Vahan.ai Bags Funding To Bolster Blue Collar Recruitment Play

SUMMARY

The startup plans to deploy the fresh capital to bolster its tech stack, scale operations and focus on growing its business in emerging sectors like manufacturing and retail

Backed by the likes of Y Combinator and Airtel, Vahan.ai last raised $10 Mn in a round led by Khosla Ventures in September 2024

Founded in 2016, Vahan.ai leverages AI and WhatsApp’s APIs to automate hiring of blue-collar workers

AI-powered blue collar recruitment platform Vahan.ai has secured an undisclosed amount of investment from Tokyo-based PERSOL Group.

The Bengaluru-based startup plans to deploy the fresh capital to bolster its artificial intelligence (AI)-driven tech stack, scale operations and focus on growing its business in emerging sectors like manufacturing and retail.

Founded in 2016 by Madhav Krishna and Mohammed Abdoolcarim, Vahan.ai leverages AI and WhatsApp’s application programming interfaces (APIs) to automate hiring of blue-collar workers. The company’s client list includes Swiggy, Flipkart, Amazon, Zepto, Uber, and Rapido, which utilise Vahan’s services to hire delivery executives.

Backed by the likes of Y Combinator, Airtel and Paytm founder Vijay Shekhar Sharma, the startup last raised $10 Mn in a funding round led by Khosla Ventures in September 2024.

“By combining our AI-driven solutions with PERSOL’s deep expertise in workforce management, we aim to scale our technology, expand into new sectors, and create a more inclusive and efficient employment ecosystem,” said Vahan.ai cofounder and CEO Krishna.

PERSOL Group is looking to expand its footprint in the Indian market with the investment, the startup said in a statement.

“We are thrilled to collaborate with Vahan.ai, whose innovative technology and advanced business operations, driven by deep market insights, align perfectly with our broader strategy in India… Through this partnership, the PERSOL Group will support the expansion of Vahan’s reach, helping businesses in India access skilled talent more efficiently,” said Shingo Ishida, partner and head of Asia Pacific (APAC) investment at PERSOL Group.

Vahan.ai competes with the likes of Apna, WorkIndia, MyJobee, and Job Hai.

The fundraise comes at a time when India’s gig economy continues to swell on the back of the rise of online aggregator platforms in the past decade. It is this growing demand for gig workers that Vahan.ai wants to address with its AI-driven offerings.

According to NITI Aayog estimates, India’s gig economy is projected to account for 23.5 Mn workers by 2029-30, which will potentially contribute 1.25% to India’s GDP by 2030.