Christophe Gerlach, a Cornell University alumnus, dedicated nearly two years to investing solely in HR technology startups on behalf of General Atlantic. While the investment landscape offered considerable excitement, Gerlach found himself increasingly drawn back to the entrepreneurial path.
During his time at Cornell, Gerlach, in collaboration with fellow classmate Pedro Bobrow, a Brazilian native, successfully co-founded and divested a food delivery startup. Reconnecting in late 2022, Gerlach and Bobrow, who previously served as a product manager at Lyft, combined their respective industry expertise and diverse cultural backgrounds to establish Comp, an HR technology startup specifically targeting the Brazilian market.
Comp is developing advanced AI-powered HR software designed to streamline critical functions such as recruitment, the establishment of compensation policies, and the creation of performance review systems. Additionally, the startup integrates "forward-deployed" experts—experienced former HR executives—who collaborate directly with clients to formulate strategies across compensation, performance management, and talent acquisition.
Gerlach clarifies that while Brazilian businesses frequently engage compensation consultants, Comp's forward-deployed HR executives are intended to function not as external consultants, but as integral extensions of clients' existing human resources departments.
A crucial aspect of these executives' role involves enhancing Comp's proprietary technology. Gerlach elaborated, stating, "Our forward-deployed HR execs initially perform all tasks manually, subsequently leveraging that practical experience to train the AI on optimal best practices."
Ultimately, the vision is for Comp's AI agents to evolve into fully autonomous entities, capable of executing traditional HR functions independently over time.
While Comp presently delivers AI-enhanced HR services supported by human professionals, its strategic objective is to disrupt and eventually supersede both conventional HR consultancies and existing HR software solutions. As Gerlach succinctly articulated, "Rippling provides software to junior HR teams to boost their productivity. We, on the other hand, become the HR team."
In pursuit of this ambitious goal, Comp recently secured a $17.25 million Series A funding round, spearheaded by Khosla Ventures. This investment notably represents Khosla Ventures' inaugural foray into a Brazilian company. As a component of this agreement, Khosla General Partner Keith Rabois has been appointed to Comp’s board of directors.
Comp strategically positions itself as an innovative AI-driven alternative to established compensation consultancies, including industry giants like Mercer, Korn Ferry, and Willis Towers Watson. Furthermore, it enters into competition with global HR platforms such as Rippling and Workday.
According to Gerlach, Comp's initial launch in Brazil was strategic, capitalizing on the prevalent absence of traditional HR software among many companies in the nation. This environment has provided the startup with a unique opportunity to introduce a novel, automated model, circumventing direct competition with entrenched platforms.
The business model has already demonstrated significant traction within Brazil, boasting an impressive client roster that includes Nubank, QuintoAndar, Creditas, and, as Gerlach noted, "pretty much every unicorn in Brazil." The startup is now actively planning its expansion into the U.S. and other international markets.
Additional participants in Comp’s Series A funding round comprised existing investors such as Kaszek and Canary, alongside new strategic investors including Abstract Ventures and Endeavor Catalyst.
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