Circle In, a fast-growing employee benefits platform that supports working families worldwide, has announced the closing of a $2 million investment round led by Australian venture capital firm Alberts Impact Ventures. The funds will support Circle In’s global expansion plans and further develop its platform to meet the needs of working families and caregivers worldwide.
Further to Alberts Impact Ventures, the team has secured investment from some of Australia’s leading investors, who as parents realise the enormous opportunity in this space. Current investors have all continued to support the team, including Leigh Jasper, Carol Schwartz, Rob Phillpot, Andrew Sypkes, and Ben Thompson, all of which have backed the founders, the vision, and the tech innovation that the team is building.
Circle In Co-Founder, Jodi Geddes, spoke about the significance of the investment, saying: “With only 0.7% of funding going to women in Australia, we are thrilled to secure this investment from Alberts Impact Ventures, along with the support of Scale, LaunchVic, and the Alice Anderson Fund. This investment is not only a significant milestone for Circle In but also for women-led companies in Australia and around the world.”
“Organisations are realising that the culture they set has direct benefits on attracting, engaging and retaining top talent. Circle In helps in these three key HR focuses,” Jodi Geddes said.
Alberts Impact Ventures, Lisa Fedorenko, said “We love Circle In’s focus on creating workplaces who care – they’ve clearly demonstrated the economic value to businesses for valuing their caregiver workforce – higher staff retention, more engaged workforces, and increased psychological safety. We’ve been thoroughly impressed with Kate and Jodi’s drive and integrity, and are excited to support the better working world they’re creating.”
LaunchVic CEO, Dr. Kate Cornick, said: “With influential backers like Alberts Impact Ventures, and now LaunchVic’s, Alice Anderson Fund, Circle In is rapidly scaling its offering to time-poor Australian households and employers.
“We are proud to back Jodi and Kate in their next steps as entrepreneurs and look forward to supporting them along their journey.”
Founded in 2017, Circle In enables companies to reimagine caregiving, by harnessing tech to enhance manager and family support. The platform provides employees with tools and resources aligned to each stage of parenthood, from planning a baby, to menopause to losing a loved one.
Over the past 5 years, Circle In has generated exceptional market traction, expanding into global markets and partnering with nearly 100 leading brands, including Medibank, Coca-Cola Europacific Partners, Estée Lauder, EY, and Ashurst.
Circle In Co-Founder, Kate Pollard, said: “Parenthood in today’s world is relentless, but combine that with a career and it’s causing more women than ever to leave the workforce. With more dual-working couples than ever, families need support and want to work for family-friendly organisations.”
Five years into the journey, Circle In has seen direct results: 80% of users claim it has made them feel more positive towards their organisation. Further, 72% of users would be more inclined to recommend their company as a result of the support shown towards working parents.
“It has been great to see 95% of our customers renew their contracts with Circle In, demonstrating the impact and value our offering has to users,” says Jodi.
Circle In has now grown to over 20 employees and attracted sought-after talent including Liz Fox who joined from Google 18 months ago and was recently promoted to the role of General Manager. Two key senior hires join Circle In this month including Aimee Gleeson, former Head of Product at REA, and Rob Cassidy, former VP for ANZ at Coachhub, a global organisation selling digital coaching solutions.
“We have an incredible team and exciting plans ahead. We really are only just getting started,” says Kate.
It’s great to see Circle In changing the language and story around the care economy.
