Funding
Firstwork raises $15 million Series A led by Earlybird to expand workforce AI
By News Desk ·
Key takeaways
- Firstwork raised $15 million in Series A funding led by Earlybird Venture Capital, with Legion VC and Deel Ventures participating.
- The round brings Firstwork's total funding to $20 million, and the company plans to expand across the United States and Europe.
- Firstwork says more than 150,000 frontline workers begin jobs through its platform each month, with up to 90% reductions in onboarding time.
Firstwork, a New York-based frontline workforce AI company, raised $15 million in Series A funding led by Earlybird Venture Capital, with Legion VC and Deel Ventures joining the round. The company announced the investment on October 21, 2026, saying it brings total funding to $20 million. Startup Researcher reported the round.
Firstwork's Series A and Its Onboarding Agents
The new capital will support Firstwork's expansion across the United States and Europe and the development of AI agents that handle administrative tasks between a worker's application and first shift, as well as responsibilities that continue after employment begins. The company is targeting employers with large workforces in healthcare, logistics, delivery, and other labor-intensive industries. Its approach focuses on executing operational processes rather than introducing another standalone system for managing employee records.
Firstwork says its agents can collect and examine documents, coordinate onboarding tasks, monitor credential expiry dates, and manage recurring compliance requirements. They also communicate with workers after shifts to identify problems that could affect retention, while recording actions for employer review. The company is expanding beyond initial onboarding to include credential renewals, re-verification, further training, and ongoing employee support.
HR Tech Feed reported that the applied AI platform automates onboarding for frontline workers and that Firstwork plans to expand teams and markets with the new capital. Firstwork says more than 150,000 frontline workers begin jobs through its platform each month, and it identifies Deel, Job&Talent, Relay, Wonolo, and BGSF among its customers, reporting reductions of up to 90% in the time employees and HR teams spend processing each new hire. The company also says one major customer tripled the number of qualified candidates reaching their first shift after adopting the platform.
Founded in 2024, Firstwork is led by co-founder and CEO Vardhan Kapoor and co-founder and CTO Shubham Choudhary. Earlybird General Partner Tim Rehder highlighted Firstwork's ability to automate compliance work at high volumes, citing millions of monthly automated actions. "We see an opportunity to address spending traditionally allocated to manual onboarding and compliance services," Rehder said.
Firstwork's Funding History
According to akta.pro company records, Firstwork closed a $5 million seed round in February 2025 led by Gradient with participation from Y Combinator, SOMA Capital, 468 Capital, Houghton Street Ventures, and angels from Deel and Job&Talent. The same records list a $500,000 pre-seed round in July 2024 led by Y Combinator.
| Round | Date | Amount | Lead investor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-seed | July 2024 | $500,000 | Y Combinator |
| Seed | February 2025 | $5 million | Gradient |
| Series A | October 2026 | $15 million | Earlybird Venture Capital |
Firstwork's Next Steps
Firstwork plans to use the Series A proceeds to hire across AI research, engineering, applied AI development, and commercial operations. It will strengthen its presence in both the American and European markets while expanding the range of tasks handled by its agents throughout the employment lifecycle.