Gebeya, a Pan-African online freelance talent marketplace is set to empower 100 existing tech marketplaces in East Africa via its innovative Marketplace-as-a-Service model.
This groundbreaking initiative allows companies to access top-tier developers without the traditional recruitment and management hassles. Gebeya offers three comprehensive service suites: G-Talent for tech talent recruitment, G-Staffing for full-time hires, and G-Made for project-based hires.
Earlier this year, Gebeya secured undisclosed Pre-Series A funding, marking its strategic shift from a conventional tech talent marketplace to a full-fledged provider of marketplaces via its “Marketplace-as-a-Service” model.
“We are not building these marketplaces from scratch,” explains Amadou Dafe, co-founder and CEO of Gebeya, “ We are identifying existing marketplaces driven by solid entrepreneurs and providing the support they need to succeed.”
Indeed, funding remains a significant hurdle for East African entrepreneurs, but Gebeya is set to redirect its funds to reinvest in 100 East African marketplaces. Moreover, the company plans to extend its technical support to assist 1,000 marketplace entrepreneurs across Africa in the coming years, thereby accelerating the African gig economy.
Read also: Google unveils latest tech innovations to enhance user experiences
Gebeya has already begun executing this initiative to achieve this goal, forging partnerships and offering marketplace-as-a-service to Lifeline Addis Home-based Healthcare, Eshi Express, Utentic, and YeneHealth, among other pioneer marketplaces.
This initiative is part of Gebeya’s landmark $48 million partnership with the Mastercard Foundation, named Mesirat — “to work” in Amharic. This ambitious program aims to equip 100 entrepreneurs in East Africa with multi-sided gig marketplaces, provide two million young people with market-facing skills, and offer one million job opportunities, 70 percent of which are targeted towards women.
Founded in 2016, Gebeya’s mission is reminiscent of Andela’s but with a distinctive Addis Ababa flair. Gebeya’s core objective is to foster a robust talent ecosystem, training and connecting pre-vetted tech talents with African businesses, thereby accelerating the region’s digital economy.
Embodying its name ‘Gebeya – ‘marketplace’ in Amharic — the startup has played a pivotal role in addressing this talent gap. Initially launched in Ethiopia, Gebeya has progressively expanded its geographical reach, offering services across Africa and beyond.
In addition, Gebeya’s plan to support existing East African marketplaces is an excellent initiative. By bridging the talent gap in the tech industry and equipping entrepreneurs with the skills they need to thrive, Gebeya is helping to create jobs and grow Africa’s economy.
