Blue-collar recruitment platform Vahan.ai picks up $10M led by Khosla Ventures
Vahan.ai will use the fresh capital to expand into manufacturing and retail. It will also invest in advancing its AI technology.
Vahan.ai, an AI-powered marketplace for India's 300 million blue-collared workforce, has raised $10 million in a Series B funding round led by Khosla Ventures, founded by Vinod Khosla. Y Combinator, US-based VC firm Gaingels, and Paytm Founder Vijay Shekhar Sharma also participated.
The company will use the fresh capital to expand into industries such as manufacturing and retail as these sectors. It will also invest in advancing its AI technology.
Currently, Vahan’s AI Recruiter conducts interviews in English and Hindi, with plans to support eight major Indian languages and numerous dialects within the next year.
Since its inception in 2016, the Bengaluru-based startup has successfully placed over 500,000 workers in more than 480 cities with leading companies such as Zomato, Swiggy, Flipkart, Zepto, Blinkit, Amazon, Rapido, and Uber.
“We have come a long way from providing 600 jobs a month during the pandemic to 25,000 jobs a month now. With our impact growing multi-fold, we are excited to drive positive change and help the youth of Bharat find employment,” said Madhav Krishna, Founder and CEO of Vahan.ai. "This funding will enable us to further leverage AI, to provide these workers with unprecedented growth opportunities and elevate their professional journeys. Over time, we want to help over a billion people find livelihood.”
"Vahan.ai has consistently demonstrated a commitment to leveraging AI in a way that goes beyond mere technology—it's about creating real-world impact. As an early supporter, I’ve seen firsthand how their innovative approach is redefining recruitment for the blue-collar workforce in India," added Vinod Khosla, Founder of Khosla Ventures.
Edited by Kanishk Singh