UNLEASH Startup: Semi-finalists announced

HR leaders, don't miss out: Join us in Las Vegas for free as a VIP guest at UNLEASH America.

As we gear up for our Las Vegas show, a crucial aspect of this groundbreaking hr event is UNLEASH Startup.

Celebrating more than a decade of highlighting the best new businesses on the future of work and HR technology, former UNLEASH startups include Visier, SmartRecruiters, Beamery, Peakon, Allyo, Textio, Harver, Ultimate Software & Peopledoc, and Clustree, among others.

UNLEASH Startup is the proving ground for startups, scaleups, breakthrough technologies, and global innovators shaping HR.

Over $10 billion in combined investment has been raised by startups that have walked through UNLEASH's doors.Over $10 billion in combined investment has been raised by startups that have walked through UNLEASH's doors.

The prize?

Aside from the accolade and recognition of winning or being a finalist of the longest-running and most prestigious startup competition in the US, benefits include:

• Access to the Who’s Who of HR and the world’s #1 HR marketplace – the industry’s leading practitioners, analysts, vendors, advisory firms, media, and carefully handpicked investors.
• Access to our exclusive boardroom “Startup Sit Down” with the industry’s leading analyst, Josh Bersin.
• $50,000 Startup Prize!

With all but one place decided for the final, we are proud to announce the five semi-finalists who have made it through to the UNLEASH Startup lightning round.

Meet the competitors...

Introducing the UNLEASH Startup Semi-Finalists; these five HR tech startups are paving the way for the future of work. Each one brings a unique solution to the table and has the potential to make a significant impact in the industry.

With their cutting-edge technology and forward-thinking approach, these startups are on a path to success.

Don't miss the opportunity to see these trailblazers in action at UNLEASH America 2023.

Equidi

We have all heard about the gender pay gap, but has there ever been a solution dedicated to closing it?

As Equidi says, “it’s one thing to talk about equity, another thing to create it”, introducing the world’s first platform to address the gender pay gap.

Equidi provides real-time visibility over pay-gap equity and workforce representation in every aspect of your business. It even makes AI-generated recommendations to set goals, track progress and improve everyday performance.

• According to the 2022 Global Gender Gap Report by the World Economic Forum, it is projected that it will take another 132 years to close the gender pay gap.
• In a study by McKinsey & Company, shows that companies with diversity are 33% more likely to outperform on profitability.
• 76% of job seekers report diversity as an important factor when deciding if they will accept an offer or not at a company, according to Glassdoor’s diversity and inclusion survey.

So, how does it work? Equidi uses data to identify areas for improvement across the business.

For example, the platform can conduct deep dives into role analytics to determine the gender gap between not only in starting salaries, but also promotion salaries, long-term incentives and more.

This allows gender pay gaps to be directly addressed because you know where the root of the issue lies. Let’s level up the balance this century with Equidi.

Virgil HR

Worried about staying compliant with labor laws across the globe? Virgil HR is an innovative SaaS solution that provides HR teams with instant, prescriptive employment law guidance, thereby helping them to stay compliant.

With its smart, automated chatbot powered by experienced labor and employment attorneys, Virgil HR delivers real-time guidance and advice that ensures HR practitioners are making compliant employment decisions.

Whether you're dealing with complex legal issues or simply need a quick answer to a compliance question, Virgil HR has got you covered.

• The Department of Labor estimates that noncompliance with employment laws cost U.S. businesses $400 billion per year.
• The average penalty for noncompliance with employment laws is around $60,000, according to a survey by Hiscox.
• The Society for Human Resource Management found that nearly 80% of HR professionals say that managing compliance with employment laws is a significant challenge.

Compliance with employment and labor laws can be a major headache for HR teams, with costly fines and legal issues looming if mistakes are made.

Virgil HR's chatbot solution offers instant and prescriptive guidance to help HR practitioners navigate the complex landscape of labor and employment law with confidence.

Vault Verify

Vault Verify is a leading provider of employment and income verification services for employers, lenders, and property managers. Their outsourced HR services enable organizations to streamline the verification process, saving time and reducing errors.

With real-time APIs integrated with most major HCM platforms, Vault Verify ensures that data is accessed only with employee consent and is provided only to authorized verifiers.

If you want to simplify your verification process and ensure compliance, Vault Verify is the perfect solution for you.

• According to Experian, employment and income verifications are the most common type of verification requested by lenders, property managers, and others.
• A study by the Work Number found that the average HR department spends 194 hours per year on employment and income verifications.
• A survey by the National Consumer Law Center found that 38% of low-income renters were denied housing because they could not provide sufficient documentation of their income.

Ultimately, employment and income verification is a necessary but time-consuming process for both employers and verifiers.

Vault Verify streamlines this process by providing a secure and efficient outsourced HR service, reducing administrative burdens for HR teams and ensuring accurate and timely data for authorized verifiers.

Talk'n'Job

A revolutionary voice-driven job application platform, Talk'n'Job that helps organizations source top talent in a fast and easy way.

With a focus on blue-collar roles and young professionals, Talk’n’Job provides a fun and innovative way for candidates to apply for jobs, reducing the administrative burden for HR teams.

With Talk’n’Job, you can reach a broader audience and tap into a pool of untapped talent like never before.

• According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, on the last business day of March 2022, there were 11.5 million job openings and 6.0 million unemployed people.
• In a survey by Glassdoor, 68% of job seekers said they would apply to a job using their mobile device if the process were easy.
• According to LinkedIn, the most in-demand jobs in 2021 are in healthcare, finance, and technology.

Traditional job application channels can be time-consuming and limiting, especially for blue-collar and young professional candidates.

Talk'n'Job's voice-driven job application offers a fast and easy alternative, allowing candidates to apply for jobs quickly and efficiently, while providing employers with access to a wider pool of qualified candidates.

Wrky

A cutting-edge people analytics platform that unifies, unlocks, and unleashes the power of insights from human capital data, Wrky is designed for organizations from 20 to 200,000 people.

The technology assimilates and contextualizes human capital decision data against enterprise system data, providing real-time insights into the impact of people on fundamental business outcomes.

With Wrky, you'll have the power to optimize your workforce, improve productivity, and drive business success.

• According to McKinsey, companies in the top quartile for gender diversity are 25% more likely to have above-average profitability than companies in the bottom quartile.
• A study by KPMG found that organizations that use people analytics have 30% higher stock returns than their peers.
• In a survey by Deloitte, 71% of companies said that people analytics is a high priority for their organization, but only 9% of companies believe they have a good understanding of which talent dimensions drive performance in their organization.

With the vast amounts of data available on employee behavior and performance, organizations need an efficient and scalable way to unlock the insights that matter.

Wrky's people analytics platform contextualizes human capital data against enterprise systems, allowing leaders to make data-driven decisions that positively impact business outcomes.

Here's how the UNLEASH Startup Lightning Round works

Our top semi-finalists will have a unique opportunity to pitch their products before a special panel of judges in a dynamic and interactive event.

In this Lightning Round, the startups will have three minutes or less to pitch their ideas, followed by seven minutes of feedback and questions from our expert panel.

The highest-rated startup will then progress to the UNLEASH America 2023 Startup Finale. Check out the finalists news piece for more information.

We're thrilled to announce that the competition will be moderated by Peter Phelan, CEO and founder of ValuesCulture.

Peter is a respected figure in the HR industry, known for his passion for shaping organizational culture and driving excellence. As an advisor to numerous companies, his expertise and valuable connections make him an invaluable asset to startups seeking guidance and growth.

The esteemed judges of the Lightning round will be Brent Skinner, James Holzer, Elaine Orler and Mahila Amjad.

Brent Skinner is the co-founder of 3Sixty Insights, where he leads the HCM analyst practice and hosts the #HRTechChat video podcast. He has served as a partner and advisor to executives and others in sales, marketing, and customer success at Ceridian and Cornerstone OnDemand.

James Holzer, managing partner at Drake Star Partners, is active in advising clients on M&A and growth equity transactions involving strategic buyers and financial investors. In addition to helping companies plan for and complete successful transactions, Jim frequently publishes market reports and participates in podcasts relating to HR tech trends.

Elaine Orler, ManagingDirector – Consulting atCielo, is one of the talent acquisition industry’s most sought-after thought leaders. She has helped global organizations transform their recruiting processes with actionable strategies and technology implementations that optimize talent acquisition for HR professionals, hiring managers, job candidates and the company overall.

Mahila Amjad is principal at Leeds Illuminate. She has over 9 years of operating experience in the education industry and in non-profit investments. Prior to joining Leeds Illuminate, Mahila was the Director of Corporate Development and Strategic Partnerships at 2U, where she evaluated new business opportunities, developing product marketing strategies, and managing a pipeline of strategic projects.

We wish all five semi-finalists the best of luck and can't wait to see you on day one of UNLEASH America, 26 April!

About the Author:

Founder & CEO of UNLEASH, Marc Coleman is leading the charge in revolutionizing the human resources industry through the power of community, technology and AI. His passion for creating dynamic event experiences focused on the future of work drives the formation of powerful connections, that inspire intelligent action, valuable industry alliances, lifelong learning and friendship. With his unique blend of human insight and major event expertise, Marc’s vision is to positively impact and shape the future of work and AI for the greater good.

FUTURE DATES:

UNLEASH WORLD 2023 – THE MOST INFLUENTIAL HR EVENT IN THE WORLD

17-18 October, PARIS CONVENTION CENTRE

UNLEASH AMERICA 2024 – THE INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF HR!

May 8-9, CAESARS FORUM, LAS VEGAS 

UNLEASH WORLD 2024 – THE MOST INFLUENTIAL HR EVENT IN THE WORLD

16-17 October, PARIS CONVENTION CENTRE