Y Combinator-Backed Firstwork Nets $15 Mn To Expand Footprint Across US And Europe

US-based HR tech startup Firstwork has secured $15 million in a Series A funding round led by Earlybird Venture Capital. The round also saw participation from Legion VC, Deel Ventures, Gradient, and Y Combinator, taking Firstwork's total funding to $20 million since its launch in 2024. The San Francisco-based startup aims to use the fresh capital to expand its teams and presence across the US and Europe, focusing on AI-led workforce automation.

About 80% of Firstwork's workforce operates from Bengaluru. The company's AI agents automate HR operations for frontline workers, including document verification, background checks, onboarding, training coordination, compliance management, and worker follow-ups. Firstwork's platform integrates with existing HR systems, allowing employers to automate workflows without replacing their current software.

Over 150,000 frontline workers start work through Firstwork's platform monthly, and the startup claims to have helped customers cut time spent on new hires by up to 90%. The AI workforce automation market is growing globally, with India projected to reach $2.3 billion by 2033. Other Indian startups leveraging AI in the HR space include Hunar.AI and TurboHire.