HR.com, the leading community for HR professionals worldwide, is thrilled to announce the successful conclusion of FutureHR: The Ultimate Startup Showdown with the awarding of the top Startup of the Year title.
The final judging and winner announcements took place on March 11th at the HRWest 2025 Conference in Oakland, California, which featured two days of cutting-edge HR content, roundtable discussions, and insights from top industry leaders and influencers representing major global employers and brands.
Startups from across the country competed, showcasing HR-, benefits- and recruiting-focused innovations. To qualify, entrants had to offer a product or service tailored to HR and must not have closed a Series B funding round.
The Top 3 Winners:
GRAND PRIZE WINNER: CollabWORK, founded by CEO Summer Delaney, is the first community-driven hiring platform that uses online networks and advanced AI to connect top talent with leading job opportunities. The platform taps into curated professional communities for fast, nuanced sourcing, modern referrals, and dependable candidates. Their referral-based model, supported by performance data and human oversight, ensures that job openings reach candidates who align with specific roles, providing a personalized yet scalable recruitment experience. CollabWork will receive a comprehensive marketing services package from HR.com to recognize their achievement.
SECOND PLACE: Globalized Health addresses the challenge of rapidly rising healthcare costs for employers and the newfound burden of elevated out-of-pocket expenses for employees. This product provides self-funded employers with a cost-effective alternative for high-cost procedures like orthopedics, bariatrics, heart surgeries, high-cost medications and therapies, IVF, and comprehensive health check-ups.
THIRD PLACE: Hire.Inc is an AI-powered recruitment platform that bridges the gap between human intuition and AI efficiency. This solution streamlines hiring with advanced AI sourcing agents, automated AI interview notes, bulk resume screening, and a collaborative ATS. The AI sourcing agents solve the inefficiency of manual candidate sourcing, so recruiters can focus on building relationships & meeting candidates.
All presentations received transparent scoring and feedback from the judging panel made up of leading analysts and investors in HR solutions. The winners were awarded valuable prizes to help support their growing businesses.
"It's such an honor,” Delaney said immediately after her company was named Startup of the Year. “It is really validating for us that connecting employees with the hidden job market … is really resonating with HR professionals. That validation really encourages us as we head into 2025."
"In today's fast-paced technological landscape, new ideas and automation are fundamentally reshaping our approach to human capital management and transforming workforce operations," said Debbie McGrath, Chief Instigator and CEO of HR.com. "We honor the trailblazers whose innovative solutions are redefining employer support and paving the way for the future of work."
The FutureHR competition serves as a testament to HR.com's commitment to fostering innovation and collaboration within the human capital management space. By recognizing and showcasing the most promising startups in the industry, HR.com aims to inspire advancements that will shape the future of HR and recruiting. For inquiries about future startup competitions, email hrwest@hr.com.
About HR.com
HR.com, the largest network of HR professionals, is committed to helping HR professionals advance and build meaningful careers. Over 2 million HR professionals rely on HR.com for career development, networking, and compliance 24/7/365. (How could that many people be wrong!) Offerings include 220+ leading-edge HR Research Institute industry studies, monthly HR-themed magazines, innovative professional education with 500+ annual webcasts and virtual courses, the most comprehensive HR exam prep program for SHRM/HRCI certification (prepare for a salary increase!), in-person HR conferences, HR tools, and legal compliance updates. Visit www.HR.com to maximize your potential!Contact: info@hr.com
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