Vahan placed blue-collar workers in India using WhatsApp. Jobandtalent raised $560M. In Australia, construction companies spend $5K-$15K per hire through agencies for workers who don't show up on day one. SEEK doesn't verify trade licenses. I did the research. Now I need a co-founder who knows trades recruitment.
"Construction companies spend $5K-$15K per hire through agencies -- often for workers who don't show up on day one."
"Mobile recruitment is behind -- only 16% of construction firms offer text-to-apply."
"Skills-based hiring (81% of employers want it) but no platform captures trade competencies vs. just job titles."
"Worker availability is invisible -- companies don't know who's finishing a project next week and available for the next."
No license verification, no ticket tracking, no white card validation. A plumber's profile looks the same as an accountant's. The world's most important hiring detail for trades is invisible.
NSW Fair Trading, VIC VBA, QLD QBCC -- no single verification system exists. Building a license verification database creates a massive data moat.
Award rates, casual loading, overtime rules -- these make payroll complex for temp trades workers. The platform that handles this automatically wins.
Tech founders build for white-collar knowledge workers, not tradies. Which is exactly why the opportunity persists. 439,000 workers needed and zero purpose-built technology.
Revenue model: Per-placement fee at $200-$500 (vs. agency $1,000-$3,000). Employer subscription at $500-$2,000/month. License verification service at $10-$25 per check. 200 construction companies at $1,000/month = $2.4M ARR.
The AI engineering, product, and infrastructure.
The domain expertise, construction connections, and first clients.
This is a co-founder search, not a job ad. I'm looking for someone who wants to own half of this company and build it together from day one.
Domain expertise in construction recruitment. Industry network. Fair Work knowledge. First 10 employer clients.
AI/full-stack engineering. SMS/WhatsApp platform. License OCR verification. Fair Work compliance engine. Market research already done.
We'll figure out the right structure together. What matters first is whether we're the right fit.
R&D Tax Incentive (43.5%), Antler/Startmate ($120K-$260K), then Reinventure (Westpac-backed) or NAB Ventures seed round.
"439,000 workers needed. SMS/WhatsApp-first matches how tradies communicate. License verification creates a data moat. Fair Work compliance keeps employers on the platform."
Ask: "How do you currently source labourers? How much do agencies charge? How often do workers not show up? Would you pay $500/month for instant verified worker matching?"
Construction companies post shifts/roles. Workers register via SMS with trade, licenses, location. AI matches and sends shift offers. Worker accepts by replying YES. Verify licenses via photo OCR.
Real-world validation with Tier 2 construction companies in Sydney. Iterate on matching accuracy, no-show rates, and verification speed. Apply for Antler.
Add permanent placement. Payroll integration with Fair Work compliance. Worker ratings and reviews. Target 50 companies. Approach Flying Fox or TEN13 for seed.
If you know construction recruitment, labour hire, and want to co-found something massive, I'd like to hear from you.
Thanks for reaching out. I'll get back to you within 24 hours. Looking forward to the conversation.