Cercli
Cercli is a Dubai-based, AI-native HR and payroll platform serving growth-stage and mid-market companies across 100+ countries, with deep MENA regulatory specialization (UAE, KSA, Egypt). Its unified platform combines recruitment (including the Cera AI hiring agent), HRIS, and multi-country payroll for startups like Huspy, Ziina, and Alaan.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2023
- HeadquartersDubai, United Arab Emirates
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What Cercli does
Cercli is a Dubai-based, AI-native HR and payroll platform founded in 2023 by former Careem executives David Reche and Akeed Azmi. The company sells an all-in-one workforce management system covering recruitment, HRIS, and payroll across 100+ countries, with deep specialization in Middle East and North Africa compliance—automating statutory requirements such as UAE DEWS, Saudi GOSI, WPS, and Egypt social security. The platform is anchored by the Cera AI hiring agent and an AI-native Applicant Tracking System for candidate screening and scoring, alongside AI-powered document and receipt processing, an automated compliance engine, and multi-entity/multi-country payroll orchestration.
The product is structured as three integrated suites—Recruitment, HR (People Management, Compensation, Leave, Onboarding, Offboarding, Documents, Asset Management), and Payroll (Local Payroll, Remote Contractors, Employer of Record, Expense Reimbursements)—built on a unified data model with role-based access, an integration marketplace covering 16+ enterprise tools (Workday, Greenhouse, Slack, QuickBooks, Oracle, etc.), and SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001, and GDPR certifications. Cercli reports processing $400M+ in payroll across 150+ countries and $100M+ annually across 50 countries for clients including Huspy, Ziina, Alaan, Platinumlist, Supy, and Humantra.
The company operates a hybrid go-to-market combining direct enterprise sales (demo booking via the website targeting 25–1,000+ employee companies), product-led growth with self-serve onboarding, and a three-tier partner program (Channel, Service, Integration) for indirect distribution. Revenue is generated through annual SaaS subscriptions priced per workforce size, EOR managed services for compliant international hiring, and transaction-based fees for remote contractor payments. The company has raised approximately $16.5M total across a $500K YC investment (2023), a $4M seed round (Sept 2024, Afore Capital), and a $12M Series A (Oct 2025, Picus Capital)—maintaining 22% MoM revenue growth and a 10x year-over-year revenue increase with a 14-person team as of October 2025.
Cercli firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Cercli
- Legal name
- CERCLI TECH LIMITED
- Website
- https://cercli.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2023
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Cercli is a Dubai-based, AI-native HR and payroll platform serving growth-stage and mid-market companies across 100+ countries, with deep MENA regulatory specialization (UAE, KSA, Egypt). Its unified platform combines recruitment (including the Cera AI hiring agent), HRIS, and multi-country payroll for startups like Huspy, Ziina, and Alaan.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Cercli industry classification
Industry- Product category
- HR and Payroll Software
- NAICS
- Payroll Services (541214), Professional Employer Organizations (56133), Professional Employer Organizations (561330), Accounting, Tax Preparation, Bookkeeping, and Payroll Services (54121)
- SIC
- Services-Prepackaged Software (7372)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Payroll Software & Payroll-as-a-Service (SaaS) (BPACAIAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Professional Employer Organization (PEO) / Co-Employment Services (BPACAHAB), Global Payroll & Multi-Country Payroll Coordination (EOR/PEO Interface) (BPAAAHAE), Employer of Record (EOR) & Global Payroll (FSAMAKAB), International Payroll & Contractor Payments (FSAMAIAC), Onboarding, Offboarding & Employee Lifecycle Administration (BPACAHAL), Employer Payroll Processing (SMB & Enterprise) (FSAMAKAA)
Keywords
Where Cercli is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Dubai
- HQ country
- United Arab Emirates
- HQ region
- Middle East
Offices1 record
Markets served
Cercli business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- SaaS Subscription (HRIS & Payroll Platform): Cercli operates on a subscription SaaS model with subscription periods typically of 12 months or more. Fees are charged based on workforce size and services used, covering HRIS, payroll processing, compliance, and platform access. Additional seat activation during subscription period billed quarterly in arrears at per-seat rate.
- Employer of Record (EOR) Services: Provides EOR services enabling companies to legally hire globally without setting up legal entities. Handles payroll, benefits, taxes, and compliance with local labor laws as the legal employer while client maintains day-to-day control.
- Direct Employee Hiring: Enables hiring of full-time direct employees with full compliance management. Supports local payroll setup and statutory benefits.
- Remote Contractor Payments: Handles compliant contractor payments in multiple currencies with transparent pricing—no hidden fees, no withdrawal fees, no deductions. Generates globally compliant contracts and tax-compliant invoices.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Product Essentials - All-in-One Platform |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
Cercli product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Cercli sells an AI-native, all-in-one HR and payroll SaaS platform that unifies recruitment, HRIS, and payroll workflows for businesses operating across multiple entities and countries. Its flagship Cera AI hiring agent automates candidate screening and scoring, while the payroll engine handles multi-country tax, social insurance, and local compliance (including MENA-specific regulations such as DEWS, GOSI, and WPS). The platform is sold on annual subscriptions priced by workforce size and seats, with optional Employer of Record services for global hiring without local entities.
Product overview
Cercli is an AI-native, all-in-one workforce management platform consisting of three integrated product suites: (1) Recruitment — an AI-powered hiring module anchored by the Cera AI hiring agent and Applicant Tracking System; (2) HR — a comprehensive HRIS encompassing People Management, Compensation Management, Leave Management, Onboarding, Offboarding, Documents, and Asset Management modules; and (3) Payroll — covering Local Payroll, Remote Contractors, Employer of Record, and Expense Reimbursements. All three suites are unified on a single platform that handles multi-entity, multi-country operations across 100+ countries. The platform also includes supplementary free tools (UAE and Saudi Arabia Gratuity Calculators) and is supported by an integrations marketplace covering ATS, ERP, HRIS, Finance, and Communication tools.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Cera: AI hiring agent for automated candidate screening, scoring, and workflow management. Part of Cercli's recruitment suite that integrates with the HR and payroll platform.
Products and services
- Cercli Platform Unified all-in-one AI-native HR and payroll SaaS platform that consolidates recruitment, HRIS, and payroll modules into a single subscription. Covers multi-entity, multi-country workforce operations across 100+ countries with role-based access control, real-time reporting, and enterprise-grade SSO. Sold to companies as a workforce-sized annual subscription.
- Employer of Record Managed Employer of Record service enabling companies to legally hire employees in countries where they have no legal entity. Cercli acts as the legal employer handling onboarding, payroll, benefits, taxes, and local compliance while the client retains day-to-day operational control. Sold as a managed service within the platform.
- Cera AI Hiring Agent AI-native autonomous hiring agent that creates job posts, generates screening questions and scorecards, scores candidates, flags red flags, and recommends high-potential matches. Operates as part of Cercli's recruitment suite for HR and hiring teams across all customer segments.
Quantifiable outcome
- 22,900 hours of manual work saved annually per customer, resulting in ~$780,000 savings
- +6 more outcomes
Companies that use Cercli
Customer profileNamed customers12 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Cercli technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration15 records
AI capability9 records
Feature7 records
Cercli partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators10 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Cercli competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Deel: Global EOR, contractor management, and payroll platform with strong presence across 150+ countries. Directly comparable to Cercli's EOR and Remote Contractors modules, and is the primary global incumbent competing for the same MENA customers Cercli serves.
- Rippling: All-in-one HR, IT, payroll, and spend management platform. TechCrunch explicitly framed Cercli as 'the Rippling for MENA'; comparable product breadth (HRIS + payroll + recruiting) and AI-driven automation approach.
- Remote: Global EOR and international payroll platform serving distributed teams across multiple jurisdictions. Comparable to Cercli's EOR and contractor payment offerings and a head-to-head competitor for multinational employers in MENA.
- Oyster HR: EOR and global HR platform for hiring international employees. Similar customer profile (tech-forward employers) and product surface (EOR + contractor payments + HRIS); Tony Jamous (Oyster CEO) is a Cercli angel investor, underscoring direct overlap.
- WorkMotion: Global EOR platform enabling compliant hiring across 150+ countries, with European roots. Comparable in EOR-first go-to-market and serves similar enterprise customers expanding internationally.
- Velocity Global: Global EOR and international payroll provider with established enterprise customer base. Comparable in EOR-led model and pursues similar mid-market and enterprise employer segments expanding internationally.
Regional players
- Bayzat: UAE-based HR, payroll, and employee benefits platform focused on the MENA region. The most direct regional incumbent to Cercli, with overlapping compliance expertise in UAE labor law and health insurance.
- Mudad: Saudi-focused compliance and payroll services platform integrated with government systems (MUDAD, GOSI). Comparable in Saudi payroll localization and serves as both a potential partner and competitor for Cercli's KSA payroll module.
Broad incumbents
- Personio: European HRIS and payroll platform serving SMB and mid-market. Comparable HRIS + payroll breadth for multi-country European employers; relevant as Cercli expands into Europe.
- Globalization Partners: Large established global EOR provider with deep enterprise customer base. Comparable in EOR-led offering but operates as a broad incumbent with heavier services orientation vs. Cercli's SaaS-first model.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Cercli social profiles
Digital presenceCercli compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance5 records
Cercli financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Cercli leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Cercli funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds3 records
Investors7 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Cercli M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Cercli
What does Cercli do?
Cercli sells an AI-native, all-in-one HR and payroll SaaS platform that unifies recruitment, HRIS, and payroll workflows for businesses operating across multiple entities and countries. Its flagship Cera AI hiring agent automates candidate screening and scoring, while the payroll engine handles multi-country tax, social insurance, and local compliance (including MENA-specific regulations such as DEWS, GOSI, and WPS). The platform is sold on annual subscriptions priced by workforce size and seats, with optional Employer of Record services for global hiring without local entities.
Is Cercli a public or private company?
Cercli is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Cercli founded?
Cercli was founded in 2023. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Cercli based?
Cercli is headquartered in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, in the Middle East region.
How does Cercli make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. SaaS Subscription (HRIS & Payroll Platform) is the primary driver. The others are employer of Record (EOR) Services, direct Employee Hiring and remote Contractor Payments.
Who are Cercli's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Deel, Rippling, Remote, Oyster HR, WorkMotion and Velocity Global. Regional players are Bayzat and Mudad. Broad incumbents are Personio and Globalization Partners.
Does Cercli have an API?
No public API is recorded for Cercli.
What industry is Cercli in?
Cercli's product category is HR and Payroll Software. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPACAIAB, Payroll Software & Payroll-as-a-Service (SaaS), with a secondary code of BPACAHAB, Professional Employer Organization (PEO) / Co-Employment Services. Its NAICS code is 541214 and its SIC code is 7372.