Firstwork Raises $15 Million for AI Onboarding Platform

The startup plans to expand its automated hiring software after securing funding from Earlybird Venture Capital.

Updated on Oct. 28, 2026 in Job Search

Firstwork Raises $15 Million for AI Onboarding Platform

Live Poll

Do you trust AI-driven platforms to manage your hiring and onboarding process more efficiently than humans?

Firstwork has secured $15 million in a Series A funding round led by Earlybird Venture Capital to scale its AI-driven frontline worker onboarding platform. The company, which has raised $20 million in total, helps employers automate hiring processes to combat staffing shortages.

Why it matters

Many employers struggle with lengthy, manual onboarding processes that cause potential candidates to drop out before their first shift. Firstwork attempts to solve this by automating complex tasks like background screening, training, and payroll setup.

The firm reports that 150,000 frontline workers now start their jobs through its platform every month. It has successfully raised a total of $20 million since its founding.

The players

Firstwork

This New York-based software company provides an AI-powered platform designed to automate the onboarding and compliance processes for frontline workers.

Earlybird Venture Capital

This is a venture capital firm that focuses on investing in technology companies and led the recent Series A funding round for Firstwork.

Vardhan Kapoor

He is a co-founder of Firstwork who helped launch the company in 2024 to modernize workforce operations.

Shubham Choudhary

He is a co-founder of Firstwork who established the business to address inefficiencies in frontline hiring and onboarding.

The details

Founded in 2024 by Vardhan Kapoor and Shubham Choudhary, the platform uses AI agents to integrate directly with corporate HR, payroll, and screening systems. The software handles right-to-work verification and training to transition workers from the application phase to their first shift more efficiently.

Firstwork was founded in 2024.
The funding announcement was published on October 28, 2026.

Market Landscape

The rise of Firstwork follows the broader industry adoption of autonomous AI agents in HR workflows to reduce administrative overhead. The company scales this approach by specifically targeting the operational bottlenecks found in high-turnover frontline industries.

For employers, this platform could reduce the time required to onboard new staff members, potentially leading to faster hiring cycles. Employees may benefit from a more streamlined application process that gets them started in new roles with less manual paperwork.

The takeaway

As companies face persistent labor shortages, the automation of manual hiring tasks is becoming a critical tool for operational success. Businesses looking to improve retention should prioritize tech stacks that eliminate friction during the critical period between application and start date.