June 30, 2026, (Inside AI) — A Stockholm startup named Fika Jobs has secured a $4 million pre-seed round to build a video-first hiring platform where an AI agent conducts initial interviews. The system, which blends short-form video profiles with automated questioning, aims to replace traditional resume screening with a more dynamic candidate showcase.
Job seekers connect their LinkedIn profile, and Fika’s AI — currently powered by Google’s Gemini models — generates tailored questions. Candidates then complete a roughly 10-minute video interview with the AI agent. The responses are automatically clipped into short videos and organized into a discoverable profile, letting employers browse candidates proactively rather than sifting through static applications.
The platform flips the traditional hiring funnel. Instead of applying to each role, candidates maintain one live profile. Employers can search and revisit profiles as openings arise. Fika is free for job seekers and charges employers only upon a successful hire, taking 10% of the candidate’s first-year salary — well below the 20% to 30% fees common among traditional recruiters.
Brothers Jakob and Alexander Dubois founded the company after a near-miss in their own hiring. While building social app Gaff, they almost rejected a candidate whose resume seemed weak.
“When we were building [social app] Gaff, we spent a lot of time recruiting and almost passed on a candidate because his resume did not really stand out,” Jakob Dubois reportedly told media. “We ended up speaking with him anyway, and within minutes, his grit, drive, and ambition became obvious. Exactly the kind of person we wanted to hire.”
That experience crystallized their belief that traits like grit and drive rarely surface on paper. By letting candidates speak directly, Fika aims to surface soft skills and cultural fit early, potentially benefiting early-career professionals and those from non-traditional backgrounds.
However, the approach carries significant risks. Video profiles expose a candidate’s race, age, gender, and appearance upfront — factors that blind resume screening deliberately hides to reduce bias. Critics argue this could amplify discrimination, even if the AI itself is designed neutrally. Fika will need robust auditing and anti-bias measures to mitigate these concerns.
The platform opens early access this week, with a public launch planned for fall. It will debut in Sweden before expanding internationally. Already, over 100 companies are on the waitlist. If successful, Fika could add a new dimension to hiring, but its long-term impact hinges on how well it navigates the tension between human insight and algorithmic fairness.
