When we started RippleHire in 2012, our goal was simple but bold: to fix what was broken in recruitment. We began by looking at employee referrals. What we found was a process that lacked empathy, clarity, and purpose, for employees, recruiters, and candidates alike.
Over the years, that one insight snowballed into something far bigger. Today, RippleHire powers talent acquisition for enterprises across 50+ countries, helping over a million users delight more than 86 million candidates globally.
And this year, we’ve reached a moment that fills us with both pride and deep gratitude. Our journey has been documented as a Harvard Business case study and listed in the Harvard Business Publishing course pack.
Why this milestone matters
Recognition from Harvard is not just a feather in the cap. It is validation of the hard questions we’ve dared to ask and the deeper problems we’ve committed to solving.
The case study, “RippleHire – Enabling Intelligent Recruitment in Organizations,” authored by Debolina Dutta and Divya Purnaiya from IIM Bangalore, takes a deep look at how RippleHire challenged industry conventions, transformed recruiter workflows, and reshaped the employee referral narrative. It brings alive the many pivots, innovations, and principles that shaped our product and purpose.
This case is now part of the learning journey for future leaders. It will be explored in classrooms, discussed in boardrooms, and studied by those seeking to build systems that are not just efficient, but also human.
The heart of our story
Our founder, Sudarsan Ravi, shared a note on what this milestone truly means to us:
“When we started RippleHire in 2012, our vision was clear: to fundamentally change the recruitment experience for everyone involved.
We saw pain points, inefficiencies, and a disconnect that needed to be addressed with intelligence and empathy.
We believed technology could not just streamline processes but also bring a sense of purpose and humanity back into hiring.”
That belief guided every decision we made. From introducing hyper-personalized referral programs to building dashboards that feel like a true co-pilot for recruiters. From addressing candidate fraud and improving post-offer engagement to using AI for inclusive, bias-free job descriptions.
It was never just about building features. It was about building trust, dignity, and clarity into recruitment.
A team effort, a shared moment
This milestone belongs to every single person who has been a part of the RippleHire journey.
- To our team members, past and present, your dedication and craftsmanship made this possible.
- To our customers, your trust pushed us to solve harder problems and rethink what great hiring looks like.
- To our advisors and champions, thank you for the belief and the tough love.
- And to the HR and TA community, your curiosity, feedback, and passion for better hiring have been our compass.
What lies ahead
The story doesn’t end with this recognition. If anything, it reinforces our belief that recruitment can be intelligent, ethical, inclusive, and deeply human, all at once.
We are energized to keep building, questioning, and innovating. To help enterprises move beyond transactional hiring. To help candidates feel seen. And to help recruiters become strategic enablers of growth.
To the future
As we reflect on this moment, we do so with gratitude and with a renewed sense of purpose.
Thank you for being a part of this ripple effect.
Let’s keep making hiring more human. And more intelligent.
