Smart collects USD 16.7 million for power and financial services in Indonesia

WiseThe Indonesian employment platform, which goes beyond matching work, offering financial services along with full -time and side possibilities, said that she had collected a round of $ 16.7 million of series A.

Financing was carried out by Square Peg with the participation of existing investors Vertex Venture South -East Asia and India and East Ventures.

Ghirish Pokardas, Nelly Nurmalasari and Henry Hendrawan founded Pintaria in 2022 to fulfill the two biggest challenges that Indonesians faced: sufficient earning and borrowing.

“Traditionally, employees in Indonesia find work offline via work fairs or oral ones, and employers buried in paper applications and candidates rarely hear. In the case of loans, their options are often limited to a family/friend or predatory lenders with difficult debt collection practices,” TechCrunch. “We digitize the adaptation of work to artificial intelligence to employ faster and provide employees with safer, healthier loan options – designed around what they can afford instead of push them deeper into the debt.”

About 59% of 150 million Indonesia employees are employed in the informal sectorIN Highlighting The difficulties that employees encounter in access to formal financial services, because they lack verifiable income and official employment documentation.

Hendrawan adds that Pintar’s challenge is dealt with by working with lenders supported by resources to supply secured loans using collateral, electronics or vehicles.

Since the financing of seeds in 2022, the Platform currently serves over 10 million users of jobseekers and 40,000 employers throughout the country. Hendrawn noticed that his revenues increased almost five times a yr to yr and expected that he would achieve profitability by the end of the yr. Pintarkaa is primarily used by users aged 21 to 40, most of whom have highschool education or a diploma below the university level. The startup goals to focus on this underrated segment, taking into account the large population of blue and informal employees in Indonesia.

“When traveling to build employment services, we discovered that our users need more than just work – they needed access to financial services, which traditional banks could not provide,” said Hendrawan. “We digitize the adaptation of work to artificial intelligence to employ faster and provide employees with safer, healthier loan options – designed around what they can afford instead of push them deeper into the debt.”

While Indonesia already has work platforms, corresponding to Jobstreet, Kalibrr and Glints, they above all satisfy the roles of white collars, which represent only a small a part of the workforce, based on Hendravan. The pintar platform has been designed specifically for employees with a blue collar, offering adapted experiences, corresponding to fast interview options, inexpensive e-learning about appropriate skills, additional income possibilities and smooth connections with financial services, corresponding to loans.

The same trend is visible in the FinTech sector in Indonesia, which is similarly compatible with white or high -class consumers. Hendrawan explained that conventional models of credit scoring for loans, which are based on a fixed monthly income and the activities of the checking account, often leave employees with mutilated fintech suppliers.

When asked about which fintech services are the most sought after, he mentioned Hendrawan: “Given their employment status, loans are the most demanding financial service for Pintar’s users. We plan to” complete “their micro-saving and road investments through innovative products with our partners.”

New financing will allow Pintar’s Platform technology to strengthen and expand the offer of financial services through strategic partnerships. Along with most Indonesian employees employed in the blue sector and informal co -founders see significant development opportunities on the local market. Using their extensive experience in managing corporations in Southeast Asia, they are also open to a regional extension survey when time is appropriate.

“Our vision is that Pintaraa is a daily companion that authorizes Indonesians not only related to the end, but also plans, develop and improve their lives … In five years we see Pintara as a great application for Indonesia employees, not only to earn income, but as a trusted partner on a life journey,” said Hendrawan. “We want to be the first stop when someone is looking for a job, a place that helps them improve their skills, and a reliable guide when making financial decisions.”