International tech school Ironhack secures €16.5M funding to expand remote learning capabilities

Amid the COVID-19 crisis, digital transformation has rapidly accelerated and increased the demand for resilient jobs in the current remote working economy. It is estimated by the International Labour Organisation that global unemployment will increase by 25 million due to the pandemic, resulting in a necessity for solutions that bring in sustainable employment by supporting remote learning options. Among the many companies that support remote learning is Ironhack, a Madrid-based global tech school.

Intends to expand its remote learning

Ironhack has secured $20M (nearly €16.5M) Series B funding round led by Lumos Capital along with participation from Endeavor’s Catalyst Fund and existing investors – Brighteye and Creas. The investment will be used to expand the company’s remote learning and corporate training capabilities including talent acquisition and re-skilling. Also, it will help students all over the world to transform their careers with the help of technology.

“We believe that practical skills training, a supportive global community and career development programs can give everyone, regardless of their education or employment history, the ability to write their stories through technology,” says Ariel Quiñones, co-founder of Ironhack.

Ropes in new board members

Besides the investment, James Tieng, managing partner and co-founder of Lumos Capital Group has joined the Board and Lumos Principal Yichen Feng has been appointed as a Board Observer. Tieng says, “Ironhack’s outcomes-focused educational model, its deepening capabilities in remote and enterprise learning, and the market’s continuing shift to alternative forms of career preparation and professional development have positioned the company for both tremendous growth and social impact.”

Campuses all over the world

Founded in 2013 by Ariel Quiñones and Gonzalo Manrique, Ironhack claims to be one of the top-ranked technology education institutions in the world. It has campuses located in nine cities – Amsterdam, Barcelona, Berlin, Lisbon, Madrid, Mexico City, Miami, Paris and Sao Paulo. The internationally renowned global tech school offers immersive courses and intensive boot camps in Web Development, UX/UI Design, Data Analytics and Cybersecurity.

Since its debut, according to Ironhack, over 8,000 students across the world have graduated from Ironhack. Also, it has helped hundreds of companies including Visa, Capgemini, Siemens and Santander hire top talent at a global scale. As per the company’s latest student outcomes data published in July 202, 89% of students found a job within 180 days of graduation. As a result of these factors, Ironhack has witnessed rapid growth and expansion.

Ironhack co-founder Gonzalo Manrique adds, “We will become the leaders in tech education for a remote workforce by helping companies and governments across the globe acquire and re-skill tech talent, as we’ve done with partners like Banco Santander and Media Markt, to name a few. With the launch of remote learning and new program offerings, including our Cybersecurity curriculum, we’re eager and optimistic for what the future holds.”