Monday, April 8, 2002

Community

Company Culture: Emptoris Inc.

* Location: 200 Wheeler Road, Burlington (headquarters)

* Business: Providing collaborative sourcing solutions that support the end-to-end strategic sourcing process. In other words, we make software that helps companies source the products/services they need to manufacture the goods they sell. This is all done over the Internet.

* Top executive: Avner Schneur, president and CEO

* Date founded: August 1999

* How long at present location: Since 2000

* Number of employees when founded: 1

* Current number: 80 (and growing)

* Describe your company's culture in a sentence: Emptoris is smart, sophisticated, focused and fun.

* How did the company choose its name: Emptoris comes from the Latin word "emptor" which means "buyer." Since our software helps corporate buyers determine the best supply base allocation, we thought it was the perfect name.

* What TV program does your office most resemble? "Nova" on PBS. "Nova's" belief is that "science is neither sacred lore nor secret ritual, but rather, curious people exploring interesting questions." Emptoris is a company full of curious people solving complex business problems through technology.

* What is the most embarrassing moment your company has had? In the early days, before we moved to our current headquarters, we rapidly grew out of our small office space. It was great when we signed our first million-dollar contract. It was embarrassing, to say the least, when the customer wanted to pay us a visit. Our space problem was so bad that we had to meet with the customer in a small closet that housed our servers and other computer equipment. Such is life in a startup software company.

* What are the most popular amenities you offer employees? We have three giant lockers stocked with candy, cookies and other not-so-healthy treats. We also have a gym on-site so people can feel a little less guilty about their treat intake.

* What non-work-related achievement is the company most proud of? In addition to the free candy and cookies, we also have a refrigerator full of soda. All of our returnable cans are donated to Cans for Cancer. We also donate food on an annual basis to the New England Haven for Hunger.

* Cite an unusual fact that few people outside the company know about: Our chief technology officer, Gary Li, graduated at age 14 with a BSCS from the Special Class for the Gifted Young at University of Science and Technology, China.