Africa Jobs Fund backs PeopleGateway to open a Kenya-to-Italy labour corridor
What's the deal? The Africa Jobs FundDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → has invested in PeopleGatewayDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, an Italian startup building infrastructure for labour mobility into Europe. The money will fund the company's first corridor: training hospitality workers on Kenya's coast and placing them in Italian hotels and restaurants.
Why Malindi? The fund targeted the Kenyan coast around Malindi for its ready workforce. Local hospitality staff already serve Italian tourists and work within Italian-run businesses, cutting the friction of integration into Europe's sector.
The pay gap: Workers stand to earn roughly €1,500 a month starting in Italy, against about €200 in Malindi. Italian roles often include accommodation and daily meals.
How it works: Founded by Daniele Albanese with venture builder Enzima12Dealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → and Migration AI Studio, PeopleGateway coordinates the full mobility cycle — skills training, visa and work permit processing, relocation, and post-arrival support. Licensed labour agencies handle the actual recruitment and placement.
The signal: The Africa Jobs Fund concentrates capital in two sectors it views as the strongest engines for African incomes: international labour mobility and export manufacturing. Its bet on PeopleGateway reflects a growing push to formalise cross-border work as demand for hospitality labour outpaces Europe's local supply.
Read more: innovation-village.com
Image credit: Generated with Gemini
