Squadio
Squadio is a Riyadh-based AI-powered tech talent platform that connects enterprises and startups with 55,000+ vetted remote developers and tech professionals from 80+ countries, offering AI matching, contract and payroll management, and MVP development services.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2019
- HeadquartersRiyad, Saudi Arabia
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Squadio does
Squadio is a Riyadh-headquartered HRtech company founded in 2019 that operates an AI-powered platform connecting companies with vetted remote tech professionals from 80+ countries. The platform's core products include Hiring Tech Talent (remote/on-site tech recruitment using AI matching), Building MVP with AI (AI-accelerated product development), Contract and Payroll Management (employment administration), Direct Talent Acquisition (talent buyout with 20% commission), and the Lama AI Recruiter agent that automates candidate interaction across the hiring workflow. Underlying technology centers on a proprietary AI matching engine that pairs companies with professionals based on technical skills, cultural fit, and project requirements, layered with conversational AI for the Lama agent and generative AI tooling for MVP services.
Squadio serves a customer base of 450+ companies spanning Saudi telecommunications (STC), government digital services (Elm, Absher, Monshaat), fintech (Lendo), real estate (Gathern), healthcare (NUPCO), media (Sabq), and growth-stage startups. Revenue is generated through two primary streams: a 20% commission on talent buyout transactions when companies directly recruit placed professionals, and managed services where Squadio employs tech professionals and bills clients through contract and payroll administration. The go-to-market combines direct enterprise sales with a self-serve platform option for mid-market buyers, supported by digital marketing across LinkedIn, YouTube, X, Facebook, and Instagram, plus a knowledge center for mid-funnel content.
The company is backed by regional investors including Wa'ed Ventures (Saudi Aramco's venture arm), Sanabil 500 MENA, Nour Nouf Ventures, and SEEDRA Ventures, having raised a $3 million Pre-Series A round in October 2025 to fund AI capability development and geographic expansion across MENA, Africa, and Silicon Valley. Leadership includes CEO Khaled Senawy, co-founder Majed Al Thagafi, CTO Mostafa Khattab, COO Mohammed ElTony, and Chief Talent Acquisition Officer Ahmed Elsawy, with a headcount in the 51-100 range.
Squadio firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Squadio
- Legal name
- Squadio
- Website
- https://squadio.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2019
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Squadio is a Riyadh-based AI-powered tech talent platform that connects enterprises and startups with 55,000+ vetted remote developers and tech professionals from 80+ countries, offering AI matching, contract and payroll management, and MVP development services.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Squadio industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Tech Staffing Platform
- NAICS
- Employment Placement Agencies (561311), Professional Employer Organizations (561330), Professional and Management Development Training (61143)
- SIC
- Search, Detection, Navagation, Guidance, Aeronautical Sys (3812)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Contingent Workforce / Contractor RPO (Contractor Recruiting) (BPACABAK)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Executive RPO (Leadership Hiring Programs) (BPACABAI), Recruiting Administration Outsourcing (Recruitment Support, Scheduling, Onboarding Ops) (BPACAKAG)
Keywords
Where Squadio is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Riyad
- HQ country
- Saudi Arabia
- HQ region
- Middle East
Offices1 record
Markets served
Squadio business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Talent Buyout Commission: Squadio charges a 20% commission fee when companies directly recruit and hire programmers under their own contracts through the platform.
- Managed Tech Talent Services: Full-service hiring solution where Squadio employs tech professionals and provides them to companies, including contract management and payroll administration services.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Talent Buyout - Direct Recruitment Commission |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels7 records
Squadio product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Squadio is an AI-powered Team-as-a-Service platform that connects companies with vetted remote tech professionals (developers, data scientists, AI specialists) from 80+ countries. It offers end-to-end hiring solutions including AI-assisted matching, direct talent buyout, full contract and payroll management, AI-accelerated MVP development, and the Lama AI Recruiter agent to streamline talent acquisition.
Product overview
Squadio is a Riyadh-based tech talent platform that operates as a unified offering combining AI-powered recruitment services with talent management solutions. The platform's core products include Hiring Tech Talent (remote/on-site tech professional recruitment), Building MVP with AI (AI-accelerated product development), Contract and Payroll Management (comprehensive employment administration), Direct Talent Acquisition (direct hire with commission-based model), and Lama AI Recruiter (an AI agent that guides clients through the recruitment process). The platform hosts over 55,000 professionals from 80+ countries and serves 450+ companies across MENA and international markets.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Lama: AI recruiter agent that helps reduce operational costs and hiring time, simplifying the process of hiring the best tech talent
Products and services
- Hiring Tech Talent (توظيف الكفاءات التقنية) Remote or on-site recruitment of tech professionals for full-time or part-time positions, utilizing AI matching to connect companies with vetted talent from a global network of 55,000+ professionals.
- Building MVP with AI (بناء MVP بالذكاء الاصطناعي) AI-accelerated Minimum Viable Product development service that enables companies to launch their initial product quickly, leveraging artificial intelligence throughout the development process.
- Contract and Payroll Management (إدارة العقود والعمليات المالية) Comprehensive contract administration and payroll processing service for resident employees, handling all administrative aspects of employment management including contracts and salary payments.
- Direct Talent Acquisition (استقطاب الكفاءات مباشرة) Direct recruitment and hiring of programmers under the client's own contracts, with Squadio charging a 20% commission fee for talent placement services.
- Lama AI Recruiter An AI-powered recruitment agent that simplifies the hiring journey, reduces operational costs, and shortens time-to-hire by providing intelligent assistance throughout the talent acquisition process for companies seeking tech professionals.
Quantifiable outcome
- 23% faster hiring compared to traditional methods
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Squadio
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Squadio technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability4 records
Feature2 records
Squadio partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators10 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Squadio competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Deel: Deel is a global Employer-of-Record and contractor management platform that handles payroll, contracts, and compliance for remote teams across 150+ countries. Squadio's contract and payroll management product competes directly with Deel's core offering in MENA.
- Andela: Andela operates a global marketplace connecting companies with vetted remote software engineers, primarily sourced from Africa. It is a direct competitor to Squadio's tech talent placement model and shares the same managed-services-plus-marketplace hybrid approach.
- Remote: Remote provides global payroll, benefits, and compliance infrastructure for hiring employees and contractors internationally. It overlaps with Squadio's managed-services and contract/payroll administration layer.
- Arc.dev: Arc.dev (formerly Codementor) is a remote developer hiring marketplace with a vetting layer and AI-assisted matching, positioning closely alongside Squadio's tech talent marketplace.
- Toptal: Toptal is a curated network of elite freelance tech talent (developers, designers, finance experts) sold to enterprises. It mirrors Squadio's vetting, matching, and managed-engagement model at the top of the market.
- Multiplier: Multiplier is an EOR and contractor management platform enabling companies to hire across 150+ countries. It competes with Squadio in the cross-border payroll and employment administration layer.
- Turing: Turing is an AI-powered platform that matches companies with pre-vetted remote software developers worldwide. Its AI matching engine and global talent pool are highly analogous to Squadio's Lama-powered matching and 80+ country reach.
Broad incumbents
- Upwork: Upwork is the largest open freelance marketplace for tech and knowledge work. While Squadio's curated, vetted model differs, both operate two-sided talent marketplaces for contract tech engagements.
- Globalization Partners: Globalization Partners is a large established EOR provider serving multinational enterprises with global hiring infrastructure. It overlaps with Squadio's managed-employment product but addresses a much larger enterprise segment globally.
Regional players
- Mostaql (by Bayt.com): Mostaql is the leading Arabic-language freelance marketplace in MENA operated by Bayt.com. It is a regional peer offering tech talent matching within the same geography where Squadio concentrates its enterprise customer base.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Squadio social profiles
Digital presenceSquadio financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Squadio leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
Squadio funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds4 records
Investors8 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Squadio 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 Squadio
What does Squadio do?
Squadio is an AI-powered Team-as-a-Service platform that connects companies with vetted remote tech professionals (developers, data scientists, AI specialists) from 80+ countries. It offers end-to-end hiring solutions including AI-assisted matching, direct talent buyout, full contract and payroll management, AI-accelerated MVP development, and the Lama AI Recruiter agent to streamline talent acquisition.
Is Squadio a public or private company?
Squadio is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Squadio founded?
Squadio was founded in 2019. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Squadio based?
Squadio is headquartered in Riyad, Saudi Arabia, in the Middle East region.
How does Squadio make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Talent Buyout Commission is the primary driver. The others are managed Tech Talent Services.
Who are Squadio's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Deel, Andela, Remote, Arc.dev, Toptal, Multiplier and Turing. Broad incumbents are Upwork and Globalization Partners. Mostaql (by Bayt.com) is listed as a regional player.
Does Squadio have an API?
No public API is recorded for Squadio.
What industry is Squadio in?
Squadio's product category is Tech Staffing Platform. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPACABAK, Contingent Workforce / Contractor RPO (Contractor Recruiting), with a secondary code of BPACABAI, Executive RPO (Leadership Hiring Programs). Its NAICS code is 561311 and its SIC code is 3812.