Taking on the hospitality sector talent shortage, Brigad brings in €33 million in Balderton-led round

Parisian hosptech startup Brigad has raised €33 million in a Series B funding round. The startup that helps connect self-employed hospitality industry professionals with short-term assignments will use the new capital to further accelerate its growth in key markets across Europe. Since 2016, the firm has raised north of €50 million

Brigad’s €33 million Series B round was led by Balderton Capital with Wendel Group, Serena Capital, and Square Capital participating.

Already in use by major hospitality locations including the Berkeley Hotel in London, The Ritz, Isabel Mayfair, Mosaic Pubs, Sketch, Nobu, Big Mamma, and the list goes on, Brigad is filling the gap once unimaginable by these venues - a shortage of staff. And in some cases, a severe shortage of staff.

A joint survey by the UK’s trade bodies for the hospitality industry UKHospitality, the British Institute of Innkeeping, and the British Beer and Pub Association found that staff shortages are forcing one in three businesses in the sector to close “one or more days a week”. 

“The labour market has experienced profound changes in the last two to three years and the hospitality industry is living with the fallout,” says Brigad CEO and co-founder Florent Malbranche. “We can’t afford to lose a generation of skilled hospitality industry staff and Brigad’s platform means we don’t have to.”

At its core, Brigad isn’t really much different from a job board service but stands apart in its specificity. Much like a more traditional option, hospitality businesses can post jobs on the platform, with those that meet the requirements and availability receiving notification of the available work. 

Instead of the old days of a scheduled shift, self-employed talent now have the upper hand, deciding whether they want to take on what the company refers to as “missions”. According to Brigad, the end result is that around 80 percent of these missions are accepted by qualified professionals within two hours.

Speaking to the flexibility and attractiveness of the offer Head Chef Wolfe Conyngham commented “I used to work crazy hours. I was always feeling burnt out and now that I have the choice, I have a balanced work life. I get to take my kids to school in the morning! This was never the case before.”

On the investment, lead investor Balderton Capital’s David Thevenon concludes, “For so many organisations, finding qualified workers to fill their rotas can be a total nightmare. Brigad solves this problem at scale, offering workers the flexibility and recognition they deserve. We look forward to the journey ahead.”