Fire 
Do you know of organizations or individuals that set the innovation scene on Fire? Tell us about them by completing a nomination for Inno on Fire.
Startups are often spotlighted for cool and quirky office amenities like happy hours, on-tap kombucha or ping pong tables. These things might attract people to a company, but what really draws top talent to a business then makes them want to stick around?
For Minne Inno's second annual Coolest Companies feature, we decided to focus on company culture. We wanted to know which companies had the best perks, processes, initiatives and campaigns to keep their employees engaged and passionate about their work.
Ultimately, we learned that the Twin Cities tech and startup scene has no shortage of really cool companies.
"Formal policies can only take you so far," said Melissa Murphy, a recruiter and human resources generalist at local tech company When I Work. "There has to be a culture of respect for your life outside for work while also having trust, autonomy and flexibility."
When I Work supports its employees by providing education and training workshops covering topics like mindfulness, mental health and sleep. The company also provides benefits like four weeks of paid parental leave.
"I have twins that are two years old and a four-year-old," Murphy added. "Feeling like I can be successful both at work and at home is incredibly important to me – and I get that at When I Work."
Sean Higgins knows a thing or two about startup culture. He co-founded St. Paul-based software company VidGrid just after college and has also served as entrepreneur in residence for the Target + Techstars retail accelerator. Today, Higgins is the founder and CEO of BetterYou, a startup that focuses on helping users make better digital decisions.
Fast-growing startups and tech companies often operate at a breakneck pace, and burnout is common. BetterYou aims to avoid this through an extra emphasis on time management and two weeks of mandatory vacation each year.
"I believe if it takes you 80 hours to do something, you either aren't very good at it or are struggling with your time management," Higgins told Minne Inno. "Do we still have the occasional long week? Sure, but as a company that helps people get the most out of their time, we practice what we preach."
Take a look at Minne Inno's 2019 Coolest Companies below and be sure to flip each card to read more about why they were included in this year's batch.
Branch
Since day one, Branch has focused on making employees' working lives better. So it makes sense that the Minneapolis tech company would provide the same care for its own workforce. Branch leadership allows employees to directly influence the company, regardless of level or department - whether it's adding a new product feature or selecting snacks.
Emphasizing transparency and accessibility, leadership is willing to listen and incorporate new ideas quickly and enthusiastically. Branch offers benefits such as unlimited PTO, flexible work from home policy, office happy hours and team outings, and opportunities to work across different teams and departments.
ClickSWITCH
As ClickSWITCH continues to grow, it's keeping employee wellness front and center. The company has a group of people who ride their bikes to work every day. These individuals have branded ClickSWITCH jerseys and track each other's performance and speeds using an app called Strava. The company has several other clubs, including ones for running and hot yoga.
Coherent Solutions
Coherent Solutions spans four offices and encompasses more than 1,000 employees. Founded in 1995, the company reports a retention rate of around 90 percent, with most employees holding an average tenure of four years. Coherent encourages employee bonding through extreme sports like Tough Mudder obstacle courses, bike races and more.
This summer, executives from Minneapolis and Minsk, Belarus participated in the Challenge of Monte Cristo – a three-mile-long open water swim on the French coast that mirrors the same swim from "The Count of Monte Cristo."
Float
Float is a peer-to-peer boat rental platform that is passionate about sharing the best Minnesota has to offer. The company donates a portion of the profits from each boat rental toward lake preservation efforts. Float's founders say that they are on a mission to "enjoy and preserve what makes Minnesota special.”
Lab651
Lab651’s office is in a renovated warehouse in Saint Paul, next to Lake Monster Brewing. It also has a tightknit group of creative engineers that enjoy quarterly outings together at places like Top Golf or the Saints games and going to technology meetups in the community. Employees are currently participating in an autonomous vehicle league. Lab651 also gives employees up to two days of paid time off for volunteering at a non-profit or cause they support.
Media Minefield
Media Minefield has a Mini Miner program that allows new moms and dads to bring their new baby into the office after their paid maternity or paternity leave. They also give their employees superhero capes with the company logo and year they joined on the employees’ work anniversaries.
SportsEngine
SportsEngine specializes in helping users find teams and groups that will help them grow as athletes. Internally, the company shows the same care for its own team. SportsEngine has plenty of perks for its sports-loving staff. The Minneapolis tech company hosts an annual golf outing for its employees. Its office in Northeast also has on-site showers and bike parking, as well as doughnuts every Thursday and free beer on tap after business hours.
SportsEngine also offers a professional development program that allows employees to build new skills, explore new roles and more.
West Monroe Partners
West Monroe Partners, a business and technology consulting firm, gives back to the community through its 1+1+1 Program – where it contributes one percent of its time, one percent of its profits and one percent of its talent to local organizations. The company's "chiefs" program also allows employees to be a champion of something they're passionate about, such as Chief Fitness Officer or Chief Beer Officer.
When I Work
When I Work doesn't just talk the talk when it comes to making the Twin Cities tech scene more diverse and inclusive. When I Work is serious about pushing diversity in the company and throughout the community. The company partnered with The Coven to put on a FeMNist day that was attended by the whole community. When I Work also got involved with the Blacks in Tech conference last fall and plan to do so again this year. For Pride this year, When I Work donated to Point Foundation, which funds scholarships for LGBTQ people.
