Backoffice Raises $162K to Streamline EU Hospitality Ops

Jan de Vries · 2026-05-25

A Vilnius-based startup called Backoffice just locked in $162,000 in funding to build what they call the operating system for European hospitality. Think of it as a central hub that handles everything from shift scheduling to payroll for restaurants, cafes, and hotels. ### The Funding Details The investment came from two venture capital funds: FIRSTPICK and Lost Astronaut. Backoffice plans to use the cash to expand its platform across Europe, starting from its stronghold in Lithuania. ### Why This Matters Erikas Pakenas, the founder, grew up watching his mom run her restaurant and bakery. He saw the long hours, the constant schedule changes, the staff shortages. "The people who build businesses like this love people, love the industry, and are deeply hospitable but they're often drowning in operational work," he said. "Backoffice is an attempt to change that." ### How the Platform Works Founded in 2025 by Pakenas and Denis Stech, Backoffice is designed to simplify day-to-day operations for the hospitality and food service sector. Here's what it covers: - Shift changes and scheduling - Time tracking and payroll - Internal communication - Compliance with local labor laws - Training and procurement - Real-time business performance numbers Employees can swap shifts, log hours, and track their earnings more efficiently. The goal is to replace the messy mix of Excel spreadsheets and messaging apps with one clean system. ### Pricing and Structure Backoffice charges per location, not per employee. That's a smart move for multi-location businesses like restaurant chains or hotel groups. Owners get a combined view across all venues or can drill into each one independently. Labor costs, margins, and performance roll up at the group level. ### Security and Compliance For a US audience, data security is a big deal. Backoffice stores data in the EU, encrypts it both at rest and in transit, and is GDPR-compliant by default. Contracts, working time records, and employee documentation follow Lithuanian labor law out of the box, signed with Smart-ID or Mobile-ID and stored for the required retention period. ### Current Traction The platform is already live in over 40 locations across Lithuania, from Michelin-starred restaurants to late-night bars like Dziaugsmas, Pleassurie, and Tempo. About 500 users are registered on the system. ### What Investors Say "Strong progress made in a relatively short time, that's what we value most: the ability to move fast and learn from the market," said Marijus Andrijauskas, partner at FIRSTPICK. "We see the potential for this product to become infrastructure for the entire sector. Today, the average hospitality business uses five or more different systems, and Backoffice aims to bring that together into one platform." ### The Bigger Picture Hospitality is a fragmented industry. Small margins, high turnover, and tons of manual work. If Backoffice can pull this off, it could save operators thousands of hours a year. That means more time focusing on guests and less time wrestling with spreadsheets.