Ordio Secures €12M Series A to Revolutionize Payroll Automation for 100 Million Deskless Workers
Ordio automates HR and payroll processes for 100 million people in deskless industries – where traditional HR software fails.
- • 3VC, Wecken & Cie., Capnamic, and Simon Capital invest €12M in the expansion of Ordio Payroll Plus
- • Ordio automates HR and payroll processes where traditional HR software fails
- • The platform replaces paperwork with an integrated People Operating System
The Ordio Team
Revolutionizing the workplace for 100 million people
Update 2026: Payroll Plus is available
Payroll Plus now delivers integrated net payroll inside Ordio — from €15 per payslip per month, with statutory filings included. The July 2025 announcement below describes the funding round that accelerated this launch.
Explore Payroll PlusCologne, 07/15/2025 - Ordio, the People Operating System designed for deskless industries, has raised €12 million in a Series A funding round to launch “Payroll Plus,” the first fully automated payroll solution for deskless workers. The round was led by Vienna-based tech investor 3VC, with participation from Swiss family office Wecken & Cie., as well as existing investors Capnamic and Simon Capital.
Addressing a €20 Billion Market's Hidden Crisis
Over 100 million people in Europe work in deskless jobs - from healthcare and hospitality to retail and logistics. Despite a market for digital solutions exceeding €20 billion, these sectors remain underserved. While office software is booming, businesses operating with deskless jobs continue to depend on manual processes, point solutions, and physical paperwork.
Between 2020 and 2023, around 48,000 gastronomic businesses in Germany were forced to shut down. The industry is facing a severe labor shortage, with turnover rates reaching up to 50% in some sectors. Complex legal requirements further complicate payroll: wages, bonuses, absences, and tax compliance must all be managed accurately, making payroll significantly more challenging than in typical office settings.
Payroll AI: Ending Manual Payroll Once and for All
Ordio aims to eliminate the frustration of paperwork through smart automation, going far beyond traditional HR or shift planning tools. The platform unifies all core operational processes, from onboarding and shift scheduling to automated payroll, in a modular, scalable solution tailored to the realities of the deskless workforce.
With Payroll Plus, Ordio introduced the first fully automated payroll platform designed for complex wage calculations in deskless jobs. Ordio already automates gross wage calculations; Payroll Plus integrates full net payroll processing. Bonuses, legal requirements, and tax complexities are processed in real time, powered by AI.
“This marks the most significant advancement in payroll automation in decades. Tasks that once required weeks are now accomplished in minutes — entirely without manual intervention.”
— David Keuenhof, Founder and Co-CEO
Born from Frustration. Built for Reality.
The idea for Ordio was born when David Keuenhof managed 135 employees at his Sushi Ninja restaurant chain and realized that shift planning, sick leave, and payroll were organizational chaos. No existing software could keep up with the fast-paced, labor-intensive environment; everything was built for office jobs. Out of this frustration, Keuenhof and Gregor Pilz founded Ordio in 2021.
Today, more than 2,500+ companies in hospitality, healthcare, retail, and manufacturing rely on Ordio. The company's revenue quadrupled in 2024. With this funding, Ordio accelerated product development in AI-powered payroll and process automation, aiming to become the backbone of the real-world workforce.
“Ordio is redefining how teams and processes are organized in the hospitality, retail, and service industries. Instead of using individual tools and manually accounting for payroll, users receive a comprehensive cloud solution that automates all processes. We see Ordio as a strong driver for the future of shift work and are excited to support the team.”
— Federico Rota Candiani, Investment Manager at 3VC
About Ordio
Ordio is the People Operating System that revolutionizes day-to-day operations in deskless industries, precisely where traditional software fails. Its modular platform digitizes and automates every process along the employee lifecycle — from shift planning to payroll, bringing structure to operational chaos.
Founded in 2021 in Cologne by David Keuenhof and Gregor Pilz, Ordio is now used by over 2,500+ companies across hospitality, healthcare, retail, and manufacturing.
www.ordio.comAbout 3VC
3VC is a European early-stage venture capital fund based in Vienna, investing in ambitious tech startups across Europe, including Kaia Health, Storyblok, and Bitpanda.
www.three.vc