27 October 2023 — Outsized, the leading platform for top-tier independent talent in Asia-Pacific, Africa, and the Middle East, is thrilled to announce 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 USD 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.
Connecting top independent talent with enterprises and consulting firms in high growth markets
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.
Since its pilot in 2016, Outsized has experienced remarkable year-on-year growth.
“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, attracted to team, unit economics and the market opportunity
Knife Capital, 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.”
Funding fuelling ambitious growth plans, done in the right way
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.
Outsized is committed to play an important role in shaping the workforce of the future.
“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.
About Outsized
Outsized is a talent-on-demand platform for top independent professionals, enabling large enterprise clients and consulting firms in Asia-Pacific, Africa, and the Middle East to implement flexible workforce models. With local teams based in South Africa, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and India, Outsized is committed to creating a sustainable, win-win ecosystem for clients and talent. For more information, please visit www.outsized.com.
About Knife Capital
Knife Capital is a Cape Town-based venture capital firm that accelerates innovation-driven businesses by leveraging knowledge, networks, and funding. Knife Capital is currently investing from its $50m Fund III. The focus is to support the expansion of breakout companies with and African nexus that have demonstrated a strong product/ market fit. Knife Capital Fund III invests at the Series A and B stage. For more information, please visit www.knifecap.com.
