As soon as you have a goal in mind, you want nothing more than to work with the best to achieve it.

To be the head of a project, of a company, is to have in mind an idea you think answers an unmet need, an idee that you think to be perfect. Although it sometimes sounds like a formulaic idea, being the head of a company is on some levels equivalent to raising a child. Following this logic, HR would be the equivalent to the values instilled in the child, the HQ would be the environment in which they grow up, and the employees are the encounters that a person makes throughout their life. Those encounters will help them grow and achieve fulfilment.

It is on this analogy that relies on the foundations for Welcome to the Jungle. Welcome to the Jungle, the employer branding and recruitment specialist operating in France and the Czech Republic, is a must for companies looking for the right talents. Today, the platform announces the acquisition of Otta, allowing it to expand into the UK and the USA.

An unstoppable growth

Welcome to the Jungle acquires Otta, a British job search platform for candidates. This investment will consolidate Welcome to the Jungle's job search experience, expand its presence in Europe and enter the United States in 2024.

Created in 2015, the platform offers its 5,500 clients, both in France and the Czech Republic, innovative solutions to promote their employers’ brands, strengthen their attractiveness, and redefines the world of work through inspiring content that reaches nearly three million workers every month.

Otta has developed a state-of-the-art job matching algorithm, giving more power to candidates to find jobs that are truly right for them. Its candidate base has grown significantly to nearly 2 million people in 2023, spread across the UK, US, and Europe. Otta is now the go-to job platform for the tech and start-up sector in the UK.

A shared vision, a common future

Welcome to the Jungle and Otta share an optimistic view of the recruitment market. By redefining the standards of employer branding, job search and candidate sourcing, they aim to become the best matching platform to allow candidates and companies to find each other.

"I can't wait to see what the future holds at Welcome to the Jungle. Our cultures are very similar and our mission is the same: to build a better future for job seekers.” - explains Sam Franklin, co-founder and CEO of Otta

This acquisition will also allow Welcome to the Jungle to:

  • Strengthen its presence in Europe: The UK is the third largest labour market in Europe, with more than 185,000 start-ups and scale-ups.
  • Establishing a presence in the United States: With Otta, Welcome to the Jungle is setting out to conquer the American market in 2024. 70% of the applications for Otta already come from the United States, and Welcome to the Jungle has raised £42.92M in Series C in 2023 in order to establish and develop in this strategic market.

In addition, the two players share a common DNA. They envision a future in which work will occupy a more sustainable place in our lives, thanks to more flexibility, a real sense of belonging to the company, and meaningful missions for employees. They operate in a similar way (with the four-day week in France, and the nine-day fortnight in the UK) and will continue to experiment with innovative HR policies.

"From our shared vision of the recruitment market, to our candidate-centric approach, to how we manage our business with the four-day workweek in France and the nine-day fortnight in the UK, we will build the best employer branding and sourcing solution,  which will be a unique and very attractive offer for our customers," adds Jérémy Clédat, co-founder and CEO of Welcome to the Jungle.