Steve Case, Omidyar Network & Founder Collective-Backed Andela.co Launches Coding Classes in Nigeria, Ghana & Kenya

Backed by investors including Steve Case, Omidyar Network, Founder Collective, Rothenberg Ventures, Learn Capital, Melo7 Tech Partners, and Chris Hughes, Andela, a global talent accelerator that produces world-class developers and connects them with top employers has launched in Africa to give developers the best training and mentorship needed to make them world-class develoeprs.

Founded by Jeremy Johnson, Co-Founder and CEO (co-founder 2U) and Christina Sass, Co-Founder and COO and Iyinoluwa “E” Aboyeji, Co-Founder and Director, Recruitment, a Nigerian serial entrepreneur co-founder of Bookneto which was acquired in 2013, Andela has offices in North America and Africa and aims to give brilliant young people in Africa an on-ramp to the digital economy and give companies access to untapped, world-class talent.

The firm has been doing pilot studies since June and with an undisclosed seed round from the investors named earlier, Andela promises to supply its students with the skills needed in high demand tech companies. It’s Fellows will be taught Mongo.db, Express, Angular and Node.js and the students will work both as individuals and as groups of 2-6 on projects.

Andela says it’s first class had over 5,200 applicants compete for 28 slots and developers who leave the fellowship get paid a $500 monthly stipend as they intern in the tech companies. The Lagos classes are taught in-person by senior developers to address the challenges associated with online education. The firm aims to set up a new campus in Kenya and Ghana.

In Kenya, Andela will take on Moringa School and Nairobi Dev School.

IMG:VenturesAfrica

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