Holly Secures $2.2M to Address Government Workforce Crisis

Holly, an AI-driven platform modernizing government hiring systems, has secured $2.2 million in an oversubscribed pre-seed funding round. Leading the round was J2 Ventures, joined by Roble Ventures, Gaingels, and several prominent angel investors.

This funding marks a crucial step in Holly’s mission to resolve the million-job vacancy crisis in government roles, which significantly impacts public service efficiency.

Although Holly has not disclosed its valuation, the successful funding round reflects investor confidence in its innovative approach.

Industry background and impact

Government hiring processes are notoriously slow and inefficient. With 24 million public sector roles in the U.S., the average hiring timeline is 135 days—nearly five times longer than in the private sector. These delays cost taxpayers $86 billion annually in overtime expenses.

“Leading data science teams in government during the COVID-19 pandemic, I witnessed the urgent need for modern tools to enable faster, more equitable hiring. Brendan and Cherie bring both the government experience and entrepreneurial vision to modernize public sector hiring."

Christine Keung, General Partner at J2 Ventures

Holly’s platform uses artificial intelligence and intergovernmental data collaboration to address these inefficiencies. It modernizes job classifications, streamlines workflows, and embeds equity into the hiring process.

Use of funds

The funds will be directed toward expanding Holly’s AI-powered platform, focusing on improving product development and facilitating intergovernmental collaboration. Holly is also prioritizing the integration of additional equity-focused features to ensure fairness in the recruitment process.

In addition, Holly plans to scale its operations nationally. This includes recruiting exceptional talent and onboarding more government partners, enabling the company to address systemic inefficiencies across various regions.

Company background

Founded in 2023 by Brendan Hellweg and Cherie Chung while pursuing joint degrees at Harvard Business School and Harvard Kennedy School, Holly is a mission-driven company with a focus on public service. Brendan Hellweg previously led a Baltimore City public health initiative, scaling it from 0 to 275 staff in a year—an effort recognized by the White House. Cherie Chung contributed to critical systems development at Propel, a fintech company serving over 5 million low-income Americans. Their shared experiences underpin Holly’s commitment to modernizing public sector recruitment.

Headquartered in New York, Holly collaborates closely with government agencies to transform hiring processes.

Investors

The round was led by J2 Ventures. Additional investors include Roble Ventures, Gaingels, and angel investors with extensive industry expertise.

• J2 Ventures: A Boston-based venture capital firm specializing in deep-tech innovations. They focus on sectors critical to national security and advancing private sector capabilities.
• Roble Ventures: A venture capital firm known for supporting transformative startups. Their portfolio spans diverse industries with a focus on long-term innovation.
• Gaingels: A leading investment network supporting underrepresented founders and fostering diversity in startups. They actively back businesses with high-growth potential.

"This is a big issue, and we're excited to pilot with Holly to accelerate our class and compensation process. Outdated systems can add months to hiring and drive away top candidates."

Joe Ambrosini, HR Director for Long Beach