Howdy.com
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Technology staffing |
| Founded | 2018 in Austin, Texas, U.S. |
| Founder |
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| Headquarters | , |
Key people |
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| Website | www.howdy.com |
Howdy.com is an American technology staffing company headquartered in Austin, Texas. Founded in 2018 by Jacqueline Samira and Frank Licea,[1] it specializes in nearshoring, connecting software engineers in Latin America with companies in the United States, focusing on full-time, remote roles in compatible time zones.[1][2] The company provides recruitment, payroll, benefits, equipment, and compliance services for its clients' hires.[2] In 2023, the company acquired Brazilian tech recruitment platform GeekHunter.[3][4] It participated in Y Combinator's Winter 2021 startup accelerator program.[5] Howdy was included in the Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing private companies in 2023 and 2024,[6] and was included in Forbes's list of "America's Best Startup Employers" in 2024.[7]
History
The company was founded as Austin Software in 2018 by Jacqueline Samira and Frank Licea.[1][8] Its mission was to address the U.S. tech talent shortage by recruiting engineers from Latin American countries like Colombia, Chile, and Mexico.[1] The company was selected for Y Combinator's Winter 2021 startup accelerator program.[5]
The company launched from stealth mode in August 2022 under the name Astro[1] and later rebranded to Howdy.com to better reflect its company culture and expanding mission.[8][9]
The company received Series A funding in 2022 and an extension in 2023 to support growth.[2][1][10][11] In August 2023, it expanded in Latin America by acquiring GeekHunter, a Brazilian tech recruitment platform with nearly 400,000 registered users.[3][4]
The company appeared on the Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing private companies in 2023 and 2024 and was included on Forbes' list of "America's Best Startup Employer" in 2024.[6][7] The Austin Business Journal ranked it among the fastest-growing private companies in Central Texas in 2023.[12]
Services
The company provides nearshoring services by recruiting and vetting software developers in Latin America and matching them with U.S.-based employers.[2][1] In addition to recruitment, Howdy handles payroll, benefits, equipment, and legal compliance for its clients' hires.[2] Developers work remotely from their home countries, and the company maintains regional offices and coworking spaces in several Latin American cities.[13]
Funding
As of 2023, Howdy had raised a total of $21 million.
- Series A (Aug 2022): The company raised an initial $13 million[1][2]
- Series A Extension: Howdy raised an additional $5 million in an extension round led by Obvious Ventures, with participation from Greycroft. This round brought the company's valuation to $105 million.[9][10][11]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h Wiggers, Kyle (2022-08-29). "Astro emerges from stealth to connect Latin American developers with U.S. tech companies". TechCrunch. Retrieved 2025-08-18.
- ^ a b c d e f Renbarger, Madeline. "The Pitch Deck That Y Combinator Alum Howdy Used to Raise $18 Million - Business Insider". Business Insider. Retrieved 2025-08-12.
- ^ a b "Howdy.com buys GeekHunter, adding nearly 400,000 IT pros to its platform". Staffing Industry Analysts. 2023-08-24. Retrieved 2025-08-12.
- ^ a b Pulido, Jose (2023-08-23). "Howdy.com Acquires GeekHunter and Expands Its Presence in Latin America". Contxto. Retrieved 2025-08-18.
- ^ a b "Howdy.com: We help US tech companies hire and manage software engineers in LATAM". Y Combinator. Retrieved 2025-08-12.
- ^ a b "Howdy.com is a 2025 Inc. 5000 honoree". Inc.com. Retrieved 2025-08-12.
- ^ a b Peachman, Rachel Rabkin (2025-03-04). "Forbes 2025 America's Best Startup Employers - Ranked List". Forbes. Retrieved 2025-08-12.
- ^ a b Stankova, Monica (2023-01-11). "Outgrowing the Name: Austin Software Rebrands to Howdy to Reflect Expanding Horizons". Smart Branding. Retrieved 2025-08-18.
- ^ a b Rodriguez, Abel (2023-01-10). "Astro Rebrands to Howdy, Raises Additional $5M | Built In Austin". Built In Austin. Retrieved 2025-08-18.
- ^ a b Pathak, Shalini (2023-01-13). "Latin American Hybrid Workforce Firm Howdy Raises $5M in Series A Extension Round – EdTechRevie". Ed Tech Review. Retrieved 2025-08-12.
- ^ a b Thompson, Paul (2023-01-13). "Austin startup Howdy adds to series A round - Austin Business Journal". Austin Business Journal. Retrieved 2025-08-18.
- ^ Rogers, Patricia (2023-10-26). "Fast 50: Fastest growing private companies based in the Austin area". Austin Business Journal. Retrieved 2025-08-12.
- ^ "The Why of Howdy | Howdy". Howdy.com. Retrieved 2025-08-12.