Pack, the Italian–Spanish HR tech startup with an AI-native DNA that helps companies develop and enhance human capital through artificial intelligence, has closed a Series A round raising a total of €5.8 million.
This milestone further strengthens Barcelona’s position as one of Europe’s major hubs for digital talent. The funding will allow Pack to accelerate its expansion in France, Germany and the United Kingdom, while reinforcing its strategy in Spain—a market where it already works with companies such as Lecta, LG Electronics and Cooltra, and where it maintains partnerships with institutions like EAE Business School.
After an initial €3.5 million tranche closed in September 2025 and led by Rialto VC, the second phase of the round brings in the U.S. fund Acadian Ventures—specialized in the future of work and HR technology—alongside the European investor Aticco.
The round also includes prominent figures in the HR and SaaS sectors, such as David Clarke (former CTO of Workday and partner at Acadian Ventures, who officially joins Pack’s Board of Directors), Thomas Otter (partner at Acadian Ventures, former executive at SAP and Gartner) and Jason Corsello (founder and general partner at Acadian Ventures, former SVP at Cornerstone).
Additional participants include Steven Hunt (former Chief Scientist at SAP), Luca Saracino (former CCO of Strada and currently VP of Growth at Pack), Doris Tomanek (member of Pack’s Advisory Board, former HR Director at Coca-Cola and VP at Unicredit Austria), and Jeroen Van Hautte (co-founder and CPO of TechWolf), who will support Pack as a strategic advisor during its global expansion phase.
“Pack introduces a new way of understanding talent development: a platform that enables organizations to activate personalized large-scale growth plans based on insights and data, starting from skills mapping and assessments. Its trajectory shows how Europe’s most innovative companies are reimagining, in a practical way, how to nurture talent,” says David Clarke, one of the round’s investors and former CTO of Workday.
Thomas Otter adds: “We invested in Pack because Pietro, Giacomo and their team are ready to challenge and transform the status quo in talent management, and they have the ambition and determination to build a strong company. Changes in technology and in buyer behavior are creating new opportunities. Great HR Tech can be built in the Po Valley—not only in Silicon Valley. We are thrilled to contribute capital and expertise to support Pack’s growth beyond Italy.”
The capital raised will enable the company to expand its product, AI and customer success teams, consolidating its growth in Spain and across Europe.
“This round marks a decisive step in our evolution: from an Italian startup to an Italian–Spanish player with European expansion,” explains Pietro María Picogna, CEO and co-founder of Pack. “Barcelona has become a key hub for our international growth, and Spain is one of the markets where we are seeing the fastest adoption of AI solutions for human resources. Having investors and partners such as EAE Business School allows us to integrate even more deeply into the local ecosystem.”
Founded in 2022 by Pietro María Picogna and Giacomo Gentili, Pack was born to address the growing complexity of talent management within organizations. It emerged within the Rising UP in Spain program, an ICEX-Invest in Spain initiative that supported its early development and prepared the ground for its expansion into new European markets.
Its platform helps map skills, assess potential and activate personalized development routes such as coaching, mentoring and specialized training, through a continuous AI-powered monitoring system.
“Companies don’t just need software—they need an intelligent partner capable of turning people data into strategic decisions,” adds Giacomo Gentili, CPO and co-founder. “Spain is a priority market, with companies rapidly adopting talent-intelligence solutions. Our mission is to provide the advanced analytical layer that turns talent development into a true growth engine.”
Pack is an AI-native HR Tech company founded in 2022 by Pietro María Picogna (CEO & Co-founder) and Giacomo Gentili (CPO & Co-founder). The platform integrates skill mapping, digital assessments and personalized development paths—including coaching, mentoring and specialized training—supported by a continuous AI-based monitoring system. Its goal is to help organizations grow through capabilities, making teams more agile, aware and prepared for future challenges.
Pack currently has a team of 30 professionals and works with more than 80 multinational clients who use the platform to innovate their HR and people-development processes, achieving a satisfaction rate of 94%.
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