NBR Spotlights Empathix: The AI Recruitment Startup Matchmaking the Perfect Hire
New Zealand's National Business Review features Empathix and Emmy AI as a new force in recruitment across Australia and New Zealand, with 640+ active searches and growing.
On February 6, 2026, the National Business Review (NBR) published a feature article on Empathix, exploring how our AI-powered recruitment platform is changing the way hirers and job seekers find each other across Australia and New Zealand.
Written by journalist Will Mace under the headline “Kiwi recruitment startup using AI to matchmake the perfect pair,” the piece covers the problem Empathix was built to solve, how Emmy — our AI avatar — works for both sides of the recruitment equation, and where we're heading next.
The Problem We're Solving
NBR captured a reality that anyone who has been through a job hunt — or tried to hire for one — knows all too well. On the candidate side: endless applications, silence from employers, and automated rejections that reduce an entire career to a keyword scan. On the hirer's side: thousands of applications, many AI-generated, and no efficient way to separate genuine alignment from noise.
“Every week, what I would have is candidates reach out to me saying, ‘hey, how do I get past the applicant tracking system? Or how do I get directly into these recruiters? I'm applying for jobs. I'm not being seen. What do I do?’”
— Olivia Dyet, Founder, Empathix (quoted in NBR)
This disconnect between candidates and hirers is precisely what Empathix was built to bridge. As a former HR executive at The Warehouse Group who went through the StartMate accelerator in 2023, founder Olivia Dyet understood both sides of the equation — and designed a solution that puts humans back at the centre of hiring decisions.
How Empathix Works: AI That Augments, Not Replaces
A key theme in the NBR article is that Empathix doesn't replace recruiters — it makes them better. The platform sits over the top of existing applicant tracking systems and highlights candidates who are highly aligned to a role, without eliminating anyone from the field.
What NBR Highlighted:
The recruiter always makes the decision
Empathix highlights aligned candidates but never removes anyone from the pool — keeping human judgment in control.
Works with your existing ATS
No rip-and-replace needed. Empathix integrates on top of the systems companies already use.
A fraction of the cost of traditional agencies
At 8% placement fee versus the typical 20% charged by recruitment agencies, Empathix delivers significant cost savings.
Meet Emmy: The AI Avatar for Both Sides
The article introduced NBR readers to Emmy, the AI avatar at the heart of the Empathix platform. Emmy serves both job seekers and hirers, creating a more connected, human experience on each side.
For Job Seekers
Candidates speak directly with Emmy to explain their job preferences and filters. Emmy matches them to relevant roles and provides interview preparation and coaching — a personal recruitment partner instead of a faceless form.
For Hirers
Emmy helps refine search filters and job descriptions, acting as a recruitment expert for a fraction of the cost of traditional agencies. The result: better role definitions and stronger candidate matches.
“Instead of going to a recruitment agent and companies having to pay 20% per placement, we shift to a model that finds candidates that are aligned to organisations using AI and then directly introduces them so that they can have the human relationship as well.”
— Olivia Dyet, Founder, Empathix (quoted in NBR)
Traction and Growth Across ANZ
The NBR article highlighted the growing traction Empathix has built since its inception. The platform now serves recruiters and hiring managers across both Australia and New Zealand, with notable organisations among its user base.
640+ active searches running on the platform from recruiters and hiring managers across ANZ.
Crimson Global Academy and Trade Me named as users of the platform.
Subscription pricing from $150–$900/month with an 8% placement fee — significantly lower than the industry-standard 20% agency fee.
Revenue growing with a clear path to international scale, backed by SAFE note funding through StartMate.
For a deeper look at how Crimson Global Academy uses the platform, read our case study: How Crimson Global Academy Hired 17 Educators in One Week.
Stop scrolling job boards. Start talking to Emmy.
Whether you're hiring or job searching, Emmy matches you in minutes — not weeks.
Why Legacy ATS Providers Struggle With AI
One of the most interesting points raised in the NBR piece is why established applicant tracking systems have not simply added AI capabilities themselves. As Olivia explained to NBR:
“It's really difficult for legacy companies like an applicant tracking system to put AI in their tools because of the amounts of data that they process within their architecture.”
— Olivia Dyet, Founder, Empathix (quoted in NBR)
This is a significant structural advantage for Empathix. Rather than trying to retrofit AI into a legacy system built for a different era, Empathix was built from the ground up as an AI-native layer that integrates with existing ATS platforms. Companies keep the tools they already use — Empathix simply makes them smarter.
What's Next for Empathix
The article also covered our roadmap. While Empathix has SAFE note funding through StartMate, the focus right now is on building the technology to a point where it's truly ready for international scale. A potential capital raise is being considered for later in 2026 or early 2027, with any new investment directed toward sales and marketing to accelerate global expansion.
“It's not profitable at the moment, but that is just because of our technology costs to be honest, and it's difficult obviously with a SaaS business, but it is growing very well, and revenue is growing, and we don't have any issues in terms of desperately needing funding or running out of runway.”
— Olivia Dyet, Founder, Empathix (quoted in NBR)
Read the Full Article
The full feature is available on the NBR website. We're grateful to Will Mace and the NBR team for shining a light on what we're building.
Kiwi recruitment startup using AI to matchmake the perfect pair
NBR • Will Mace • February 6, 2026
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