CarrerFairy, a Zurich-based video recruiting platform for Generation Z, has raised $3.84 million (€3.5 million) in funding. In this investment round, the leading European media group, Mediahuis, is the primary investor. The round was also supported by other investors, such as Swiss Post Ventures and Backbone Ventures, as well as business angels from SICITIC, Start Angels and Business Angels Switzerland.
The fresh capital will be used to expand in the DACH region and the Benelux countries and diversify the company’s product portfolio.
CareerFairy, co-founded in 2019 by Thomas Schulz and Maximilian Voss, specializes in the placement of university graduates using social media elements and works with over 250 well-known clients from various industries and over 230 universities and colleges. The platform now has offices in Zurich, Berlin, Utrecht, and Lisbon, and clients include KPMG, Beiersdorf, L’Oréal, and BMW Group. It not only strengthens companies’ employer branding and establishes early contact with students, but it also simplifies the application process, giving companies easy access to a previously inaccessible pool of university graduates.
Speaking on the fundraising, Co-founder & CEO of CareerFairy, Thomas Schulz said:
We want to revolutionize the outdated recruiting industry and adapt it to the needs of the well-educated Generation Z, for whom traditional job portals are no longer current. Conventional application processes offer little insight into the job and the corporate culture. There is a significant risk of finding yourself in a job that doesn’t fit. This costs applicants time, nerves, a lot of resources, and, ultimately, money for the company. We want to change that with CareerFairy and prevent a rude awakening in the first few days of work with an authentic insight into the company, the position and even future colleagues.
The user interface of CareerFairy relies on social media elements (such as Instagram Reels and TikToks, but also Twitch streams) to bring traditional application processes into the 21st century. Thus, the tech-savvy Generation Z is provided with low-threshold, authentic insights into their first job using social media user behaviour. During the livestreams, interested young graduates can ask companies any questions they would not ask in a traditional job interview without fear of repercussions.
Patrick De Wachter, Business Development Director, Mediahuis Marketplaces, stated:
Companies are looking for the best candidates, and we believe they will increasingly look for them internationally. At the same time, the younger generation uses modern communication channels focusing on video, which they also want to use in their professional environment. CareerFairy brings all this together and offers a modern way of communicating with a hard-to-reach target group that is more willing to relocate. CareerFairy’s strong team has found a way to enter this market. We are excited to be part of their future growth and will support them with our expertise on this journey.
With the recent funding round, CareerFairy CEO Thomas Schulz sees the business model’s relevance confirmed and focuses on the German market for further expansion. As a result, two established significant players in the German economy, Lufthansa Group and Dr. Oetker, have joined as clients.
