In a world where consumers of content expect interactivity, too much content is still trapped in PDFs and slide decks.
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Greetings, Dan:

Work Tech has expanded far beyond the boundary lines of HR tech.

Case in point: this week’s $13.7 million Series A for Tiled. There’s a need for no-code interactive content assembly in many different enterprise use cases — including HR communications and digital learning content. In a world where consumers of content expect interactivity, too much content is still trapped in PDFs and PowerPoints that are just boring and nearly impossible to measure.

Tiled closes a huge gap between content creation and content delivery to improve the content experience for creators and consumers. That’s probably why Adobe is among its investors. It’s also why sales and marketing professionals should pay attention and leverage solutions like Tiled and The Starr Conspiracy’s own Lightpaper®.

A quality content experience is important in our line of work.

What else is going on this week?

UKG Makes a Big Acquisition

Big news coming out of the world of employee engagement: HCM power brand UKG acquired the global people analytics and consulting firm Great Place to Work Institute. The Institute is best known for its Fortune magazine Best Workplaces list.

UKG plans to embed elements of Great Place to Work insights into their solutions throughout the next several years and will provide UKG customers with access to Great Place to Work assessments and benchmarks, allowing organizations to compare themselves with peers of similar size, industry, and geography.

 

Funding and Acquisitions

Checkr raises $250 million. With the round, the San Francisco-based platform for employment background checks reaches a $4.6 billion valuation, double its valuation from earlier this year. (Bloomberg)

Whoop raises $200 million in Series F. With the round, the Boston-based human performance company hits a $3.6 billion valuation. Although B2C is its primary focus, it is increasing its focus on the employer market. (FinSMEs)

Factorial raises $80 million. The Spanish HCM for SMB platform plans Latin American expansion. (TechCrunch)

Origin raises $56 million in Series B. The SF-based employee financial wellness platform personalizes money management advice with real-life financial planners and customized financial literacy workshops. (FinSMEs)

Harri announces $30 million in growth financing. The NYC-based employee experience platform is designed for the unique needs of the service industry. (Press Release) 

PayEm comes out of stealth with $27 million Series A. The Israeli startup is an expense report and procurement platform for high-growth and multinational organizations. (TechCrunch)

Mooncard raises €20 million. The French startup offers a smart corporate card and an expense report management solution. (FinSMEs)

Zeal raises $13 million Series A. The SF-based startup is an API-first payroll infrastructure provider. (FinSMEs)

Spinach raises $2.75 million in pre-seed funding. The Atlanta-based Zoom partner is an app for distributed teams. (FinSMEs)

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Meet Us in Las Vegas

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It’s been a while.

We have a small group in Las Vegas this weekend for SHRM 2021 and we're excited to see you. Let us know if you're in town, and we'll make sure we come say hello.

Not in Vegas this week? Not to worry. If you are headed to the big HR Technology Conference & Expo later this month, we'll be there too.

Just stumble by the Exhibitor Lounge, brought to you by The Starr Conspiracy. We’ll have refreshments, comfy couches, and charging stations for your electronics. Just look for the tentacles.

We can't wait to see you.

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Industry Notes

Tech talent migrates to collaboration startups as hybrid work comes into its own. Top-level executives and engineers are leaving large Silicon Valley jobs for smaller startups with hybrid work schedules. (Wall Street Journal)

How COVID-19 changed employee perks and what they will look like post-pandemic. Employees expect more flexibility, wellness offerings, and perks as the new normal for returning to the office. (Forbes)

Accenture experiences cybersecurity attack. (The Consulting Report)

Quantum Workplace announces integration with Microsoft Teams. (Press Release)

OpenSesame announces expansion of OpenSesame Plus subscription with Axonify micro-content. (Press Release)

Quantum Workplace announces three customers named winners of Brandon Hall Group HCM Excellence Awards. (Press Release)

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Around the Shop

Explore this small collection of articles and stories recently shared around The Starr Conspiracy virtual offices. Here’s what our agents have been talking about this week. 

It has never been more important to use your PTO. Wise words from our friend Jessica Lin. (Forbes)

Why the sales funnel is the cockroach of marketing concepts. It refuses to die and is completely misunderstood by most people. (MarketingWeek)

B2B brands dominate in FutureBrand Index. Among the many unforeseen consequences of the pandemic has been the displacement of consumer brands by B2B companies when it comes to household recognition. (The Drum)

Are lightsabers theoretically possible? We’re asking for a friend. (Gizmodo)

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And finally, if you’ve ever thought about working at The Starr Conspiracy, we are hiring content strategists and demand generation experts. Interested? Drop us a line.

Everybody love everybody,

Steve Smith