Upwage

Upwage envisions a future where talent acquisition is transformed by ethical, transparent AI that not only enhances efficiency but fundamentally reshapes how organizations identify and hire top talent. We are building a future where intelligent agents partner with human teams to deliver measurable return on investment in hiring practices, reducing bias and improving outcomes at scale.

Our mission extends beyond technology: we aim to create a safety net for the workforce amidst rapid AI-driven change by empowering employers with advanced agentic AI that independently conducts interviews and analyzes candidate data. Through this, we seek to foster inclusive workplaces and nurture sustainable careers, particularly in high-volume, high-turnover industries.

By pioneering automated AI infrastructure for the recruitment process, Upwage is driving a shift towards fairer, more effective, and scalable hiring solutions that meet the evolving needs of today’s workforce and prepare organizations for the future of work.

We'll be honest — when we first heard about Upwage, we thought it was just another AI recruiting tool trying to automate away human interaction. But after digging deeper, we found something genuinely different: a company that's figured out how to make AI interviews actually work for both employers and candidates.

Founded in 2022 by Diana Tsai (a Forbes 30 Under 30 alum who previously created $160M in veteran jobs), Upwage isn't trying to replace recruiters. Instead, they're giving them superpowers with AI that can conduct behavioral interviews 24/7 in any language.

The Two-Agent System That Actually Makes Sense

Here's what caught our attention: Upwage uses two AI agents that work like a tag team. The AI Interviewer conducts the actual conversation using proven STAR methodology, while the AI Analyst crunches the data to generate consistent scorecards. It's like having a junior recruiter who never gets tired and doesn't bring unconscious bias to the table.

The platform is EEOC-compliant and customizable, which matters more than you'd think. Too many AI tools treat compliance as an afterthought, but Upwage built it into their foundation.

The Numbers Don't Lie

We're always skeptical of bold claims, but Upwage's impact data is pretty compelling. They've deployed over 4,000 custom AI agents and helped some clients cut employee turnover by 48%. That's not just impressive — it's potentially game-changing for industries like retail and hospitality where turnover costs are astronomical.

With $9.24 million in seed funding and fewer than 25 employees, they're still small but focused. Sometimes that's exactly what you want in a tech partner.

Who This Really Works For

Upwage shines brightest in high-volume hourly hiring — think retail, hospitality, and logistics companies that need to screen hundreds of candidates quickly. If you're a startup hiring five engineers, this might be overkill. But if you're managing seasonal hiring for dozens of locations? This could be your secret weapon.

We appreciate that they're not trying to be everything to everyone. They know their lane and they're dominating it.