On Friday, The Washington Post published its yearly report that named the companies with the highest ratings from employees in the Greater Washington, D.C.-area. While the publication looked at a number of industries and businesses of different sizes, the D.C. tech scene performed especially well.
It’s both refreshing and encouraging to see that the local tech scene was publicly recognized for the continued importance it places not only on company culture but also for employee benefits. Several well recognized D.C. tech stalwarts are on display in the best of the best ratings, including the likes of Cvent and Social Tables.
The Post decided to divide the ratings into three categories — small, medium and large — based upon the number of employees at each company.
Here’s how some of the top D.C. tech companies ranked, per size section, according to the Washington Post:
Large Companies
2nd Place — 2U
2U was recognized as having the second best workplace of all the 25 companies listed by the Washington Post in the large companies subsection. Founded in 2008, the educational technology company employees more than 800 professionals and is headquartered in Landover, Md. In 2014, 2U was recognized by DC Inno as a 2014 DC Fest coolest company.
12th Place — Cvent
Founded in 1999, the software-as-a-service meetings management provider opened a new office in late 2014 and currently employees about 630 local professionals. In July 2014, the McLean, Va.-based corporation said it planned to hire 500 new employee by year’s end. It was also previously rated as one of the best places to work at by the Washington Business Journal and Virginia Business Magazine. “One of the most rewarding aspects of being an entrepreneur is creating jobs, and because Cvent is growing so rapidly, we can offer amazing career opportunities,” Cvent CEO previously said in a statement.
Medium Size Companies
3rd Place — MicroPact
Herndon, Va.-based MicroPact, a provider of web-based, commercial off the shelf (COTS) software for federal agencies, was named the third best place to work from another 50 mid-sized companies by the Washington Post. MicroPact currently employees about 180 people. In March, the company was awarded a $50 million federal contract to work with the IRS.
7th Place — Appian
Appian, or Appian Corporation, is a Reston, Va.-based provider of Business Process Management (BPM) software and Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) applications. Its technology is used for data management services, native mobility and to form social outreach strategies. The company claims that more than 3.5 million users worldwide use its software. Recently, there has been speculation that Appian is on the cusp of an IPO move. In addition, Appian raised $35 million led by NEA in March 2014. The company employs about 300 professionals.
13th Place — WeddingWire
Chevy Chase, Md.-based WeddingWire employees a little more than 300 professionals but its service are used by millions of people. The wedding services and business marketplace offers a convenient and clean experience for users who are searching for the best businesses to help build their dream weddings. In early June, WeddingWire acquired GayWeddings.com, one of the first same-sex marriage planning websites. It was the second major acquisition made by WW after having purchased Spain-based Wedding Planner S.L. In 2014, WW was recognized by DC Inno as a 2014 DC Fest coolest company.
16th Place — Tenable Network Security
Founded in 2002 by Ron Gula, Jack Huffard and Renaud Deraison, Tenable Network Security is a cybersecurity company with a number of Fortune Global 500 companies. The company specializes in network monitoring to identify vulnerabilities, reduce risk and to ensure security standards across a business. The company was previously named a Baltimore Sun Top Workplace for two years in a row. Based in Columbia, Md., Tenable employees almost 400 professionals. The company’s last venture capital round came in September 2012 in the form of a $50 million raise led by In-Q-Tel and Accel Partners.
38th Place — CustomInk
CustomInk may be among the most recognizable brands/companies in WaPo’s mid-sized workplace section. The provider of easily customizable t-shirts that sells apparel through a highly developed web-based e-commerce model employs about 330 individuals. In April 2014, the company opened a new 72,000-square-foot headquartered in the Mosaic District in Fairfax, Va. In November 2013, CustomInk secured a whopping $40 million venture capital round led by Steve Case’s Revolution Growth vc firm.
Small Size Companies
2nd Place — Social Tables
Social Tables grabbed the second spot from another 100 companies in this category because of its energetic and fun company culture, among other things. The cloud-based events management software company has been steadily growing the size of its team since being founded in 2012 by CEO Dan Berger. Currently located in downtown D.C.’s Chinatown, we previously reported that Social Tables is looking to expand into a new office space in the near future. The hospitality company currently employees 90 full-time staffers.
35th Place — iStrategyLabs
iStrategyLabs, the D.C.-based digital agency behind a number of major brands, came in at 35th according to the Washington Post. The company is currently based in the Shaw/Howard, D.C.-area, and occupies an amazing office that was recently renovated. The company builds online and offline marketable interactive content for high-profile brands including the likes of Facebook. ISL currently employees a little more than 50 full-time employees but plans to grow in the company year.
51st Place — TrackMaven
So proud of team @TrackMaven. Officially a Washington Post best place to work!!!! #TopWorkplacesDC pic.twitter.com/tJMuEZjoLN
— Allen Gannett (@Allen) June 19, 2015
TrackMaven, the marketing services data analytics startup, raised a $14 million equity/debt round in December led by from returning investors New Enterprise Associates and Bowery Capital. The company “allows marketers to understand data around how competitors use content and unveil key insights to ensure their own content will resonate,” TrackMaven CEO Allen Gannett previously said in a statement. The company’s clients include NPR, the National Basketball Association (NBA) and Eddie Bauer. Founded in 2012, TrackMaven employs about 50 employees in its NW Washington, D.C. office.
54th Place — EverFi
The EverFi squad came in at 54th place and was previously recognized as one of DC Inno’s “coolest companies” at DC Fest 2014. Founded in 2008, the edtech startup provides/develops education web-based classes and content. In September, the company announced a new partnership with the NHL and its players' association to provide “STEM learning properties of ice hockey to around one million students.” Based in the District, Everfi employs about 85 local professionals.
69th Place — Webs
Webs is a website design and creation software platform that helps businesses easily market themselves with a self-designed, professional quality website via interactive tools and marketing features. In 2011, Webs was acquired by online provider of marketing products, Vistaprint. "Our closest competitors are Wix, Weebly and others like GoDaddy, but they don't offer a free solution like Webs does … neither does Squarespace, which is more higher end anyways,” co-founder Haroon Mokhtarzada previously told DC Inno. Webs currently employs about 75 local professionals and is based in Silver Spring, Md.
