Mobile-first HR tech platform Qualee banks $1m in seed funding

Singapore-based HR tech firm Qualee Technology said it has secured US$1 million in seed funding from US-based enterprise investor Tandem Technology Partners.

Qualee founders Charley Zuidinga (left) and Vipula Samarakoon / Photo credit: Qualee

Founded in 2018, Qualee’s proprietary cloud-based solution, which also uses AI and machine learning, allows companies to more easily engage, onboard, and offboard employees.

It plans to use the new funding to expand its team and add new features such as advanced image detection, identity verification, sentiment analysis, and predictive data analytics, Qualee chief operating officer Charley Zuidinga told Tech in Asia.

What problem is it solving? Currently, companies waste a lot of time and money by sticking to traditional HR tools, Qualee observed.

Citing various studies, the firm said that new hire retention can be 50% lower without a structured onboarding process. Many people just entering the workforce also want better orientation procedures, with 49% of millennials expecting smoother onboarding.

One study showed that disengaged employees can cost companies between US$450 billion and US$550 billion a year.

What’s the opportunity? The global HR management market was valued at US$16 billion in 2019, and it’s projected to rise at a compound annual growth rate of 11.7% through 2027.

According to a study, the market is expected to maintain “rapid” growth in the following years in Asia Pacific, with HR tools advancing and government support for the digitalization of business processes increasing.

See also: As remote work rises, HR tech firms spot an opening

Qualee shares this space with several other companies such as Singapore-based StaffAny and Swingvy, which both raised funding last year. It also competes with services from Australia’s HROnboard and Enboarder, as well as Japan’s Laboratik and SmartHR.

One bigger player is Singapore’s HReasily, a cloud-based  HR automation solution rolled out in 2015. In September last year, a source told Tech in Asia that the startup was valued at over US$100 million after raising US$5 million in its pre-series A round.

How is it different? Unlike its peers, however, Qualee’s services are mobile-first, allowing its clients to access the platform easily from anywhere.

“Qualee was designed from inception to be cloud-powered and native mobile app-engaged. This foundation allows us to scale our offering in multiple value propositions both quickly and cost-effectively,” Zuidinga added. Qualee is available for download on both Apple’s App Store and the Google Play Store.