On 6 August 2019 global digital learning company, Construct – formerly known as Proversity – announced an exciting new name and plans to double in size.
Construct CEO, David Philipps, said at the announcement: “We are pleased to announce today that as a result of our ongoing US $3 million expansion in Cape Town, an additional 150 instructional design, technology and creative jobs are expected to be created in the next three years. These jobs will support online programmes at universities in Boston, Oxford and Doha as well as corporates and governments across the globe.”
“We have seen the growth of the edtech sector within the Silicon Cape and the first $100m+ edtech company native to the Mother City; we see ourselves as the next evolution in that edtech story.”
“Our vision is to support a diverse workforce which contributes to Cape Town’s ranking not only as one of the greatest cities on the planet but also one of the most powerful edtech hubs globally.”
Philipps was joined by Chief People’s Officer, David Casey, Chief Operating Officer in South Africa, Meg Knight, Chief Operating Officer in the United States of America, Katie Bradford, colleagues from all over the world as well as business leaders and dignitaries.
This included Alderman James Vos, Mayoral Committee Member for Economic Opportunities & Asset Management in the City of Cape Town, Wesgro CEO, Tim Harris, and H.E. British High Commissioner in South Africa, Nigel Casey.
Construct’s David Casey explained the impressive journey the company has taken since it was established in the UK in 2013: “With a rapidly growing customer base we wanted to find somewhere we could massively scale our delivery operations.
We explored LATAM, Europe and Asia – but ultimately settled on Cape Town in 2015, with its wealth of passionate and talented young professionals in key comparable sectors.”
The office has been rapidly growing, resulting in moves from the House of Machines to the V&A Waterfront, to the Old Castle Brewery and to the Urban Hub in the Bo Kaap.
“Our new offices and new name, which we are proud to launch today in Longkloof Studios, demonstrates yet again that we are a fast-growing, digital learning company with a growing footprint in South Africa. We expect further growth, as we leverage the impressive tech ecosystem in the province, and the major opportunities for growth in Africa. Watch this space,” said Casey.
The company also has offices in London, Salt Lake City, Oxford, Tel Aviv and Doha.
Wesgro, Cape Town and the Western Cape’s Official Tourism, Trade and Investment Promotion Agency, assisted Construct with its investment in Cape Town, providing facilitation support and advice in line with its mandate.
Wesgro CEO, Tim Harris, said he welcomed the growth of digital learning companies in the Mother City, as Cape Town cements itself as a top tech hub globally. “We welcome Construct to a growing list of global tech companies calling Cape Town home, including Amazon and GetSmarter, and we expect it to be equally successful. Wesgro has a dedicated portfolio manager for this important sector in the Cape, and we are ready to assist, as this expansion continues in the future.”
A report commissioned by the Cape Innovation and Technology Initiative, Wesgro and the Allan Gray Orbis Foundation, with the support of the Western Cape Government, found that the greater Cape Town area, including Stellenbosch, tech ecosystem now employs more than 40 000 people, making it the largest and most productive on the African continent.
“We are the go-to-city in Africa, and the tech capital of the African continent. We have a large angel investor community, and we are home to the highest number of accelerators and co-working spaces in Africa,” said guest speaker, Alderman James Vos.
“I am very pleased to be at the launch today and witness this growth with my own eyes. The City of Cape Town, together with our partners, is committed to making sure that global companies like Construct continue to grow, creating jobs and boosting the economy. We look forward to seeing their continued growth as part of the Mother City” added Vos.
In closing, the American COO for Construct, Katie Bradford said: “the Online Programme Management space is one of the fastest growing sectors in education and professional development in the USA, EMEA and the Middle-East.
By marrying the requirements of the greatest institutions in the world with the distinctive cultural and design aesthetic that is Cape Town, I know we can continue to deliver truly phenomenal learning experiences, that have an impact from California to Canberra.”
