WCC increases AI investment, extending data science efforts
Utrecht – NL, July 28, 2021. The WCC Group, a leading provider of advanced solutions for Public Employment Services and Staffing Agencies and ID/Security government agencies, has emphasized its commitment to developing new artificial intelligence (AI) product features by announcing the extension of its data science efforts. The investment will help WCC build upon its successes in Big Data, Analytics, and Machine Learning and allow it to look forward to exciting new developments.
Although WCC has been active in the field of data science for 20+ years, it is only recently that the group has developed an explicit focus in this area. Earlier this year, for example, WCC was proud to announce that it had become the first company to use AI as part of its border management and passenger screening solution. The addition of AI capabilities to the company’s HERMES platform has already led to faster, safer, and more reliable threat assessment for travelers.
Another illustration of WCC’s data science team’s pursuit of innovation can be found in the group’s Employment Platform Analytics, which can manage several different data aggregations before delivering real-time insights. The platform helps both jobseekers and employers to navigate a challenging labor market.
However, based on the data growth many companies and governments worldwide are experiencing, WCC sees the need to step up its investment in advanced data science technologies. The newly dedicated team focuses on adopting highly experimental approaches to software development, embracing new open-source frameworks and machine learning tools when building proof-of-concept solutions. The WCC data science team is also keen to explore working relationships with universities to investigate cutting-edge AI research. Combined with the rich sources of data at WCC’s disposal, these partnerships will unlock a host of benefits for WCC’s customers.
As part of the data science team’s expanded remit, WCC will be sure to emphasize the importance of “responsible AI” in its work. Although they may appear impartial on the surface, machine learning algorithms and specific datasets can display the same kinds of bias that we’ve come to expect from subjective human actors. Therefore, the implementation of responsible AI demonstrating how it can be used for good is crucial to our research and investment strategies.
“When we created the data science team at WCC Group, I knew that this was a rapidly evolving field that had huge potential for businesses, customers, and wider society. As we look to expand the team, I know that this potential is not even close to being fulfilled. We look forward to undertaking new research, finding more data-driven insights, and creating innovative AI-powered products and services for our customers.”
Jan Wiersma, COO at WCC Group
About Software Combined
Software Combined is an international group that invests in successful B2B tech companies with a long-term vision. The company, originally Australian, was founded by three Dutch entrepreneurs (Niek Hoogenhout, Evert den Hollander, and Stefan Jansen) and manages its European operations from Amsterdam.
Software Combined's approach differs fundamentally from traditional investors. Preserving culture and autonomy is central: acquired companies retain their own brand, management team, and daily operational independence.
Software Combined acts as a strategic partner, providing resources that support sustainable growth. These resources include capital for growth, shared expertise in international expansion, refining go-to-market strategies, and professionalizing processes.
This "buy-and-hold" strategy allows companies to focus on long-term value creation without the pressure of a forced exit. Software Combined is building a community of like-minded tech companies that want to grow.
About Avedon Capital Partners
Avedon Capital Partners is a leading private equity firm with offices in Amsterdam and Düsseldorf. Avedon supports growth companies in the Benelux and DACH regions and works closely with entrepreneurial management teams to accelerate organic growth, international expansion, and buy-and-build strategies. The investments are focussed in four core sectors: business services, software & technology, smart industry, and consumer & health.
About WCC Group
Since its founding in 1996, WCC Group has been a pioneer for nearly three decades, providing intelligent workforce solutions that fundamentally transform the way organizations connect people and jobs. From its headquarters in Utrecht (Netherlands) and a strategic offce in Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia), WCC Group serves public employment services, staffng agencies, and large enterprises globally.
The company offers two solutions: Employment Solutions support public employment services and staffng agencies in matching candidates with jobs or training, while its HR Solutions simplify talent retention and internal talent management for large enterprises to reduce external recruitment and onboarding costs.
At the core of these solutions is the cloud-native ELISE Search & Match Platform, delivering meaningful, ranked results within a second. WCC Group's software impacts half a billion people daily and powers large-scale labor market initiatives worldwide, including MyFutureJobs in Malaysia (300,000+ job seekers, 30,000+ employers) and the recruitment activities of Robert Half in the United States, where it has established the company's reputation for innovation and effciency.