AI staffing app Croux joins St. Petersburg incubator

Croux, an artificial intelligence staffing marketplace, joined spARK Labs by ARK Invest in St. Petersburg this summer. The move places the Alabama-based company in a local incubator environment. spARK Labs is part of ARK Invest. Croux connects venues, hotels, resorts, and country clubs with on-demand workers.

Stewart Price, one of the company co-founders, moved to Florida in May. He stated that the company is expanding its operations in Tampa Bay, Orlando, and Miami. Price noted that the region is a major vacation destination. He said the local hospitality scene is currently booming. The company has over 50,000 registered talent accounts. Workers can apply for shifts in security, housekeeping, cooking, bartending, and dishwashing.

Price explained that the platform uses AI to recruit, vet, and match workers with specific job requirements. Venues post their shifts on the platform. The system then identifies individuals with the best skill sets for those roles. The ideal customer is a business that needs to flex its labor force or manage a large contingent workforce.

The company was founded by Stewart Price, Jennifer Ryan, and Kenny Kung. All three co-founders worked in hospitality operations. Price said the pandemic created a labor shortage in the industry. Many workers left due to low pay and a lack of benefits. This trend is known as the great resignation. The founders sought a better method to find staff for their operations.

Price said many hospitality workers need an extra $300 to $500 per month. These workers often have full-time jobs or face child care and transportation challenges. They cannot commit to traditional part-time schedules that require daily or weekly presence. Croux offers flexibility to address this gap. Immigration laws have also forced some workers out of hospitality jobs, according to Price.

Becca Brown, CEO and president of spARK Labs by ARK Invest, welcomed the Croux team in a prepared statement. She said the AI-powered platform helps hospitality and event businesses find talent. It also creates flexible work opportunities for individuals. Brown said the incubator looks forward to supporting their growth and connecting them with the local community.

Croux currently operates in five states. Price said the company is focused on expanding its operations around the country. He joined the incubator to connect with other tech founders. He said the group shares similar hurdles and headaches. He also noted that the incubator could open future opportunities for capital raises.