Last week, HR startup Sloneek successfully raised $4 million in a funding round led by a group of prominent investors. This new capital will support the company’s ambitious plans for expansion into Western Europe, where it aims to further establish its presence and bring innovative solutions to the HR industry.
Sloneek is already gaining attention as one of the fastest-growing HR tech startups in Central Europe, helping businesses improve their workforce management through AI-driven tools and data analytics.
Filip Lukac, CEO of Sloneek, sat down with Silicon Valley Journals for an exclusive interview to share more insights into the company’s mission, the story behind its creation, and what lies ahead for its future growth. During the conversation, Lukac discussed Sloneek’s unique approach to HR automation, its role in modernizing workforce management, and the company’s plans to expand beyond its current markets.
Q: What inspired you to create Sloneek, and how has the platform evolved since its launch?
Sloneek started with a simple idea: to digitize the overwhelming task load HR teams have to deal with. I was an active programmer, while Milan brought his expertise from marketing and HR consulting. Our third founder, who contributed to product management, is no longer with us. Today, the Sloneek platform covers the entire employee lifecycle – from hiring to offboarding – and we’re gearing up for AI-powered automation to take it to the next level.
Q: How does Sloneek use AI to help HR managers focus on people rather than administrative tasks?
Sloneeks AI enables exponential automatization of HR processes so HR people can spend most of their time on the most valuable asset in the company. The people. Alongside the automatization, it enables its providing the AI insights on the people in the company, so HR people don’t need to spend their time analyzing the charts, the reports, the data, organization and overview of the incorporation of new people, Identifying and working with talent, collecting and processing satisfaction and engagement data and many more.
Sloneek’s AI allows for exponential automatization of HR processes, freeing up HR professionals to focus on what matters most: the people, company’s most valuable asset. Our platform automates tasks like analyzing charts and reports, onboarding of new hires, identifying and developing talent, and collecting and processing employee engagement data. All of this reduces the time HR spends on routine tasks prone to human error.
Q: With the recent €3.6 million investment, how do you plan to enhance Sloneek’s platform and expand into new markets?
We plan to enhance Sloneek’s current HR admin functionalities, particularly by automating ‘softer’ areas like performance management, employee development, and engagement. Our goal is full automation, allowing HR professionals to transition from administrative workers to strategic decision-makers. We envision a ‘Google-like’ interface where users can input or speak commands and requests, and the platform handles the rest. While we already have tools to manage these processes, they are still manual; automation is the next step.
Regarding market expansion, after strong performance in the Czech, Slovak, and Polish markets, entering Western Europe is the natural next move. Aside from significantly enhancing the Sloneek platform, the investment will allow us to expand our sales and marketing teams and ramp up our performance marketing efforts.
Q: How do you think demographic shifts, like Millennials and Gen Z entering the workforce, impact how companies manage talent?
Each generation brings its own unique characteristics, and we need to learn how to work with them. When it comes to Millennials and Gen Z, it’s essential for companies to stop viewing employees as mere cost items and start treating them as investments. This shift means making informed decisions – why and where to invest in talent – and tracking the ROI, much like you would with any other business investment. To do that effectively, you need real-time data, which is often lacking today. Sloneek can help fill that gap.
What’s important to understand about these generations is that they haven’t experienced the same crises or major adversities that older generations faced. They grew up in relative prosperity and peace, which shapes their expectations. They value choice and immediacy, and when something doesn’t meet their needs, they move on quickly – whether it’s a product, a job, or an employer. This mentality is also fueled by the instant access provided by digital advancements, including the rise of e-commerce.
Millennials and Gen Z want to work on meaningful projects, feel trusted and valued – not just financially but through opportunities for growth and impact. This desire for purpose often outweighs traditional factors like salary or job loyalty, which is a big reason why startups are so appealing to younger talent.
Q: Sloneek aims to introduce “people analytics.” Can you explain what this is and how it benefits companies?
As the world speeds up, so does business and decision-making. People analytics is about having the right data to make better and faster decisions about your workforce. This could include government-required reports or tracking employee skills and their development to make sure you maintain the right mix and balance that keeps your business sustainable.
Managing such a data pool manually is tough, especially when you’re dealing with hundreds of metrics and indexes. That’s where technology steps in. But instead of adding another tool to an already crowded tech stack, companies want this functionality built directly into their HR systems – a so-called HRIS, or HR Information System.
Q: What unique challenges does Sloneek address in labor markets, particularly in Western Europe?
The biggest challenge, which isn’t limited to Western Europe, is managing people effectively. Leaders and HR professionals need insights to understand which talents their company requires and how to develop the ones they already have. It’s not just about collecting data – it’s about actively using that data to drive meaningful improvements across the entire company ecosystem. This type of implicit internal communication is crucial but often overlooked. When employees feel engaged and valued, it creates a more sustainable path to economic growth.
Sloneek provides the data companies need to stop making excuses and address the real issues – often rooted in their own practices. Interestingly, industries like finance and real estate are already advanced in using sophisticated tools to work with data, make quicker decisions, and operate more efficiently. Yet, when it comes to HR and talent management, many companies remain stuck in outdated practices. This is the gap Sloneek aims to bridge.
Our rapid growth – nearly 3.1x year-over-year – reflects the increasing number of companies that are starting to recognize the need to improve their talent management practices, and the importance of this shift as a whole.
Q: Why did you choose Italy as the next market for Sloneek’s expansion, and what do you hope to achieve there?
We chose Italy after thoroughly evaluating 15 key indicators, including macroeconomic and microeconomic factors and a detailed analysis of our market segment. Italy’s slower HR digitization and current efforts to reverse its brain drain made it a prime candidate. Italian companies that want to succeed in bringing talent back home need to stop neglecting talent management, which requires both data and time. Sloneek is well-positioned to help them with both.
Our approach in Italy mirrors what’s worked in other markets in our sector. We’ll help Italian companies make informed, data-driven decisions to manage and develop their talent, which is critical for growth and competitiveness.
Q: What are the biggest productivity and talent challenges companies face today, and how does Sloneek help solve them?
As mentioned earlier, one of the biggest challenges companies face today is not only working with talent but managing people in general. Let me give you some examples. It’s not uncommon for companies to hire people simply because someone decided they were needed, without any supporting data, evidence, or proper analysis. This often results in someone joining the company with a specific job description, only to have their responsibilities changed within a month because someone impulsively altered their role. This isn’t about being agile; it’s a lack of foresight and data-driven decision-making.
Imagine hiring roofers on the first day of a construction project because you’ll eventually need a roof. But since it takes time to get to that stage, you ask them to mix cement or build walls in the meantime – assuming they even agree to do so. That’s not a sensible approach, right?
There has long been a tendency to view people as an expense, but as I mentioned earlier, it’s essential to see them as an investment. With this perspective comes the responsibility and skill to anticipate the outcomes of decisions, understanding that people are central to these results.
Sloneek helps address these challenges by offering data-driven tools and insights that allow companies to manage their workforce more strategically. By aligning talent management with organizational goals, Sloneek ensures that roles and responsibilities are clearly defined, tracked, and adjusted based on real-time data. This fosters a more deliberate and effective approach to managing human capital.
Q: Can you share an example of how Sloneek has transformed HR operations for a company using your platform?
Many companies start by managing their HR processes through Excel spreadsheets, with documents stored in folders or emails. Employees request vacation using paper forms, and contracts are still passed around for signatures. Sloneek digitizes and speeds up these processes.
For example, managers can approve vacation requests remotely from anywhere, and employees can check their remaining vacation days on mobile devices at any time. With electronic signatures, HR departments can prepare contracts faster, and Sloneek significantly speeds up attendance reporting for payroll processing. At Sprinx, for instance, the HR manager now completes reports in half the time. At Carvago, Sloneek streamlined onboarding during a rapid hiring phase. Similarly, at Čedok, the largest Czech travel agency, it accelerated the approval and signing of contracts, which previously had to be physically transported between branches.
Q: What are your long-term goals for Sloneek, and how do you see the platform shaping the future of HR technology?
We aim to be pioneers in automating HR processes with AI, and we’re investing every inch of our effort to make that a reality.
