ETHIOPIA – Gebeya, an ed-tech startup that runs an online software outsourcing marketplace, has closed a US$2 million seed round to help it scale in Francophone Africa and launch new products.

The seed round was led by Partech and Orange Digital Ventures. Nigerian based investors, Consonance Investment Managers also participated in the round.

Gebeya has plans to scale up its training and marketplace services in Francophone Africa, as well as launch its online African talent marketplace.

This platform will provide substantial transparency for clients in choosing ideal talent best suited for their projects.

“This investment, made possible by global investment firms dedicated to Africa’s technological advancements, marks a pivotal moment for Gebeya. The company has been strongly committed to bringing the abundant capacity of Africa’s youth to light,” said Amadou Daffe, chief executive officer (CEO) and co-founder of Gebeya.

“This investment will enable us to further strengthen the community of top-notch tech talents and position Gebeya as the go-to for other companies as well as startups.”

Gebeya is a tech talent outsourcing company which allows startups and SMEs hire IT talents remotely or in-house. It focuses on cultivating the untapped tech potential of African youth through its training programme to prepare them for the demands of the global market.

Founded by Amadou Daffe and Hiruy Amanuel in 2016, the company says you can “hire specialized developers from Gebeya’s talent pool for a price ranging between US$15 and US$25 per hour”.

It also says it has trained 600 talents since 2016 and has matched more than a third of them with startups across Africa and the world.

Gebeya now plans to scale its impact further after raising US$2 million in a round co-led by Partech and Orange Digital Ventures, and also featuring Consonance Investment Managers.

The seed fund will help Gebeya scale up its training and accelerate plans to launch an African online marketplace.

Tidjane Deme, General Partner at Partech Africa, said his company had been watching this space closely.