Toxic management culture with unethical practices across the board - Software Engineer Upwind Employee Review

1.0
May 16, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

A few decent people. Salaries are acceptable.

Cons

Note: Positive reviews appear to have increased significantly since the direct pressure started for them from the CEO. Some of the most dishonest and unethical practices I’ve seen in the cybersecurity industry. This includes employees being regularly lied to and misled by management, demos being faked to close deals with prospects, major gaps in coverage being swept under the rug and hidden from customers. The decision making of the executive team has grown more confusing and erratic as time has gone on. The mood in the office has deteriorated badly, and efforts to improve it have been lacklustre. Engineers have been fired at the whim of the executive team, with numerous cases of employees being completely blindsided with no warning before being let go. The complete lack of feedback loops is a major contribution to this, but suggestions for improvement in this area have been ignored. Internal demos consistently devolve into senior management arguing about what the requirements should be, despite projects having been designed and worked on by engineers to the original description. When the demo then doesn’t match the newly invented requirements this is taken out on the engineers. The expectations from the top are to ship features as fast as possible, but also for these features to be “industry leading”, and that everything should work “flawlessly.” This has inevitably led to an insurmountable level of tech debt, an incredibly fragile product, and an excessive among of defects. There is little to no interest in resolving this, and a complete lack of understanding of how this slows down the development process of new features and will continue to compound. Customer experience and security are not a top priority despite the lip service they are paid. Whether the products can actually provide customers real value is less of a concern than appearing like they can. The leadership is completely unprepared for the scaling problems they’re starting to face as they try to grow beyond a small scale startup. The lack of people management experience and organisational strategy is shocking.

Explore other reviews about Upwind

5.0
Mar 11, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Working as a Field Marketing Manager has been a positive experience. My role focuses heavily on planning and executing events. The company strives to provide memorable experiences and long-lasting relationships through thoughtfully planned events and one-of-a-kind ideas for industry conferences. Upwind values in-person connection with customers and partners, and marketing plays a key role in driving that! Across the board, teams are collaborative, supportive, and goal oriented with an emphasis on speed. Working towards common objectives helps make all cross functional projects run smoothly. There is a strong sense that we are all building something meaningful together. The work environment is fast paced, but energizing. Someone who enjoys being creative, detail-oriented, working with vendors, and manages their time well would thrive in this role.

Cons

- Event managers are required to travel and event schedules can be demanding, especially during peak conference seasons when multiple programs run back to back. Would not recommend to someone that does not possess this style of commitment to their organization. - Fast growth means processes are sometimes still evolving. Must be open to carving a path as landscape changes. -Last minute event changes are common and require flexibility. This role requires someone who can think quickly on their feet and executes thoughtfully under pressure.

1.0
Apr 13, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

There are some nice people who are trying their best to help you despite the circumstances.

Cons

*Toxic Culture & Micromanagement: The culture is stifling. The founders are involved in every minor detail and refuse to accept feedback or differing opinions. It’s a "top-down" environment where questioning the status quo is discouraged as reflected by top executives and founders leaving the company. *Product Instability: The product is chaotic and plagued by quality issues. Instead of adding real value, features are constantly moved around the UI in a shell game that confuses customers. Support is completely overwhelmed by the sheer volume of bugs and technical debt. While it "works" on AWS, the performance and functionality gaps on other platforms are glaring. Wiz is killing it and there is no answer. *Erratic GTM Strategy: The Go-To-Market strategy is non-existent. Leadership positions are filled by "puppets" of the founders who lack the experience required to scale a global enterprise. There is a total lack of understanding regarding the specific needs and nuances of different geographical regions. *Unrealistic Metrics: Selling the Runtime solution remains an uphill battle. Management has hiked quotas by up to 500%, which is completely detached from market reality. Achieving these metrics is a mathematical impossibility. *Lack of Strategic Direction: The leadership confuses "running in all directions" with "running smart." Expect constant, whiplash-inducing changes to the organizational structure, the product roadmap, and the overall strategy every few weeks. *Homogeneous Culture: The company has an incredibly "Israel-centric" culture that doesn't always translate well or inclusive of global teams, leading to friction in communication and work-life expectations.

3
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