Aequivalent SA

What Aequivalent SA does

Aequivalent SA is a Swiss HR technology firm that provides digital background check and employment screening services to organizations operating in or hiring from Switzerland. Founded in 2014 and headquartered in Yverdon-les-Bains with a secondary office in Bern, the company serves clients across at least ten verticals including banking and insurance, pharmaceuticals, luxury and watchmaking, IT and technology, healthcare, NGOs and humanitarian organizations, aviation, energy, public authorities, and recruitment agencies. Named customers include LGT, PostFinance, Luzerner Kantonalbank, BLKB, BCVS, Alpian, GZF, Bank-Wir, Groupe E, ICRC, Loterie Romande, Piguet Galland, Beekeeper, and Maxon, among others, with management describing its customer base as "hundreds of Swiss employers of all sizes." The company is privately held, founder-led under three co-CEOs (Michael Platen, Maximilian Pohle, and Joël Rosset), and operates without disclosed external funding.

The company operates a cloud-based digital screening platform that delivers end-to-end background verification from candidate invitation through report delivery, with 24/7 real-time tracking. Its product portfolio spans three delivery models: a self-service marketplace for on-demand individual checks (ID verification, criminal record, financial probity, watchlist screening, internet profile); standardized screening programs in tiered packages (Light, Basic, Standard, Executive); and customized programs tailored by job role, location, or industry. The platform supports native integrations with six HRIS systems (Workday, SAP SuccessFactors, Lucca, PeopleWeek, Abacus, Adequasys) via a custom API, SSO authentication, and Swiss-hosted data with automatic 90-day deletion. The company is ISO/IEC 27001:2022 certified (SQS) and holds Swiss Made Software and Swiss Made Label certifications, positioning compliance with Swiss FADP/LPD, GDPR, and SECO guidelines as core elements of its value proposition.

Aequivalent generates revenue through a hybrid model combining recurring subscription licensing, per-verification usage fees, and custom professional services for large enterprises. Published pricing includes a free Start tier, Regular at CHF 480/year, Professional at CHF 1,980/year, Enterprise at CHF 5,940/year, and a custom Corporate tier, alongside per-check pricing of CHF 10–30 for individual verifications and CHF 150–975 for bundled dossiers. Go-to-market combines an enterprise field sales motion targeting regulated sectors with a product-led growth motion via the self-service marketplace, supported by HRIS integration partnerships and a channel partner network of recruitment agencies. Marketing channels include LinkedIn, multilingual SEO (EN/FR/DE), content marketing, webinars, email, and demo booking infrastructure.

Name

Aequivalent SA

Legal name

Aequivalent SA/AG

Website

https://aequivalent.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Aequivalent SA is a Swiss HR technology firm providing digital background check and employment screening services to Swiss organizations across banking, insurance, pharma, luxury, IT, healthcare, NGOs, energy, and public sectors. The company operates a cloud-based screening platform with HRIS integrations and tiered subscription pricing.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

HR Background Screening Software

NAICS

Investigation and Personal Background Check Services (561611), Investigation and Security Services (5616)

SIC

Services-Employment Agencies (7361)

akta.pro primary industry

Pre-Employment Background Checks & Screening (BPAKAEAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Continuous Monitoring & Post-Hire Screening (BPACALAJ), Global / International Background Screening (BPACALAI), Criminal Background Checks (National/State/County) (BPACALAA)

Keywords

• Background screening services
• Employment verification
• HR compliance software
• Pre-employment checks
• Workforce integrity verification

Headquarters

HQ city

Yverdon-les-bains

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Platform Licensing: Annual subscription tiers (Start free, Regular CHF 480/year, Professional CHF 1980/year, Enterprise CHF 5940/year) providing platform access, user licenses, and feature sets. Auto-renewed unless terminated 30 days before expiry.
2. Verification Services: Per-verification fees for background checks including ID verification (CHF 10), criminal record checks (CHF 30), financial probity (CHF 30), watchlist screening (CHF 15), and comprehensive programs (CHF 150-975 per dossier).
3. Custom Programs: Customized screening solutions for large enterprises and regulated sectors, including development and execution of personalized verification programs, API integration services, and consulting.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Aequivalent SA operates a digital background screening platform that enables Swiss employers to conduct pre-employment and in-employment verifications through self-service ordering, standardised screening programs, or fully customised enterprise solutions. The platform delivers background checks covering criminal records, identity, financial probity, work permits, employment history, professional qualifications, watchlists, and conflicts of interest, with native HRIS integration and API access. Customers range from SMBs using free or low-cost tiers to large enterprises on multi-year contracts with dedicated Client Success Managers.

Product overview

Aequivalent operates a digital background check screening platform offering three primary service delivery models: Self-Service/Marketplace for on-demand individual checks, Standard Programmes with bundled verification tiers (Light to Executive), and Customised Programmes for tailored enterprise solutions. The platform integrates with leading HRIS systems (Workday, SAP SuccessFactors, Lucca, PeopleWeek, Abacus, Adequasys) and offers API-based integration. Pricing tiers (Start, Regular, Professional, Enterprise, Corporate) provide scalability from small teams to large enterprises, with verification packages ranging from CHF 10 for identity checks to CHF 975 for executive packages.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Self-Service Background Check Marketplace
• Standard Programmes
• Customised Programmes
• Swiss Combo Check

Quantifiable outcome

• 2-15 business day turnaround for typical background checks
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers18 records

Segments12 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• WorkdaycoreTechnology or IntegrationHRIS integration partnership enabling Aequivalent's background check services to be initiated and tracked directly within the Workday HR platform, providing seamless workflow for enterprise clients.
• SAP SuccessFactorscoreTechnology or IntegrationIntegration with SAP SuccessFactors allowing clients to access Aequivalent's screening services through the SAP ecosystem, enabling HR process automation.
• Lucca SoftwarecoreTechnology or IntegrationIntegration with Lucca HR software enabling French and Swiss companies to access Aequivalent's verification services within their existing HR management system.
• PeopleWeekcoreTechnology or IntegrationIntegration partnership with PeopleWeek talent management platform, enabling seamless background check ordering and tracking within the HR workflow.
• Infomaniak Network SAcoreTechnology or IntegrationWebsite hosting provider. Infomaniak Network SA, based in Geneva (Rue Eugène-Marziano 25, 1227 Les Acacias), provides infrastructure hosting for aequivalent.ch website.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Certn: Certn is a modern background screening platform offering API-based, fast-turnaround checks globally, including EMEA expansion. It directly competes with Aequivalent's digital platform model and represents the same self-service/marketplace approach targeting SMB and enterprise customers.
• Checkr: Checkr is a US-based digital-first background check platform offering API-driven screening, modern UX, and fast turnaround. It competes with Aequivalent in the same product category — employment background screening delivered via a self-service/PLG platform — and represents the modern, well-funded template Aequivalent is built around.
• HireRight: HireRight is a global provider of employment background screening, identity, and workforce solutions. It is directly comparable to Aequivalent as a full-service background screening vendor serving enterprise and SMB clients, though operating at much greater global scale and capital intensity.
• Sterling Check: Sterling Check is a global background screening and identity verification provider serving enterprise and government clients. It is a direct competitor to Aequivalent in the broader employment screening market, with overlapping capabilities in criminal, identity, and credential verification.
• Vault Verify: Vault Verify is a US-based background screening technology vendor providing digital, API-driven employment screening. It competes with Aequivalent in the same digital screening product category, particularly for enterprise HR teams seeking automated, integration-led screening workflows.
• Accurate Background: Accurate Background is a US background screening provider offering employment, criminal, and drug screening via a technology platform. It is comparable to Aequivalent as a background screening vendor targeting enterprise HR customers with integration-led delivery.
• First Advantage: First Advantage is a global provider of background screening, identity verification, and workforce solutions. It is a direct competitor to Aequivalent across the same product surface (pre-employment screening, ongoing monitoring, compliance-driven checks), with significantly broader international footprint.
• Veremark: Veremark is a UK-headquartered background screening platform providing pre-employment and continuous screening via a digital platform with global coverage. It is comparable to Aequivalent as a digital-first European screening specialist competing for similar enterprise clients.

Broad incumbents

• Workday: Workday is a leading global HRIS and enterprise cloud applications provider. It is a broad incumbent that Aequivalent integrates with natively; Workday represents both a key distribution channel and a potential competitive risk if it expands into adjacent HR-tech verticals like screening.
• SAP SuccessFactors: SAP SuccessFactors is a major enterprise HRIS suite and one of Aequivalent's named native integration partners. As a broad incumbent in the HR technology stack, SuccessFactors serves as a primary distribution channel for Aequivalent in large enterprises but could also evolve into adjacent competition over time.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/aequivalent

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Aequivalent SA