Jem

Cape Town, South Africa

series-a$8.4M raisedEnterpriseHR TechFintech

◆ Total Raised

$8.4M

◆ Stage

series-a

◆ Location

Cape Town, South Africa

◆ Founded

2020

◆ Team size

11-50

◆ Links

Website ↗LinkedIn ↗

◆ About Jem

South African workforce management startup Jem has raised $8.4 million in a Series A round led by Quona Capital.

◆ What sets it apart

Jem delivers workforce management and employee financial wellness tools through WhatsApp, making it accessible to frontline workers without requiring a separate app.

◆ Sectors

EnterpriseHR TechFintechworkforce managementemployee benefits

◆ Business

ModelSaaS

CustomerEmployers with deskless/frontline workforces, especially HR and payroll teams

◆ Notable

Raised $8.4 million in a Series A round led by Quona Capital
Serves 200+ companies and over 250,000 frontline workers
Rebranded from SmartWage to Jem in 2022

◆ Funding rounds

series-a$8.4M

18 Aug 2026

Led by Quona Capital

With University Technology Fund, E4E, Next176/FutureGrowth, angel investors including former Old Mutual chief executive Iain Williamson, Next176, FutureGrowth, Iain Williamson

Source ↗

◆ Explore the market

HR Tech Fintech Series A South Africa

◆ FAQ

What does Jem do?

South African workforce management startup Jem has raised $8.4 million in a Series A round led by Quona Capital.

Where is Jem based?

Jem is based in Cape Town, South Africa, founded in 2020.

How much has Jem raised?

Jem has raised $8.4M in tracked funding and is currently at the series-a stage.

Who has invested in Jem?

Investors in Jem include E4E, FutureGrowth, Iain Williamson, Next176, Quona Capital and University Technology Fund.