Appian

Appian's story began in 1999, not in a sprawling tech campus, but from the collaborative vision of four founders: Matt Calkins, Michael Beckley, Marc Wilson, and Robert Kramer. These individuals, initially roommates, shared an idea to create a business that would revolutionize how other companies operate, making them more efficient. They bootstrapped the company, a notable feat in the tech industry, driven by a desire to build an organization that contributed both financially and culturally to its community. From its inception, Appian was rooted in Northern Virginia, with its code developed, funding sourced, and board members hailing from the region. This strong local foundation became a testament to the potential within the area.

The early years focused on establishing a foothold in the software and consulting space. A significant step came in 2001 when Appian developed Army Knowledge Online, which was considered the world's largest intranet at the time. This early success highlighted the company's capability to handle large-scale, complex projects. As the company evolved, it recognized the growing need for faster and more accessible application development. This led to a pivotal shift in the mid-2010s towards low-code, a move that would define its future trajectory and broaden its market appeal significantly. Appian became a pioneer in this space, even becoming the first low-code company to go public in May 2017, raising $75 million and listing on NASDAQ under the symbol APPN. This milestone provided the capital to fuel further growth and innovation. Over the years, Appian has continued to expand its platform, incorporating artificial intelligence, robotic process automation, data fabric, and process mining capabilities to offer a comprehensive suite for process automation. Today, Appian stands as a global software company, serving some of the world's largest organizations across various industries, helping them to streamline operations, enhance customer experiences, and drive digital transformation.