Corda Connect: Thalento

“We are grateful to Corda Campus for its international image as a start-of-the-art technological hotspot”

HR technology company Thalento is now a firm fixture at Corda Campus. Taking advantage of the flexibility that meets their changing infrastructure needs, the team is now occupying their third location on the campus. “We have noticed that the image of a young, dynamic working environment reflects well on our business, and that benefit is not to be underestimated,” says Karen Celen, Sales Manager at Thalento.

Your business has been running for a while, yet there is still some confusion about what you do.

“If you don’t know us, you might initially think that we are an HR service provider such as a recruitment agency or a temping agency. We’re not though: Thalento is an HR technology company that creates online assessments and other digital solutions to facilitate the recruitment and evaluation of talent. We offer our software internationally through a network of resellers. And the icing on the cake is that this technology can be fully customised for the client.”

Technology, you say. Then Corda Campus is a natural habitat for you?

“Absolutely. We feel at home in this dynamic environment of businesses inspired by technology, both start-ups and established companies. It is a bonus to be able to brainstorm with other professionals using technology in their business model. Our presence on the campus is not just good for us, but also helps our image in the outside world. When you hear the name Corda, you immediately associate it with the ecosystem of this innovative and inspirational environment. And that helps burnish our credentials as a state-of-the-art tech company. We can be grateful to the campus for that.”

You yourselves regularly hop between different locations within this ecosystem, don’t you?

“Yes, we are now in our third location in just a few years. We were initially based in the offices of Prato, which is one of our shareholders. We then spread our wings as an independent entity in Corda 7. And since the coronavirus pandemic broke out and we are combining the benefits of working from home with our presence on campus, Thalento can now be found in the INCubator in Corda A. That flexibility is very appealing to us. We are keen to use the facilities we need at any given time: permanent workspaces, meeting rooms for training courses, silent rooms and call booths for confidential calls etc. All of these are available depending on our needs at the time.”

You are almost part of the furniture here. Do newcomers to the campus talk to you a lot?

“We enjoy the interaction with other tenants at Corda, for sure. We like making new contacts and networking with other growth companies and start-ups, they always inspire us and give us new insights. It’s also interesting from a commercial point of view because many of the companies on campus are already using our technology. So, for us, there are no drawbacks to the concept of a sociable campus where everyone there can maintain good contacts with one another.”

Is Thalento to be found at the bar too?

“Of course. We are regulars at the Friday happy hour in the bar. Work hard, play hard, you know. It’s no different for us.”

Are you keeping an eye on the Corda Arena that is being built on the campus?

“Absolutely. It will put Corda Campus even more firmly on the map internationally and give us more options for welcoming clients in a suitable environment. We are pleased with the addition of new facilities.”

Is there anything you would still like to see added to that list?

“Not directly for me personally, but I can imagine that a car wash, crèche or supermarket would be very welcome to a lot of staff. If I had to choose something, then I’d like to see a hotel on the campus. Here at Thalento, we often have international visitors who invariably have to take taxis to the hotels in the city. That’s OK, but something a bit closer by would be nice. Even if only to be able to walk back to their rooms in the evening after dining in Het Cordaat…”