Skello Raises €200M as Founders Gain More Equity

JAKARTA — French tech startup Skello has set an unusual fundraising record in the software industry. The AI-based HR management solutions provider has secured €200 million, or about Rp3.4 trillion, in investment.

Interestingly, instead of being diluted like most startups, the founders’ ownership stakes actually increased after this funding round.

The round, led by Bridgepoint, is considered rare. Usually, every major fundraising round reduces founders’ shareholdings. But Skello’s healthy financial position has allowed them to retain stronger control. They are no longer dependent on capital injections just to stay afloat.

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 milestone for a business serving frontline teams, a segment of workers that is often overlooked by conventional digital tools.

Expansion Strategy and AI’s Role

The new funds will be used by Skello to aggressively expand 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 mismatches, and build work schedules that comply with regulations. Its efficiency has been proven in practice. The system is said to save managers up to 35 hours per month.

For technology industry players in Indonesia, Skello’s case offers an important lesson on the need to reach profitability before launching large-scale expansion.

Once a company can stand on its own feet, it has far stronger bargaining power in front of investors. A healthy growth strategy allows founders to stay in 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.

Now, its biggest challenge is proving it can dominate markets across European countries, not just be a champion at home.

Key Summary

• Skello raised €200 million, but the founders actually increased their ownership percentage.
• The company has been profitable since 2025, focusing on AI-powered scheduling and HR software.
• The investment will be used to acquire competitors and hire 100 specialists to expand across Europe.