JAKARTA — French tech startup Skello has set an unusual funding record in the software industry. The AI-based HR management solutions provider raised €200 million, or about Rp3.4 trillion.
Interestingly, instead of being diluted like startup founders usually are, the ownership stake of its founders actually increased after this funding round.
The round, led by Bridgepoint, is considered rare. Normally, every major funding round reduces founders’ equity. But Skello’s healthy financial condition allowed them to hold a stronger position. They are no longer dependent on capital injections just to stay alive.
According to reports from Tech Funding News and EU-Startups, Skello has been profitable since 2025. The company recorded annual recurring revenue (ARR) above €50 million this year. This is a crucial achievement for a business serving frontline teams, a worker segment often overlooked by conventional digital tools.
Expansion Strategy and the Role of AI
The fresh funds will be used by Skello for aggressive expansion across Europe. The company plans to acquire smaller players to consolidate the still-fragmented HR management market. Skello also plans to add 100 new staff in 2026, focused on technology, data, and sales.
The key to its success lies in Skello Assistant, an AI agent launched in 2025. The tool helps managers automatically detect overtime hours, fix payroll discrepancies, and create work schedules that comply with regulations. Its efficiency has been proven in practice. The system is claimed to save managers up to 35 hours per month.
For technology players in Indonesia, Skello’s case offers a valuable lesson on the importance of reaching profitability before scaling aggressively.
When a company can stand on its own feet, it has far stronger bargaining power with investors. A healthy growth strategy allows founders to keep control of the company without losing the vision they built from the start.
Since being founded by Quitterie Mathelin-Moreaux and Emmanuelle Fauchier-Magnan in 2016, Skello now serves 30,000 businesses. Its daily users have surpassed 700,000 people, ranging from small restaurants to major retail chains such as Starbucks and Intermarché.
Its biggest challenge now is proving it can dominate markets across European countries, rather than remaining a homegrown champion only.
Key Summary
- Skello raised €200 million, yet its founders increased their ownership percentage in the company.
- The company has been profitable since 2025, with a focus on AI-based scheduling and HR management software.
- The investment will be used to acquire competitors and hire 100 specialists to expand its European market reach.
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