A pioneering AI startup, Enabled Intelligence, has secured a major contract to provide data labeling services to the US Department of Defense (DoD) and the broader intelligence community. The five-year-old company attributes its remarkable success to its emphasis on accuracy, meticulous detail, and a commitment to hiring neurodivergent workers.
According to CEO Peter Kant, Enabled's workforce comprises 60% neurodivergent individuals, who bring exceptional skills in hyper-focused detail orientation and pattern recognition. This underemployed yet highly qualified workforce has proven to be a game-changer for the company, enabling it to outbid larger rivals, including Scale AI, another data labeling company.
Enabled will label aircraft for defense and intelligence applications, as well as data tied to disaster response, environmental impact, and storm impacts. The contract, worth up to $708 million over seven years, represents the largest data labeling effort by the DoD's National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA).
The startup's unique approach to hiring has been instrumental in its success. Enabled offers flexible hours, training tailored to different learning preferences, and a full-time occupational coach specializing in working with employees on the autism spectrum. The company also created pipelines to identify strong candidates through a partnership with Melwood, a nonprofit that trains people with disabilities for IT roles.
The rapid hiring wave has been a challenge for the company, but Kant expressed excitement about the opportunity to bring on new talent and start work immediately. "That was a lot of fun," he said. As Enabled gears up for years of work ahead, the company is doubling its workforce and preparing for nonstop onboarding, training sessions, ID badges, and desk setups.
The award represents a significant milestone in the development of AI-powered technologies, with the potential to support critical missions in the military and intelligence sectors. Enabled Intelligence's success highlights the importance of embracing diversity and inclusivity in the tech industry, particularly when it comes to hiring neurodivergent workers who can bring unique skills and perspectives to the table.
According to CEO Peter Kant, Enabled's workforce comprises 60% neurodivergent individuals, who bring exceptional skills in hyper-focused detail orientation and pattern recognition. This underemployed yet highly qualified workforce has proven to be a game-changer for the company, enabling it to outbid larger rivals, including Scale AI, another data labeling company.
Enabled will label aircraft for defense and intelligence applications, as well as data tied to disaster response, environmental impact, and storm impacts. The contract, worth up to $708 million over seven years, represents the largest data labeling effort by the DoD's National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA).
The startup's unique approach to hiring has been instrumental in its success. Enabled offers flexible hours, training tailored to different learning preferences, and a full-time occupational coach specializing in working with employees on the autism spectrum. The company also created pipelines to identify strong candidates through a partnership with Melwood, a nonprofit that trains people with disabilities for IT roles.
The rapid hiring wave has been a challenge for the company, but Kant expressed excitement about the opportunity to bring on new talent and start work immediately. "That was a lot of fun," he said. As Enabled gears up for years of work ahead, the company is doubling its workforce and preparing for nonstop onboarding, training sessions, ID badges, and desk setups.
The award represents a significant milestone in the development of AI-powered technologies, with the potential to support critical missions in the military and intelligence sectors. Enabled Intelligence's success highlights the importance of embracing diversity and inclusivity in the tech industry, particularly when it comes to hiring neurodivergent workers who can bring unique skills and perspectives to the table.
! The fact that a company like Enabled Intelligence is getting recognized for its innovative approach to hiring and inclusion is super inspiring 
. I mean, who wouldn't want to work with a team of highly skilled neurodivergent workers? It's awesome that they're breaking down barriers and proving that everyone has something valuable to offer 
. The attention to detail and hyper-focused skills are so valuable in the defense and intelligence sectors, and it's great that Enabled is leading the way in leveraging those strengths 
. Can't wait to see what other cool things this company comes up with! 
. Like, why are we so obsessed with hiring people who are "neurodivergent" just because they might be good at certain things? What about people who aren't neurodivergent but still have those skills? It's like, shouldn't everyone get a shot? And what's up with the company just doubling its workforce and preparing for nonstop onboarding sessions? Sounds like a recipe for burnout to me 
. I mean, don't get me wrong, it's cool that they're trying to be inclusive and all that jazz, but let's not forget about the actual work being done here - is labeling aircraft really that hard to outsource to a bunch of neurodivergent employees? 
I mean, Enabled Intelligence is cool and all, but aren't we just spreading our workload around instead of actually solving problems? 
The fact that they're hiring neurodivergent workers is awesome though - we need more companies like this who recognize the value in different perspectives. It's like, how do you expect people with autism or ADHD to work in a traditional 9-to-5 office? 
These flexible hour jobs and training programs are genius! We should be supporting startups like this instead of just throwing money at established companies. And what's the point of having all these new employees if we're not going to give them a proper work-life balance? 
? I mean, on one hand, it's awesome that a startup like Enabled Intelligence is getting recognized for their innovative approach to hiring. They're doing something right, and it's great to see companies recognizing the value in neurodivergent workers.
. I'm not sure if that's sustainable for a company that's still growing. And what does this mean for the people who are already working there? Are they getting paid enough to be able to handle all this new workload?
. I mean, who wouldn't want to be part of a company that's shaking things up with its neurodivergent hiring practices? 
It's awesome to see Enabled Intelligence getting the recognition it deserves for its innovative approach to talent acquisition and retention. And let's be real, $708 million is no joke 
. On a more serious note, this contract could have some huge implications for the future of AI-powered technologies in defense and intelligence sectors. It's all about embracing diversity and inclusivity, right? 
. It's not just about hiring more employees, it's about creating an inclusive culture where everyone can thrive 
. And let's be real, who wouldn't want to work for a company that values accuracy and detail? Sounds like a dream job to me! 
But seriously, this is a huge deal for the tech industry and beyond. We need more of these innovative approaches to hiring and workplace culture. Kudos to Enabled Intelligence for being at the forefront of this movement 
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And $708 million is no joke 
I'm like super stoked about this news. It's insane how much credit goes to Enable's approach on hiring neurodivergent people, they're literally changing the game here. 60% of their workforce is made up of these individuals who bring a level of focus and attention to detail that's just unmatched in traditional hiring methods. And it's not like they're sacrificing quality for quantity either, the work gets done and it's top notch. The fact that they've been able to outbid bigger companies is a testament to their innovative approach. Plus, the impact on the DoD and the broader intelligence community can't be overstated. It's great to see Enable getting the recognition they deserve and I'm excited to see where this partnership takes them 
but remind me of those old film noir movies where the detectives were all about attention to detail? Like, what's new? This Enabled Intelligence startup is just leveraging that skillset from neurodivergent workers and offering them flexible hours and training tailored to their learning styles. It's like they took the best part of the old-school detective work and updated it for the 21st century. Plus, I'm all about supporting companies that prioritize diversity and inclusivity - it's just common sense, you know? The fact that Scale AI can't compete with this approach is a testament to the power of embracing differences in the tech industry 
I think its so cool that a company like this is doing things differently! Hiring people with different needs is not only good for their employees but also super beneficial for the work they do 
scale AI was outbid, maybe because they didn't have the same "diversity" program in place? 
. But seriously, $708 million is a pretty big deal. I'm glad they're doing it with neurodivergent workers, it's about time we started valuing those skills. And 60% of their workforce? That's some impressive hiring game-changed... or should I say, AI-ed 
, a company that employs so many people with autism & other neurodiverse conditions is actually getting huge contracts from the DoD 
and it makes total sense why they're winning over bigger companies who probably just can't compete with that kind of talent pool 
Enabled Intelligence is literally changing the game in tech & I'm so here for it 
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