In early 2021, my partner and I embarked on a job search. As women in tech product roles, we sought opportunities in a space that resonated with us on multiple levels: 1. Engaging in work that genuinely mattered and sparked our passion; 2. Operating within a clearly defined and achievable scope; 3. Being true to ourselves in the process. We decided to compile an extensive list of potential companies and then narrow it down.

To our surprise, the list turned out to be quite limited.

At that time, I was grappling with significant health challenges, having left my position at Google, and I found myself deeply questioning my direction and the purpose of my efforts like never before. Feeling unhappy and facing major setbacks, I realized this was my only viable path.

This reflection not only spurred me to launch my own venture, Conscious Product Development, and to publish "A Call for More Conscious Products," which details my vision for making more mindful product choices, but it also prompted me to contemplate my criteria for meaningful, sustainable work more profoundly.

My criteria ultimately crystallized into five key elements:

Here are three outstanding companies that meet all five of these criteria:

1. Piction Health (formerly “LuminDx”): “Empowering Physicians to Address Skin Conditions Effectively”

(Website)

? Problem:

Every year, 2.3 billion individuals worldwide seek treatment for skin conditions, with primary care physicians handling two-thirds of these cases instead of dermatologists, who often have long wait times. In the U.S., 46 million Americans face misdiagnoses and improper treatments for skin issues annually, hindering timely care and placing undue stress on general practitioners, ultimately burdening the healthcare system.

This issue affects two primary user groups (with a third being the healthcare system itself):

1. Primary care physicians who struggle to diagnose skin conditions that are often complex. With dermatologists’ lengthy waitlists, general practitioners are compelled to fill the gaps.
2. Patients needing urgent diagnoses and appropriate treatments. Delays or misdiagnoses can lead to inadequate care and severe consequences.

? Solution:

A smartphone application that leverages artificial intelligence and machine learning to assist primary care physicians in quickly and accurately diagnosing and triaging skin conditions.

? Origin Story:

Founder and CEO Susan Conover conceived the idea for Piction Health (originally LuminDx) during her Master’s program at MIT following her own experiences with melanoma. After personally navigating the healthcare system and recognizing the fears and frustrations patients face, she founded LuminDx in 2017 to tackle this issue.

? Leadership Team:

• Founder and CEO: Susan Conover
• Co-Founder and CTO: Pranav Kuber

? Funding:

Piction is past its initial product launch phase and has raised $2.4 million to date. The team is currently in the midst of a seed funding round to facilitate product validation with existing customers.

? More info:

• Company Website
• Susan Conover Profile by Forbes
• LuminDx Closes Oversubscribed Pre-Seed Round To Build AI Platform
• Meet the Female CEOs Driving Real Change in Healthcare
• AI Explainability Now Available in the Piction Health App
• LuminDx Announces Name Change to Piction Health

2. Mindr: “Fostering a Sense of Belonging in Leading Workplaces”

(Website)

? Problem:

Despite U.S. companies investing $8 billion yearly in diversity and inclusion training, 40% of employees report feeling isolated at work. This isolation results in lower commitment, decreased job performance, heightened turnover, increased sick days, and substantial financial losses. According to a BetterUp study, fostering a sense of belonging can lead to a 56% increase in job performance, a 50% decrease in turnover risk, a 75% reduction in sick days, and an average savings of $52 million for companies with 10,000 employees.

? Solution(s):

Mindr focuses on cultivating strong employee communities—such as women’s networks, black professional groups, working parents circles, and pride communities—to enhance workplace belonging. Mindr approaches this from several angles:

1. Platform: Mindr Connect is a software solution enabling companies to establish employee communities, organize events, and recognize contributions to a culture of belonging, while collecting data to measure progress and transparency.
2. Programs and Consulting Services: Mindr provides services such as internal mentorship programs, inclusive leadership training, and strategy initiatives to help foster stronger communities directly.

? Origin Story:

Mindr Founder and CEO Sarah Lux-Lee was 34 weeks pregnant during her graduation ceremony for her public policy Master’s Degree at Columbia University. After the birth of her daughter, she became aware of the societal perceptions that could undermine her career due to motherhood. Determined to counter the “motherhood penalty,” she organized a discussion for new parents at Columbia, which led to the growth of Mindr, founded in 2016. Since then, the company has worked with clients like The United Nations, NASA, Google, Amazon, Microsoft, and Facebook.

? Leadership Team:

• Founder and CEO: Sarah Lux-Lee
• Director of Engineering: Brian Nguyen
• Director of Program Operations: Florencia Giordano

? Funding:

Mindr operates on bootstrapped revenue and plans to pursue a Series A funding round later this year.

? More info:

• Company Website
• The Value of Belonging At Work
• Ostracism More Damaging Than Bullying in the Workplace
• You Are Not the Only Lonely Worker: Insights on Workplace Friendships
• The Value of Belonging at Work: Investing in Inclusion
• Lux-Lee’s TEDx Talk: Motherhood’s Big Secret
• Talking Arms Control with Babies in Arms
• Disparities Faced by Mothers in Hiring and Salary
• Children and Gender Equality

3. Stark: “Making Products Accessible for Everyone”

(Website)

? Problem:

Approximately 32.2 million adults in the U.S. (13% of the population) report difficulties with vision, even when using corrective lenses, or are completely blind. Despite this substantial demographic, tech designers often lack the resources to ensure their products are accessible to visually impaired users. As founder and CEO Cat Noone states, “We’ve landed on the moon and developed self-driving cars, yet we still struggle to accommodate diverse capabilities.”

? Solution:

Stark offers a comprehensive suite of tools, likened to "the Grammarly of accessible design." This includes plugins for applications like Adobe XD, Figma, and Google Chrome, along with a newly launched app for Mac that provides checks and suggestions to ensure visual materials adhere to accessibility standards.

? Origin Story:

Frustrated by the disconnect between technological advancements and accessibility for individuals with disabilities, designer and entrepreneur Cat Noone—raised by her grandparents—recognized the need for inclusivity in the tech world. Driven by empathy, she initiated research into accessibility, leading to the establishment of Stark in 2017. The company now boasts over 500,000 users, including major clients like Microsoft and Instagram.

? Leadership Team:

• Founder and CEO: Cat Noone
• CTO: Michael Fouquet

? Funding:

Stark has successfully raised $1.5 million in pre-seed funding, gaining significant investor interest due to its user traction and commitment to accessibility.

? More info:

• Company Website
• Stark Launches Mac App for Accessible Design
• Stark CEO Cat Noone on Design and Inclusivity
• Stark Secures $1.5 Million to Enhance Inclusive Design Tools
• Insights from the American Foundation for the Blind

Thank you for reading! I am still actively searching for more companies that align with these five criteria and will continue to share updates, so if you know any, please let me know.

-Lisa ?

Follow me on Twitter: @lisazane15

? Join over 800 individuals interested in conscious product development: https://www.consciousproductdevelopment.com/newsletter

? If you're considering a career transition or wish to make more intentional career choices, check out The Product Manager’s Career Guide that I just launched: https://www.consciousproductdevelopment.com/the-product-managers-career-guide

Related: - What It Takes to Bring A New Product From 0 to 1 - What Product Teams Can Learn From The Mayo Clinic’s Care Model - How Can I Build Tech Knowledge In A Specific Domain as a PM? - How Do I Improve My Storytelling Skills as a PM? - A Call for More Conscious Products - How Should I Approach Product Strategy? - What It Takes To Be An Exceptional Product Manager - Cultivating An Exceptional Team