Lithuanian Startup Backoffice Raises $162k for Hospitality OS

Jan de Vries · 2026-05-25

A Vilnius-based startup is building what it calls an operating system for restaurants, cafes, and hotels. Backoffice just secured $162,000 (€150k) in funding from venture capital funds FIRSTPICK and Lost Astronaut to expand its operations management platform across Europe. ### The Problem It Solves Running a hospitality business is chaotic. Long hours, constant schedule changes, and staff shortages are the norm. Founder Erikas Pakėnas saw this firsthand: "I grew up watching my mum run her restaurant and bakery business. The people who build businesses like this love people and the industry, but they're often drowning in operational work." Backoffice aims to change that by replacing fragmented tools like Excel spreadsheets and messaging apps with a single centralized system. ### What the Platform Does Founded in 2025 by Erikas Pakėnas and Denis Stech, Backoffice handles day-to-day operations from shift changes to payroll and internal communication. Employees can swap shifts, log work hours, and track earnings more efficiently. The platform also manages: - Scheduling and time tracking - Compliance and training - Procurement and live business metrics The company charges per location, not per employee, and supports multi-location and multi-business structures. Owners get a combined view across all venues or can drill into each one independently, with labor costs, margins, and performance rolled up at the group level. ### Security and Compliance Data security is a priority. Backoffice stores data in the EU, encrypts it 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 operating in over 40 locations across Lithuania, from Michelin-starred restaurants to late-night bars like Džiaugsmas, Pleassurie, Tempo, Ahha, Meating Room, Burro, Momo Grill, and Pacai. Approximately 500 users are registered on the system. "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 FIRSTPICK partner Marijus Andrijauskas. "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 Backoffice is part of a growing trend of European startups building vertical SaaS for hospitality. By focusing on operational efficiency, it's helping small and medium-sized businesses compete with larger chains. The $162k investment will fuel expansion across Europe, starting with neighboring markets.