Check Technologies is a New York-based payroll infrastructure company that provides an API-first platform enabling vertical SaaS and HR companies to embed seamless payroll functionality into their software.[1][2][3][6] It serves platforms powering small to medium businesses across industries like restaurants, childcare, home services, construction, and coffee shops, solving the problem of outdated, standalone payroll systems by integrating payroll directly into users' daily tools for better experience and new revenue streams.[3][6] With $119M in total funding—including a $75M round—and over 100k small businesses powered through early customers, Check demonstrates strong growth momentum as the leading embedded payroll solution trusted by 65+ partners from startups to public companies.[1][3][6]
Founded in 2019 in New York by CEO Andrew Brown and a team with roots in building Oyster—the "Netflix for books" acquired by Google in 2015—Check emerged from recognizing payroll technology's stagnation despite trillions in annual U.S. transactions.[2][3][4] The idea crystallized over two years of quiet development with early customers, blending technical expertise from Google, Uber, and Goldman Sachs with payroll veterans from ADP, Gusto, and Paychex, evolving into a distributed team of 20+ across NYC and San Francisco.[3] Key milestones include a $1M seed from Bedrock in 2019, $8M Series A in 2022 led by Bedrock with Thrive and Index, and a $35M Series B in 2023 led by Stripe and Thrive, bringing total funding to $44M at that point.[1][3]
Check rides the embedded finance wave, particularly embedded payroll, amid a shift from fragmented legacy systems (e.g., ADP) to integrated platforms as vertical SaaS proliferates in SMB sectors like hourly work and services.[3][6] Timing aligns with rising demand for seamless experiences—trillions in U.S. payroll demand modernization—fueled by market forces like labor shortages, compliance complexity, and SaaS monetization needs.[3] By enabling 65+ platforms to offer payroll natively, Check influences the ecosystem, accelerating innovation in workforce management and creating all-in-one solutions that reduce friction for millions of small businesses.[6]
Check is positioned to dominate embedded payroll as platforms consolidate services, with Stripe and Thrive's backing signaling potential for global expansion and deeper fintech integrations.[1][3] Upcoming trends like AI-driven compliance, instant payments, and international payroll will shape its path, potentially evolving Check into a full-suite HR infrastructure leader amid SMB digitization. As the go-to for developers building payroll products, its influence will grow by empowering more verticals to unlock revenue while simplifying payments for businesses everywhere.[3][6]
Check has raised $83.0M in total across 2 funding rounds.
Check's investors include Accomplice VC, Alt Capital, CMFG Ventures, Contrary Capital, Kickstart Fund, Moderne Ventures, Plaid, Sacramento Angels, Saga, Tribe Capital, Ollen Douglass, Acequia Capital.
Check has raised $83.0M across 2 funding rounds. Most recently, it raised $75.0M Series C in February 2022.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 1, 2022 | $75.0M Series C | Accomplice VC, Alt Capital, CMFG Ventures, Contrary Capital, Kickstart Fund, Moderne Ventures, Plaid, Sacramento Angels, Saga, Tribe Capital, Ollen Douglass | |
| Dec 1, 2019 | $8.0M Series A | Acequia Capital, Audrey Capital, Bloomberg Beta, Cota Capital, Craft Ventures, Expon Capital, FJ Labs, Foundation Capital, Hillsven, Insight Partners, Invariantes Fund, Menlo Ventures, Radical Ventures, SignalFire, SOSV, Stellar Capital, Triangle Peak Partners, Bruno Bowden, Chris M. Willliams, Dan Martell, Marissa Mayer, Sam Shank, Shervin Pishevar |
