NextWork, a platform designed to help people learn practical artificial intelligence skills by building real-world projects and publishing proof-of-work portfolios, announced it has raised $4.45 million in a seed funding round led by Shakti VC. The round also included participation from Cake Ventures, along with repeat investors GD1 VC, Blackbird Ventures, Icehouse Ventures, Phase One Ventures and a group of angel investors.
The funding will support NextWork’s expansion in the United States, including the establishment of Austin, Texas as the company’s U.S. headquarters. The company also plans to invest in engineering and growth hiring as it scales its platform and expands adoption among learners and employers.
Founded in 2024, NextWork focuses on addressing what it describes as a growing trust gap in the labor market as AI reshapes the workforce. Traditional hiring systems often rely on credentials and titles that may not accurately represent an individual’s real abilities. NextWork aims to shift hiring and learning toward verifiable outcomes by enabling users to demonstrate skills through completed projects and publicly shareable portfolios.
Through the platform, learners complete hands-on AI projects such as building chatbots and automating workflows. These projects are designed to generate authenticated evidence of skills that can be shown to employers. The company positions itself as a verification layer for AI capabilities, helping organizations evaluate talent based on demonstrated outputs rather than inferred qualifications.
Since launching, NextWork reports that more than 190,000 learners across over 190 countries have used the platform to build AI projects. Approximately 22 percent of projects are completed by U.S.-based learners, many of whom are between the ages of 25 and 35 and are seeking career changes or promotions by demonstrating new technical capabilities.
The company says the new capital will allow it to accelerate product development while continuing to expand its library of projects that reflect evolving industry demand for AI-related skills.
KEY QUOTES:
“The age of AI promises a new Renaissance where human potential is no longer siloed by specialization. In the AI age every person can be a Michelangelo because AI will provide abundant tools to do anything we want in the digital or physical domain. Achieving this future requires only two things: imagination and the mastery of AI. While the imagination is up to us, NextWork provides the mastery. This is Amber’s vision and we have never been more excited to invest in a founder and the future that she is building.”
Keval Desai, Founder And Managing Director, Shakti VC
“For most of history, learning existed to solve real problems. Somewhere along the way, we replaced that with credentials and titles that don’t tell you who can build anymore. As AI reshapes how work is done, the world needs systems that reward what people can actually build. NextWork exists to realign learning, work and value around solving real problems again.”
Amber Winton, Founder And CEO, NextWork
“Since we launched, I’ve been fortunate to lead the project writing team, turning user feedback into skills that directly reflect market demand. Watching learners complete projects and leverage their portfolios to unlock new jobs and opportunities has reaffirmed why this work matters so deeply.”
Natasha Ong, Chief Of Staff, NextWork
“After completing an intensive cybersecurity training program, I still struggled to find a job because I didn’t have concrete proof of what I could actually do. To make ends meet, I worked a custodial job while building my portfolio on NextWork, and it worked! The skills I showed in my portfolio were what helped me move from school custodian to the IT department, opening new doors in my career.”
Shane Brown, NextWork Learner
