Tech skills marketplace program

The tech skills marketplace program, an initiative by CMU-Africa's Industry Innovation Lab, creates pathways to opportunity by inspiring and nurturing an entrepreneurial mindset among CMU-Africa students. The program connects students with startups actively seeking tech talent, allowing them to explore entrepreneurship as a viable career pathway by contributing their skills in a startup environment. Through hands-on tech projects and mentorship from startup teams and founders during a 3-months internship, students gain valuable experience that enhances their technical skills and entrepreneurial mindset, enabling them to make a real impact on the startups. This immersive experience not only improves prospects for student employment but also equips them with the learning and the confidence required to launch and run their own ventures.

Objectives

1. To cultivate an entrepreneurial mindset and career-readiness in CMU-Africa students by providing hands-on experience in a startup environment, where they can actively contribute their technical skills and gain mentorship from startup teams and founders
2. To support startups in accessing skilled tech talent by connecting them with capable CMU-Africa students who can contribute meaningfully to projects, helping these ventures grow, scale, and innovate through the students’ technical expertise and fresh perspectives

The challenge

Many talented students possess advanced technical skills but lack the real-world entrepreneurial experience needed to apply these skills meaningfully in dynamic startup environments. This gap limits both students' career readiness and startups' ability to access innovative technical talent that can help them scale, pivot, or refine their offerings.

The tech skills marketplace program directly addresses this challenge by creating a bridge between technical know-how and practical entrepreneurial application. Through immersive internships with startups, students gain hands-on experience in applying their skills within fast-paced, impactful projects, while startups benefit from fresh perspectives and cutting-edge technical expertise. This collaborative platform not only supports students in developing an entrepreneurial mindset but also equips startups with the resources they need to grow and innovate, fostering a mutually beneficial ecosystem for skill-building and venture success.

Startup partners

Become a startup partner

The tech skills marketplace program offers startups an exceptional opportunity to connect with CMU-Africa's top tech talent, bringing in skilled, motivated interns ready to make a meaningful impact. By partnering with the program, startups gain access to students trained in advanced technical skills and equipped with an entrepreneurial mindset, enabling them to contribute fresh ideas and innovative solutions to real projects. This partnership is a unique chance for startups to accelerate growth, expand technical capabilities, and even identify potential future hires who are already aligned with the startup's tech and needs.

Program outcomes

The techskills marketplace program has demonstrated remarkable growth and impact since its inception in 2023. The table below highlights key milestones achieved in recent years, showcasing the increasing participation of students and startups as well as the program's success in preparing students for high-demand roles in the tech industry. These outcomes reflect the program's commitment to bridging the gap between academic excellence and industry needs, fostering innovation, and driving professional growth for all stakeholders involved.

Program outcomes

Year	Number of students	Number of startups	Key highlights
2023	31	27	Successful placements in roles like software engineering, AI, and data analytics.
2024	53	31	Expanded to 5 new countries: Uganda, Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Rwanda.

Testimonials from our partners

By leveraging the expertise of CMU-Africa interns, we are not only enhancing digital literacy in rural Kenya, but also providing these young professionals with invaluable experience.

Michael Odongo, President/CEO, Angaza Center

Learn more about the Angaza Center's experience with CMU-Africa students.