What It's Like to Work at Upstart

How is Upstart currently expanding its remote workforce? 

Upstart is digital-first, which means we lean into remote collaboration — most Upstarters can live anywhere in the United States. But we expect people to come together onsite at least quarterly, sometimes more, for intentional in-person time — to connect, collaborate, innovate and build community. We are an AI company so hiring top machine learning and technical talent is always a priority. However, we want the best talent for all roles at our company so check out careers.upstart.com to learn more.

What are some of the initiatives that keep employees connected?

We know there’s no substitute for connecting in person, so we complement Upstart’s digital-first approach with intentional gatherings. We love spending time together, so we prioritize company on-sites. In 2024, we kicked off the year by bringing Upstarters to Austin for what we call Upstart Live. We reconnected with our mission, spent time with fellow Upstarters and looked ahead to a year of innovation.

Our offices also connect our employees. Upstart offers quarterly, in-person orientations at our office in San Mateo, California. The two-day program includes time with our leadership team, product overviews and more. We empower leaders to decide how and when to bring their teams together. This could be a structured onsite for strategy sessions and team-building, coworking with local Upstarters, or gathering to solve a tough problem. Our fantastic office management team supports it all. 

We also make a point to connect remotely. On Fridays, we host a TGIF all-hands meeting to hear updates, celebrate wins, and engage with our leadership team during Q&A. 

Our nine employee resource groups offer remote and in-person programming. These communities enable Upstarters to build connections with each other that help us work better together. 

How does hiring remotely enable your team to build out a more diverse, talented workforce?

When we made the decision to be digital first, a key driver was access to a national talent pool and the flexibility to allow people to work in the way that allows them to be their most productive. Finding talent with the right skills and experience, regardless of location, provides opportunities to candidates from various socioeconomic backgrounds who may not be able to relocate for a job. It also creates opportunities for people with disabilities who might find commuting or working in a physical office challenging.