News
Jem raises $8.4 million Series A led by Quona Capital for its WhatsApp HR platform
South African HR platform Jem has raised $8.4 million in a Series A led by Quona Capital, as it expands into workforce management for deskless employees.
By Propel Africa · 2026-08-19
Jem HR has raised $8.4 million in a Series A round led by Quona Capital. Disrupt Africa reported on 19 August that University Technology Fund, E4E, NEXT176 and Futuregrowth Asset Management also took part, along with angel investors including former Old Mutual CEO Iain Williamson.
What Jem does
Jem runs an HR and employee benefits platform that works through WhatsApp. Employees without email can receive company communications, view payslips, request leave and access financial wellness products. The company was founded in 2019 as SmartWage and rebranded as Jem in 2022. Simon Ellis is co-founder and CEO.
Traction
More than 200 companies and 250,000 frontline workers use the platform. Simon Ellis, co-founder and CEO of Jem, said: "Jem is the workforce management platform for deskless employees."
What comes next
The new funding supports Jem's expansion into a workforce management platform. Time and attendance, credit scores and an employee assistance programme are already in place, while rostering and a learning management system are in beta. The company is described as South African, and the article does not name any other markets.
At a glance
- Company: Jem HR
- Raised: $8.4 million
- Round: Series A
- Investors: Quona Capital (lead), University Technology Fund, E4E, NEXT176, Futuregrowth Asset Management
- Founded: 2019 (as SmartWage)
- Based in: South Africa
- Markets: South Africa
- Key figure: More than 250,000 frontline workers