Startup oi, a Singapore-based professional and social platform for engineers, has raised US$1 million in a pre-seed funding round led by January Capital.
The round was also joined by Goodwater Capital, SonTech Ventures, former Bukalapak executive Mohammed Alabsi, Zipgo co-founder Pritesh Gupta, and ANI Pharmaceuticals CEO Nikhil Lalwani.
With the latest round of funding, the startup plans to hire more talents for its professional platform.
Founded in 2021 by Sakshi Jawa and Rob Creekmore, Startup oi is a job search platform that focuses on finding talents in the field of engineering. It’s also set to launch a blockchain-based gamification feature that would allow users to earn in-app badges, and a Slack-like service to help build communities. Both features are expected to be launched by the third quarter of this year.
The company’s vision is to connect engineers around the world. Startup Oi aims to build a professional and social tech community around the world by redefining the future of work.
Speaking about the company, Co-founder of Startup oi, Sakshi Jawa, said in a statement, “I built this platform after hearing from some engineers who have difficulties in finding the right job, despite a lot of job opportunities out there.”
The startup has partnered with over 50 companies in Asia, and already lists hundreds of jobs in Vietnam, Thailand, Hong Kong, and Indonesia. Over 20,000 engineers have applied to join its waitlist, the company said.
Startup oi estimates that there are more than 10 million engineers in Asia (excluding China). It also aims to reach 2 million of them within two years.