Women-led Australian Startup Circle In receives $2 million in funding to broaden scope of its platform

Circle In, a platform for employee assistance, has recently raised $2 million in its most recent round of investment. Alberts Impact Ventures took the lead in the funding round.

Jodi Geddes and Kate Pollard started the business in 2017 after realizing there were few tools or resources accessible to moms to assist them navigate and manage their professions after becoming babies.

After six years, Circle In has developed into a whole platform that companies can utilize to support working parents at every point of their journey, in addition to remote employees and carers.

Circle In offers businesses tools, online counseling, a platform for employees to discuss their experiences, and "nudges" for managers. Instead of a one-size-fits-all strategy, it provides diverse tools for different stages of the motherhood experience.

The demands placed on managers have multiplied as the organization comes out of the epidemic. Even though 8 out of 10 managers lack training on how to support their teams through personal challenges, the data reveals that 97% of managers have helped a team member handle a personal issue, according to Circle In co-founder Jodi Geddes in an email to SmartCompany.

Customers buy the product most frequently because of help for managers at crucial moments because of the awareness that how leaders and managers handle a situation may have a significant influence on culture.

After raising $1.5 million for a seed fund in 2019, this round of fundraising was made. According to Jodi, raising money again in such a competitive market has been Circle In's hardest hurdle so far.

"Without a doubt, it was more difficult this time. The time and effort required were both doubled”, according to Jodi. "We have overcome the odds and positioned Circle In for success in the future" Jodi continued.

Circles In will be expanding further in the future to encompass wellness, which is a major concern for HR teams.

“We are working on an interesting new manager-led solution that will launch later this year and is being co-designed with our clients”, Jodi said, “because of our experience and success in helping managers through trying times.”

"Our ultimate goal is to collaborate with organizations throughout the world to establish a culture of connection and caring."

Jodi claims that the most recent fundraising round will be used to develop this new product, as well as other product enhancements and market growth.