As companies struggle to manage growing volumes of job applications, some are turning to artificial intelligence to identify and reach potential candidates more directly.
A recruiting technology startup focused on that approach has now secured $80 million in a Series B funding round, valuing the company at $850 million. The round was led by DST Global, with participation from investors including Sequoia Capital, Coatue, Y Combinator, NFDG and Verified Capital.
With the new funding, Juicebox plans to expand product development and grow its enterprise sales operations. The company is also planning to expand internationally, starting with the opening of a London office later this year.
“Recruiting is going through its biggest shift in decades, and most teams haven’t caught up yet. The old model isn’t working, for both employers are buried in applications that aren’t the right fit and candidates who never hear back. Companies getting ahead are treating talent acquisition like an outbound engine, with recruiters and agents working hand-in-hand to target the best candidates,” said David Paffenholz, CEO and co-founder of Juicebox.
The funding announcement comes as the company has tripled ARR since its Series A in July 2025, and now serves 5,000 customers spanning fast-growing technology companies and Fortune 100 brands, with customers reporting up to 90% less time spent identifying top candidates.
“Building a talent function from scratch at a hyper-growth startup means I need to rely on tools that actually keep up,” said Patrick Circelli, Head of Talent at Cognition. “Juicebox’s agents are helping us uncover candidates we wouldn’t have found otherwise, and with the kind of quality that allows us to grow faster than any other company.”
Addressing challenges in modern hiring
Founded by David Paffenholz and Ishan Gupta, Juicebox’s platform uses AI tools to search across large datasets of potential candidates, identify people who match a company’s hiring needs and reach out to them directly before they apply.
According to the company, its tools help recruiters reduce the time spent identifying potential candidates. Its platform has supported over 560,000 candidate searches and helped companies connect with more than three million potential hires.
“Juicebox is transforming how companies find and hire talent,” said Saurabh Gupta, Co-Founder at DST Global. “The strength of the product David and Ishan have built is clear from its rapid adoption and the exceptional love its customers feel for it, from high-growth technology companies to global financial institutions and traditional enterprises. DST Global is delighted to partner with Juicebox as they build the intelligent automated tools that the recruiting industry has needed for decades.”
