EdTech, Climate, Future of Work, DE+I
I'm co-founder and CTO of greenworkx.
I’ve previously specialised in edtech and the future of work…
- ex-Multiverse (UK's first edtech unicorn): hire #2 on the software engineering coach team
- Head of Education and external hire #1 at Academy (LocalGlobe-backed), training >100 software engineers for startups/scaleups like Beamery (Index), Two (Sequoia) and Stitch (Village Global)
- angel investor in future of work startups: e.g. Bloop (YC, Khosla, LocalGlobe), Rayday (MMC)
and I’ve spent a lot of time championing DE+I, particularly in tech…
- teacher training at Code Your Future (refugees and asylum seekers into tech)
- software engineering instructor at Black Codher (free bootcamp for Black women)
- mentor at Black Valley (startup and tech entry points for the Black community)
But I’ve come to realise that most urgent problem in the future of work is the green skills emergency: 30 million more green workers are needed by 2030 to deliver net-zero.
So, I co-founded greenworkx, where we’re building green job discovery, training and role-matching for the 90% of green jobs that are skilled, manual trades.
Current focus
greenworkx: co-founder & CTO
Organisation
At greenworkx, we're tackling the green skills emergency.
To deliver net-zero, 30 million more green workers are needed globally by 2030.
So, we're on a mission to get 10 million more people into green jobs in 10 years.
Through the greenworkx app, we're creating green job discovery, training and role-matching for the next-generation net-zero workforce, and the 90% of green jobs that are skilled, manual trades.
What I do
I’m co-founder and CTO.
I do all the normal founder stuff, and have specific ownership of the talent portal and job-matching tech that we’re building.
Outside focuses
Augend Ventures: startup advisor & angel investor
Augend Ventures is a small brand / syndicate / vehicle which I run with a fellow Included VC alumnus.
We do startup advisory and angel investments in ‘the future of work, community and learning’.
Previous focuses
Academy: Head of Education
What they do
Academy is building a talent and leadership infrastructure for the tech industry.
We work with ambitious and progressive tech companies - with partners including portfolio companies of Sequoia Capital, Index Ventures and Y Combinator - to identify and accelerate high-potential talent into tech roles and leadership trajectories.
We're on a mission to build a truly diverse generation of leaders. Our cohorts are ≥ 50% female, 60% BAME and 30% Black-identifying - through our zero-tuition, grant-funded and remote-first Scholar Programme, for high-potential talent from any degree background.
Notable investors
LocalGlobe, Emerge Education
What I did
I was the first hire to join the founding team, with a remit to build and deliver the core Programme.
After building out the Faculty and Engineering team, I stepped back from most day-to-day delivery and engineering to focus on high-level educational design and some new initiatives.
Ultimately, I’ve now moved to work on the green skills emergency with greenworkx - but I remain a big fan and champion of Academy.
Things of note
Building from scratch a global tech training programme and team, training >100 software engineers for high-growth companies like Beamery (Index), Two (Sequoia) and Vira Health (LocalGlobe).
Multiverse: software engineering coach
What they do
Multiverse's mission is to accelerate the careers of a diverse group of future leaders. We do that by offering apprenticeships that genuinely rival the learning experience at elite universities. Clients like Google, BP and Mastercard come to us to help them with closing digital skills gaps and improving diversity.
Notable investors
General Catalyst, Index Ventures, Lightspeed Venture Partners, GV, Latitude
What I did
I joined Multiverse shortly after their Series A, as the second hire on the software engineering coach team.
As a software engineering coach, I worked with apprentice software engineers and engineering managers at companies like Starling Bank, Improbable and Publics Sapient.
Included VC: fellow
Organisation
The Included VC mission is to change the face of the VC industry, dramatically increasing diversity and maximising fund success by transforming networks, staff, dealflow and investments.
The Included VC Fellowship is a fully-funded programme of executive coaching, investment committee simulations and industry masterclasses.
VC partners
Notion Capital, Creandum, Seedcamp, M12, Mouro Capital, Enern, Daphni, K Fund, Mangrove Capital Partners
What I did
I was selected from >2000 applicants for the inaugural cohort of 30.
Code Your Future: teacher trainer
Organisation
CodeYourFuture is a non-profit organisation that trains refugees and other disadvantaged people to become web developers and helps them to find work in the tech industry.
CYF graduates work in companies like FT, BBC, STV, Ticketmaster and startups like Adzuna, Sensible Object, tlr and WeGotPop.
What I did
I built and delivered 'teacher training' to the CYF volunteer teachers and teacher assistants, to equip them to support the CYF beneficiaries.
Coding Black Females: full-stack software engineering instructor
Organisation
Coding Black Females is a nonprofit organisation, with the primary aim of providing opportunities for Black female developers to develop themselves, meet familiar faces, network, receive support and build relationships through having regular meetups.
What I did
I deliver training, bootcamp and workshops to CBF beneficiaries: Node.js and Express, introduction to SQL and databases, NoSQL databases and MongoDB.
(I'm very proud of the fact that multiple of the learners I worked with ended up joining Academy as Scholars!)
Black Valley: mentor
Organisation
Black Valley is a global community dedicated to increasing equity in tech; by fostering an environment where black talents from a black ethnic background can thrive.
Coders of Colour: JavaScript instructor
Organisation
Coders of Colour is an organisation aimed at "Empowering and enabling young underrepresented people of colour to pursue a career in tech by providing them with a safe space for them to learn, explore and grow". We do this primarily by running free coding workshops for young people.
OneMaths: COO (people, product, partnerships)
Organisation
OneMaths was building a virtual intelligent mathematics tutor to bring the benefits of high-quality private tuition to a wider audience.
What I did
I built and led the company hiring processes, product design sprints and school partnerships (whilst remaining hands-on as a software engineer).
Teach First: teacher of mathematics and citizenship
Organisation
Teach First is a charity that develops and supports teachers and leaders who are determined to make a difference where it's needed the most.
What I did
I was a participant on the Teach First programme, teaching maths and citizenship in a non-selective secondary school serving a community of socioeconomic disadvantage.
But I know that these problems aren't solved by isolated individuals.
We need to work together to find solutions that work for everyone.
If you're challenging the status quo, making things happen and empowering others - I'd love to hear from you!
📨 Ping me: hi@richard.ng
📆 Cal me: Serendipity Slots