UK-based Harriet raises €1.3M to revolutionise HR with full-stack AI solution

London-based Harriet, a full-stack AI-powered solution for streamlining internal data and HR tasks, announced that it has secured £1.2M (approximately €1.39M) in a pre-seed round of funding.

The investment was led by Concept Ventures and joined by Frontline Ventures, Portfolio Ventures, and Notion Capital.

AI-powered people ops assistant

Harriet addresses poor data management hindering AI adoption in HR. As the first HR-focused AI solution, it scans and organises existing organisational data, identifies issues, and guides companies in cleaning up their data. 

According to the company, this process establishes the necessary foundations for deploying additional AI tools efficiently.

Harriet, accessible via Slack and integrated with HR tools, streamlines tasks like leave booking and policy updates. It tailors responses, addressing people management issues and providing support based on accurate documentation, removing daily friction for employees and enhancing workforce efficiencies.

Additionally, Harriet offers an anonymous channel for sensitive inquiries, such as parental leave policies, and reduces distracting micro-requests for People teams. This allows them to concentrate on more impactful actions related to culture, compensation, and training.

Despite facing intensive cuts, lean People teams can maintain high-quality employee experiences with Harriet’s support, says the startup.

Brief about Harriet

Founded in 2023, Harriet is the brainchild of Cecily Motley, ex-founder and CEO of Motley, and David Buxton, former founder and CEO of risk profile SaaS company Arachnys.

Harriet integrates with various platforms such as Google Drive, Notion, Xero, HiBob, BambooHR, and Zapier. This allows employees to make HR requests and access information directly within Slack, irrespective of where the data is stored.

The company’s technology, powered by a Large Language Model, incorporates interlocking AIs to ensure privacy, truthfulness, and accuracy. Every answer includes a source link for employee assurance, and measures are in place to protect company and employee data.

Co-founder Motley explains, “The world is heading towards a future where every employee has an AI-powered assistant – with all the major tech players racing to build one. But companies aren’t currently set-up to reap the rewards of these advancements.”

“One of the main blockers to AI adoption for companies is the state of their knowledge bank. It’s a familiar story – multiple versions of policies saved in different places which are forgotten about until someone needs them.”

“As organisations look to take advantage of AI solutions, and as teams begin to expect instant access to information and support, it’s vital to ensure tools lay the right foundations as well as unlock efficiencies.”

“That’s why Harriet has been designed to clean up data, get companies onto the right track, and then offer the daily assistance staff and People teams are looking for.”

Motley further adds, “HR and People teams are responsible for so many vital things – from culture to compensation. But too many colleagues see them as just a route to key information, like their payslips and P60s. This means HR teams are drowning in fiddly, low-value admin tasks. 

“Harriet AI is freeing them from this burden; allowing HR teams to focus on their real purpose and show how valuable their role in a company really is.”