Exclusive: This British duo with Sri Lankan roots re-inventing HRtech with AI just raised £7.5M in funding – By Abhinaya Prabhu
Picture credits: HowNow
Source : techfundingnews.com
As the workplace rapidly evolves, businesses are recognising that success is defined by skills and not job titles. Working towards achieving this, London-based HowNow, an AI-powered learning and skills platform transforms the way companies identify and close skills gaps.
In a recent development, HowNow has scored £7.5 million in a Series A investment from Mercia Ventures, Pearson, and Fuel Ventures. This follows the £4 million seed funding and brings the total investment raised by the company to date to £11 million.
As per the company press release, a majority of this investment is being used to drive product development and continued AI integration. Speaking to TFN, Nelson Sivalingam, CEO and co-founder at HowNow said, “Funding will be allocated to product innovation, leading the use of AI in connecting learning to the skills people need and the results businesses care about. Also, scaling our GTM and new market.”
AI-driven learning at scale
Co-founder: Ashish Kumar, Picture credits: HowNow
HowNow was founded in 2015 in London by British brothers of Sri Lankan heritage, Nelson Sivalingam and Kuvera Sivalingam, along with Ashish Kumar.
Talking about the challenge it tackles, Nelson stated, “Most companies don’t know what skills they need, what skills they have and how to bridge the gaps to execute their strategy. Meanwhile, most L&D teams are struggling to connect learning to business strategy and performance.”
The AI-powered learning and skills platform that maps skills requirements to contextualised learning in the flow of work. The platform’s innovative technology helps organisations to create and develop the right skills, at the right time, bridging the gap between L&D and measurable business impact.
Serving clients across 30+ countries, HowNow is gaining traction with mid-market and enterprise organisations looking for smarter ways to upskill their workforce. At the heart of this growth is HowNow AI, a suite of intelligent learning agents that can map and measure skills across organisations, identify gaps in real-time and personalise learning pathways, and deliver learning within the flow of work, ensuring employees get the right knowledge at the right moment.
With AI integration taking centre stage, HowNow follows an approach that focuses on what employees need to learn, rather than just what’s available.
What makes HowNow stand out?
Detailing on how it differentiates itself from the competitors, Nelson added, “We live in a crazy world where skills live in a spreadsheet, learning platforms are built for pushing content, with poor UX and L&D is reporting on course completion instead of skills gaps closed and capabilities built. Our technology is different because it helps companies to build the right skills with the right learning, at the right time.”
Key competitors of HowNow are traditional LMSes and LXPs that are just aggregating content.
Growth and customer base
The demand for skills-based workforce development is surging, and HowNow is riding the wave with a 350% revenue growth over the past two years. Recent customer wins include TomTom, MoneyBox, Bausch & Lomb, UKTV, and Good Energy. Pearson has also partnered with HowNow to deliver the UK Government’s Learning and Skills Platform.
Scaling teams and partnerships
With growth comes expansion, the company has doubled its workforce in the past year, now employing 75 people across its London and Mumbai offices. The company has also bolstered its leadership team with seasoned industry experts, including Sam Lawton (Head of Customer Experience), Chris Chesterman (Head of Sales), Kunal Gala (Head of Engineering), and Michael Whitfield (Chairman of the Board, ex-CEO of Thomsons Online Benefits).
Beyond talent, HowNow is strengthening its HR and learning tech ecosystem, integrating with platforms like HiBob, Lattice, Workday, and Personio. A recent partnership with Credly, the world’s largest skill verification and digital credentialing network, further underscores its commitment to validated, skills-first learning.
What’s next for HowNow?
With a focus on expanding partnerships, refining AI-driven learning, and cementing its position in the global market, HowNow is shaping the future of skills-led workforce development. As businesses shift from traditional training to real-time, context-aware upskilling, its approach could define how companies stay competitive in the years ahead.
Nelson Sivalingam, Co-Founder & CEO at HowNow, said: “With this funding, we’re not just doubling down on our commitment to upskill 10 million people by 2030 – we’re making it happen. Learning isn’t about endless courses and hours logged; it is about the progress you can see, the skills you can use, and the growth you can measure. We’re here to change the way the world learns – connecting the dots between learning, skills, and real impact for people and organisations alike.”