Ribbit Capital invests R$100 Million in Tako, to transform payroll management in Brazil

Tako, the HR tech startup that aims to transform payroll processing in Brazil, has just closed a Series A funding round of R$100 million, led by Ribbit Capital with participation from a16z and ONEVC, the same investors who took part in the company’s first round at the end of last year. Just nine months after receiving its first funding, the company continues to accelerate its growth thanks to a proactive vision from its investors regarding its long-term plans.

Tako: Automation and Efficiency in Payroll

Founded at the end of 2022 by Colombian Sebastián Mejía and Brazilian Fernando Gadotti, former co-founders of Rappi and DogHero, Tako aims to solve the challenges faced by Brazilian companies in payroll processing. 

The startup uses artificial intelligence agents trained in Brazilian labor legislation to automate bureaucratic tasks and reduce errors in payroll management, such as incorrect entries, improperly completed forms, or misapplied exemptions that can lead to fines.

Fernando Gadotti, CEO of Tako, explains:

"Brazil has one of the most complex labor systems in the world, and closing payroll can take up to two weeks per month. Tako reduces this process to just a few hours."

Additionally, Tako’s agents respond to natural language queries and provide real-time information, for example, about the cost of the sales team. Mejía adds that many companies lack control over this basic information with traditional market software.

Tako’s Impact on the Brazilian Market

So far, Tako has helped clients save over 5,000 workdays that were previously done manually and has processed more than R$1 billion in payroll. Mejía highlights:

"Payroll is the largest cost for a company. Closing it faster allows accounting, finance, and planning to move faster and more efficiently."

With the new investment, Tako plans to target larger companies. Currently, its clients include startups such as Warren, Tractian, and SouSmile, among other medium-sized companies.

Expansion and Focus on Innovation

Tako will open an office in San Francisco to be close to the cutting edge of artificial intelligence, although it will continue focusing on solutions for the Brazilian market for now. Mejía comments:

"San Francisco has been reborn. The city is more dynamic, faster, and youthful. We want to stay connected to this innovation."

The company’s name, which means “octopus” in Japanese, reflects Tako’s vision of being more than just a payroll solution. According to Gadotti, the goal is to become a central infrastructure of reliable company data, helping integrate and automate decision-making across multiple areas. Some clients already use Tako’s system to organize information such as active employees or equipment needs, eliminating rework, avoiding errors, and improving the operational efficiency of all departments.