A New Tech Freelance Job Platform Is On The Scene

Gigged.AI’s fundraising sparked my curiosity, but I had questions – until I discovered it was built on 18 months worth of insight from freelancer focus groups and fresh Venture Capital! It looks like the gig economy just got a whole lot more interesting…

After a decade of recruitment domination, Rich Wilson tapped into Craig Short’s 12 years of freelance banking excellence to found Gigged.AI in 2021 – and they haven’t looked back since! With the CEO and CTO tandem leading the charge together, it’s no wonder why this AI-focused company is quickly making waves within the industry.

The Glasgow-headquartered startup is on a roll! With an impressive £1.6m seed round led by Par Equity, Techstart Ventures and Edinburgh’s Nile HQ – as well as other leading entrepreneurs – the sky’s the limit for this business. AI investments and freelancer experience are no longer pipe dreams; those banknotes will bring them to life in no time! And it looks like these founders have really won over their entrepreneurial peers who, not so long ago themselves probably walked that (freelance) walk..

With the ever-growing ranks of freelancers, more and more companies are sprouting up to meet their needs. But why was I still on the fence about one particular platform?

As a freelancer, I have to admit that paying for the privilege of working has never felt quite right. Plus, when it comes to AI-matching algorithms – can we really trust them not to overlook something essential about an individual? After all paper doesn’t always capture what’s deepest in our hearts and minds.

Tech talent is flocking to Gigged.AI – but why? It turns out the platform’s tantalizing offering of IR35-only jobs, backed by insurance from Qdos and secured with contracts, could be too sweet a deal for tech pros to resist.

It’s a bold new world out there: if tech talent want to access IR35-safe freelance opportunities, they have no choice but to pay the piper – up to 5% of their project fee! Avoiding unregulated umbrella companies comes at a cost.

Here is some more background on the business

The future of the workforce looks a lot different than it did just five years ago – and freelancing is leading the charge. With industry giants like Accenture, ATOS, Webhelp, Skyscanner & FanDuel signing up to Rich Wilson’s platform every month to access talent on demand – as well as an impressive 70% of their own freelance community engaging in “side hustles” – this new way of working seems here for good! As CEO Willson puts it: “The ‘Great Resignation’ has seen millions jump ship for more flexibility…particularly amongst Gen Z with nearly two out three now turning towards gig-economy type jobs.”

Rich Wilson’s insight has revealed something truly remarkable – the dual platform they have created to help source, onboard and retain talent is a first of it’s kind. Paul Atkinson recognizes this incredible feat as he reflects on how HR tech keeps growing at an impressive rate. With Par Equity behind them every step of the way, Rich and Craig are confident that their success journey will continue!