Melbourne startup TALY has raised $500,000 in pre-Seed funding led by Skalata to transform how companies use personality data to make better decisions.
Founder Peter Treloar said that while $4.3 billion is spent annually personality testing, but for the most part it’s poorly utilised.
“The secret of enterprise personality testing is that most of it sits unused after the first week,” he said.
“Companies invest thousands in these tools, run them during hiring or onboarding, then file away the insights in some forgotten corner of their HR portal.”
Treloar, a market researcher who previously built and exited research platform Telmy to acquisition by US firm Sago, set out to transform static personality tests into a dynamic management tool that helps leaders make better decisions around staffing.
The platform’s AI engine generates personalised coaching for managers at key moments. Before a performance review, managers receive a video briefing on how their employee processes feedback. When planning team changes, they get insights into potential personality clashes and team dynamics.
“It’s like having an organisational psychologist on call 24/7, but powered by validated science rather than gut feel – and minus the hourly rate,” Treloar said.
The funding will be used to expand TALY’s AI capabilities, strengthen its platform infrastructure, grow its customer base across ANZ, and to kick off trials in Canada, alongside additional AI-powered features in early 2025, including tools for hiring and team composition.
TALY’s early adopters including major firms such as Motorola, Vendor Panel, and legal practice Maurice Blackburn, with more than 4,000 personality profiles processed so far.
Treloar said those customers are reporting better management decisions, particularly during critical moments like onboarding and team restructures. He’s also getting his own excellent advice with Xero’s head of AI, Soon-Ee Cheah, and Swinburne University Professor in Performance and Psychology, Luke Downey, among TALY’s advisors.
Skalata investor Maxine Lee said it’s all about getting better performance from your teams.
“TALY isn’t just building another personality test with an AI layer – they’re fundamentally rethinking how companies can use behavioural data to build stronger teams and make better management decisions,” she said.
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