From Pandemic Pivot to SaaS Success: How inploi’s CEO Matthew de la Hey Is Transforming the Future of Hiring

Interview with Matthew de la Hey, co-founder and CEO inploi

1. What inspired you to start inploi, and what was your background before founding the business? 
The idea for inploi came from mine and my co-founder Alex’s own experiences of looking for jobs using digital channels when we were students. It struck us how outdated and inefficient the systems were, relying on job boards and CVs felt disconnected from the needs of modern employers and job seekers. We wanted to create something better, a platform that truly addressed the pain points on both sides, particularly when it came to the candidate experience.

2. What was the biggest challenge you faced when launching inploi, and how did you overcome it?
One of the biggest challenges we’ve faced was the pandemic. It was a major hurdle for us as a technology platform for employers. Many of our key clients, such as hotels, restaurants, cafés, bars, and other hospitality establishments, pretty much disappeared from our pipeline overnight. Not only were they not hiring, but they certainly weren’t interested in onboarding new software.

That was a difficult period, but it was a challenge the entire world was facing. We were fortunate to have a team that stuck with us and helped us push through. In many ways, it turned out to be the best thing that could have happened, as it forced us to reevaluate our business model. Coming out of the pandemic, we realised the labour market was vastly different. Large employers – particularly those making high-volume hires – were struggling to find the people they needed to run their businesses effectively.

We had the solution, so we adapted, painfully but excitingly, by shifting away from a marketplace model to an enterprise SaaS platform. We took the technology and learnings from the pre-COVID era and applied them to an enterprise SaaS model, which we are now successfully executing.

3. What key milestones are you aiming to reach in 2025 and beyond?
2025 is already shaping up to be a huge year for inploi. We are ramping up operations, the new sales function under Dean Webb’s management is now fully productive, and working towards ambitious growth targets, aiming for over 100% year-on-year revenue growth and have plans to more than double our enterprise customer base. We also have our sights set on raising a Series A round to fuel further expansion.

Another key focus is growing our partnership network. We’re establishing strategic alliances with ATS providers and other adjacent technology platforms where inploi can serve as a complementary solution. We’ve already signed new partnerships, including with workforce agility provider Cornerstone, and there are more exciting opportunities in the pipeline too.

On the product side, we’re continuing to evolve our roadmap. A major area of focus is AI, specifically leveraging it to free up people’s time so they can focus on the human aspects of hiring while automating repetitive, time-consuming tasks. Similarly, we’re enhancing candidate-side AI to help job seekers better discover and assess opportunities, ensuring a more efficient hiring process for all.

4. Was there a pivotal moment when you realised inploi was on the path to success?
A key moment for us, one that really solidified our confidence in product-market fit, was when all of our major contracts renewed for multi-year terms during the economic uncertainty and high inflation of 2023.

Seeing our customers commit to inploi, despite the challenging economic climate, reinforced that we weren’t just building a ‘nice-to-have’ solution, we were delivering something essential.

5. How do you see AI and automation shaping the future of recruitment over the next decade?
AI is already having a huge impact, and that’s only going to accelerate. There are structural implications in terms of the types of jobs people will be doing, as well as how they do them. AI will inevitably disrupt industries and replace certain job functions where large language models and automation are more effective.

There’s a common phrase: ‘AI won’t take your job, but someone who knows how to use AI will.’ I think that’s key, understanding and integrating AI into workflows will be critical for staying relevant in the job market.

For recruitment specifically, AI will make processes significantly more efficient, automating repetitive tasks, improving candidate matching, and helping companies identify the right talent faster. The challenge will be maintaining the human element of hiring amid this wave of automation. That’s where inploi comes in, as an innovation partner for large enterprises to ensure technology enhances, rather than replaces, the candidate experience.

6. If you weren’t building inploi, what other industry or problem would you love to tackle?
This goes beyond a specific industry, but I’ve always felt a strong sense of duty to go back to South Africa, where I’m from, and contribute to society in a meaningful way. It’s a country full of opportunity but also significant challenges, and I’d love to be part of driving positive change there.

7. What’s the most surprising or unexpected lesson you’ve learned as a founder?
A big positive takeaway has been discovering just how willing people are to help. As a founder, you’re often figuring things out as you go, but reaching out to people with more experience has almost always yielded positive results.

There’s a huge amount of generosity in the business world when it comes to sharing knowledge, and that’s been invaluable.

8. What do you attribute your professional success to?
Not giving up has been a cornerstone of our journey. Perseverance through challenging times has been crucial, driven by a clear vision of where we want to take inploi. That vision has kept us moving forward, while everything else became details to figure out along the way.

Equally important has been the willingness of others to help. Our Chairman, Ross, who we met during a pitch event in our early days, has been an unwavering source of support throughout the journey. Surrounding yourself with the right people is essential; their guidance can make all the difference.