Glints

Glints operates as a comprehensive talent ecosystem in Southeast Asia, focused on career development and recruitment. Founded in 2013 by Oswald Yeo, Looi Qin En, and Seah Ying Cong, the company originated from a simple spreadsheet used to connect friends with internship opportunities at startups. This early endeavor highlighted a significant gap in the market for career discovery, leading the founders to put their university studies at institutions like Stanford and UC Berkeley on hold to focus on the venture.

The company's business model is structured as a full-stack talent platform, serving both job seekers and employers. For employers, Glints offers a suite of recruitment services, including a job marketplace for posting listings, managing applicants, and building an employer brand. It also provides "Glints Managed Talent" or "TalentHub," a service for building remote teams by handling recruitment, onboarding, and payroll. Revenue is generated through a multi-faceted approach that includes subscription fees from employers for premium recruitment services, fees for successful placements, and recruitment process outsourcing (RPO). For job seekers, the platform is free and provides tools for career discovery, skill development through courses like Glints Academy, and job matching for internships, full-time, and remote positions. The academy has utilized income share agreements, allowing students to pay tuition after securing employment.

Headquartered in Singapore, Glints has established a strong presence across Southeast Asia and beyond, with operations in Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, the Philippines, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and China. The firm has seen significant financial backing, raising over $80 million through multiple funding rounds, including a $50 million Series D round in 2022. This capital has fueled its expansion and product development, particularly in supporting the growing trend of cross-border remote work. The company has demonstrated substantial growth, with annual revenue and gross profits more than doubling year-over-year in recent periods, and its operations in Indonesia and Vietnam have achieved profitability.

Keywords: talent ecosystem, recruitment platform, career development, Southeast Asia, remote hiring, skills training, human capital, job matching, talent acquisition, cross-border recruitment