Empion, a Berlin-based provider of HR management software solutions, recently announced a seed round of $6.35 million (€6 million) led by Cavalry Ventures, with participation from existing investors Redstone VC and VR Ventures.
Empion was founded in December 2021 by Dr. Annika von Mutius and Dr. Larissa Leitner to promote attractive employers in the job market. The name “Empion” is a combination of “Employer” and “Champion.” The platform uses AI technology and cultural matching to match talent and companies based on skills and cultural fit. The AI-powered robo advisor quantifies essential aspects to match talent with appropriate organizations. The company currently works with various clients, including Personio, Volksbanken, and Mazars.
Dr. Annika von Mutius and Dr. Larissa Leitner established the Empion Method after years of research and doctoral studies in mathematics and business administration. They validated the process by working with job seekers and businesses to analyze and identify current labor market trends.
With the Empion methodology, all aspects of corporate culture can be measured and quantified. To assign a company to a specific culture type, a culture test was created using eight short questions. The questionnaire refers to hard facts, such as the employer’s performance (e.g., social benefits), and soft facts, such as the corporate culture (e.g., communication within the company). The Empion method is continuously developed and refined in cooperation with the Institute for Small and Medium-Sized Businesses and Family Enterprises at WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management.
The latest round comes a year after the company received €2.4 million in pre-seed financing from Redstone VC, Basinghall Partners, and well-known angels from the HRTech industry.
Cavalry Ventures, based in Berlin, is a European early-stage venture capital fund specializing in pre-seed and seed stages, with €260+ million in assets under management. In addition to the partners’ expertise, the portfolio firms receive access to a cross-sector, worldwide, and exclusive network of over 200 angel investors, entrepreneurs, scientists, business professionals, and others. The startup provides strategy, organizational development, product development, sales, international expansion, hiring, marketing advice, and operational support.
