Harvard Business School roommates Stephanie Murra and Lorenza Vélez have founded Ponte Labor, a Miami-based startup that aims to bridge the gap for Hispanic immigrants seeking hourly jobs in the US. The company has just raised a $3 million seed round led by Harlem Capital, with a valuation of $15 million.

The idea for Ponte Labor was born out of conversations with Hispanic workers at Harvard's cafeteria, who struggled to find their first jobs in the US due to language barriers and lack of familiarity with online job boards. Murra and Vélez, both Colombian immigrants, realized that traditional job boards like Indeed were not designed for Hispanic immigrants, who often rely on friends and family for job leads.

Ponte Labor's platform pre-vets, matches, and onboards legally authorized hourly workers, focusing on the hospitality industry for now, but with plans to expand into construction, elder care, and other sectors. The startup uses WhatsApp, a popular messaging platform among Hispanic immigrants, to communicate with candidates and employers. Its in-house AI recruiter conducts voice-based interviews to pre-vet candidates, making the hiring process faster and more efficient.

Since launching in November 2023, Ponte Labor has onboarded over 60,000 candidates and placed nearly 800 workers in hospitality roles. Its annualized net revenue has grown from $70,000 in February 2024 to $550,000 today, with high contribution margins that make the model scalable. The startup has burned less than $1 million to date.

Ponte Labor's revenue model is success-based, charging a monthly fee equivalent to 10% of a worker's monthly salary for up to 12 months. If the worker leaves within the first month, the employer pays nothing. The startup is working with 14 employers, including Omni Hotels & Resorts, Pyramid Global, Peachtree Hotel Group, and Atrium Hospitality.

The founders' focus on Hispanic immigrants has helped build trust with the community, with over 95% of candidates being Hispanic immigrants. However, Murra notes that the platform's tools are language-agnostic and could be adapted to serve other immigrant communities in the future.

Looking ahead, Ponte Labor aims to create a platform that helps Hispanic immigrants achieve their professional goals, not just find entry-level jobs. The founders plan to offer English language training to help candidates advance in their careers.

Henri Pierre-Jacques, managing partner of Harlem Capital, praised the founders' strong traction and customer references, citing Ponte Labor's focus on Hispanic hospitality workers as a huge differentiator. With Hispanics accounting for nearly half of the foreign-born labor force in the US, Ponte Labor is well-positioned to address a critical labor shortage in industries like hospitality and construction.

As Ponte Labor continues to grow, it's clear that the startup is filling a critical gap in the US job market, providing a much-needed platform for Hispanic immigrants to find stable, hourly work and build their careers.