Gigs launches with $2.7M in funding to connect companies to job seekers looking for hourly jobs in their neighborhoods

The United States continues to experience a persistent labor shortage exacerbated following the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the Society for Human Resource Management, 76.1 million workers aged 16 and older – representing more than half of all wage and salary workers – were paid at hourly rates in 2021.

Currently, nearly 80 million roles going unfilled. It’s the desire to solve this problem that motivated Allen Narcisse to start Gigs, a new job platform that connects companies to job seekers looking for hourly jobs in their neighborhoods, thereby eliminating the need to overspend on job postings that often yield unqualified candidates.

Today, Gigs announced the official launch of its employer portal to help retailers, food and beverage, logistics, and hospitality companies with their full-time and part-time hiring needs. The news coincides with the company’s $2.7 million in a pre-seed funding round led by Slauson & Co with additional investment from Wonder Ventures and several angel investors.

Gigs will use the fresh capital infusion to invest in product, engineering, marketing, and sales to further its goal of helping companies find qualified candidates and job seekers to find part-time or full-time work that matches their skills and interests.

Allen Narcisse (Credit: Chicago Tribune)

Narcisse has an impressive background in the tech industry. Before starting Gigs, he co-founded Ebyline, a platform connecting content creators with publishers and brands. Ebyline was later acquired by Izea and is now listed on Nasdaq. Narcisse also has experience in the rideshare industry, having led Southern California operations at UberEATS and West Coast markets at Lyft. Recently, he served as Chief Operating Officer of Workrise, a labor marketplace focused on the energy sector that raised over $750 million in venture funding.

“We are thrilled to launch Gigs and offer a new solution to help connect companies and job seekers in their neighborhoods,” Narcisse said. “By enhancing transparency in the job market, Gigs makes it easier and faster for companies and job seekers to find what works for them. We believe that Gigs will transform the way people find hourly jobs in their community.”

In a LinkedIn post, Narcisse said he founded Gigs “to build a better, more transparent solution to empower job seekers in ways today’s job boards don’t.” Narcisse explains: “For example, we’ve found that the most widely known job boards don’t include some of the most important job information; around 85% of hourly job posts don’t have a pay range and around 95% don’t have a precise location.”

“We’re excited to announce our investment into Gigs. Allen exemplifies all of the best founder traits. He’s a brilliant operator, and his experience shines through his execution. We’re impressed by the team he’s assembling, and their deep-rooted expertise in building leading marketplace businesses,” said Austin Clements, Managing Partner of Slauson & Co. “Gigs’ dedication to creating a modern, refreshed experience for hourly workers and employers is unique and forward-thinking for this industry. We have no doubt they will make a lasting change for the jobs space.”