Kelly Innovation Fund to accelerate company’s investments in talent and technology
TROY, Mich., July 23, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Kelly Services® recently announced, through the Kelly Innovation Fund, its participation in the seed fundraising round for Kenzie Academy, a tech apprenticeship program that develops modern tech workers.
The Kelly Innovation Fund – “KIF” or the “Fund” — was launched in early 2018 for Kelly to invest in the next generation of workforce solutions companies. Terms of the Kenzie investment were not disclosed.
“It’s no secret that skilled talent continues to be in high demand in today’s employment market,” said Rick Wallace, vice president of Strategic Initiatives for Kelly Services. “That’s why Kelly is committed to investing in future talent through dedicated programs such as Kenzie that support the re-training and up-skilling of today’s workers as technology continues to drive major changes in the way people work.”
Through the KIF, Kelly is investing in the next generation of workforce solutions companies that have created:
- Innovations that help workers be more efficient using wearables and novel learning, training and credentialing models;
- Innovations helping millennials (and future generations) transition to the World of Work through new models of work, new employee benefits and new engagement tools;
- Innovations facilitating new workstyles including independent and gig workers;
- Innovations enabling the work to be more efficient by leaning out and automating repetitive tasks using AI, robotics, data analytics and other technologies.
The Fund’s strategy includes investing in companies where Kelly can provide value beyond its financial investment. For instance, Kelly offers its portfolio companies access to its global client and talent base in addition to its team of experienced industry executives who are passionate about helping start-ups build credibility and accelerate growth.
“Through the Kelly Innovation Fund, Kelly Services is committed to transforming the World of Work as we did when we founded the staffing industry 72 years ago. And by blending integrating immersive learning and paid apprenticeships, Kenzie is transforming tech education,” said Wallace. “Together, we can identify and curate a talent pipeline to help meet the tech talent demands of businesses today.” Click To Tweet
Read the full Kenzie press release here.
About Kelly Services
As a global leader in providing workforce solutions, Kelly Services, Inc. (Nasdaq:KELYA) (Nasdaq:KELYB) and its subsidiaries, offer a comprehensive array of outsourcing and consulting services as well as world-class staffing on a temporary, temporary-to-hire, and direct-hire basis. Kelly® directly employs nearly 500,000 people around the world in addition to having a role in connecting thousands more with work through its global network of talent suppliers and partners. Revenue in 2017 was $5.4 billion. Visit www.kellyservices.com and connect with us on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter.
Media Contact:
Jane Stehney
Kelly Services, Inc.
[email protected]
@JaneStehney