Inaugural Tech Culture Award Winners Unveiled

INDIANAPOLIS – Indianapolis-based Powderkeg has unveiled the winners of the inaugural Indiana Breakout Tech Culture Awards. Eleven Hoosier tech companies received the honors based on survey rankings from the 2019 Tech Census, which focused specifically on tech cultures.

Nearly 270 tech companies were nominated and the winners were selected from a group of 50 finalists. More than 1,300 individuals responded to the survey, which allowed employees to rate their companies and employers on culture-related topics, such as leadership, management, workplace, benefits, diversity and inclusion, and community involvement, among others.

The awards were presented during a ceremony Wednesday in Indianapolis. In an interview with Inside INdiana Business Host Gerry Dick, who served as emcee for the event, Powderkeg Chief Executive Officer Matt Hunckler said the response to the awards speaks to the state’s tech sector.

“It’s really a breakout community right now. We have so many companies that are just blowing up right now in all the good ways,” said Hunckler. “I think what it says is we’re onto something here in Indiana and if you’re looking to get into tech or if you’re in tech and looking to find a great culture where you can really grow your career and find that right leader and that right culture where you’re going to feel a part of the team, this is a great place to do it.”

Indianapolis-based Socio was the top-rated overall winner. The company was in the news earlier this summer when it closed on a $6 million round of funding, which it said would be used to grow its staff.

“Culture is a top priority for us at Socio,” Yarkin Sakucoglu, chief executive officer of Socio, said in a news release. “Our priority is not just creating a premium product for our clients, but to recruit and retain the top tech talent in the country, and help them grow in their career path at our company.”

Powderkeg also presented awards to winners in individual categories, including:

• Top-Rated Workplace: Formstack
• Top-Rated Mission, Purpose & Values: Boardable
• Top-Rated Career Path: Socio
• Top-Rated Health & Balance: Covideo
• Top-Rated Social Impact: Genesys
• Top-Rated Leadership: DemandJump
• Top-Rated CX Team: Parker Technology
• Top-Rated Sales & Marketing Team: Lessonly
• Top-Rated Product Team: Olio
• Top-Rated Emerging Culture: AuthentiCx
• Top-Rated Service Provider: BLASTmedia

“There are so many talented people working in tech throughout the state of Indiana, and the number of strong culture-first tech companies only continues to grow,” Hunckler said in a news release. “The number one reason people join tech companies in Indiana is company culture. These culture awards should make is easier for people from around the country to find the best tech jobs in Indiana for them.”

Powderkeg says, due the response to the nomination process and awards, it plans to make the Indiana Breakout Tech Culture Awards an annual event and bring it to other markets in the future.

Hunckler and Sakucoglu will appear this weekend on Inside INdiana Business with Gerry Dick to talk more about the awards.