Darwinbox, a global provider of AI-powered HR technology, has completed a $10 million (₹86 crore) Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) buyback, the third such program in just four years.
Over 350 employees spread across the company’s 11 global offices in India, North America, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East, benefited from this buyback round.
Jayant Paleti, Co-founder, Darwinbox, said, “At Darwinbox, we’ve always believed that those who help build value should share in it. Even as we invest deeply in innovation and global growth, we remain equally committed to creating meaningful outcomes for our people. This buyback, like the ones before, reflects our belief in sharing success with our people and building a culture of ownership.”
Chaitanya Peddi, Co-founder at Darwinbox said, “Talent has always been at the heart of what we do at Darwinbox, and we’ve been intentional about ensuring they grow with the company—not just in impact, but also in wealth creation. Some of the best minds from the industry have joined us to help shape the future of work. As we double down on R&D to power an AI-first world, we’re excited to welcome great talent on this journey.”
Founded in 2015, Darwinbox is a global HR tech startup that empowers enterprises to better manage their talent with new-age employee experiences and disruptive AI-powered technology.
Its cloud-based Human Capital Management (HCM) software caters to an organization’s HR needs across the entire employee lifecycle.
Darwinbox powers modern HR technology experiences for over 4 million employees across 1000+ enterprises, from large conglomerates to high-growth tech companies. Brands like Starbucks, McDonald’s, AXA, Cigna, WeWork, Airtel, and Vedanta trust the platform to power their people strategies at scale.
Darwinbox has been backed by global investors like KKR, Partners Group, TCV, Microsoft, Salesforce Ventures, Peak XV, Lightspeed and Endiya Partners among others.
In March 2025, Darwinbox added global private equity giants Partners Group and KKR to its cap table through a $140 million deal.
