KPMG selects latest cohort of Future Technology start-ups
Following previous cycles focused on supply-chain and space-tech, KPMG has unveiled the latest cohort of start-ups for its Future Technology program, which this year looks to workplace solutions.
Professional services firm KPMG has selected the five start-up participants for the latest round of its Future Technology accelerator program run in collaboration with Stone & Chalk, which this year focuses on workforce solutions.
Among the twelve-month residency recipients are talent platform GoFIGR and reporting & case management solution RespectX, both which have founders and advisors who bring a consulting industry background.
“The pandemic fundamentally changed the nature of the workforce, leaving employees and employers to navigate a complex array of new challenges,” stated Sarah Vega, national managing partner of KPMG Futures. “We’re excited to be supporting companies delivering solutions changing the way employers engage with their teams to create a more resilient, supportive and sustainable work environment well into the future.”
Vega cited mental and emotional well-being and technological exhaustion as examples of growing contemporary workforce challenges, while the latest Future Technology cohort also addresses issues in areas such credentials and skills-tracking, the impact of business transformation, and rising employee expectations for personalisation. RespectX is meanwhile tackling another serious concern: sexual harassment, bullying and discrimination.
Established in 2022 by former KPMG pair Shey Newitt and Sally Calder, the latter who served as national culture, diversity & inclusion lead partner during almost a decade and a half with the firm, RespectX offers both a secure platform for reporting workplace misconduct and case and risk management with an integrated compliance function, along with a range of education tools and leadership & culture advisory services.
The co-founders of GoFIGR – Nicolai Lindholm and Helena Turpin and – meanwhile bring a background from Accenture and Deloitte, the latter where Turpin served as digital talent innovation lead. Lindholm also spent time with Deloitte in Denmark, along with Accenture and its cloud acquisition Industrie&Co.
Additionally, GoFIGR features former BCG Digital Ventures strategic design lead Tarra van Amerongen as an advisory board member.
Established in 2020 amid the global Covid-19 crisis, GoFIGR (previously Flow of Work) is an internal talent management platform designed to get the most out of employees through up-skilling, job-matching, and career development, with Turpin stating of the company’s selection; “It's not often that startups gain access to the calibre of talent and extended networks available at KPMG, so we are pretty thrilled at the advantage this gives us.”
The selected early-stage start-ups – which further include Crewmojo (personalised employee experience), MyPass (skills & compliance tracking), and Matae (change management) – will now have the opportunity to take up a twelve-month residency in one of Chalk & Stone’s innovation hubs in either Sydney, Melbourne or Adelaide, while also receiving guidance and support from KPMG mentors and industry leads in their efforts to scale up.
