Africa’s Untapped Talent: How Breedj is Rewriting the Future of Remote Work
By 2030, the global remote work outsourcing market is projected to reach a staggering $500 billion. Yet, a critical imbalance persists: while demand for skilled talent soars, Africa – poised to have over 1 billion workers by 2050 – remains largely underrepresented in this booming global economy. Breedj is stepping in to change that, not just by facilitating remote work, but by building a compliant and scalable HR infrastructure designed to unlock the continent’s potential.
The Rise of Responsible Outsourcing
For years, outsourcing has often been viewed through a purely cost-reduction lens. Breedj, however, is pioneering a new approach: responsible outsourcing. Founded as an evolution of Talenteum, and bolstered by its selection for the prestigious Seed Transformation Program at Stanford Graduate School of Business, the company is focused on connecting businesses with African talent based on skills and value, not simply salary arbitrage. This shift is crucial, as the traditional outsourcing model often overlooks the long-term benefits of investing in local economies and fostering sustainable growth.
“We connect businesses from the North to talents from the South in a logic of balance, transparency and sustainability,” explains Nicolas Goldstein, co-founder of Breedj. “Each contract signed through Breedj generates shared value: a gain in performance for the company, a stable job for the talent, and a measurable economic contribution to the country of origin.”
Breedj’s Platform: Simplifying Remote Hiring Across Borders
At its core, Breedj is a SaaS HR platform designed to streamline the entire remote hiring process. The platform’s Employer of Record (EOR) model is a game-changer, handling all the complexities of local employment – payroll, social security, legal compliance – allowing companies to focus on what they do best: performance. This is particularly valuable for businesses lacking the resources or expertise to navigate the legal intricacies of operating in multiple African countries. Currently, Breedj operates legally in Mauritius, Madagascar, Morocco, Tunisia, Senegal, Ivory Coast, Cameroon, Rwanda, and Kenya, with plans to expand to over 20 countries.
The platform boasts a user-friendly experience, leveraging artificial intelligence to match companies with qualified candidates, assess soft skills, and accelerate the contracting process. From a startup in Toronto to a corporation in Dubai, businesses can access a pool of over 25,000 registered talents specializing in fields like IT, finance, digital marketing, and customer support – all with just a few clicks.
Addressing the Skills Gap with Intern500
Recognizing that access to opportunity is only part of the equation, Breedj launched Intern500, a flagship initiative in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation. This program is financing 500 remote internships for young African graduates, fully covering allowances, training, and professional support. The program isn’t just about providing jobs; it’s about bridging the gap between academic training and real-world experience, a challenge many young graduates face. Stories like Modestine, a Beninese graduate who secured a Customer Support Manager role at Viasaya after completing a remote employability bootcamp, demonstrate the program’s impact.
This focus on skills development is critical. As highlighted in a McKinsey report on the future of work, continuous learning and upskilling will be essential for navigating the evolving demands of the global job market.
The Future of Work is African: A Pan-Continental HR Infrastructure
Breedj’s ambition extends beyond simply connecting individual talents with jobs. The company envisions building the first impactful pan-African HR infrastructure, a network that will connect thousands of talents to global opportunities and position Africa as a driving force in the future of work. This isn’t just about economic growth; it’s about fostering a more inclusive and equitable global economy.
To achieve this vision, Breedj is actively seeking partnerships with large international groups looking to integrate inclusive employment into their CSR strategies, foundations and development agencies to co-finance skills development initiatives, technological partners to strengthen its digital infrastructure, and academic institutions to transform African university training into a springboard for global employment.
The potential is immense. By tapping into Africa’s vast pool of young, connected, and multilingual talent, Breedj is not just creating jobs; it’s building a future where talent is truly universal, and opportunity knows no borders. The company’s commitment to creating 100,000 jobs by 2030, aligned with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, underscores its dedication to long-term, sustainable impact.
What are your thoughts on the role of remote work in bridging the global opportunity gap? Share your insights in the comments below!
