San Francisco-based impact investment firm Buckhill Capital LP has invested in Kenzie Academy, a user experience design and coding school in Indianapolis, Indiana, that helps people get jobs in the tech economy in an equity round with other investors, including Gratitude Railroad, Rethink Education, and Learn Capital.
Kenzie helps people transition from traditional manufacturing to jobs in data, analytics and the Internet of Things. Kenzie provides software design and coding training with apprenticeships leading to a more direct career path than traditional colleges and short-term bootcamps. Buckhill partner, Henrik Jones, commented on why invest in Kenzie: “At this critical time when traditional manufacturing jobs are declining across the US, Kenzie has a powerful education model for young adults in underserved communities get programming skills that are valuable to employers, such as growing technology companies.”
Kenzie founders noticed that the fast-growing technology companies concentrated in expensive coastal cities were struggling to hire tech talent. Meanwhile, a large population of aspiring individuals across the country could help fuel these talent needs. The founders decided to equip this population with the necessary skills, experience, and access in order to build successful careers in tech. Kenzie uses flipped classroom and project-based learning to train a new generation of designers and software developers for a career in tech.
About Kenzie Academy
Founded by Chok Ooi, Rehan Hasan and Courtney Spence, Kenzie Academy plans to tackle a major opportunity gap in America. Kenzie Academy is a user experience design and coding school in Indianapolis, Indiana. The Academy offers 6-month to 2-year programs with 1-year paid apprenticeship is a new alternative to traditional colleges and short-term coding bootcamps.
About Buckhill Capital
Founded in 1999 by Henrik Jones, Buckhill Capital LP invests in companies focused on efficient use of resources, education, and healthy communities. Buckhill has made over 60 direct investments and over 20 fund investments in private equity, real estate and opportunistically in alternative assets. Founded with Gratitude Railroad in 2017, Buckhill Credit LLC makes private loans to companies growing with a mission.