Startups > Andela

Andela

Andela connects companies with vetted global engineering talent in emerging markets.

Series E $381M total Founded 2014 United States

Andela is a global talent marketplace that connects companies with vetted software engineers across 135+ countries. Using proprietary AI matching algorithms, Andela sources, screens, and onboards developers while handling the entire hiring lifecycle—offering flexible engagement models from individual contractors to fully managed teams. The company specializes in application development, AI, data engineering, cloud, and DevOps roles, and has evolved to provide the human compute layer behind modern AI systems. Andela's core value is reducing hiring friction through speed, quality, and cost-efficiency via its Adaptive Hiring model.

Problem solved

Companies struggle to find, vet, and onboard high-quality software engineers quickly and cost-effectively, particularly for specialized roles in AI, data engineering, and cloud infrastructure.

Target customer

Mid-market to enterprise B2B companies (SaaS, fintech, tech) needing to scale engineering teams quickly without traditional hiring overhead; companies building AI systems requiring training data and model deployment expertise.

Website LinkedIn Crunchbase

Founders

Jeremy Johnson

CEO & Co-Founder

Previously VP at 2U (which helps universities create degree programs); left to co-found Andela in 2014.

Iyinoluwa Aboyeji

Co-Founder

Nigerian entrepreneur who co-founded Fora (distance learning platform) before Andela; currently CEO and General Partner of Future Africa, a $6B+ venture platform.

Ian Carnevale

Co-Founder

Co-founder of Fora distance learning platform; pivoted with three others to launch Andela.

Nadayar Enegesi

Co-Founder

Co-founder of Fora distance learning platform; pivoted with three others to launch Andela.

Brice Nkengsa

Co-Founder

Co-founder of Fora distance learning platform; pivoted with three others to launch Andela.

Christina Sass

Co-Founder (Former President)

Served as President until 2019; transitioned to Chair of Andela Advisory Council and Alumni Group.

Funding history

Seed $390K 2014 Led by Unknown · Unknown

Series A $10M Unknown Led by Spark Capital · Unknown

Series B $24M 2016 Led by Chan Zuckerberg Initiative · Unknown

Series C $40M October 2017 Led by CRE Venture Capital · Unknown

Series D $100M January 2019 Led by Generation Investment Management · Serena Ventures

Series E $200M September 29, 2021 Led by SoftBank Vision Fund 2 · Whale Rock, Generation Investment Management, Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, Spark Capital

Total raised: $381M

Industries

B2B Consulting Human Resources Information Technology Software

Pricing

Average of up to $15,000 per developer per month with minimum 12-month contracts (approximately $180,000 annually). Pricing varies based on engagement complexity and duration. Developers on the platform earn on average 87% more than their previous salaries.

Notable customers

Mastercard Foundry, GitHub, Goldman Sachs, Nebula.io, Kinship, Mindshare, ViacomCBS

Website

andela.com/

Competitors

Toptal

Toptal focuses on freelance talent matching but lacks Andela's proprietary AI matching algorithms and full team management capabilities.

Gun.io

Gun.io specializes in Go and Rust developers; Andela offers broader technical specialties and larger-scale managed team deployments.

Arc.dev

Arc focuses on connecting with individual remote developers; Andela emphasizes fully managed team placements and AI-driven matching.

Why this matters: Andela scaled to a $1.5B valuation by solving a real hiring friction problem at enterprise scale, backed by tier-one investors (SoftBank, Generation Investment, Chan Zuckerberg Initiative). Its evolution toward AI-focused talent and managed human compute positions it at the intersection of labor marketplaces and AI infrastructure—a strategic shift as companies race to scale AI capabilities.

Best for: Mid-to-large enterprises needing to rapidly scale engineering capacity for specialized technical roles (AI, data, cloud, DevOps) without lengthy traditional hiring cycles.

Use cases

Scaling AI Model Training & Deployment

Companies building AI systems need teams to handle data preparation, model training, and deployment. Andela provides vetted engineers with AI/ML expertise across geographies, reducing time-to-hire from months to weeks while ensuring quality alignment with project requirements.

Blended Team Augmentation

Enterprise SaaS companies can incorporate Andela developers into existing in-house teams on flexible terms (individual contractors, formed teams, or fully managed units), scaling without permanent headcount commitments during product cycles.

Cost-Efficient Global Engineering

Companies can access skilled engineers across 135+ countries at lower costs than traditional hiring, with Andela handling vetting, onboarding, and ongoing management—enabling sustainable unit economics for technical projects.

Alternatives

Toptal Broader freelance-to-employee marketplace but less specialized in managed team deployments and lacks proprietary AI matching algorithms.

Upwork General-purpose freelance platform with less rigorous vetting; better for smaller projects and hourly engagements rather than full-time team scaling.

Gun.io Specialized in niche languages (Go, Rust); Andela offers broader technical stacks and stronger emphasis on managed team placements.

FAQ

What does Andela do? +

Andela is a global talent marketplace that sources, vets, and places vetted software engineers with companies worldwide. It offers flexible engagement models—individual contractors, formed teams, or fully managed teams—and uses proprietary AI algorithms to match engineers to specific project requirements based on technical and soft skills. Andela handles the entire hiring lifecycle and has expanded into providing the human compute layer for AI-native projects.

How much does Andela cost? +

Andela charges an average of up to $15,000 per developer per month, with minimum 12-month contracts (approximately $180,000 annually). Pricing varies based on engagement type (individual, team, or fully managed) and complexity. Contact Andela directly for custom enterprise pricing.

What are alternatives to Andela? +

Toptal (freelance-to-employee marketplace), Upwork (general-purpose freelance platform), Gun.io (specialized in Go/Rust developers), and Arc.dev (individual remote developer matching) are alternatives, though they lack Andela's AI-driven matching and managed team capabilities.

Who uses Andela? +

Mid-to-large B2B enterprises and SaaS companies needing specialized engineering talent (AI, data, cloud, DevOps). Known customers include Mastercard, GitHub, Goldman Sachs, ViacomCBS, and Nebula.io. Companies typically use Andela to scale capacity without traditional hiring overhead.

How does Andela differ from traditional staffing agencies? +

Andela uses proprietary AI matching algorithms to predict candidate success in specific roles, rather than manual matching. It operates as a two-sided marketplace with transparent pricing, offers flexible engagement models (vs. rigid permanent placement), and specializes in tech talent across 135+ countries. Developers earn significantly more (87% increase on average) while clients get vetted, pre-screened engineers within weeks.