Pintarnya Raises $16.7M to Power Jobs and Financial Services in Indonesia

Pintarnya, an Indonesian employment platform, has secured $16.7 million in Series A funding to expand its services that combine job matching with financial solutions for workers. The round was led by Square Peg, with participation from existing investors Vertex Venture Southeast Asia & India and East Ventures.

Founded in 2022 by Ghirish Pokardas, Nelly Nurmalasari, and Henry Hendrawan, Pintarnya addresses two major challenges in Indonesia: earning a sustainable income and accessing responsible borrowing options. Henry Hendrawan, co-founder, explained, "Traditionally, mass workers in Indonesia find jobs offline through job fairs or word of mouth, with employers buried in paper applications and candidates rarely hearing back. For borrowing, their options are often limited to family/friend or predatory lenders with harsh collection practices."

Image credits: Pintarnya (Founders of Pintarnya Ghirish Pokardas, Nelly Nurmalasari, and Henry Hendrawan)

A key issue is that around 59% of Indonesia's 150 million workforce is employed in the informal sector, making it difficult for them to access formal financial services due to lack of verifiable income and documentation. Pintarnya tackles this by partnering with asset-backed lenders to offer secured loans using collateral such as gold, electronics, or vehicles.

Since its seed funding in 2022, the platform has grown significantly, now serving over 10 million job seeker users and 40,000 employers nationwide. Revenue has increased almost fivefold year-over-year, and the company expects to reach break-even by the end of the year. Pintarnya primarily targets users aged 21 to 40 with high school education or diplomas, focusing on the underserved blue-collar and informal worker segment.

Unlike existing job platforms like JobStreet, Kalibrr, and Glints, which cater mainly to white-collar roles, Pintarnya is designed specifically for blue-collar workers. It offers features such as quick-apply options for walk-in interviews, affordable e-learning for skill upgrades, in-app opportunities for supplemental income, and seamless connections to financial services like loans.

Hendrawan noted, "Through the journey of building employment services, we discovered that our users needed more than just jobs — they needed access to financial services that traditional banks couldn't provide." Lending is currently the most in-demand service, with plans to introduce micro-savings and investments in the future.

The new funding will be used to enhance platform technology and broaden financial service offerings through strategic partnerships. With most Indonesian workers in blue-collar and informal sectors, the co-founders see substantial growth opportunities locally and are open to regional expansion when the time is right.

Hendrawan shared the vision: "In five years, we see Pintarnya as the go-to super app for Indonesia's workers, not just for earning income, but as a trusted partner throughout their life journey. We want to be the first stop when someone is looking for work, a place that helps them upgrade their skills, and a reliable guide as they make financial decisions."