Vahan.ai, an India-based AI recruitment platform for blue-collar workers, has received a strategic investment from LemmaTree, an investment firm established by Temasek, Singapore’s state-owned investor.

Vahan.ai also acquired L.earn, a digital upskilling platform previously owned by GoodWorker and backed by LemmaTree.

The company said it will use the new funding to develop its AI technology for large-scale, multilingual recruitment, and expand support for additional Indian languages.

Vahan.ai reported that it has placed over 1 million workers across more than 920 cities, and facilitates about 40,000 job placements monthly.

Vahan.ai indicated plans to expand into new sectors and international markets, including Southeast Asia and the MENA region.

Financial details of the investment and acquisition were not disclosed.

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🔗 Source: Vahan.ai

🧠 Food for thought

1️⃣ India’s gig economy surge creates massive recruitment infrastructure opportunity

India’s gig workforce is projected to reach 12 million workers by 2024-25, representing over 2% of the total workforce with a remarkable 38% year-on-year growth rate 1.

This rapid expansion is driving significant demand for recruitment infrastructure, as evidenced by India’s staffing and recruitment market growing from $18.06 billion in 2022 to a projected $48.53 billion by 2030 2.

The numbers highlight why platforms like Vahan.ai are well-positioned. With gig workers projected to reach 23.5 million by 2029-30, there’s a clear need for scalable hiring solutions that can handle millions of job placements efficiently 1.

Over 92% of companies are now adopting AI-driven recruitment solutions to manage this scale, indicating that Vahan’s AI-powered approach aligns with broader industry trends 2.

2️⃣ Blue-collar worker challenges justify integrated job-plus-skills approach

Research from 2019 revealed persistent challenges facing India’s blue-collar workforce, including lack of recognition, support systems, and a generational shift away from manual labor that created significant skill shortages 34.

These structural issues help explain why Vahan’s acquisition of L.earn makes strategic sense. Gig workers face income volatility and lack formal employment benefits, with delivery drivers earning an average of ₹27,814 monthly while shouldering 32% in work-related expenses 15.

The integration of upskilling directly into the job placement process addresses a core gap identified in earlier research, where blue-collar workers were noted for having “diverse skill sets” but lacked pathways for career advancement 4.

By combining recruitment with embedded skills training, Vahan is addressing the fundamental challenge that these workers need both immediate job access and long-term career mobility to achieve economic stability.

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