ado – The AI-powered recruiting software

The labor market has changed, and ado New Media GmbH offers a solution to meet this shift. The customized recruiting software platform powered by AI and proprietary algorithms speaks the language of Gen Z and helps companies save time and money. Developed based on a detailed study of Gen Z’s needs, the platform enables companies to discover new talent, strengthen employer branding, and make the entire application process and personnel management more efficient. The starting point is a specialized niche platform, taxado, focused on tax consulting and auditing, aiming to create a revolutionary PaaS (Platform as a Service) solution that transforms the recruiting sector across industries.

ado achieved major success in 2023, reaching both the proof of concept and the proof of market stages. The foundation for scaling has been laid. More than €1.2 million were already invested during the first funding round.

	Specialized in talent acquisition for tax consulting and auditing, a financially strong target group with high demand – why this industry: watch video
	More than 120 firms have already used taxado, with about 50% continuing to use it – market test in the first target group passed with great success. The new brand “taxado” is quickly gaining traction in Austria.
	Development and launch of taxado as an independent software platform for recruiting – global scaling potential created
	Increase in long-term EBIT margin to 30–45% through optimization of the business model with a proprietary Software as a Service solution for businesses (niche software platforms)
	Strategic partnerships with publishers and software companies such as Linde Verlag and DATEV have been established
	International expansion enabled significantly faster by AI than initially planned – several AI-based features are being integrated to strengthen the USP.

The labor market has shifted to an employee-driven market. A paradigm shift has occurred due to COVID and various external factors (inflation, Gen Z, etc.). Companies now face the challenge of effectively engaging and convincing a new generation of job seekers—Generation Z. Employers are confronted with outdated recruitment processes, difficulties reaching this new target group, high talent acquisition costs, and a lack of effective digital tools for employer branding and HR management.

EMPLOYEE-DRIVEN MARKET Most employers have never really learned how to attract and retain talent.	GEN Z THINKS COMPLETELY DIFFERENTLY Companies are losing touch with the next generation.
HIGH COSTS, LOW EXPERTISE Online marketing and recruiting are increasingly expensive—even in digital spaces. Know-how is lacking.	LACK OF DIGITAL COMPETENCE Many companies are too slow to digitize—often struggling to implement digital solutions.

The ado New Media GmbH offers a unique solution to address the skilled labor shortage in a sector-specific way. The customized recruiting software platform, powered by AI and proprietary algorithms, speaks the language of Gen Z and helps companies save both time and money. Based on a detailed study of Gen Z’s needs, the platform enables companies to discover new talents, strengthen their employer branding, and make the entire application and HR management process more efficient. The starting point is a niche platform, taxado, focused on tax consulting and auditing, with the goal of building a revolutionary Platform as a Service (PaaS) solution to transform the recruiting sector across industries.

INTRODUCE AI EASILY AND SAFELY Artificial Intelligence will be a game-changer in the coming years. Companies are being forced to integrate it into their (often outdated) workflows.	EASE ACCESS TO GEN-Z Our social media integrations and tools help companies understand and attract Gen Z talent.
LOWER COSTS THROUGH PLATFORM APPROACH Recruiting via social media, as tried by numerous agencies, is too expensive and unsustainable for most businesses. By collecting talent data, dependency and cost pressure on social media decrease.	AUTOMATIONS DO THE HEAVY LIFTING Companies need to actively manage fewer tasks because the SaaS platform handles much automatically. This saves time and money and increases customer loyalty.

SaaS/PaaS Model

taxado is based on a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) or Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) model. Customers manage and use their account independently via our cloud-based online application. This model is particularly attractive as it enables disproportionately high customer growth relative to personnel growth.

Subscription Model with Online Conversion

Our customers can choose from various subscription packages with a minimum term of 12 months. This duration is standard and acceptable for most clients. Prices range from approximately 200 euros to 1,000 euros per month, catering to both small and large firms. For major firms, we also offer customized “Beyond” packages.

Sales via Digital Sales Funnels

We distribute our subscriptions through various proven and successfully established digital sales funnels. Our webinar funnels, in particular, have proven to be highly effective for our target audience. In addition, we have entered into a sales partnership with Linde Verlag and are preparing further sales and affiliate partnerships. Our affiliate partners receive a sales commission of 10% to 30%, depending on their status within the industry.

In-House Software Development

Our platform was developed entirely in-house using state-of-the-art technologies. We collaborate with a reliable team of freelance specialists to avoid dependencies. Two of these developers are based in Austria and have been working closely with our founding team for years. Development takes place on our own servers, and 95% of the screen design was created by the founding team itself.

Integration of AI and Third-Party Providers

For specific technology areas such as AI, video hosting, and universal interfaces, we collaborate with leading providers. For example, we use GPT-4 from OpenAI for our taxado Magic AI and WISTIA for taxado Job Shorts. To connect with over 40 different HR software systems, we also rely on third-party providers, enabling efficient and cost-effective integration. Zapier is integrated as a universal interface. We are also planning to connect with common software solutions in the tax and audit industry, such as BMD and DATEV, although current demand for this connectivity is still low.

Low Competition in Niche Platforms

There are hardly any specialized platforms for tax consulting and auditing in the HR sector across Europe. Existing HR software solutions are often cumbersome and/or outdated, usually only partially integrated into large law firm software systems.

High Demand for Effective Solutions

A survey of one hundred firms revealed that 90% are actively looking for talent, while 10% recruit regularly but without a sustainable solution. Notably, 70% of firms do not use any software for personnel management, and nearly all are dissatisfied with existing solutions, especially in recruiting.

Strong Interest in taxado

Even before a prototype was available, 50 Austrian firms committed to testing taxado. Around 120 firms participated in the subsequent beta phase, which was successfully completed on December 31.

Validation by Industry Stakeholders

Key players in the industry, including Linde Verlag and software providers such as DATEV and dvo, confirm the urgent need for a solution like taxado.

Market Size and Growth Potential

The tax consulting and auditing sector in the D-A-CH region includes approximately 40,000 firms relevant to taxado – 3,000 in Austria, 30,000 in Germany, and 7,000 in Switzerland. Within the next five years, taxado aims to acquire 10,000 firms as clients, with around 120 already onboarded as test clients within the first few months.

Target Market and Audience

Our primary focus is on tax consultancy and auditing firms in Austria and Germany. We address firms of various sizes, from small practices to large and major firms. However, our market entry strategy centers on “SME firms,” meaning practices with approximately 5 to 250 employees.

Value Proposition and Positioning

Taxado offers a specialized recruiting and HR platform specifically tailored to the needs and challenges of the tax and audit industry. Our positioning as an industry expert enables us to deliver unique solutions that are both efficient and user-friendly.

Sales Channels and Strategy

Sales are primarily conducted digitally through sales funnels, particularly webinar funnels, which have been extensively tested and proven effective. Additionally, strategic partnerships with industry stakeholders support our sales efforts.

Marketing and Communication Strategy

We use a mix of online, offline, and partner marketing to effectively reach our target audience. This includes webinars, collaborations with industry media, and extensive use of social media.

Pricing Strategy

Our subscriptions are available in various packages ranging from €200 to €1,000 per month, with special “Beyond” packages offered for large firms. This allows us to address a wide range of customer needs.

Sales Approach

The core of our sales model is a variety of digitally oriented sales funnels. Our webinar funnels, tailored specifically to our target audience, are particularly successful. In addition, sales partnerships with established players like Linde Verlag support our efforts. Our affiliate partners are incentivized with commissions ranging from 10% to 30% of revenue, depending on their relevance in the industry.

Customer Support and After-Sales Service

We place great importance on customer support and service. This includes providing resources and assistance to maximize platform usage, as well as a regular feedback system to continually improve our offering.

Measurement and Adjustment

The effectiveness of our go-to-market strategy is continuously monitored using key performance indicators (KPIs) such as customer acquisition, user engagement, and customer satisfaction. These metrics help us dynamically adjust and optimize our strategy.

The most important success metric for ado is the number of acquired subscription clients – in the case of taxado, that means law firms. The entire B2B sales and marketing effort is focused on this. In 2024, we plan an ambitious launch with 600 clients by year-end, driven primarily by market entry in Germany and strong partnerships in Austria (e.g., with Linde Verlag, Austria’s largest publisher in the field of tax law). In subsequent years, sales activities in Germany and Austria will be intensified. Entry into Switzerland will be prepared in 2025 and likely executed in 2026. The goal is to finance growth from cash flow as soon as possible, which is feasible under the current plan.

* Risk Notice: This calculation example is based on ado’s forecast in the base-case scenario and is therefore based on forward-looking assumptions and parameters selected by ado, which have not been verified by an independent third party and whose occurrence is uncertain. The assumptions and parameters used are not the only reasonable ones that could have been chosen. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the forecast. If ado misses the forecast, the return achievable by investors may be lower or may result in losses, including the total loss of the invested capital. Please also read the risk notices in the Key Information Document carefully.

 

Founders and Executive Team

Wolfgang Deutschmann, CEO and Managing Director

With over 12 years of entrepreneurial experience and multiple companies built from scratch, Wolfgang Deutschmann is a prime example of a successful serial entrepreneur. As a finance entrepreneur, he also has a deep understanding of the needs of tax advisors and auditors, along with an excellent network. He is therefore primarily responsible for vision, sales and marketing, and expansion strategy.

Patrick Rösler-Haingartner, COO and Authorized Officer

Having been with the company for over 6 years, Patrick Rösler-Haingartner probably understands the team and day-to-day operations better than anyone. He ensures that the company runs like clockwork and that strategies developed at the top are implemented effectively at the operational level.

Extended Leadership Team

• Raphaela Markut, Team Lead Social Media Marketing
• Anita Lindenthal, Team Lead Google Ads and SEA
• Daniel Wollendorfer, Team Lead Software Development (freelance)

Currently, approximately 16 full-time equivalents (FTEs) are employed. For 2024, only a slight increase in staff is planned (max. 20 FTEs).