Hunar
Category: AI in HR & Talent
An AI-driven recruitment and workforce management platform designed to automate high-volume frontline hiring through conversational AI, Voice AI, and WhatsApp integration. Hunar was founded in 2021. The company is led by Krishna Khandelwal. Based in Bengaluru and Gurugram, India. Team size: 101-500. Total funding raised: $1.78M. Latest round: Seed (May 2023). Key investors include Together Fund, Titan Capital, Kunal Bahl, Rohit Bansal.
- Founded
- 2021
- Headquarters
- Bengaluru and Gurugram, India
- Team size
- 101-500
- Total funding
- $1.78M
Value proposition
Reduces hiring cycles by up to 75% by automating candidate sourcing, screening, and engagement using vernacular-friendly AI, specifically tailored for the blue and grey-collar workforce.
Products and solutions
WhatsApp-based Conversational AI Recruiter, Self-serve Voice AI Screening Solution, Automated Candidate Sourcing & Matching Engine, Frontline Workforce Engagement & Management Dashboard, Vernacular Language Support Module
Unique value
Unlike traditional ATS platforms, Hunar focuses on the 'resume-less' frontline workforce, utilizing WhatsApp and Voice AI to conduct interviews in regional dialects, making recruitment accessible to non-tech-savvy candidates.
Target customer
Large-scale enterprises, logistics and supply chain companies, retail chains, and quick-commerce platforms.
Industries served
Logistics & Supply Chain, E-commerce & Quick Commerce, Retail, Manufacturing, Hospitality, Facility Management
Technology advantage
Proprietary Generative AI models capable of handling large-scale automated screening calls and chat interactions; high-engagement delivery via WhatsApp which bypasses the low response rates of email and traditional job boards.
How they differentiate
Focuses on 'resume-less' hiring through proprietary vernacular Voice AI and WhatsApp automation, specifically designed to screen high-volume frontline workers without requiring traditional digital literacy.
Main competitors
Vahan.ai, BetterPlace, WorkIndia, Apna
Key partnerships
Titan Capital, Together Fund, Strategic integration with major Indian logistics and delivery enterprises, WhatsApp Business API partners
Notable customers
Croma, Delhivery, Dr Lal PathLabs, Bluedart, Tata 1mg, Aditya Birla Capital, Narayana Group, Rebel Foods, Aarvi Encon
Major milestones
Raised $1.78M across two rounds (Together Fund, Titan Capital; valuation >Rs 100 crore as of Jan 2026), Launched India's first self-serve Voice AI for frontline workforce; 100+ SMBs / 1000+ AI agents, Scaled to 21M+ candidate engagements and 500K+ calls/day with enterprise customers (Croma, Delhivery, etc.), ARR ~$3–4M reported mid-2026; additional funding round in process (not yet announced)
Growth metrics
21M+ candidate engagements; 500K+ calls/day; ARR ~$3–4M; cuts hiring cycles up to 75%; 90% faster onboarding cycle; 35% increment in annual retention; valuation over Rs 100 crore; 100+ SMBs on self-serve Voice AI.
Market positioning
B2B AI-SaaS recruitment automation specialist for the blue and grey-collar workforce.
Geographic focus
India (Primary focus on Tier 1 and Tier 2 cities)
Patents and IP
No specific registered patents disclosed; proprietary AI algorithms and datasets for frontline hiring behavior.
About Krishna Khandelwal
Krishna Khandelwal is the Co-founder and CEO of Hunar.AI. Prior to founding the company, he served as the Director of Business Development at Locus, a global logistics optimization platform, where he led business growth and international expansion. He is an alumnus of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kanpur.
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Official website: https://hunar.ai/