Dealflow | October 23, 2015

Tech Veterans Invest $3.5M in iMerit to Boost Digital Job Skills

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Michael Dell, Pierre Omidyar and Vinod Khosla are betting on the opportunity to “upskill” workers rather than replace them. The three technology veterans – through their impact and philanthropic organizations – have invested $3.5 million in iMerit, a digital services company that recruits from disadvantaged communities around the world.

iMerit was founded in 2012 with a mission of bringing high-tech opportunities to underprivileged youth, especially women. The company was launched by Radha Basu – a familiar name in Silicon Valley’s tech circles – with $1 million in start-up funding from Omidyar. The fresh round of financing from Omidyar’s impact investment fund Omidyar Network, the Dell Foundation and Khosla Impact will be used to expand iMerit’s presence to 6,000 employees in 15 centers over the next five years.