Andela, a Nigerian Startup, has raised $24million in series B funding from the Mark Zuckerberg and Dr. Priscilla Chan fund.
Andela, whose purpose is to train African software developers, was co-founded by a Nigerian, Iyin Aboyeji in Yaba, Lagos.
Andela has trained just under 200 engineers in its two years in operation, accepting them from a pool of 40,000 applicants and giving them six months of intensive training.
Andela then sends them to spend two weeks at technology partners.
After that, the Andela developers sign on to those companies full-time, working out of Andela campuses it operates in Lagos and Nairobi.
Zuckerberg said in a statement: “Companies get access to great developers, and developers in Africa get the opportunity to use their skills and support their communities. Priscilla and I believe in supporting innovative models of learning wherever they are around the world—and what Andela is doing is pretty amazing.”
CEO, Jeremy Johnson says Andela isn’t profitable and isn’t trying to be, while focusing on scaling its presence; the partnerships with tech companies including Google, Microsoft and startups such as 6Sense and the Muse, however, brings in “real” revenue, he says.