Firstwork, a San Francisco-based HR technology startup backed by Y Combinator, has raised $15 million in a Series A round to accelerate its growth across the US and European markets. The investment will fund expanded AI research, engineering, and market development, with a significant portion of its workforce based in Bengaluru.
- Raised $15M Series A led by Earlybird Venture Capital
- Automates frontline HR operations using AI agents
- Plans expansion in US and Europe with Bengaluru talent hub
What happened
US-based HR tech startup Firstwork has completed a $15 million Series A funding round led by Earlybird Venture Capital, with participation from Legion VC, Deel Ventures, Gradient, and Y Combinator. The company, founded in 2024 by former Deel executives Vardhan Kapoor and Shubham Choudhary, specializes in AI-driven automation of HR processes for frontline workers.
The new capital will be used to scale Firstwork’s teams across applied AI, AI research, engineering, and go-to-market functions. Though headquartered in San Francisco, approximately 80% of Firstwork's workforce is located in Bengaluru, India, where it maintains a strong operational presence.
Why it matters
Firstwork’s platform integrates seamlessly with existing HR systems to automate time-intensive tasks such as document verification, onboarding, background checks, training coordination, and compliance management. The startup claims its technology has reduced the hiring time for workers and HR teams by up to 90%, serving over 150,000 frontline workers monthly.
This funding reflects the growing adoption of AI in human resources and highlights the demand for workforce automation solutions in global markets. The Indian HR tech market, valued at $1.12 billion in 2024, is expected to double by 2033, signaling significant growth opportunities for companies like Firstwork and local competitors such as Hunar.AI and TurboHire.
What to watch next
Firstwork plans to deepen its presence in the US and European markets while expanding its AI capabilities to cover more aspects of workforce operations. Monitoring how effectively the startup can scale its platform and maintain rapid onboarding metrics will be critical as it competes globally.
Additionally, the evolving landscape of AI-driven HR solutions in India and abroad will be important to watch, with emerging startups leveraging agentic AI to automate recruitment, training, and worker retention. Firstwork’s ability to sustain growth amidst increasing competition will shape its long-term market position.