In Founder Focus we introduce entrepreneurs and change-makers working on innovative startups, social enterprises and SME’s around Aotearoa New Zealand.
At a glance
Founder: Olivia Dyet
Business: Empathix
Founded: 2023
HQ: Auckland
Can you tell us a bit about your business?
Empathix is changing the recruitment game by creating a new market category: human-centric, advanced technology-enhanced hiring. Our vision is to enable access to talent 24/7 and eliminate bias at scale, because recruitment shouldn’t be so hard and everyone should have access to the best talent, and a level playing field.
Unlike typical AI screening tools that automate decisions, Empathix uses innovative technology to enable genuine human connection at scale. Our unique approach combines CV ranking with advanced candidate interaction methods, providing rich insights for recruiters. This preserves the human element in hiring while delivering the efficiency of AI, resulting in:
Empathix bridges the gap between fully automated systems and traditional manual processes, offering a best-of-both-worlds solution for modern recruitment challenges. By leveraging our technology, businesses can access talent around the clock while ensuring a fair and unbiased hiring process.
What’s the backstory for your business idea?
When I was 21, a single mum studying two degrees, I desperately needed a job. I applied to Adidas and, in a moment of inspiration—or luck—included my references in the application. That small decision set me apart. Getting that job was a turning point, showing me how crucial recruitment is—not just for individuals but for businesses and the economy. It also showed me that those small decisions count, and for people who don’t make them, they miss out and, so do the Companies that are hiring.
In my 15-year HR career, I saw how the right talent propels companies and society, driving economic growth. But recruitment is often inefficient, costly, and biased. That’s why I created Empathix—to transform how organisations access talent, matching the right people with the right roles, 24/7. It doesn’t need to be so hard or painful, and we’re ultimately building the future of recruiting.
What programmes, learning or mentoring, or resources have been of assistance so far?
My goal is to always learn as much as I can and I am really deliberate about the way I do that.
- I started with Startmate Launch Club, which I can definitely recommend as a way of validating an idea. I think having your own business can be glamourised, but it lays a really good foundation for expectation setting in moving ahead.
- I listen to Blinkist which is a book summary tool that I use when I’m walking or in the car for books I wouldn’t read, but want knowledge from.
- I download podcast transcripts and ask GPT to summarise them and recommend which ones to listen to for my business.
- I make sure I meet with founders in the steps ahead of me at least once per month. I do this to ensure a balance of working in the business and on it, to learn and stay ahead strategically.
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