The Latest from the Talent Tech Industry
May 10-16, 2021: Ceridian will acquire talent intelligence software provider Ideal to enhance its talent management offering; TikTok is reportedly launching a job service for its mostly Gen Z users, adding a whole new take on talent videos; Iconic Dutch tech company Harver is being acquired by Outmatch to grow the use of modern assessments even faster; Beeline acquires JoinedUp to meet high volume, shift-based workforce demand; Scientists create Xenobots 2.0, a second generation of “living robots” that can work in swarms, heal themselves and record information – move over Schwarzenegger; Blind raises $37M to double down on workplace gossip and career advice in Silicon Valley; Handshake grabs another $80M to accelerate virtual recruiting and diverse hiring practices; plus NewZ Makers: @MattEkstrom, @StephenMcGraph, @KatieHunter, @RickWehrle
Ceridian To Acquire Ideal, a Market Leader in Talent Intelligence Software
Ceridian (NYSE: CDAY; TSX: CDAY), a global leader in human capital management (HCM) technology, announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Ideal, a leading talent intelligence software provider based in Toronto, Ontario. This acquisition is anticipated to optimize Ceridian’s talent management offering once Ideal’s capabilities are integrated into the Dayforce platform. The acquisition is expected to close on April 30, 2021. In today’s competitive global labor market, organizations are increasingly challenged to attract top talent while keeping pace with rapidly changing recruitment needs. Those that succeed will need to harness the power of modern technologies to reinvent their talent recruitment strategies.
TikTok is not just for fun anymore: The video app company launches a jobs service
Social media app TikTok is reportedly launching a jobs service that will help connect its largely Generation Z user base with companies seeking employees, as well as helping brands use TikTok as a recruitment channel. The pilot program was reported by Axios, citing its sources at TikTok, but since there hasn't been a formal statement from TikTok, details on the program are sparse and should be taken with a grain of salt until the social media company formally announces its plan. According to Axios, TikTok is already beta testing the service with a group of large companies, and other large organizations, such as professional sports leagues, have been asked about participating. The new feature isn't directly integrated with TikTok, either: It's actually a website accessible from the TikTok app where organizations can post jobs geared toward TikTok users, most of whom are part of the Gen Z cohort that has only recently begun entering the job market.
Harver is taken over by Outmatch
Harver, one of the leading parties in recruitment technology in the Netherlands, is taken over by the American Outmatch. Together they want to grow the use of modern assessments even faster. It's yet another jewel in the chain for Dallas-based Outmatch. In September , the company made headlines with the acquisition of Launchpad, followed in October by the acquisition of FurstPerson, and in November also the acquisition of Checkster. Harver is considered one of the crown jewels of Dutch recruitment technology in the Netherlands. The company, founded by Barend Raaff, has experienced rapid growth in recent years. The company raised several millions for its ' full suite candidate selection platform designed to enable innovative companies around the world to hire better, faster.’
Beeline Acquires JoinedUp To Meet High-Volume, Shift-Based Workforce Demand
Beeline, the pioneer of the world's first extended workforce platform, announced the acquisition of JoinedUp, a high-volume workforce solution catering to the challenges and complexities experienced in the field with shift-based temporary labor. The acquisition further affirms Beeline's market leadership position as the only global platform with end-to-end capabilities and functionality for clients to source and manage the full spectrum of the extended workforce. While vendor management systems (VMS) have traditionally serviced some high-volume staffing, they have not been widely adopted due to the complexities in managing this labor category at the operational site level.
Scientists create next gen living robots
Last year, a team of biologists and computer scientists from Tufts University and the University of Vermont (UVM) created novel, tiny self-healing biological machines from frog cells called "Xenobots" that could move around, push a payload, and even exhibit collective behavior in the presence of a swarm of other Xenobots. Get ready for Xenobots 2.0. The same team has now created life forms that self-assemble a body from single cells, do not require muscle cells to move, and even demonstrate the capability of recordable memory. The new generation Xenobots also move faster, navigate different environments, and have longer lifespans than the first edition, and they still have the ability to work together in groups and heal themselves if damaged. The results of the new research were recently published in Science Robotics.
Blind raises $37M to double down on workplace gossip and career advice
Blind has carved out a unique niche in the social-networking world. It’s an app of verified, pseudonymous employees talking to each other about what’s going on at their employers, trading notes on everything from layoffs, to promotions, to policies. Part LinkedIn, part Reddit, part Slack — it’s become widely popular among tech workers at Silicon Valley companies, and even outside the tech industry, with 5 million verified users. Workplaces have changed dramatically post-COVID-19, with remote work becoming more of a norm, and that has made Blind indispensable for many workers who feel increasingly alienated from their companies and their colleagues. The company announced a $37 million Series C funding round led by South Korean venture firm Mainstreet Investment along with Cisco Investments and Pavilion Capital, a subsidiary of Singapore sovereign wealth fund Temasek.
Handshake Secures Another $80M To Accelerate Virtual Recruiting and Diverse Hiring Practices
Handshake, the largest early career network helping millions of students from all backgrounds get hired and launch their careers, announced its second $80 million round of venture financing within the past year, increasing Handshake's investment total to $235.5 million and the company's valuation to more than $1.5 billion. The company has more than doubled its revenue every year for the past three years, and is nearing $100 million in annual recurring revenue. This new investment reflects Handshake's unprecedented growth, unparalleled student adoption, and rapidly expanding market opportunity to help employers and universities embrace an increasingly virtual future of recruiting and hiring. This Series E round was led by Lightspeed Venture Partners and Spark Capital with participation from all prior investors, and Coatue Management and Valiant Peregrine Fund invested for the first time.
TA Tech NewZ Makers
Matt Ekstrom joined Yobs.com as VP of Sales. Previously, he was SDR Manager at ClearVoice.
Stephen McGraph joins Candidate.ID as Customer Success Manager. In his last role, he was a recruiter for GE Renewable Energy.
Katie Hunter joined AgCareers.com as a Talent Solutions Specialist. Previously, she was a Dairy Program Instructor & Coordinator at the University of Guelph.
Rick Wehrle has been appointed Chief Technology Officer of Powderkeg. Previously, he was Senior Software Architect at Vertex Intelligence.