AI Skill-Verification Startup Lands Seed Round
NextWork, a startup using AI to verify workforce skills, has closed a $4.45 million seed round led by Shakti VC. The deal points to investor demand for vertical AI tools that can automate and validate competencies in HR and corporate training.
NextWork's founder, Amber Winton, launched the company in 2024 to shift hiring and learning from a focus on credentials to verifiable, hands-on skills. The platform is designed to close the growing gap between the rapid advancement of AI and the workforce's ability to keep up by allowing users to build real AI projects and create a "proof-of-work" portfolio. Since its launch, the platform has attracted over 190,000 users from more than 190 countries who are building practical AI projects like chatbots and automated workflows. A significant portion of its U.S. user base, which accounts for 22% of all projects, are professionals between the ages of 25 and 35 looking to make a career change or secure a promotion. The recent funding will be used to establish a U.S. headquarters in Austin, Texas, and to expand the engineering and growth teams to further platform adoption. NextWork's approach aims to de-risk hiring for employers by providing a more reliable method of vetting AI-related skills. Lead investor Shakti VC, founded by Keval Desai, views NextWork as a key tool for "mastery of AI." The round also saw participation from Cake Ventures, as well as repeat investors GD1 VC, Blackbird Ventures, Icehouse Ventures, and Phase One Ventures, signaling strong continued confidence in the startup's mission.
