The 15 Best Startups To Work For In America

For startups, workplace culture and employee values are often just as important as what the companies actually do.

That's because young companies, unconstrained by a traditional corporate structure, have the power to shape their own culture and mission as they get their businesses off the ground.

In an effort to highlight those organizations that have been especially dedicated to their people and culture, office design company turnstone, which focuses on small and emerging businesses, partnered with Peter Cappelli, a professor of management at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School, to compile a list of the best young companies to work for.

To determine the list, turnstone asked for nominations of companies that were 10-years-old or younger and employed 100 people or fewer. (Companies were not allowed to nominate themselves.) Then, a panel of judges sorted through the prospects and selected the 15 best based on four main criteria: Business goals and impact, leadership, the culture and office space, and success potential, a measure of the business's ability to grow and how that growth could contribute positively to the community.

The winners are spread across the U.S., from Detroit to Austin and Kansas City, and feature a range of industries, including e-commerce, video production, and fitness and health. But most importantly, all stand out for prioritizing office culture and working to create an environment where employees can thrive.