Global talent accelerator Andela is to launch a Kenyan bootcamp this month followed by a full training programme, having received over 1,200 responses to its first Kenyan call for applications.
The Andela programme identifies talented young Africans and trains them to become top developers for global firms. With an only one per cent acceptance rate, Andela claims to be the most selective tech training programme on the African continent.
Launched in Nigeria in September last year, Andela received over 10,000 applications in its first six months of operation, prompting the decision to expand the programme across Africa.
Disrupt Africa in April reported Andela called for applications from Kenya, Ghana and South Africa, with a view to launching operations in one or more of the countries, dependent on the response received.
Andela today told Disrupt Africa over 1,200 applications rolled in from Kenya, and as such Andela has decided to host its first Kenyan programme.
A bootcamp will held later this month for the 25 top applicants, and from this pool of 25, Andela will accept approximately eight to comprise the first Andela class in Kenya.
“Andela is excited to build on our work in Nigeria and continue to prove that brilliance is equally distributed around the world even if opportunity is not,” said co-founder and chief executive officer (CEO) Jeremy Johnson.
“We fully expect to find some of the brightest, most committed and capable young people in Kenya and we look forward to seeing everything they accomplish in the months ahead,” said Johnson.
Andela said the Kenyan programme will present the opportunity to “tap into an incredible tech-ecosystem”, and will see Andela continue to identify Africa’s most talented individuals.
The bootcamp is scheduled for the second half of this month, and the full programme will start in the following months.
