article, we would like to focus on this year’s potential stars, so we’ll the Top San Francisco startups 2021. While some of them have just started out, others have been around for some time, but have shown incredible growth in the past year or so. Let’s take a look.

⦁ DataGrail

DataGrail has taken advantage of the increasing global concern over data privacy to offer a privacy management platform. Their product ensures companies comply with current regulations like CCPA and GDPR. This San Francisco startup was launched in 2018 by Daniel Barber, Earl Hathaway and Ignacio Zendejas and quickly found plenty of willing investors. DataGrail has raised $9.2 million in Series A funding from companies such as American Express Ventures and Gunderson Dettmer. The company’s platform includes a Live Data Map that integrates with dozens of business systems (such as Mailchimp and Salesforce), which allows it to securely manage data and oversee privacy requests. Moreover, DataGrail also offers data recovery, encryption and vulnerability management features. This groundbreaking startup is definitely one to watch.

⦁ Chime

This fintech startup was founded in 2013 but had an exceptional 2020. According to Growjo, Chime was one of the top 10 San Francisco startups when it came to growth, raising $1.5 billion in funding and doubling its workforce. The company offers a mobile bank account that aims at improving its users’ financial lives. Chime’s system is designed to help members avoid fees, save money, and improve their finances. Users are given a debit card along with an expense and a savings account they can manage through an app. Chime offers many benefits, including receiving paychecks 2 days early and no overdraft fees, which is why over 5 million people have decided to join the platform. Chime’s innovative take on online banking is definitely paying off.

⦁ Wise

Wise is another mobile banking solution, but this time focused on businesses. Wise was founded in 2018 and received $12 million worth of funding in its Series A stage. Mainly aimed at small businesses, this San Francisco startup offers affordable FDIC-insured business checking accounts and a digital platform with access to all necessary financial tools. Other features include a 1% cashback incentive, unlimited contacts and a mobile card reader. Wise is now working on putting its funding to work by adding virtual cards and remote check deposits, as well as expanding to other countries. These features make it quite unique and an excellent solution for any small business.

⦁ Airtable

Airtable was founded in 2012 on the basis that one should dictate how software works and not the other way around. This cloud-based project management startup was the second fastest-growing startup in San Francisco in 2020. Through Airtable, users can create a database that adapts to their needs. In addition to adding fields and adaptable views, users can also include pre-built apps, add integrations, and enforce automation. There are templates for every possible field, from digital video production to user research and bug tracking, making Airtable a one-stop tailored solution for every business. Over 200,000 companies work with Airtable (including Medium and Netflix) and it has received more than $350 million in funding up to date.

⦁ DoorDash

DoorDash was founded in 2014 and has been making waves ever since. The company connects people with businesses by facilitating door-to-door delivery and is currently available in 4000 cities in the US and Canada. The San Francisco startup has racked up almost $1 billion in funding and went public in December 2020, with its stock trading steadily increasing since then. Although a lot of similar services have popped up over the last few years, DoorDash has managed to remain in the lead and has also seen incredible growth in profits during the COVID-19 pandemic, with a 214% increase in revenue and three times more subscribers. What is even better, DoorDash has used this success for good and has committed to reducing hunger and food waste.

⦁ Figure

Founded in 2018, this fintech company uses analytics, artificial intelligence and blockchain to provide innovative financial solutions for customers. It offers easy online access to home equity lines, mortgage refinance and personal loans for individuals as well as digital fund services and asset management for businesses. According to Growjo, Figure was the number one fastest-growing San Francisco startup last year, accruing $1.4 billion in funding and increasing its workforce by almost 300 employees. It has also unlocked over $1 billion in equity for its more than 20,000 members. With the rise of blockchain technology over the last few years, Figure is definitely one to watch.

⦁ Extend: Newest in Top San Francisco Startup 2021

Extend focuses on product protection technology to improve customer satisfaction and increase revenue. It gives merchants an easy way to provide their customers with protection plans or warranties for their products. In addition to offering customized API integrations, Extend’s platform is already integrated with the main e-commerce solutions, such as Shopify and Magento, making it extremely easy to access and use. Founded just in 2019, Extend made it to the top five fastest-growing San Francisco startups in 2020, raising $56 million in funding and tripling its workforce. The company has the perfect market niche and is doing a great job of helping both merchants and consumers.

⦁ Tempo

Founded in 2015, Tempo has combined the home gym with personalized fitness services. The company provides a digital workout screen and 3D sensors to track users’ movements. This means it can give users feedback on their form and technique while also offering weight guidance, rep counting and personalized programs. Users also have a wide variety of fitness classes to choose from and can acquire various accessories. This innovative take on home fitness has proved successful for Tempo and the company made it to the top 10 San Francisco startups when it came to growth last year. It has raised almost $80 million in funding and greatly increased its workforce.

⦁ Figma

Figma is a collaborative design tool that was launched in 2016. It sets itself apart from similar tools, like Adobe, as it is a web ecosystem, which gives teams the possibility of working together throughout the design process. Some of its features include instant arc designs, a modern pen tool, animated prototypes and countless plugins. With a trend towards remote work, it is no wonder Figma is doing quite well. The company was among the top 10 fastest-growing startups in San Francisco in 2020, raising more than $132 million in Series B funding and raking in a yearly revenue of $80.2 million.

Final thoughts on Top San Francisco Startups 2021

San Francisco is well known for being home to plenty of startups, and, even in a tough year like 2020, many of these companies have managed to thrive. This is why we wanted to share the San Francisco startups we believe show the most promise, looking at innovative proposals and rapid growth. 2021 is shaping up to be a year of rebuilding and innovation, so we can’t wait to see what San Francisco’s best hold in store.

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Industry events are key when it comes to networking and keeping up to date with the development world. There are countless development events in San Francisco and all around the globe and, in this article, we’ll focus on a major one: DeveloperWeek San Francisco. This is one of the largest conferences out there and this year’s virtual event will be no different. Let’s take a look at DeveloperWeek San Francisco and the many reasons you should be a part of it.

About DeveloperWeek San Francisco

DeveloperWeek is held in San Francisco every year and attended by over 8,000 industry actors (developers, engineers, managers, executives, etc.) from dozens of countries. The event revolves around the latest technologies and serves as an opportunity for developers to network and tech companies to exhibit their work. DeveloperWeek is usually held in February each year in the San Francisco Bay Area, but will be held virtually on Hopin this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The event is produced by Data 2.0, a company co-founded by Geoff Domoracki and Jonathan Pasky.

Why should you attend?

⦁ With thousands of attendees, DeveloperWeek San Francisco gives you the chance to network not only with peers but also with decision-makers of the development industry.
⦁ You can take part in around 30 workshops and learn from dozens of talks on a variety of topics, including the internet of things, machine learning and DevOps.
⦁ If you are part of a company, the Hiring Expo gives you the opportunity to pick top talent, and, if you are a designer, data scientist, engineer or developer looking for work, you’ll have the chance to show yourself off.
⦁ With attendees from over 90 countries, you will get to meet industry actors from all across the globe.
⦁ You can also gain access to dozens of partner events happening in the same week, like ProductWorld 2021 and CloudWorld 2021.

What should you expect this year?

The 2021 conference will take place on February 17-19, with the hackathon starting a couple of days earlier on February 15. Here’s everything you need to know:

Topics and speakers

This year’s event has 15 tracks including API & Microservices, AI & Machine Learning, JavaScript, Containers & Kubernetes, DevOps, IoT & Hardware, and New Development Technologies. Keynote speakers include Twilio CEO and Co-founder, Jeff Lawson; Microsoft Principal Cloud Advocate, Emily Freeman; and Director of IBM’s Digital Technology Lab & API Economy, Soumitra Limaye. Moreover, sponsors include Microsoft Azure, IBM and Elastic.

Passes and registration

When it comes to registration, there are three types of passes available:
⦁ The OPEN pass is aimed at developers and engineers. It costs $100 and grants access to the OPEN talks, keynotes and featured speakers, the virtual expo and the 1:1 networking sessions.
⦁ The PRO pass costs $595 at full price and, in addition to the OPEN pass features, it includes access to the workshops, PRO sessions and six extra conferences on the different tracks.
⦁ The PREMIUM pass costs $995 at full price and, in addition to what’s included with the PRO pass, it will give you access to the ProductWorld 2021 and CloudWorld 2021 conferences, private and VIP networking events and the VIP party, and includes two lunches delivered to your doorstep.

Substantial discounts are available for students, government employees and groups of more than 3 people. You can register for passes here. Keep in mind that access to the Hackathon is free of charge, but requires separate registration through here.

Events

⦁ Hackathon

This year’s DeveloperWeek San Francisco’s hackathon will be launched on February 8, workshops will take place on February 15 and submissions will be due on the 17. Sponsors will judge the project on submission day and winners will be announced on February 18. The online hackathon will be hosted on Devpost and its sponsors are Anvil, Contrast Security and TypingDNA. There are three challenges in place with prizes ranging from $1,000 to $5,000 in worth. You can learn more about the event here.

⦁ Hiring Expo

Hundreds of people have been taking part in the Hiring Expo for the last 9 years. The expo provides a space for designers, data scientists, engineers and developers to connect with companies that are currently hiring. This year, it will take place via private chat rooms. You can learn more about it here.

⦁ Workshops

There will be 18 workshops on the DeveloperWeek stages and another 12 if you also attend ProductWorld and CloudWorld. The workshops last 50 minutes each and cover a wide variety of topics on the different conference tracks. Some of the highlights include NodeJS, ML, K8s and Unethical Face Recognition by Joel Lord, Performance as a Culture – Not Another Survival Kit by William Mendes, and Safe to Fail Agile Culture by Sylvia Lobo. You can find the full workshop schedule here.

⦁ Talks

The conference includes dozens of talks covering a wide variety of topics. There will be 15 keynote talks and three featured speakers, which you can check out in detail here. There will also be another 40+ OPEN talks by industry experts which you can check out here. Some of the topics you can expect are IT and performance management, security and continuous integration.

⦁ Networking

There are a variety of networking events during the conference. There will be topic-focused networking breaks around breakfast and lunchtime on February 18 and 19. Here, attendees will be paired randomly for 3-5-minute intervals to discuss a specific topic. Moreover, there will be a VIP Networking Lounge for PREMIUM and PRO pass holders, as well as event speakers and sponsors. Finally, there will also be a VIP Networking After Party.

⦁ 2021 DEVIES Awards Ceremony

The Devies Awards are granted in over 30 DevTech categories including API Infrastructure, Robotics, Development Platforms and Mobile Development. Nomination closed on January 19 and, though the winners will be announced prior to that, the ceremony will take place on February 18. Past winners include GitLab, Angular and Varick.
You can take a look at the full DeveloperWeek schedule here.

Final thoughts

DeveloperWeek San Francisco is always an event to watch for. It is jam-packed with exciting talks and useful workshops, not to mention quite a few networking and hiring opportunities. We know this year’s online edition will be no exception and hope you are looking forward to it as much as we are.

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A common challenge when establishing any startup is getting funding. There are quite a few ways to obtain it, but the San Francisco Bay Area has one of the most prestigious seed funding accelerators available: Y Combinator. In this article, we’ll cover everything you need to know about this startup accelerator—which goes above and beyond for its alumni—, starting with what seed funding is.

What is seed funding?

Seed funding—also called “seed money” or “seed capital”—is a type of financing used when establishing a startup. This funding is provided by private investors, usually in exchange for an equity stake. This is a very early investment and the money may come from friends and family, crowdfunding, venture capitalists, incubators/accelerators or angel funding. You can take a look at the different ways to raise money for your startup here, or check out San Francisco Y Combinator’s seed funding guide on their website.

What is San Francisco Y Combinator?

Y Combinator is a seed funding accelerator for early-stage startups. It was founded in 2005 by Robert Morris, Paul Graham, Jessica Livingston and Trevor Blackwell. Based in Silicon Valley, Y Combinator has offices in San Francisco and Mountain View. It has worked with over 1,000 companies to date, including Airbnb, DoorDash, Reddit, Dropbox and GitLab. By 2019, the top companies to join Y Combinator’s program had raised over $155B and created over 50,000 jobs.

How does it work?

Although Y Combinator does supply funding, their main focus is to work on startups’ ideas. The accelerator considers its monetary investment to be more like “financial aid” to cover basic expenses. Moreover, Y Combinator offers help dealing with investors and acquirers; they provide advice on how to get them as well as on legal protections, such as incorporation and patenting.

Y Combinator works with two batches of startups each year: one from January to March and another one from June to August. The accelerator invests a small sum (currently $125,000) in a large number of companies, which attend their three-month program in the San Francisco Bay Area. The program—often referred to as a boot camp—includes a wide variety of activities: dinners with talks from industry experts, office hours where startups can get one-on-one advice from the Y Combinator team, a Demo Day for startups to present their products or services to investors and the press, and various funding, networking and social events. But things don’t just end after three months, some activities—such as office hours—carry on after the program ends and the accelerator offers support whenever needed.

Why should you apply?

There are, of course, plenty of accelerators in San Francisco. So why should you choose San Francisco’s Y Combinator? Here are some reasons:
⦁ Access to capital: Y Combinator does not only give your startup funding, it also grants you access to hundreds of potential investors. This makes fundraising considerably easier.
⦁ Networking opportunities: the program connects startups with their alumni network, which, as we’ve mentioned, includes some industry giants like Dropbox or Reddit. Moreover, you’ll share the experience with around 200 extremely talented people that will help you excel and grow.
⦁ Free publicity: Y Combinator startups are often featured in media such as The Wall Street Journal, Fox News or TechCrunch.
⦁ Startup College: Y Combinator offers a number of extra tools, such as Startup College, to help you learn and grow. We’ll discuss Startup College in more detail below.

How do I apply to San Francisco Y Combinator?

You can apply to Y Combinator’s program from anywhere in the world, you’ll just need to fill in their online application. The most important part of this step is being able to convey how good your project is. Moreover, a successful application should be concise and avoid marketing speak. You should make sure your answers are honest and that they stand out by thinking outside the box. You can get more information about the application process as well as some examples here.

Startup School

In addition to its accelerator boot camp, Y Combinator has its very own Startup School. This free online program was launched in 2017 and is aimed at founders. The course focuses on inspiring people to start their own companies, teach them how to do so by giving them the relevant resources and building a supportive community of entrepreneurs. Curriculum topics include how to talk to users, how to plan an MVP, and how to launch.

As of October 2020, it had 140,000 alumni. In fact, 44% of companies accepted to the seed funding program are actually Startup School alumni. On top of that, if your startup is not up and running yet, Y Combinator also offers a six-week Future Founders course online.

Final thoughts on San Francisco Y Combinator

San Francisco’s Y Combinator provides a valuable opportunity for startups that are taking their first steps. They give much more than just funding and their support does not end once you have your foot out the door. This accelerator program is definitely something to consider if you have a startup in the making. If you still have questions about the application process or the program, you can take a look here.

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