Afrobility: Africa Tech and Business

#42: Andela - How the engineering hiring platform is connecting companies with software developers in Africa & emerging markets


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Overview: Today, we’re going to talk about Andela - the software developer recruitment platform. We’ll explore the Andela story across 6 areas:

  1. Labor markets in Africa context
  2. Andela's founding and early history
  3. Fundraising & Growth
  4. Product & monetization strategy
  5. Competitive positioning & potential exit options
  6. Overall outlook.

  7. This episode was co-hosted with Iyinoluwa "E" Aboyeji & recorded on Nov 7, 2021


    Companies discussed: Andela, Fora, 2U, Bookneto, Spark Capital, CRE Ventures, Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI), SoftBank (Vision Fund), Gebeya, Semicolon, Decagon, CRE Ventures, Spark Labs & Generation Investment Management


    Business concepts discussed: Emerging market talent recruitment, economic development, remote work, labor productivity, outsourcing, youth unemployment & economic development


    Conversation highlights:

    • (01:00) - Andela context & Background
    • (01:30) - Context on Africa’s labor markets
    • (21:20) -  Bookneto, Fora & 2U
    • (53:50) - Andela cofounders & early founding story
    • (1:00:00) - Fundraising and investors
    • (1:11:00) - Traction - Revenue, users, employees, margins
    • (1:14:23) - Product and monetization strategy
    • (1:25:22) - Competition and options for exit
    • (1:48:46) - Olumide’s overall thoughts and outlook
    • (1:55:17) - Bankole’s overall thoughts and outlook
    • (2:01:00) - E’s overall thoughts and outlook
    • (2:09:01) - Recommendations and small wins

    • Olumide’s recommendations & small wins:

      • Recommendation: Syncback Pro (works better than OneDrive & Google Drive clients for backing up stuff) & Money Talks Bloomberg article about how Zillow stopped selling houses: By Afrobility legend Matt Levine
      • Small win: Got a new larger air fryer. It's awesome

      • Bankole’s recommendations & small wins:

        • Recommendation: Tete Muo Bu Muo by Tony Tete Harbor & The Infinite Machine by Camila Russo
        • Small win: Great birthday dinner :)

        • E’s recommendations & small wins:

          • Recommendation: Prosperity paradox (by Efosa Ojomo) & Founders at work (Jessica Levingston)
          • Small win: 3 companies I’m working with got into YC Winter 2022 batch


          • Listeners: We’d love to hear from you. Email [email protected] with feedback!

            Founders & Operators: We'd love to hear about what you're working on, email us at [email protected]

            Investors: It would be great to link up with you to drive the ecosystem forward. Contact us at [email protected]

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            Afrobility: Africa Tech and BusinessBy Olumide Ogunsanwo and Bankole Makanju

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