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Intro

In the ever-evolving world of business, acknowledging biases in decision-making is no longer enough. Mere awareness falls short; education alone won't eliminate these biases. What's needed are robust bias mitigation tools and a reliable means to measure their impact.

Enter ��������, a pioneering DE&I scaleup offering a suite of AI-powered HR technology solutions that meet this demand head-on. �������� doesn't just talk diversity and inclusion; they fuel action. Today, the trailblazing UK-based organization �������� has announced securing a game-changing $1.8 million seed round led by Apex Black, propelling innovation and fueling its rapid expansion across the United States.

Currently situated in the innovation hub of Harwell, Oxford, �������� provides a comprehensive DE&I ecosystem of HR tools meticulously crafted to detect and mitigate cognitive and algorithmic bias in the workplace. ��������’s solutions extend to every stage of the employee lifecycle, empowering organizations to make informed decisions that contribute to a fairer, more inclusive workplace.

Behind this innovative force is the story of ��������'s inception. �������� was founded by Oxford University Alumni, Neuroscientist Riham Satti and Computer Scientist, Vivek Doraiswamy. “Growing up I never considered that people may not get opportunities because of their gender, name or skin colour, but when studying at university, I started to see that play out in my network,” said Riham Satti, �������� co-founder and CEO.

“As I delved into the study of human decision-making during my degree, the rigid nature of biases became increasingly apparent. Through our extensive research, both Vivek and I uncovered the pervasive influence of biases on routine decisions in areas such as hiring and promotion, accompanied by a noticeable lack of awareness surrounding this critical issue. Vivek and I are natural problem solvers and so we joined forces to tackle bias in the workplace by applying perspectives from both AI ethics and neuroscience, such as ensuring that all of our solutions are meticulously audited prior to production.” Riham said.

“Fast forward to today, since the rise of the Chief Diversity Officer, we have witnessed a heightened commitment from organizations to tackle biases in their workforce. However, a persistent challenge remains: organizations struggle with knowing which interventions to implement, or how to quantify their impact,” emphasized Riham.

��������'s solutions directly address this imperative. Integrating seamlessly within customers HR systems, ��������’s software aggregates workforce data from ATS’, CRM’s and HCM’s to diagnose challenges organizations face in their DE&I. The platform not only identifies imbalances in the success rates of applicants but also recommends interventions to counteract these and quantifies their impact. Throughout this process, ��������’s software offers data-driven, user-friendly visuals and an AI-assisted interpreter tool to streamline and simplify measuring the effectiveness of an organization’s DE&I strategy.

With a diverse clientele spanning finance, government, and technology sectors, including Southern Company, High Speed 2 and Transport For London, ��������'s pioneering solutions have demonstrated tangible results, with clients reporting a substantial 30% increase in gender and ethnic diversity within their organizations. These accomplishments serve as a powerful testament to the effectiveness of ��������'s innovative approach in driving impactful and positive change.

In just a short span, the award-winning technology provider �������� has not only cultivated partnerships with industry giants like Oracle and Microsoft but has also witnessed remarkable growth. Over the past twelve months, the company achieved an impressive 350% growth and revenue. Additionally, �������� has strengthened its leadership team by bringing on board a prominent industry expert, Geoff Lloyd, a well-versed HR professional with board-level experience at FTSE companies, including Airbus, Serco, and Meggitt.

“I am delighted to join the Board of �������� as for too long organisations have struggled with delivering the big advances in diversity and inclusion that have been striven for,” said Geoff Lloyd. “�������� has created a truly innovative technology platform that significantly improves both the breadth and depth of the talent pool that organisations can access through removing bias and improving time to hire, all underpinned by class-leading analytics.”

This recent investment signifies a key moment for ��������, providing essential resources to accelerate the development of innovative products and enhance existing solutions. Moreover, the funding serves as a powerful catalyst for ��������’s US expansion, enabling the team to extend its reach. Despite being based in the UK, the majority of ��������’s clients reside in the US, making this investment crucial for fueling expansion efforts in the United States and Canada. With bold ambitions, �������� sets its sights on becoming the leader in the field of Diversity, Equity and inclusion.

"�������� is making the workplace fairer and more equitable, and we are proud to back them in their mission," said Rani Saad, Founding Partner, Apex Black. "A rapidly growing number of public and private organisations, across the globe, are trusting �������� in their drives towards diversity, equity and inclusion. This, we believe, is validation of the deep innovation and domain expertise embedded in ��������’s solutions, and testimony to the team’s unwavering passion."