Evolution of Andela: Connecting Global Tech Talent

Welcome to another episode of Unicorn Builders. Today, our unicorn builder is Jeremy Johnson, CEO and Co-founder of Andela, the world's largest private marketplace of on-demand skilled technical talent. Andela has made significant strides in connecting extraordinarily gifted individuals from emerging markets to global companies in need of their skills, fostering a more inclusive and diverse tech ecosystem worldwide.

Key Topics Discussed: 

• Jeremy's Journey: Starting with a social network for high school students and evolving into the education technology sphere, leading to the foundation of Andela.
• Inspiration Behind Andela: A talk for the MasterCard Foundation about increasing access to economic opportunities in Africa sparked the idea for Andela.
• Andela's Growth: From its initial focus on Nigeria to becoming a global talent platform representing 175 countries.
• Challenges and Successes: Expanding into new countries, adjusting to remote work, and evolving the business model from gig work to full-time, embedded team members.
• The Importance of Remote Work: How the pandemic shifted perceptions on remote work and validated Andela's model.
• Fundraising Insights: Jeremy's experiences and strategies in raising almost $400 million, emphasizing the importance of product quality and finding aligned investors.
• Advice for Founders: Emphasize keeping operations lean, focusing on niche markets, and the importance of building trust in marketplaces.
• Andela's Core Success: Believing in people and building trust across continents, which has been central to Andela's growth and impact.