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Comp Redefines HR Tech With AI-Driven Solutions And Strategic Investment

Founder’s Vision And Entrepreneurial Drive

After graduating from Cornell University, Christophe Gerlach moved from investing in HR technology startups at General Atlantic back into building companies. Earlier, he had co-founded and sold a food delivery startup with Pedro Bobrow, an experience that reinforced his focus on operational execution and product-driven growth.

Building An AI-Driven HR Platform

In late 2022, Gerlach and Bobrow, previously a product manager at Lyft, launched Comp, an HR technology startup focused on the Brazilian market. The company develops tools that automate core HR functions, including recruiting workflows, compensation frameworks, and performance review processes. The platform combines automation with structured HR expertise aimed at helping companies scale internal operations more efficiently.

Innovative Hybrid Model

Distinguishing itself from conventional consulting practices, Comp deploys seasoned HR executives as extensions of its clients’ teams. These experts not only collaborate on strategy but also manually execute best practices that subsequently train the underlying AI. The goal is to evolve these systems into fully autonomous agents capable of managing traditional HR functions, effectively displacing both outdated software platforms and conventional consultancies.

Strategic Investment And Market Disruption

Comp’s model has attracted venture backing. The company raised $17.25 million in a Series A round led by Khosla Ventures, marking the firm’s first investment in a Brazilian startup. Khosla general partner Keith Rabois joined the board following the round. The company positions itself at the intersection of HR consulting and software, competing with established advisory firms and global HR platforms.

Capturing The Brazilian Market And Global Ambitions

Comp’s early client base includes Brazilian technology companies such as Nubank, QuintoAndar, and Creditas. The startup targets enterprises seeking alternatives to traditional compensation consultants and legacy HR systems. While Brazil remains its primary market, the company is preparing to expand its operating model internationally as demand for AI-supported HR tools grows.

payabl. Launches Click To Pay With Visa To Help Merchants Improve Checkout Conversion And Reduce Fraud

payabl. has launched Click to Pay with Visa, a new card payment experience designed to help merchants reduce checkout friction, improve authorisation rates, and deliver a faster, more secure online payment journey.

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Click to Pay replaces manual card number entry with a token-based checkout experience. Once a customer’s card is enrolled, they can complete purchases in just a few clicks, without re-entering card details. The result is a faster checkout that mirrors the ease of contactless payments in-store, while maintaining strong security standards.

For merchants, the impact is measurable. According to Visa, Click to Pay can deliver up to a 11% uplift in authorisation rates compared to manual card entry, alongside significant fraud reduction through network tokenisation. Faster checkout also helps reduce cart abandonment, particularly on mobile, where typing card details remains a major source of friction.

“With online checkout, every extra step costs conversion,” said Breno Oliveira, Chief Product Officer at payabl. “Visa Click to Pay removes one of the biggest points of friction at the moment of purchase. It helps merchants approve more legitimate transactions, reduce fraud exposure, and give customers the experience they already expect.” 

Visa Click to Pay is available through payabl. checkout, enabling merchants to activate the service without additional integration complexity. The solution works across devices and supports existing security flows, including 3D Secure where required.

“Consumers have come to expect a highly personalised, intuitive, and seamless payment experience, whether they’re buying a coffee, shopping online, or applying for a loan. Visa Click to Pay aims to meet these expectations by removing the need to manually enter card details, thus enhancing both security and the consumer experience in online card payments. With the support of network tokens, Visa Click to Pay enabled a more secure and smoother transaction process, available in many countries around the world. According to European VisaNet data, Visa Click to Pay may allow a 4.5% uplift in merchant sales, meaning a possible annual increase of €51 bn in SMB eCommerce sales in the UK and EU,” said Michael Ioannides, Country Manager, Visa Cyprus.

The launch forms part of payabl.’s broader focus on checkout optimisation, helping merchants improve conversion, approvals, and payment reliability at scale. Click to Pay with Visa is now live for eligible merchants across Europe. 

Checkout expectations are rising across Europe 

Insights from payabl.’s State of European Checkouts report underline why frictionless checkout experiences are becoming a commercial priority. The research found that consumers cite speed (46%), convenience (44%), and security (41%) as the top reasons for choosing a payment method. More than half of consumers (53%) are open to switching to newer payment methods and nearly half (48%) are open to one-click checkouts, provided the solution is backed by a trusted brand such as Visa.

“Checkout is no longer just the final step of a transaction,” said Oliveira. “It is a critical part of the overall customer experience. Our research shows that 43% of European consumers will not return to a site after a poor checkout experience. For merchants across the UK and Europe, that translates directly into lost customers and lost revenue.”

The launch forms part of payabl.’s broader focus on checkout optimisation, helping merchants improve conversion, approvals, and payment reliability at scale. Click to Pay with Visa is now live for eligible merchants across Europe.

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