Towerwall

At security solution provider Towerwall in Framingham, Mass., more than 75 percent of full-time employees are women. The number drops to about half if the company factors in contract engineers. The company's co-founder and CEO, Michelle Drolet, said that mix has developed organically.

"The No. 1 way we add to our team is by word of mouth. If a team member recommends someone, I know they will be the best because they will be working with them," she said. "We also use background checks, confirm certifications, and testing to help our decision-making process."

Right now, Towerwall is closely aligned with the nearby Mass Bay Community College, which runs an internship program for both men and women. But over her career, Drolet has been involved in many different community initiatives to get young women interested in STEM. "It is so important to get them at an early age, not 7th or 8th grade but 2nd and 3rd," she said.