Bengaluru-Based "Apna", Apple Alum's Hiring App, Raises $70 million

Apna, whose app went live just before the pandemic hit, has grown 50 times in the last 12 months thanks to unprecedented demand from segments like e-commerce and health care.

Apna, an app startup that helps India's blue-collar workers find jobs, has raised $70 million from Tiger Global and Insight Partners at a valuation of $570 million. Existing investors Sequoia Capital India, Greenoaks Capital, Lightspeed India and Rocketship VC participated in the Series B funding round. The capital will help with technology improvements, talent acquisition and expansion to the U.S. and Southeast Asia, the Bangalore-based startup announced Wednesday. India has been among the hardest-hit countries during Covid-19, though employment is recovering in a sign Asia's third-largest economy may be turning a corner. Apna, whose app went live just before the pandemic hit, has grown 50 times in the last 12 months thanks to unprecedented demand from segments like e-commerce and health care. Former Apple Inc. executive Nirmit Parikh built Apna for job seekers on the margins and calls it a sort of a LinkedIn for non-English speaking, non-affluent Indians. Users enter their name, age and skills to generate a virtual business card that's then sent out to potential employers.