Dosen

Based in West Hollywood, California, Dosen develops an AI-powered human resources software platform that provides corporate employees with instant access to internal company knowledge and structured training pathways. The enterprise software-as-a-service solution functions as a digital employee copilot, systematically aligning individual skill development and career aspirations with broader organizational goals. By integrating corporate structural data with personalized learning modules, the platform assists human resources departments and senior leadership teams in improving workforce performance, increasing retention rates, and reducing training inefficiencies. Operating within the HR technology sector, the enterprise recently secured $2.3 million in an oversubscribed pre-seed funding round to further scale its commercial operations. This financing was led by Affinity Ventures, with additional participation from venture capital firms Unshackled Ventures and Fuel Ventures. Dosen was founded in 2023 by Ronan Wall, Victor Burke, and Cian McCarthy.

High-Level Overview

Dosen is an Irish-founded HR tech startup building a B2B SaaS platform that uses AI to combat "quiet quitting" by aligning employee career development with business goals.[1][2] It serves HR teams and senior leaders at companies facing talent retention challenges, offering AI-generated corporate training, mentorship programs, and an "employee career pathway agent" to reduce psychological detachment—reportedly affecting 60% of employees and costing businesses $500bn annually.[1] The platform drives performance by personalizing training at scale, with strong early momentum shown by a $2.3m oversubscribed pre-seed round in April 2025, led by Affinity Ventures and exceeding its target by 50%, fueling product acceleration, team growth, and US market expansion from its Los Angeles base.[1][2][4][5]

Origin Story

Dosen was founded in 2020 by Irish entrepreneurs Ronan Wall, Victor Burke, and Cian McCarthy.[1][2] CEO Ronan Wall brings senior management experience from four years at Ticketmaster; Victor Burke, a former Fair City actor, previously co-founded Wilde Irish gin; and Cian McCarthy has startup credentials from founding Pina Gold and co-founding Base Influence.[1] The idea emerged amid rising employee disengagement, with the trio spotting an opportunity to merge employee aspirations with organizational needs through AI-driven tools, gaining early validation through this recent oversubscribed funding that underscores investor confidence in their vision.[1][2]

Core Differentiators

• AI-Powered Personalization: Generates tailored corporate training and an "employee career pathway agent" that aligns individual growth with company objectives, automating scale for HR teams.[1][2][3]
• Holistic Retention Focus: Combines training with mentorship connecting senior leaders to employees, directly tackling "quiet quitting" and underperformance—key pain points for talent retention.[1][2]
• B2B SaaS Efficiency: Matches employee-driven learning to business goals, reducing the $500bn annual cost of disengagement while enabling measurable performance gains.[1][3]
• Early Momentum and Validation: Oversubscribed $2.3m pre-seed from top VCs like Affinity, Unshackled, and Fuel Ventures signals strong product-market fit in its infancy.[1][2][4]

Role in the Broader Tech Landscape

Dosen rides the wave of AI-driven HR tech amid post-pandemic workforce shifts, where "quiet quitting" and disengagement plague 60% of employees, amplified by hybrid work and economic pressures.[1][2] Its timing aligns with surging demand for talent retention tools, as businesses face $500bn in annual losses, positioning Dosen in the booming $100bn+ HR tech market favoring AI personalization over generic training.[1] By influencing ecosystems through scalable, goal-aligned development, it empowers startups and enterprises to boost productivity, contributing to a broader trend of AI reshaping workplace learning and reducing churn in competitive talent wars.[2]

Quick Take & Future Outlook

Dosen's trajectory points to rapid scaling post-funding, with plans for accelerated product iteration—like enhancing its career agent—and deeper US penetration to capture HR tech growth.[1][2] Trends like advancing AI for emotional intelligence in workplaces and rising focus on employee purpose will propel it, potentially evolving from retention specialist to full talent orchestration platform amid intensifying disengagement challenges.[2] As investor enthusiasm grows, Dosen could redefine how firms combat quiet quitting, turning a $500bn problem into widespread performance wins—echoing its core mission to align people and goals from day one.[1]