BrioHR, a Malaysia-based human resource (HR) tech startup, announced Wednesday that it has secured S$8.7 million ($6.5 million) in Series A funding, enhancing its ability to change the way businesses manage HR practices across Southeast Asia.

The firm said in a statement that the round was led by Openspace Ventures – one of the leading investors in Singapore’s tech ecosystem, with participation from Taiwania Hive Ventures and a variety of regional investors.

BrioHR said this funding secured is an indication of the growing confidence, and the firm is positioned to serve the digital HR needs of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and enterprises in Singapore and the region.

BrioHR is an all-in-one platform that leverages technology to support over 1,000 companies across Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, and the broader ASEAN region with payroll, compliance, and employee engagement in one place.

Upon closing this funding, the firm’s immediate focus will be to further develop integration of artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities, a plan for growing its operating and brand presence in Singapore, which is needed now more than ever to support businesses which are having to deal with the rapid changes of a shifting workforce in Singapore.

“This investment validates our vision of making HR seamless and accessible to every business in ASEAN,” said Benjamin Croc, Chief Executive Officer and Co-founder of BrioHR.

“Being a global tech and innovation hub, Singapore is an important market for us,

“The government’s push for digital transformation, AI adoption and smart workforce solutions through the Singapore Economy 2030 Vision perfectly aligns with BrioHR’s aim of equipping businesses with leading HR technology,” he added.

He further added that the funding couldn’t come at a better time for Singapore’s tech ecosystem, which continues to attract investments from around the world and foster
homegrown startups.

“Singapore is the number-one destination for tech startups in Southeast Asia, because of its progressive infrastructure, pro-business policies and rich talent availability,” he noted.

He added that with this funding, the company will strengthen its position in Singapore, capitalising on Singapore’s strong digital economy and its ambition to build AI-driven solutions that enable businesses.

“This raise isn’t just helping us to scale—it’s helping to shape the future for work in ASEAN,

“And with Singapore as our launchpad where the Government is pioneering policies, and the startup ecosystem is booming, we are excited about our next stage of innovation,” he said.

Hian Goh, Co-founder and Partner at Openspace Ventures, said Singapore’s regional tech hub status makes it the best base to scale innovative solutions like BrioHR.

“Their platform solves massive pain points for businesses who are trying to navigate the complex HR regulations across multiple ASEAN countries,

“We are delighted to be a part of their next stage of growth, and to help them scale in Singapore where businesses are adopting digital HR faster than ever before,” he added.

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