The Mumbai-based tech startup’s jobseeker-vetting platform helps companies “hire based on skills and potential, rather than pedigree.”
More people in sub-Saharan Africa will join the labor force by 2035 than from the rest of the world combined, according to the World Bank. India’s workforce adds one million people each month.
The flood of jobseekers has caused employers in these regions to make hiring decisions based on on CVs and personal connections. “The single biggest challenge for growing companies is finding the right talent to scale,” Shortlist’s Paul Breloff says.
Shortlist’s concept was piloted with funding from the ANDE-Argidius Talent Challenge last April. The startup has partnered with 80 companies, including M-KOPA, MicroEnsure and other social enterprises.
The seed round was backed by University Ventures, Zephyr Acorn, Bodley Group, and several Indian and U.S. angel investors.