Columbus startup Aware has cut fewer than 50 jobs to redirect resources to AI research for its cybersecurity and employee engagement analytics software, the CEO said.
About 13 of the affected positions are in Central Ohio, co-founder and CEO Jeff Schumann said via email, but did not share the overall total.
"This strategic decision has been driven by the unprecedented opportunity ahead of us," Schumann said. "We made the decision to expand our current competitive advantage by accelerating the pace of innovation, through investments that will further our lead in AI."
Most impacted positions were in administrative roles such as sales, marketing, HR and finance, he said. However, individuals who posted about their new job search on LinkedIn included a software engineer and data scientist.
This is the second pivot affecting roles this year. Aware cut an unspecified number of jobs in January – but in April Schumann said that some transferred to different roles while new hires for different skills ended up balancing out the reductions.
In that earlier interview Schumann projected more than doubling revenue this year and a potential investment round to speed growth. Aware, the DBA of Nullable Inc., has raised a cumulative $83 million in venture capital to date.
Aware's AI software analyzes real-time activity on workplace collaboration platforms such as Slack and Facebook Workplace, detecting cybersecurity risks and measuring employee sentiment so businesses can respond quickly to morale dips.
Its technology is "at the epicenter" of huge changes going on in AI and how massive datasets are organized and analyzed, Schumann's email said Thursday. The "difficult" decision to cut jobs will redirect resources to innovation that can broaden the software's capabilities, he said, "that extends the value we deliver to our customers and further cement our position as an innovator and leader in the AI space."
Aware will support affected employees with severance packages and help with job searches.
"We value each of our employees and acknowledge the contribution they have made to Aware’s success," he said.
Aware pledged to surpass 210 jobs in a five-year city tax incentive Columbus City Council approved to take effect in 2023. It would get paid only if it creates new jobs above the baseline of 60 by year's end, and only for those new employees who work at the Brewery District office instead of remote. The incentive is a variable percentage of city income tax withholding, higher for city residents. If it has created the new jobs, the first payment would come in 2024.
