Empion, a Berlin-based HR tech startup, successfully raised $2.4M in a 2022 pre-seed round led by Redstone and VR Ventures. Their 17-slide deck positions the company as a solution to the 'War for Talents' by utilizing a proprietary 'robo-advisor' to match candidates and employers based on cultural values rather than just skill sets. The deck relies heavily on macro trends, citing a $772bn global recruiting market and the shifting expectations of Gen Z. While the shared version of the deck contains several placeholders for specific performance metrics and intellectual property details, it clea…
Key takeaways
- The deck frames the problem around 'The Great Resignation,' citing that 50% of employees are considering changing jobs (Slide 3).
- Empion targets a $772bn global recruiting market that is growing at 7.4% per year according to Fortune Business Insights (Slide 5).
- The product is positioned as a three-sided marketplace involving applicants, employers, and current employees to validate culture (Slide 7).
- A proprietary 'Empion method' is claimed as intellectual property, designed to mimic face-to-face interviews through dynamic surveys (Slide 9).
- The business model is a hybrid of Monthly Recurring Revenue (MRR) for culture tools and transactional fees for lead generation (Slide 13).
- The deck projects reaching significant annual revenue by 2026, though specific figures are redacted in the public version (Slide 15).
- Empion highlights a shift in workforce dynamics, noting Gen Z is predicted to have an average of 20 employers compared to 1.3 for Baby Boomers (Slide 3).
- The technology claims to provide efficiency gains in time-per-hire for recruiters and time-savings in job searches for applicants (Slide 11).
Empion Pitch Deck Analysis
Empion entered the HR tech space at a time of significant upheaval in the global labor market. Their pre-seed deck, which facilitated a $2.4M raise, is a study in timing and trend-alignment. By anchoring their solution in the 'Great Resignation' and the specific needs of Gen Z, they transformed a standard recruitment marketplace into a timely solution for a systemic economic shift.
Slide 1-2: The Vision and Branding
The deck opens with a clean, modern aesthetic. The tagline, "Bringing company culture to every hire in the world," establishes a high-level mission that moves beyond simple job matching. The visual identity uses a palette of greens and yellows, suggesting growth and optimism, while the silhouettes of diverse individuals reinforce the human-centric nature of the product. These slides serve to set the professional tone expected of a venture-backed startup in the European ecosystem.
Slide 3: The Problem - The Great Resignation
This is the 'Why Now' slide. Empion uses a stark contrast between generations to illustrate a permanent shift in labor dynamics. They cite that while Baby Boomers averaged 1.3 employers , Generation Z is predicted to have an average of 20 employers . By quoting Harvard Business Manager (2022) and stating that 50% of employees are thinking about changing jobs, they create a sense of urgency. The conclusion— "War for talents ends the supremacy of employers" —positions the candidate as the new power-broker in the hiring process.
Slide 5: Market Trends and Opportunity
Empion quantifies the opportunity by citing a $772bn global recruiting market growing at 7.4% p.a. according to Fortune Business Insights. They break down the growth drivers into three pillars: the increasing use of AI tools, the rising importance of company culture (growing at 10% p.a. per PwC), and the evolution of 'new collar' workers. This slide is effective because it connects broad macro trends directly to Empion's specific product features (AI and culture matching).
Slide 7: The Product - A Three-Sided Marketplace
The product slide introduces the 'Candidate Sourcing Marketplace.' It visualizes a matching engine that sits between three groups: Applicants, Employers, and Employees . The inclusion of 'Employees' is a subtle but important differentiator; it suggests that company culture isn't just what HR says it is, but what the current workforce experiences. The central graphic shows an 89% match score, broken down by 'General Information,' 'Cultural Preferences,' 'Hard Facts,' and 'Skills.' This gives investors a clear view of the data points being aggregated.
Slide 9: Technology and Intellectual Property
Slide 9 focuses on the 'Empion method.' The company claims to have developed an AI-driven method over years that creates a "strong barrier to entry." The key innovation highlighted is a survey tool that "dynamically generates xx and xx to mimic a face-to-face interview." While the specific variables are redacted in this version, the concept of 'automated headhunting' is clearly defined as their core technological breakthrough. This slide aims to move the company from a 'service' category into a 'tech' category, justifying a higher valuation.
Slide 11: Competitive Edge and Efficiency
This slide attempts to quantify the value proposition for both sides of the marketplace. It lists Time savings per hire for the recruiter and Time savings in job searches for the applicant. Interestingly, it labels the retention aspect as a "Love Story," emphasizing the emotional and long-term benefit of a good cultural match. While the percentages are placeholders (x%), the structure shows that Empion is focused on measurable ROI, which is critical for B2B sales.
Slide 13: The Business Model
Empion presents a sophisticated revenue strategy. They don't rely solely on one-off fees. Instead, they propose a Monthly Recurring Revenue (MRR) model for culture tools, benchmarking, and employer branding. They supplement this with a transactional model based on 'revenues per applicant' (lead generation). This hybrid approach is attractive to investors because it provides the stability of SaaS with the upside potential of a high-volume marketplace. The slide also notes the service is "Free of charge for the applicant," ensuring low friction for user acquisition.
Slide 15: Financial Projections
The financials slide shows a path to 2026. While the specific revenue numbers are blocked out, the chart indicates a plan for aggressive growth in Total revenues, MRR, and Lead revenues . The slide also includes rows for the number of customers and number of sold applicants , showing that the founders are tracking the right KPIs for a marketplace business. The mention of "Breakeven in 20XX" signals a long-term commitment to sustainability.
Slide 17: Closing
The deck concludes by returning to the cover imagery and tagline. This reinforces the brand identity one last time. In a full pitch, this would typically be the moment for the 'Ask'—detailing how much capital is being raised and what the milestones for that capital will be. While the 'Ask' slide is not present in this specific set of images, the publisher reports the outcome was a successful $2.4M pre-seed round .
What Works in This Deck
Strong Narrative Hook: By leading with 'The Great Resignation,' the deck taps into a massive, well-documented pain point that every employer was feeling in 2022. · Clear Differentiation: Most recruitment decks focus on 'speed' or 'cost.' Empion focuses on 'Culture,' which is a more defensible and higher-value niche. · Visualizing the Match: The radial chart used to show the 89% match (Slide 7 and 9) is an excellent way to visualize complex data matching in a way that looks proprietary and sophisticated. · Hybrid Revenue Model: Showing both recurring and transactional revenue demonstrates a deep understanding of how to extract value from a marketplace.
What is Missing from This Deck
The Team Slide: In the provided images, the team slide is absent. For a pre-seed round, the founders' pedigree is often the most important factor. Investors need to know why this team is capable of building a 'robo-advisor' for culture. · Specific Unit Economics: The business model slide uses 'x' and '€xx' placeholders. While common in public versions of decks, the actual pitch would need to show the expected Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC) and Lifetime Value (LTV) to prove the model scales profitably. · Competitive Landscape: There is no slide comparing Empion to incumbents like LinkedIn, Indeed, or niche competitors like Glassdoor. A 'Magic Quadrant' or feature-comparison table would help define their market position. · The Ask: The deck does not explicitly state the amount being raised or the intended use of funds in the provided slides.
What a Founder Should Copy
The 'Why Now' Slide: Using generational data (Slide 3) to prove a fundamental shift in market behavior is a powerful way to justify a new solution. · Product-Market Fit Visualization: The way Slide 7 shows the interaction between Applicants, Employers, and Employees is a great template for any marketplace founder. · Focus on IP: Even if the AI is in early stages, framing your process as a 'Method' (Slide 9) helps build the perception of a 'moat' around the business. · Clean Design: The deck avoids clutter. Each slide has one clear message, which is essential for keeping an investor's attention during a quick first read.
Frequently asked questions
- What is Empion's core value proposition?
- Empion focuses on 'automated headhunting' by matching candidates and companies based on cultural fit and values. Unlike traditional job boards that focus primarily on hard skills, Empion uses a proprietary survey tool to quantify company culture and candidate preferences, aiming to increase long-term employee retention and reduce the time spent on manual screening.
- How does Empion make money?
- The company utilizes a dual revenue stream. First, it charges a Monthly Recurring Revenue (MRR) fee for access to its culture analysis tools, benchmarking, and employer branding profiles. Second, it employs a transactional model where employers pay for lead generation, specifically for the 'selling' of qualified applications that match their specific criteria.
- What market trends does the deck highlight?
- The deck leans heavily on the 'War for Talents' and the rise of Gen Z in the workforce. It cites PwC data showing a 10% annual increase in the importance of company culture and Oliver Wyman data regarding the evolution of 'new collar' workers. It positions AI-driven recruitment as the necessary response to these shifting demographics.
- What is the 'Empion method' mentioned in the technology slide?
- Slide 9 describes the 'Empion method' as their core intellectual property. It is an AI-driven survey tool that dynamically generates questions to mimic a face-to-face interview. The goal is to automate the initial headhunting phase, creating a barrier to entry through proprietary algorithms that optimize for both skill and cultural matching accuracy.
- Is there a team slide in the provided deck?
- The provided 17-slide sequence includes placeholders for a team slide, but the specific details of the founders' backgrounds were not included in the images reviewed. Typically, for a $2.4M pre-seed round, the team's prior experience in HR tech or scaling marketplaces would be a critical component of the investor pitch.
