Workplace wellness startup Sonder banks $35 million Series B

Workplace wellbeing startup Sonder has raised $35 million in a Series B funding.

The round was led by Blackbird Ventures with SEEK Investments and SecondQuarter Ventures also tipping in as new investors. Blackbird’s Niki Scevak will join the company’s board. 

The new capital is earmarked for product improvements on the safety, medical and mental health platform, as the five-year-old business looks to expand beyond Australia and New Zealand into other international markets.

Sonder previously raised $16 million in June 2021 in a round led by existing shareholder Perennial, supported by Tidal Ventures and former LinkedIn MD Cliff Rosenberg.

Sonder’s customers include Woolworths, PwC, the University of Sydney, Toll Group, NRMA, and NSW Government

Sonder cofounder and CEO Craig Cowdrey said there are currently too many barriers when employees seek support.

“This is despite record productivity losses caused by mental health issues in the workplace and the fact that employees are increasingly expecting their employers to make wellbeing a workplace priority,” he said.

“Sonder is playing a role in helping organisations and their people to navigate the unique safety and wellbeing challenges in their lives that are being compounded by the new world of work and study.”

SEEK Investments managing director Damien Wodak said: “Sonder’s unique, holistic proposition helps organisations reimagine wellbeing support to drive healthier, happier, and more productive employees and students, and to meet the changing needs of today’s hybrid workforce.”

The company has been building out its C suite, appointing former Intuit head of product Mindy Eiermann as chief product officer and DocuSign APAC GM Brad Newton as chief sales officer.