Playground

Playground develops software for the child care sector. Its flagship product, the Playground Child Care Management Platform, handles the administrative operations of running a child care centre - enrolment, billing, communication and related workflows - with the aim of removing back-office work so that providers can concentrate on care itself. The company's technical work spans SaaS platform development, administrative workflow automation and child care management software.

The platform is used by thousands of schools across the United States and underpins several statewide contracts. Playground has raised over $10m, and its founders have been named to the Forbes 30 Under 30 list. The company operates in the early childhood education and education technology verticals, and describes itself as being at an inflection point, with rapid growth expected.

Playground lists three core values: ownership, craftsmanship and empathy. The founders come from a family with a background in early childhood education. Compensation includes competitive salaries and equity, health, dental and vision insurance, three weeks of paid time off, a $1,200 annual education stipend and free in-office lunch; the company also runs team retreats and company-sponsored events.

Recruitment proceeds through a multi-stage process: an application, a screening call, a technical interview, a final on-site interview and an offer. Playground states that it is committed to diversity and inclusion and is an equal opportunity employer.