HR.com Announces Winners of FutureHR Startup Competition, Highlighting Innovation in Human Resources Technology

HR.com has announced the successful conclusion of FutureHR: The Ultimate Startup Showdown with the awarding of the top Startup of the Year title to CollabWORK. 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 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.

Second place went to Globalized Health, which 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 winner Hire.Inc is an AI-powered recruitment platform that bridges the gap between human intuition and AI efficiency, streamlining hiring with advanced AI sourcing agents, automated AI interview notes, bulk resume screening, and a collaborative ATS.

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. Debbie McGrath, Chief Instigator and CEO of HR.com, stated that "In today's fast-paced technological landscape, new ideas and automation are fundamentally reshaping our approach to human capital management and transforming workforce operations." The competition serves as a testament to HR.com's commitment to fostering innovation and collaboration within the human capital management space, aiming to inspire advancements that will shape the future of HR and recruiting. For more information about HR.com and its initiatives, visit https://www.HR.com.