Shortlist, a startup that focuses on digitizing hiring processes, has acquired Spire Education, a talent development company that builds worker training programs for East Africa’s leading employers.
Spire Education, which is based in Nairobi as Shortlist was created to offer talent development programs as a way of offering a platform for employees to enhance their skills and attitudes for additional successes in their working environment.
Conceptualized in 2013, Spire has managed to score several key clients, including M-KOPA and Java House where it has helped develop training programs for staff.
Clearly, Shortlist wants to leverage the services of Spire to build a larger platform as the two companies are functionally related. Whereas Shortlist uses data-driven products such as chat-based interviews and competency tests to help companies access better candidates, Spire Education eases into companies by offering programs that build on the competences and issues of workers. By coming together, they look forward to supporting employees seamlessly through hiring, onboarding and training.
“We’re thrilled to join forces with Spire, a move that will supercharge our joint capacity to support talent-forward companies in Kenya and beyond,” says Paul Breloff, co-founder and CEO of Shortlist. “We share a cultural foundation and a passion for helping companies across the continent build better teams. We are also exploring how we can deliver Spire’s training and development curriculum directly to Shortlist job-seekers, equipping professionals with the skills they need to be successful and closing the loop between training and employment.”
“This partnership will enable us to best support our incredible clients across the region to build stronger teams, reach higher goals, and create even greater impact,” says Jenn Cotter, now Managing Director of Africa for Shortlist and Spire. “Our teams share the same DNA of curiosity and adventure, and we’re excited to get started on our collective vision of unlocking professional potential.”
A few months ago, Shortlist received $1 million in seed fund from U.S.-based private equity firm University Ventures, Samir Shah of Sattva Capital, Bodley Group, the Farm Fund at ImpactAssets as well as Kenya-based Zephyr Acorn. This fund was meant to meet the firm’s goals.
Shortlist’s integration with Spire Education is underway, but will operate as separate entities. Also, no word has been given about the financials of the acquisition.
