In a nutshell
- Polish startup Pergamin, which automates contract management in companies, has closed $3M (€2.7M) investment from a new investor, OnDean Forward.
- The company aims to build a global contract automation platform, drive product development and expand its presence both in Poland and in new international markets.
With the aim to make employee contract management 10x more efficient
Pergamin, founded in 2017 by Antek Wędzikowski, Jakub Barwaniec and Piotr Łuczak, aims to simplify and enhance contract management for medium and large businesses. Its approach treats contracts as databases to enable the exchange of information between the platform and other systems that store data, for example, about employees and employment, as well as clients and orders.
The company is particularly focused on improving the handling of employee contracts by offering companies its Employee Contract Platform.
“When it comes to employment contracts, Pergamin accelerates the whole process by 10x while reducing preparation costs by 75 percent and recovering two-thirds of each HR manager’s workload,” said Jakub Barwaniec, co-founder and CEO of Pergamin.
US OnDean Forward makes first European investment
Pergamin has secured a $3M (€2.7M) investment from their new strategic investor OnDean Forward. The company aims to build a global contract automation platform, drive product development and expand its presence both in Poland and in new international markets.
“Expanding beyond Poland, we focus on CEE markets, Hungary, Romania, and the Czech Republic, due to similar labor laws and e-signature practices ideal for our digital contract solutions. We aim to leverage local partnerships in these markets to facilitate a smoother entry. Starting with a partnership approach allows us to validate the market with lower upfront investment,” clarified Antoni Wędzikowski, Co-Founder & Chief Revenue Officer at Pergamin, for The Recursive.
OnDean Forward has made its first non-US investment in Pergamin after backing five American legaltech companies. OnDean Forward has Andrew Sieja (founder of Relativity, a Polish/Chicago unicorn) and Marcin Wojtczak (former executive at Relativity and Bain) among major LPs.
Marcin is an entrepreneur and Managing Partner at OnDean Forward, a Chicago based family office that invests in software technology startups across the US and Europe. Funded by successful technology entrepreneurs, OnDean Forward is a venture builder and long term partner for technology entrepreneurs.
“Legaltech in the US is a fast-growing industry, and digital contract management solutions are already critical for the largest global corporations. This trend is also happening in Europe, but in Europe the word processor and printer still play a leading role. Pergamin has a real potential to change this. We intend to leverage our experience from growing Relativity and from investing in the American legaltech ecosystem to help Pergamin deliver on this promise. We believe that Pergamin will quickly become a leader in our country and in the region, and then a global player,” shared Marcin Wojtczak, a new investor in Pergamin.
Tackling €700M problem
Pergamin estimates that in Poland alone manual and often paper-based processes related to employee legal contract management cost medium and large companies up to €700M annually.
The Recursive reached out to Pergamin for more information on the challenges of shifting from manual to automated process.
In Europe, manual contract management processes are still prevalent. How do you plan to shift companies from traditional methods to digital platforms like Pergamin?
“We plan to shift companies from manual to digital contract management by demonstrating clear, measurable benefits through education, integration, and adaptability.
First, education is crucial—many businesses are unaware of the inefficiencies and hidden costs of manual processes. We emphasize tangible gains in efficiency, security, and compliance that digital platforms offer, using case studies, webinars, and workshops led by our sales and marketing teams,” explained Antoni Wędzikowski, Co-Founder & Chief Revenue Officer at Pergamin.
Integration is crucial for a seamless transition to digital workflows, according to Antoni Wędzikowski, Co-Founder and Chief Revenue Officer of Pergamin. The company’s no-code Pergamin Connect tool integrates effortlessly with existing systems, including HRM platforms, and connects with over 1,500 business applications.
Moreover, adaptability is key to meeting customers at their respective stages of digital transformation. Pergamin provides solutions for companies ranging from those just starting with basic e-signatures to those ready for full automation.
According to their data, Pergamin has acquired over 130 clients, ranging from small and medium-sized businesses to international corporations. Pergamin’s clients include companies such as Bolt, Renault Trucks, Toyota Material Handling, Volvo Financial Services, and others.
