Outsized, the leading platform for top-tier independent talent in Asia-Pacific, Africa, and the Middle East announced the successful completion of its Series A funding round led by South African venture capital firm Knife Capital. The round also includes investment from several private investors including Adrian Durham, founder of the global wealth management platform FNZ Group.
The Investment enables Outsized to strengthen its position as the leading growth markets player in the global $ 5 billion freelance platform market. The company will grow its team in sales and engineering, expand in existing regions, and accelerate product development for both enterprise clients and independent talent.
Outsized is a transformative force in the freelance economy across growth markets in Asia-Pacific, Africa, and the Middle East. Through its AI-powered platform, the company offers enterprises access to a curated network of 25,000 vetted, top-tier independent professionals, thereby redefining agile workforce solutions in the market.
Before Outsized, talent platforms in growth markets predominantly focused on low-skilled, short-term opportunities. Other than legacy recruitment firms, there was no place for clients to go for professional, highly skilled independents. Now, enterprises can select and contract independent consultants within days, or assemble entire teams to quickly execute important projects.
“As a young firm, we’re already a key partner to a large number of management consulting firms and major enterprises. This funding is a game-changer, paving the way for new, innovative solutions for our clients and talent,” said Niclas Thelander, Founder & CMO of Outsized.
Knife Capital, Africa’s leading venture capital fund renowned for its unparalleled track record in propelling high-growth startups with an African connection from Series A to successful exits, revealed that the investment in Outsized is one of the first from its third fund.
“We are extremely excited to spearhead this investment round,” said Keet van Zyl, Co-Founding Partner at Knife Capital. “What really struck us about Outsized is the positive and growing unit economics and the fact that they have consistently achieved previous forecasts. The team has clearly demonstrated that they can execute and do justice to the scale of the opportunity. Most of the future growth in the global freelance platform market will come from the very geographies and segments of the market where Outsized is already a leader, so the business is well poised.”
Outsized has several new products in the works, including new modules for enterprise clients and services for professional freelancers. “The integration of AI technology into Outsized’s product offerings and core operations is already underway, enhancing the user experience for both clients and talent,” said Outsized’s CEO, Johann van Niekerk.
“Our core values—Passion, Integrity, and Accountability—aren’t just buzzwords; they guide our team and client interactions. We’re committed to creating a fair, sustainable talent market in high-growth economies. This investment validates our vision and marks the start of a very exciting future” noted van Niekerk.
