Keith Rabois of Khosla Ventures backs Comp, an AI startup focused on strengthening HR teams

After graduating from Cornell University, Christophe Gerlach spent nearly 2 years investing exclusively in HR technology startups at General Atlantic. While he enjoyed the investing side, Gerlach said he wanted to return to building companies.

During his time at Cornell, Gerlach co-founded and later sold a food delivery startup with classmate Pedro Bobrow, who is originally from Brazil. In late 2022, the two teamed up again. Gerlach and Bobrow — who previously worked as a product manager at Lyft — combined their sector experience and personal ties to launch Comp, an HR tech startup initially focused on Brazil.

Comp is developing AI-driven HR software designed to help with functions such as recruiting, establishing compensation policies, and building performance review systems. Alongside its software, Comp also offers “forward-deployed” experts — former HR executives — who partner directly with customers to shape recruiting strategies, performance frameworks, and compensation structures.

Gerlach said that while Brazilian companies often hire compensation consultants, Comp’s model should not be viewed as consulting. Instead, he described the forward-deployed HR executives as extensions of an organisation’s existing HR team.

Those HR executives also contribute to Comp’s product development by helping train the company’s AI systems. “Our forward-deployed HR execs do all the work manually at first, and then they use that work to train the AI how to think in best practices,” Gerlach said.

Over time, the company’s plan is for Comp’s AI agents to become increasingly autonomous and eventually able to carry out traditional HR functions without human involvement.

For now, Comp delivers AI-supported HR services supported by experienced professionals, but its larger ambition is to compete directly with both traditional HR consultancies and legacy HR software providers. Gerlach described the difference this way: “Rippling sells software to junior HR teams to make them more productive. We become the HR team.”

This week, Comp announced it raised a $17.25 million Series A round led by Khosla Ventures, marking Khosla’s first investment in a Brazilian company. Khosla Ventures general partner Keith Rabois is also joining Comp’s board as part of the financing.

Comp is pitching itself as an AI alternative to established compensation consulting firms such as Mercer, Korn Ferry, and Willis Towers Watson. It is also competing with global HR software platforms such as Rippling and Workday.

Gerlach said Comp decided to launch in Brazil because many companies there lack traditional HR software, which gave the startup an opening to introduce a more automated model rather than having to displace deeply entrenched platforms from day one.

Comp says it has already gained momentum in the Brazilian market. Its customers include Nubank, QuintoAndar, Creditas, and what Gerlach described as “pretty much every unicorn in Brazil.” The startup is now planning expansion into the United States and additional markets.

Other investors in the Series Around included existing backers Kaszek and Canary, as well as new participants Abstract Ventures and EndeavourCatalyst.