German startup how.fm raises $2.8 million to expand digital training app for manual workers

German startup how.fm raises $2.8 million to expand digital training app for manual workers

Cologne-based how.fm, creator of a digital training platform for manual workers, has raised $2.8 million in additional seed funding after emerging from stealth mode one year ago. The round was led by Kindred Capital and Capnamic Ventures, joined by tiny.vc, trivago founder Rolf Schrömgens, and the founders of Blinkist and Just Spices.

Despite attempts to automate manufacturing and logistics at scale, the realm of blue-collar workers lags behind. Only an estimated one percent of enterprise software funding has gone toward hourly work, despite such workers making up 80 percent of the global workforce. That’s the gap the German startup wants to fill. Its platform is a digital coach for worker onboarding, training, and performance support, which covers health and safety, compliance training, and actual work procedures such as packing processes. The platform allows customers to easily create step-by-step videos for their workers, who can then learn on the job.

Most customers are large logistics, manufacturing or retail companies, including Tommy Hilfiger, Duisport, and Ingram Micro, a supply chains services provider that handles fulfillment and returns for Asos and Zalando in Europe. Other customers include a german car manufacturer, a cosmetics company, a restaurant chain, a physical rehabilitation clinic chain, as well as the European Space Agency.

Kindred partner Chrys Chrysanthou and Capnamic founding partner Jörg Binnenbrücker join the board.

Photo: how.fm team

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