Skillenza

Skillenza, formerly known as Venturesity, was a Bengaluru-based HR technology company operating a SaaS-enabled marketplace for technical talent identification, assessment and hiring built around the hackathon model. Enterprises used the platform to publish real-world problem statements and challenges — ranging from 30-minute quizzes and programming challenges to case-study competitions and 24-hour hackathons — to engage, evaluate and shortlist candidates while building a talent community and an active candidate pipeline.

On the supply side, software professionals and data scientists solved these challenges to have their programming and machine learning skills verified, earning credits based on performance on coding and data science tests, and to surface job opportunities. Modules extended beyond programming to machine learning, operations, inside sales and product management. A learning centre component supported professionals in keeping their skills current. The assessment engine underlying the marketplace was also sold separately as a SaaS product.

The company positioned its approach as an alternative to resume-based screening, emphasising activity- and assignment-based evaluation. It was later acquired by Imarticus Learning.

Founding story

Co-founder Subhendu Panigrahi encountered the problem while working with US-based startup Infratab in 2011, when he was tasked with building a team in India. Engaging with founders and investors in the Bengaluru ecosystem led him to conclude that the market needed a platform for talent identification and assessment, and in 2014 he launched the SaaS-enabled marketplace based on the hackathon model. Reporting also names Prashant Koirala and Rajesh Rai as co-founders.

Business model

Skillenza operated a two-sided marketplace: enterprises posted challenges to build talent communities, run employer branding, product evangelism and open-innovation programs, and hire; professionals participated in those challenges to be assessed, earn credits and find opportunities. The assessment engine was also packaged as a standalone SaaS product sold separately to corporate customers.

Revenue came from enterprises paying to host challenges and build talent communities on the marketplace, plus separate sales of the SaaS assessment engine used to verify software engineers and data scientists.

Traction

Reported clients included Ola, Amazon, IBM, Knowlarity, Zivame, Simplilearn and Hike. The platform reported 350K professionals actively solving challenges in 2017 and about 500K registered marketplace users in 2019, with a stated target of 1 Mn users by 2020.

Latest developments

Skillenza was acquired by Imarticus Learning; the acquisition was cited in April 2023 coverage of Imarticus Learning's purchase of Hero Group-owned Hero Mindmine as one of the edtech firm's prior deals, alongside StartOnboard.