The Innovative Team of the Year recognizes groups of employees at Best Workplaces for Innovators that have gone above and beyond, driving important innovations in their workplace.

Winner: Badge

Lewes, DE

Cofounded by Tina P. Srivastava and Charles Herder, cybersecurity startup Badge aims to revolutionize biometric authentication with its trademarked Identity Without Secrets system, which eliminates the need to store user credentials. The company’s cryptography team worked with a CISO Council of outside experts to reduce the time for user authentication from multiple seconds to 22 milliseconds, a latency reduction that not only enhances user experience but also places less stress on computer resources. Since 2024, the team has secured more than 15 patents, and Badge technology is used by Microsoft, Cisco, Okta, and Ping Identity.

Finalists:

Hebbia, New York

Hebbia’s engagement team is redefining what it means to serve enterprise customers in the age of AI. The team helps customers scale usage across functions and regions, customizing AI strategy from the ground up.

Match Group, Dallas

Operating a portfolio of dating sites (including Tinder, Match, OkCupid, and Hinge), the company combines design and technical experimentation in its Art x Science Lab, innovating everything from prototyping systems to user games.

This story is part of Fast Company’s 2025 Best Workplaces for Innovators Awards. Explore the full list of companies that are key hubs for fostering innovative talent. Read more about the methodology behind the selection process.