- This seed round is led by Wavemaker Partners, with Antler participating as a repeat investor in Gapai.
- With the new funding, Gapai aims to assist Indonesian migrant workers through technology and a simplified job placement process.
- United by a passion for improving migrant worker welfare, Gapai’s founders bring a combined background in social work, tech startups, and business development.
JAKARTA, 8 MAY 2024 – Gapai, a startup empowering Indonesian workers to pursue global careers, has secured US$1 million (IDR 16 billion) in seed funding to expand its international job placement services. Wavemaker Partners led the funding round with participation from returning investor Antler, both global VCs specialising in investing in early-stage startups in Southeast Asia.
This investment from Wavemaker Partners and Antler demonstrates strong confidence in Gapai’s ability to transform the cross-border migrant job placement sector. Based on national data covering the years 2020-2023, there has been a 7x increase in illegal trafficking cases against Indonesian migrant workers. Around 1,800 people have become victims of illegal job placement in various countries.
Aiming to mitigate this issue, Gapai operates by screening candidates, conducting interviews, and providing upskilling opportunities for Indonesian workers, to build a network of ready-to-work talents that can meet international labour demands. Gapai connects prospective employees with suitable employers in an innovative platform, facilitating seamless cross-border job placements that are faster, safer, and more transparent than conventional agency placement.
In the initial stage, Gapai will utilise the fresh funds to strengthen the operational process for overseas placements with comprehensive technological infrastructure. Apart from that, it is in the process of revolutionising the overseas placement experience with the principles of easy, fast and transparent value. With new licences and processes, Gapai can create business growth of up to 10 times from last year. This year, Gapai aims to onboard 70,000 Indonesian workers, matching 2,200 of them with exciting global job opportunities.
“Gapai’s migrant worker platform transforms this process, making it faster and more efficient for both employers and jobseekers through its app. With meticulous candidate screening, Gapai aims to ensure quality applications without the usual wait, completing the process in just a month or two. This means employers get a quick, steady flow of promising candidates from Indonesia while saving on labour and recruitment costs. We’re excited about Gapai’s growth and proud to support them as they offer Indonesians a fair chance to maximise their earning potential and support their families back home,” said Paul Santos, Managing Partner at Wavemaker Partners.
Since being funded by Antler at inception, Gapai has developed a network of 12,000 qualified workers. “With Indonesia’s vast and growing population, we plan to dramatically scale our operations, aiming to assist ten times more migrant workers annually,” said Radityo Susilo, CEO of Gapai. “Our business development priority this year is to expand Gapai’s market reach to 15 countries across Europe including Hungary, Romania, Germany, and the UK, as well as nations in the Asia-Pacific region like Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan, and the Middle East, such as Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait, and Qatar,” he added.
“The international labour placement sector is experiencing significant growth, currently valued at US$56 billion (IDR 900 trillion). With a robust and youthful workforce, Indonesia is ideally positioned to supply the global demand for labor,” said Agung Bezharie Hadinegoro, Partner at Antler. “Gapai is poised to transform the migration sector, integrating innovative technology with secure and transparent governance. We are thrilled to invest in Gapai again and are confident that they will empower more Indonesian migrant workers to secure job opportunities that align with their aspirations”.
By 2045, Indonesia will boast a workforce demographic advantage, with 70% of its population projected to be of working age. This contrasts starkly with regions like Japan, South Korea, and Europe, which face the challenges of ageing populations and slower population growth. Gapai is leading the charge in unlocking this potential, ensuring that Indonesian talents are visible and highly sought after on the global stage.
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ABOUT GAPAI
Gapai (PT Akademi Indonesia Cerdas) is a leading innovator in overseas employment for Indonesians. They empower individuals to find fulfilling jobs abroad through a fair and transparent process. Gapai provides comprehensive support throughout the journey, ensuring a smooth transition for Indonesian workers seeking international opportunities. Their mission is to unlock brighter futures for 500,000 Indonesians by connecting them with rewarding employment experiences, ultimately fostering personal prosperity and national growth.
ABOUT WAVEMAKER PARTNERS
Wavemaker Partners is Southeast Asia’s leading venture capital firm investing in early-stage Enterprise/B2B, Deep Tech, and Sustainability startups. Since its establishment in Singapore in 2012, the firm has backed more than 190 companies across Southeast Asia, with total capital commitments exceeding US$300M and exits generating over US$1.8B in enterprise value.
ABOUT ANTLER
Antler is the investor backing the world’s most driven founders from day zero to greatness. Founded on the belief that people innovating is the key to building a better future, we partner with people across six continents to launch and scale high-potential startups that address meaningful opportunities and challenges. Knowing that exceptional founders can come from anywhere, we have offices in 30 cities around the world, including Singapore, Jakarta, Ho Chi Minh, Kuala Lumpur, New York, London, Berlin, Stockholm, Bangalore, Seoul, Tokyo, Sydney, and more. Our global community backs people from the beginning with co-founder matching, deep business model validation, initial capital, expansion support, and follow-on funding. Fueled by a personal passion that goes beyond traditional investing, we have invested in more than 1,000 startups across a wide range of industries and technologies.
Gapai team, from left: Adji Pramono, CBO, Faizal Ramanda, CPO, Radityo Susilo, CEO, Arsyanda Marsa, COO, and Rizky Primanda, Co-Founder
