Jobtech Alliance

Connecting people to work opportunities that build livelihoods

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Jobtech is the future of work. Jobtech platforms – which we define as digital platforms that connect people to work opportunities that build livelihoods – have transformed Western labor markets over the last two decades and will play an increasing role in the African economy over the next decade, particularly in the informal sector. From enabling plumbers to connect to customers for gigs, to providing micro-retailers with better access to supply chain, to empowering local creators to monetize their work and sell to global markets, platforms play a critical role in enabling young people in Africa to build a meaningful livelihood. By 2025, 540 million people worldwide will find work through jobtech. Significant growth is expected in Africa, where 30-88 million Africans will earn at least a portion of their income through jobtech by 2030.

The Jobtech Alliance is an ecosystem-building initiative focused on creating inclusive jobtech in Africa. It was launched in 2021 by implementing partners Mercy Corps and BFA Global.

Our focus

We’re interested in digital platforms which connect people to jobs and opportunities.

We build knowledge in the sector through research and community-building.

We offer a range of acceleration activities to help jobtech platforms grow and create more jobs.

Jobtech Ecosystem

We seek to create an enabling environment which provides the conditions for entrepreneurs to build platforms which deliver quality livelihoods; this means building the knowledge base of the sector through research, community-building, and spotlighting of the sector. We also seek to grow funding for the space through curating a circle of investors, guiding conversations on sector financing, and work on policy and infrastructure critical for the sector.

Community

Become an Ecosystem member.

Get our monthly newsletter and invitations to our events.

Join the community

Platform Membership

Platform Members are jobtech platforms that are committed to creating and improving jobs for young people in Africa.

Register as a platform member

Jobtech Investment Network

We have established the Jobtech Investment Network to increase affordable, smart funding into the Jobtech sector. The network is creating a community of funders actively supporting – or interested in working with – platforms in the jobtech sector in Africa.

How to join the network

Jobtech for Refugees Community of Practice

The purpose of the Jobtech for Refugees COP is to build a community where ecosystem members share their work, knowledge, experiences and best practices related to work opportunities for refugees on jobtech platforms.

Learn more about the COP

Venture Support

We support jobtech platforms to grow and create more decent jobs in Africa.

Our team of experts and specialists provide bespoke venture-building and acceleration support to companies within the jobtech sector. Our selection for companies is stage-agnostic as long as they have the potential to:

*Create more jobs for young Africans

*Improve the quality of jobs on their platforms for existing workers

*Make jobs more inclusive by employing traditionally underserved groups like women and refugees

We work with suitable platforms to design a bespoke package of support that could include:

-Technical assistance or advisory support

-Grant capital

-Management support to assist with delivery (management consultants)

-Connections to investors, mentors, peers, or business leads

-Research

APPLY FOR VENTURE SUPPORT

Insights

[Press release] Jobtech Alliance Welcomes Eight New Platforms to Its Ecosystem
Inclusive Jobtech |

[Press release] Jobtech Alliance Welcomes Eight New Platforms to Its Ecosystem

Nairobi, Kenya, July 29, 2024 – The Jobtech Alliance steered by Mercy Corps and BFA Global has announced its second...

By Carmen Merab
A Request for Jobs: the Jobtech Alliance’s new Investment Thesis
Inclusive Jobtech |

A Request for Jobs: the Jobtech Alliance’s new Investment Thesis

At the Jobtech Alliance, we frequently explore the challenging ideas and jobtech categories we want more African innovators to...

By Nick Markham
The Flip’s Future of Work YouTube Series
Inclusive Jobtech |

The Flip’s Future of Work YouTube Series

The Jobtech Alliance collaborated with African startup podcast, The Flip, to make its first YouTube docu-series, focused on jobtech...

By Jobtech Alliance
Jobtech Alliance Learning Study #1: Platform Cutout
Inclusive Jobtech |

Jobtech Alliance Learning Study #1: Platform Cutout

Jobtech Alliance Learning Studies seek to provide insight into how to build jobtech platforms that are viable, scalable, and...

By Jobtech Alliance
What is ‘a job’? Pt 2: Lessons from the data
Inclusive Jobtech |

What is ‘a job’? Pt 2: Lessons from the data

We explained how we chose to ‘count jobs’ based on: * Inclusion criteria: the minimum standards for a platform to...

By Jobtech Alliance
Jobtech Alliance: Gender Strategy
Inclusive Jobtech |

Jobtech Alliance: Gender Strategy

To help enable changes across the ecosystem in collaboration with ecosystem players, we at Jobtech Alliance have launched our...

By Jobtech Alliance
e-Learning Course – Exploring Business Models in the Jobtech Sector
Inclusive Jobtech |

e-Learning Course – Exploring Business Models in the Jobtech Sector

Jobtech Alliance  launched an e-learning course in collaboration with VC4A and the Flip Podcast that delivers insights and case...

By Carmen Merab
What is ‘a job’? How to measure job creation on jobtech platforms in Africa
Inclusive Jobtech |

What is ‘a job’? How to measure job creation on jobtech platforms in Africa

At the Jobtech Alliance, we’re pretty strict about what we consider to be a job created or improved. Based...

By Carmen Merab
[Press Release] Jobtech Alliance Announces its First Cohort of Inclusive Jobtech Platforms to Create Work Opportunities and Quality Livelihoods in East and West Africa
Inclusive Jobtech |

[Press Release] Jobtech Alliance Announces its First Cohort of Inclusive Jobtech Platforms to Create Work Opportunities and Quality Livelihoods in East and West Africa

Nairobi, Kenya, April 18, 2022 – Today, the Jobtech Alliance, steered by Mercy Corps and BFA Global, announced its...

By Carmen Merab
[Press release] BFA Global and Mercy Corps Jobtech Alliance Announce Launch of Startup Accelerator Programs to Improve Livelihoods in Africa
Inclusive Jobtech |

[Press release] BFA Global and Mercy Corps Jobtech Alliance Announce Launch of Startup Accelerator Programs to Improve Livelihoods in Africa

Nairobi, Kenya, October 27, 2022 – Steered by Mercy Corps and BFA Global, the Jobtech Alliance, an ecosystem-building initiative...

By Carmen Merab