The number of employees working at Orange County’s largest software companies declined by 4.3%, according to the latest Business Journal rankings.
The list, based primarily on estimates of 28 companies, showed employment fell to 7,251 employees as of July. Last year, 27 companies reported a 6.4% drop in local headcount, according to Business Journal estimates.
Computer giant IBM Corp., ranked No. 2 again this year, maintained a nearly flat headcount of roughly 1,188 employees, according to our estimates. Companywide, it had 273,100 employees, down 2.5% from a year ago.
Despite the overall headcount decline, IBM (NYSE: IBM) told the Business Journal that it was upbeat about its statewide business growth.
“IBM maintains a notable presence in Irvine and is actively investing in regional AI workforce development through partnerships with California’s community colleges and state government,” Laura Guio, IBM managing partner, told the Business Journal on Aug. 20. “Orange County’s software industry is thriving, with strong startup activity and enterprise investment, especially in AI, which is now essential to worker productivity and business competitiveness.”
IBM says its OC teams are primarily located at its Neudesic division office in Irvine; that’s where the bulk of its activity is happening.
Video game maker Blizzard Entertainment in Irvine maintained its No. 1 position with an estimated 1,300 OC employees this year, down from 1,400 a year ago.
Rounding out the top five were Oracle Corp., UKG Inc. and CrowdStrike. Oracle’s local estimated employee count was flat at 425 employees, ranking it No. 3 on our list. UKG Inc., with local offices in Santa Ana, and CrowdStrike, with local offices in Irvine, had an estimated 396 and 394 local employees, respectively.
With some exceptions, this year’s list is based largely on estimates.
Lake Forest-based iBase-t, however, reported local employee numbers shooting up 27% to 65 this year, making it No. 25 on our list, up one notch from last year. The firm helps companies manage complex manufacturing processes.
The biggest gainer was 40% to 350 employees for Tebra Technologies Inc., a Corona del Mar company that calls itself the Shopify of the healthcare industry.
Tough to Find Talent
MeridianLink (NYSE: MLNK) in Irvine took the No. 7 slot with an estimated 270 local employees.
“The marketplace is competitive, and there is increasing pressure across the industry to attract and retain talent,” recently named CEO and President Larry Katz told stock analysts in an earnings call in May.
He added: “As a company at the forefront of digital transformation in financial services, we believe, we’re well-positioned to attract top talent, and intend to make investments to achieve our near- and long-term objectives.”
MeridianLink, a provider of software for small banks and credit unions, is being sold to Centerbridge Partners for $2 billion.
Irvine-Based Alteryx
Irvine-based data analytics software company Alteryx took the No. 11 position, as its estimated OC headcount dipped to 188 this year, down from an estimated 209 last year.
“We are seeing a major shift in technology and in the market, with a growing push toward AI-ready data, generative AI, and agentic workflows. It’s rare to find a company at this scale and stage that’s so well-positioned to help customers tackle these top-of-mind challenges,” Alteryx Chief Marketing Officer Michelle Huff told the Business Journal.
She took over the post at the Irvine-based data analytics company in June.
Huff added: “Alteryx has a powerful set of proven capabilities, a bold vision, and a roadmap to match, all backed by 8,000 customers and an incredibly passionate user base. I’m energized to be part of a team that’s not only fun to work with but also deeply committed to innovation.”
Viant, Kajabi, Kantata
Digital ad company Viant Technology (Nasdaq: DSP) in Irvine says it’s continuing to grow despite economic headwinds such as tariffs and “broader downturns impacting industries across Orange County.”
Viant’s local headcount dipped slightly from 149 to 146.
Research Director Desmond Celo and reporter Yuika Yoshida contributed to this report.
