Genius4U, a corporate welfare platform offering time-saving services for employees, announces the closing of a EUR 1 million financing round. The operation sees the participation of UpDay, a benefits company, one of the first corporate welfare companies in Italy,Open Venture, venture capital of the Open Advisory/Open Italy ecosystem, and Personae, a programme dedicated to welfare of the CDP Venture Capital National Accelerators Network.
Thanks to this capital increase, Genius4U will be able to accelerate its mission to support companies in managing employee well-being, responding to the growing need for work-life balance, which is now the main driver in choosing a new job, as highlighted by the Deloitte Global 2024 Gen Z and Millennial Survey, according to which 64% of Gen Z members and 66% of Millennials consider work-life balance a determining factor in choosing an employer.
“This round represents a crucial step in our growth. Talent retention and attractiveness are among the most important challenges for companies today and Genius4U is positioned as a strategic ally to address them. With these funds, we will be able to expand the team, invest in technology and enhance our business strategy. In addition, the collaboration with the partners who have joined the round also allows us to expand our network and gain access to valuable know-how, two fundamental assets for our growth,” said Fabio Zini, CEO of Genius4U (pictured here with the team), in a note.
The impact of Genius4U’s services is reflected in three areas: environmental, social and governance. On the environmental side, CO2 is reduced due to less travel, on the social side, employees gain free time by delegating daily tasks, improving work-life balance and reducing stress. Finally, in terms of governance, the services support the local economy, contributing to the growth of business activities in the area. These benefits improve employee well-being, increase employee satisfaction and help companies achieve their sustainability goals.
The round sees the involvement of strategic players in the welfare and innovation sector. UpDay, a benefit company operating in the business and personal services market, part of the multinational Upcoop, Open Venture, a business factory set up within the Open Advisory/Open Italy ecosystem. Lastly, Personae, a welfare programme of the CDP Venture Capital National Accelerator Network, created in collaboration with SocialFare, a|cube, co-investors SocialFare Seed, a|impact – Avanzi Etica SICAF EuVECA and Fondazione Italiana Accenture ETS with partners Fondazione Compagnia di San Paolo, Fondazione CRC, Fondazione Social Venture GDA, Accenture Italia.
The capital raised will be used in three areas of development: the expansion of the team with the addition of new crucial figures, the technological enhancement of the platform to improve the user experience, and the strengthening of the commercial strategy to expand Genius4U’s presence in the national market.
“The investment in Genius4U perfectly embodies Personae’s mission: to accelerate the growth of companies committed to improving corporate welfare,” says Stefano Molino, head of CDP Venture Capital’s Accelerators fund. “Work-life balance is an increasingly crucial issue, particularly for the younger generations. In this context, Genius4U’s goal of simplifying access to a wide range of services, enabling employees to optimise their time, is an essential step. We are confident that this new investment will foster the development of even more advanced and efficient technologies in the sector’.
Genius4U adopts a B2B2C model that directly connects companies, employees and suppliers via an innovative digital platform. By integrating technology and the figure of the corporate timesitter, the professional who manages employees’ time and coordinates services, Genius4U offers phygital welfare with concrete impacts on employees’ quality of life.
Currently, Genius4U operates in large companies in various sectors, including fashion, food, tobacco, banking, services and healthcare, working with prestigious clients such as Liu Jo, Fileni, Prada Group, Philip Morris and Golden Goose.
The company continues its growth path by evolving into a benefit company, thus consolidating its commitment to social, environmental and territorial sustainability.
“The closing of this round represents a fundamental step in our commitment to be allies of companies in improving the well-being of their people. Our vision is to become the benchmark for corporate well-being because we are convinced that a proper work-life balance is essential for the healthy growth of organisations,” Zini concludes.
The idea of Genius4U was born from the international experience of its founder who, after years as a manager in multinational companies, identified a gap in corporate welfare in Italy. The project was born in 2018 with participation in the Start Cup Emilia-Romagna and subsequently received support from the AlmaCube incubator. Subsequently, it was selected for the Personae route.
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