Henry - Recruit LatAm developers without a fee
Henry just raised $10 million to prep junior developers and get them hired
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What it does: Henry trains future software developers and data scientists in Latin America tuition-free. It also helps them find tech jobs in exchange for a share of their future income. Classes and other activities are 100% online and live. It offers candidate searches from within its alumni rolls to prospective employers free of charge.
How it started: Co-founders Martin Borchardt (CEO), Luz Borchardt (VP of Marketing), Leonardo Maglia (CTO), and Manuel Barna Ferres created Henry to provide technology education to people in Latin America. They saw a demand for technical workers but not enough coding or technology programs to train people for those jobs.
Y Combinator is an initial funder of Henry. The company's subsequent $10 million Series A round was co-led by Kayyak Ventures and Seaya Cathay. It also included Dila Capital, Amarena and Eduardo della Maggiora, Matías Woloski, Accion Venture Lab, and Draper University.
How it works: Students apply online for the Henry Boot Camp. They do not need prior experience in coding, and they can opt to take a prep course with an introduction to software development. During their training at Henry, students spend over 800 hours coding. They also spend time creating real-world projects.
Henry also provides a one-on-one career support system for its students. They learn how to write resumes, interview effectively, and other skills that help them get jobs.
The company trains students in technical skills such as Javascript, HTML, SQL, and CSS. Henry's students also learn to use tools such as Slack, Zoom, Trello, Scrum, and Agile Methodologies. Graduates are ready for several jobs, including full stack developer, front end developer, web developer, software developer, back end developer, and mobile developer.
Employers interested in hiring Henry graduates send specifics about the job titles and types of candidates they are looking for. Henry assigns these companies to job placement teams. These interested companies can access Henry graduates' training and resume information and can interview candidates. Potential employers do not have to pay for this service.
Each month, Henry sends prospective employers who have signed up a list of candidates ready for immediate employment. The company fully vets each of the candidates before sending along their information. Companies that hire Henry graduates to work remotely can save money over paying US or European workers.
Why it's interesting: Henry is the first 100% live online technology academy in Latin America. Their Income-Share Agreement model means students can start with only a computer and an internet connection. This model helps students in remote parts of Latin America and students who don't have a lot of resources get the training they need for sound technology jobs.
LinkedIn and Microsoft's study showed that over 10 million technology jobs will be available in Latin America by 2025. However, in Colombia alone, a talent deficit to fill tech jobs is already over 65%.
Henry has more than 5,000 students and has placed graduates in jobs at companies including Mercado Libre, Santander, Lenovo, Globant, and Accenture. They have helped fill positions in the United States, Europe, and Latin America.
