EP40 - Unicorn Files - JET HR: The Digital Evolution of Payroll in Italy

JET HR combines software platform and dedicated labor consultant to automate payroll and HR processes in Italian SMEs. After the pre-seed of 4.7 million euros in 2023, the seed of 12 million in 2024 and the round of 25 million in 2025, it's the startup tackling one of Europe's most challenging markets: Italian labor bureaucracy.

Founded in 2021 by Danilo Mazzara and Michele Gagliardi, JET HR is born from the observation that in Italy payroll is a paralytic activity for SMEs: dozens of collective labor agreements, sector-specific rules, monthly INPS and INAIL obligations, mandatory communications to the Labor Ministry. Existing software automates calculations but not the consultant relationship — which remains outside the platform, in a loop of emails and phone calls.

JET HR integrates software with a dedicated labor consultant figure, reachable via app in real-time, who manages regulatory complexity while the platform automates repetitive processes. The result is a radically different experience from traditional consulting firms. In this episode we analyze the growth model in Italian SMEs, expansion toward HR modules (attendance, time off, expense reports), finance and compliance, and go-to-market lessons in a market where trust is built slowly but retention is very high.