TechCabal Daily -👨🏿‍🚀Andela is expanding

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ANDELA IS EXPANDING ITS TALENT POOL

Six months after becoming a unicorn, talent outsourcing company Andela is expanding its talent pool to include new practice areas: specifically design, data, and product management. 

Why?

Andela was launched in 2014 to build and train pools of software developers across the continent. Since then, it has expanded outside the continent, training and providing career opportunities for 175,000 engineers globally. 

So why is it moving into other areas? 

Well, according to Agnes Muthoni, Director of the Andela Learning Community, software engineers don’t work independently, and there’s an equal clamour for a variety of skills in Africa’s growing tech sector. 

There’s more

Andela is also launching a self-serving option for its talent matching platform. 

Previously, Andela has employed a hands-on matching process to help clients scale their technical team, which involves sifting through resumes and screening calls, and typically takes several weeks to complete. 

With its new update, companies now have the option to tackle this process themselves by visiting the Andela platform, creating company profiles, posting jobs, and browsing through curated and vetted candidates instantaneously.

It looks like Africa’s talent hunt is about to receive an important boost.

SHAPING HEALTHY WORK CULTURE IN REMOTE TEAMS

Speaking of talent, how can founders build healthy cultures in remote teams?

Remote work has increased globally and it comes with its own advantages and disadvantages. 

On the bright side, there’s a reduction in overhead costs with this Stanford report stating that companies can save between $2,000 to $11,000 per employee when they switch to remote work. 😯

It also expands a company’s reach and allows them to employ global talent, as well as expand to other regions and markets. 

There are also disadvantages including decreased work/life balance and a lack of team synergy, all of which can lead to harmful work culture. 

So, how can founders build remote teams with healthy and sustainable cultures? 

Ire Aderinokun, COO and VP, Engineering, at Helicarrier has a few answers. In the eighth episode of TechCabal’s Building From Ground Up, we spoke to Aderinokun and she shared how she’s helping Helicarrier manage its remote team. 

Here’s what has helped Aderinokun in shaping Helicarrier:

• Use tools to track projects and build trust. At Helicarrier, Aderinokun and her team use tools Basecamp to manage projects, and Google Suite to give team members the support they need to fulfill their roles.

• For a remote team with members across 4 countries and 3 time zones, Aderinokun believes that asynchronous work structures can help build a healthy work-life balance. 

• Employ unconventional methods. At Helicarrier, the founders do a number of uncommon things. There’s a 1-month paid trial period where new employees can test the waters and see if they like Helicarrier’s culture. Helicarrier also has a mentorship programme where employees get to have one-on-ones with at least 2 of the 3 founders. 

• Finally, be sensitive to your team’s needs. Helicarrier does this in a number of ways. First, it pays its employees in stable coins which shields many from currency devaluation. Helicarrier also provides lunch and internet subscriptions so team members can focus on solving important problems. 

It’s not a one-size-fits-all solution though. What works for Helicarrier may not work for other startups but if there’s anything Ire Aderinokun believes, it’s that building healthy cultures involves a lot of learning and unlearning.

APPLE PROVIDERS WILL NO LONGER FIX STOLEN PHONES

Congratulations to all legitimate iPhone users. 

Apple recently announced that stolen or missing iPhones will not be repaired if they’re broken—at least not by Apple or any of its authorised stores and providers. 

The tech giant has instructed all licensed Apple Stores and authorised providers not to accept devices for repair if they get a notice on their internal MobileGenius or GSX systems that the phone had been marked as missing.

What this means is that technicians must check a device’s IMEI against the GSMA Device Registry when a customer brings it in for repair. 

Hold on a minute: what’s the GSMA registry?

The GSMA registry is a global database where owners can register their devices’ IMEI with a status such as lost, stolen, or fraudulently obtained. 

Previously, Apple already had a policy to not repair devices whose owners cannot disable the Find My iPhone feature. But it seems this isn’t sufficient enough as this new move will help Apple providers avoid repairing stolen iPhones that never had Find My iPhone enabled. This could also discourage people from buying second-hand devices outside of official and authorised sources. 

While this is a welcome development, it has one big flaw: while the missing or stolen phone might not be repaired, it would be returned to clients. A better feature would be one that alerts the original users of their phones’ status. 

There’s also the option of repairing the phone with unauthorised providers, many of whom are readily available to clients.

INTRODUCING: DEALFLOW

Get Africa’s startup funding updates in real-time.

A major problem limiting the growth of Africa’s tech ecosystem is the unavailability of data. With data, stakeholders can make important decisions on the go, saving time and resources that would otherwise be directed at doing research. Investors especially need to get a direction of what funding is like at every point in time so they can position their funds accordingly. 

This need for quick insights is exactly what our funding tracker solves. The data is updated in real-time just as startups reach out to us with funding info or as announcements are made. 

You no longer have to wait for end-of-year reports to get an overview of what the African tech ecosystem is like, you can get that insight in real-time on DealFlow. 

OPPORTUNITIES

• Applications are open for the 2022 edition of the African Business Heroes Competition for African Entrepreneurs. Entrepreneurs from all 54 African countries who are contributing to the development of sustainable economies are invited to apply. Ten winning entrepreneurs will share $1.5 million, get access to mentorship opportunities, and gain global recognition. Shoot your shot. 

• The Habitat for Humanity Africa Housing Forum Innovation Awards 2022 is now open to African organisations, startups, researchers and entrepreneurs focused on improving access to affordable housing on the continent. Three winners across 3 categories – ShelterTech, Best Practices, and Public Policies – will get $5,000 each as well as fully paid trips to the World Urban Forum in Katowice, Poland in June 2022. Check it out. 

• The Acumen Accelerator 2022 for Ventures Serving Displaced People is now open to applications from East African businesses and startups that create sustainable living solutions for displaced people in East Africa. Selected startups will share up to $75,000 in grants. Find out more.

• Applications are open for the Sound Connect Funds in Southern Africa 2022 grant. Southern African NGOs and businesses that focus on and support the cultural and creative sector in Southern Africa are invited to apply to get up to €180,000 in grants. Check it out. 

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