Technology
Berlin's Zenjob is getting $30 M to take over the automated workers operation nationally and beyond.
Berlin-based recruitment start-up Zenjob, which operates a digital platform linking students with highly flexible temp jobs in sectors such as retail, logistics and hospitality, has closed the €27 million ($30 million) C Series led by Forestay Capital. Those investing in the investment round are Redalpine, Acton Capital, Axa Venture Partners and Atlantic Labs.
Prior to this round, Zenjob, 500 startups of the growth hacking program alum, had raised just under $25 million, according to Crunchbase.
The startup, founded in 2015, says it wants to use the capital to expand further in Germany, where it already provides services in 14 cities — leaving employers to book student employees by hour, with as little as 24 hours notice. Flush with Series C cash, which is now set to be national by the end of the year.
It is also planning its first foreign expansion — espionage opportunities in the midst of the coronavirus epidemic, as it indicates that social distance requirements are creating demand for additional workers in some sectors. (What we have heard from other recruitment startups in recent months as well.)
"We intend to go international and enter two more countries in the next 12 months. We are looking to expand into neighboring countries such as France, Scandinavia or the Netherlands, "the company's spokeswoman told us.
"The epidemic in coronavirus calls for social distancing, which has led to increased demand for workers in, in particular, logistics and retail," said Fritz Trott, co-founder and CEO. "Our service ensures that we will assist with the almost effortless digital recruitment of hundreds of new students every day to fill these holes."
"We intend to go international and enter two more countries in the next 12 months. We are looking to expand into neighboring countries such as France, Scandinavia or the Netherlands, "the company's spokeswoman told us.
"The epidemic in coronavirus calls for social distancing, which has led to increased demand for workers in, in particular, logistics and retail," said Fritz Trott, co-founder and CEO. "Our service ensures that we will assist with the almost effortless digital recruitment of hundreds of new students every day to fill these holes."
Commenting on Series C, Frederic Wohlwend, Managing Partner of Forestay Capital, said: "We are very pleased to have invested in Zenjob and look forward to working with Fritz and his highly talented team. Zenjob is a company that has used innovative technologies to shake up the temporary work market and which, prior to the coronavirus crisis, has already proven itself to have an promising future. Now, during this pandemic, its agile digital recruitment process has been further verified in our eyes as a model for keeping the working world going.
