Tuscany Offsite

Within a year of its founding, DuskRise has grown into a global organization with headquarters in the US and EMEA, over 40 employees, and hypergrowth trajectory. Our employees come from all over the world, bringing exceptional cross-industry expertise and talent that thrive in an atmosphere of diversity here at DuskRise. However, diversity alone does not make us a high-performing team; it is rather a combination of a powerful mission and a strong company culture, where everyone is provided with a platform for personal growth through the exchange of experience.A fundamental part of creating this collaborative environment are DuskRise initiatives and events that help break the ice and build trust within the team.

This past weekend, our global team from New York, Boston, Denver and Rome gathered for the first DuskRise 2022 offsite. As DuskRise is hiring with lightning-fast speed, a large part of the event was devoted to helping international teammates bond, finally associating the faces and personalities to names we see in Slack chats and Zoom calls. The offsite theme #DreamDareDuskRise reflects everything these past few months have been for us: we worked hard to bring our ideas to life, shaping our culture, welcoming new team members, and transforming the future of remote network security. 

The Venue

The event took place in the Italian countryside, where the landscape is full of breathtaking sites and picturesque locations. Wanting to ensure that all DuskRisers get to experience the Italian culture and tradition, we chose Castel Monastero, a former 11th century convent castle that has been turned into a resort in the heart of Tuscany. Located in the outskirts of the medieval city of Siena, our venue captured the spirit of the authentic Italian vistas, making the stay truly unforgettable.

The Activities

The main activity of the first half of the day was the laser tag battle royale on the castle grounds. After hiking the Tuscan hills to get to the location, DuskRisers split into four teams led by Emanuele Spoto (CEO), Gene Stevens (CTO), Fernando Di Luca (Italy Country Manager) and Emanuele De Lucia (CSO). The competition was truly epic with all teams choosing different tactics and doing their best to take first place. The winners received gift baskets with traditional Italian souvenirs and the opportunity to have a cocktail building class as the second activity of the day. The rest of the team joined a cooking class where they learned how to prepare traditional Italian appetizers such as couscous with vegetables, bruschetta and suppli. Later, all the DuskRisers got together to enjoy their home-made aperitif in the resort's beautiful piazza.

Wrap-up

After taking a series of group photos to capture the memories, the team was invited to a traditional Tuscan dinner accompanied by a live DJ set. The setting for the final part of the event was the wine cellar under the castle, which looked even more impressive in the candlelight. Gathered at a single table that stretched across the room, DuskRisers lived the moment to the fullest, talking about future goals and aspirations. The dinner ended with lots of dancing and an unexpected surprise from our colleague Niccolò Cometto: a rap about DuskRise (time for hidden talents!).

As you can see in the photos, the DuskRise 2022 offsite was a truly unique bonding opportunity and made the team feel united with a single culture and spirit. Planning is already underway for the next event, which will definitely be even bigger and louder, so stay tuned and subscribe to our newsletter for updates! #WeAreDuskRise