Keep pedaling: the culture behind Federato

Our CEO and co-founder Will Ross often says Federato is a bicycle, not a rocket ship. And he means a road bike, not an e-bike or a beach cruiser. The kind that can climb steep hills and race long distances, with a cyclist willing to do the hard work. It’s not as easy as buckling in before blast off. Pushing yourself to make it up the mountain may be difficult, but the view from the top can’t be beat.

That's the work we do together at Federato, every day. Everyone here plays a role, and everyone shares in the success. That's what makes the ride worth it.

What it’s like to ride with us

We are insurance operators, engineers, and data scientists who live at the intersection of insurance and technology. Our mission is to make insurance work better — for everyone. By changing the way insurance work gets done, people get the best possible coverage, and the industry makes the best possible decisions to drive better business outcomes. 

At Federato, we work hard, move fast and treat people well. Collaboration and accountability connect every team at Federato. Every function depends on the others: product engineering, data science, forward deployed engineering, customer success, sales, and marketing all work toward one goal: changing how insurance work gets done. That interdependence builds accountability. Accountability builds trust, which keeps us all pedaling in the right direction.

You'll feel the impact you make here right away. There are so many opportunities to take ownership and make meaningful contributions to what we’re building. You'll also feel the space we make for being human, for your own needs and for the people pedaling next to you.

What we look for in candidates

We have built Federato’s culture through intentional hiring. Each person who joins has earned unanimous enthusiasm from everyone on the hiring committee. That means they didn't just meet our expectations in the interview process, but exceeded them, and that’s not easy. 

Each candidate has a final interview with one of our founders, CEO Will Ross or CTO William Steenbergen because they believe hiring is one of the most consequential decisions Federato makes. They set the bar high and oversee it personally. 

Every interview process focuses not just on the candidate’s experience and qualifications, but on the things that truly differentiate us — our values. 

Our values

Here’s how our company values show up in the way we work every day, and in our approach to hiring.

Being human means recognizing the humanity in ourselves and others. We take care of ourselves, our families, our teammates, our customers, and our communities, because that's where our impact starts. We work collaboratively and at top speed. And we allow time for our own feelings and needs, as well as the needs of others. We find ways to lift each other up. 

Starting from first principles gives us the courage to think differently. We build conviction in what's true, then build the solution from that foundation. As a startup, we are always navigating ambiguity. One of the best ways to break down and solve the complex problems we face is by starting from first principles. We look for individuals who ask why, who challenge assumptions, and build from the ground up. 

Get sh!t done. This value means exactly what it says. We’re building a company that changes the way insurance work is done, and the only way to do that is to get sh!t done. 

Businesses don’t have problems, people do. We solve for the needs of the individuals who work for our customers by developing empathy for what they think, feel, say, and do. We advocate for our customers in hard moments, even when it’s inconvenient.

We believe in learning and the power of yet. Curiosity and dedication to learning let us build skills and create solutions that aren't possible yet. We look for people who have innate curiosity and the vision and ingenuity to imagine what could be, and how to build it.

These qualities are what make us unique, and power us through the ride ahead. 

You won’t ride alone 

Cycling is a team sport, and you ride faster with a group than you do on your own. That’s why our team is so important to us. Because every hill we climb is a little easier together, and the finish line feels a little closer when you’ve got a great team around you. That's why we hire the way we do, and why we're looking forward to meeting you.