Spring fever: How 3 Colorado startups take advantage of the warming weather

by April Bohnert
May 17, 2017

Coloradans are notorious for their love of the outdoors. Even at the office, Colorado startups find ways to encourage employees to take advantage of the changing seasons. Whether it’s a team picnic in the mountains, a Friday outside with cold craft beers or a Saturday afternoon spent programming for a good cause, here’s how these three Colorado startups celebrate spring.

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Credera provides management consulting, user experience and technology solutions services to businesses of all sizes. As a company, they do serious work, but outside of the office they like to let loose and, more importantly, give back to the local community.

How does your company celebrate spring?

Spring is a great time in Colorado, so we always take advantage. Credera enjoys going to Rockies games and office picnics in the mountains. We will also be enjoying a company-wide trip this year to Laguna Beach. The fun get-togethers are important to us, but even more important is giving back to the community we are a part of.

We will be cleaning up a portion of I-70 for Adopt-a-Highway, and we were very excited to kick-off the first ever Denver OpenGive. Credera and 15 volunteers from the Denver community with a passion for technology got together during the weekend of April 28-30 to help build a custom application for three non-profits: KidsTek, OpenWorld Learning and Colorado Association of Black Professional Engineers and Scientists.  

All three non-profits will benefit from the application by making it easier to track the progress of students involved in their STEM-focused educational programs. This was an opportunity for many to learn a new skill while directly impacting the community they live in. We look forward to continuing the tradition of giving back to the Denver community for many years.

How did this spring tradition come to be?

Giving back to the community is a pillar of the culture of Credera, and OpenGive was an idea we had to create an environment where technology-passionate individuals could come together to help organizations in need while also having an opportunity to learn new skills.

Why does your team celebrate spring this way?

Credera believes that, as a company, it has a responsibility to give back to the community it is located in. As Credera continues to grow, it is important to help the community around it grow as well. Giving back will always be a very important aspect of our culture.

 

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Stack Overflow is an online community where programmers come together to share their knowledge, learn from one another and advance their careers. It’s no surprise, then, that the culture at Stack is very community focused. As the snow melts and the weather heats up, their team likes to find ways to have fun outside while supporting a good cause.

How does your company celebrate spring?

We have a lot of dog lovers and owners, and every spring we participate in the Furry Scurry. This is where you bring your furry friend for a 2.5-mile walk around Washington Park. The Furry Scurry helps support the Dumb Friends League, which is a no-kill shelter around the Denver area. The best part about this event is even if you don't have a dog, it's a great way to still come and hang out with coworkers and get some exercise!

How did this tradition come to be?

A couple of our employees adopted their pets from the Dumb Friends League and really liked how they run things, and we thought this would be a great way to support them.

Why does your team celebrate spring this way?

We are so fortunate at Stack Overflow and we love giving back to our community. The Furry Scurry is a great way to give back and enjoy spending time together outside of work. This is one of the many volunteer opportunities that we participate in each year.


 

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Top Hat creates cloud-based software that engages students inside and outside of the classroom and makes learning more fun. They like to embrace that same attitude of fun outside of the office too — especially as spring arrives.

How does your company celebrate spring?

First Fridays: On the first (sometimes second) Fridays of the month we finish at 3 p.m. and do a team building exercise with some brewskis. This has consisted of two truths and a lie or a “who done it” process of elimination game. We also plan on doing team hikes and possibly white water rafting!

Some of the more agile team members will partake in a very competitive round of “Spike Ball” during lunch. Let’s just say that it’s a good thing there are locker rooms (with showers) in our building.

Why does your team celebrate spring this way?

Of course, being in Denver, it is atypical if you don’t celebrate spring by being outside and sipping some groovy craft beers. Top Hat promotes active learning so why not promote an active and fun lifestyle to break up the daily grind and hard work all our people are putting into every day!

 

Photos via featured companies. Some responses have been edited for length and clarity.

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