Bulgarian job search platform nPloy unlocks €2 million to expand in Europe

From hunting different job search websites to tackling each individual hiring procedure, job searching can be an exhausting process. But how about setting up a date with your employer? Sofia-based HR tech company nPloy has raised €2 million in funding to streamline the process and develop an online platform that works like a dating app for job seekers and recruitment teams.

Going forward, the startup plans to expand to new markets in Central and Eastern Europe with the new funding. The platform aims to be active in about 10 more countries by the end of 2023. The round was led by the local VC firm Morningside Hill.

Currently, the Bulgarian startup counts over 85,000 users and over 500 employers, including BIC, SAP, Lidl and Postbank. 

Founded in 2018, the startup directly matches and connects candidates and employers based on the dating apps model. Its algorithm matches talent with companies based on mutual expectations and requirements. Hiring teams get access to a diverse database and a modern approach to finding talents.

Candidates also enjoy features that make finding the right job simpler. Interestingly, the platform also has a feature where people don’t have to actively search for a job. Companies can apply to people in a switch-up of the traditional model. Like dating apps, if there is a mutual feeling of interest between the company and candidate, a chat automatically opens between the two parties and a video interview can be scheduled.

nPloy co-founder Konstantin Tsonev said: “Mass online job posting platforms, not only on the Balkans, but also in Europe, are often clumsy and inefficient. This is exactly what we want to change with nPloy, having successfully built an innovative job-matching platform based on the dating apps models. We’ve replaced the standard pre-screening process with an AI algorithm allowing users to see only vacancies relevant to their experience and requirements, and employers to source the right candidates more efficiently.”

Pavel Velkov, managing partner in the VC firm Morningside Hill, added: “We invested in nPloy because we believe in the urgent need of transforming the recruitment market in Europe. Every good idea needs a great business plan and people who are passionate about its implementation, and nPloy has exactly that.”