Young Heroes Europe, founded in 2021 by Sarah Hoeckner and Eva van Leeuwen, has raised €400,000 in funding from G-Force Capital and the Investment and Development Agency for the Northern Netherlands (NOM). Young Heroes will use this investment to expand its team and further develop its platform, enabling young professionals to learn and develop in the workplace.
Gen Z demands professional development
By 2023, Gen Z will make up 30% of the global workforce. Growing up with technology as an integral part of their daily lives and influenced by major global events such as COVID-19 and climate change, their values, behaviors and expectations have been shaped in an uncertain and rapidly changing labor market.
The demands around continuous learning and professional development are unprecedented for this group. Research shows that the lack thereof is the main reason for young professionals to quit their current jobs and look for employers that prioritize development and offer opportunities for growth and advancement. And for employers, the stakes are high: they are competing for top talent in a tight labor market.
Employers struggle to implement impactful development programs for Gen Z
Companies, already struggling to adapt to the needs of millennials, are now facing a host of new challenges in attracting, engaging and retaining Gen Z employees. Large companies in particular are finding it challenging to meet the development needs of the younger generation. A 2022 study by Studytube found that only 6% of HR managers in the Netherlands are satisfied with their learning and development policies and programs, despite increasing investment in these topics.
Investing in the future of learning and development
Young Heroes takes this out of companies' hands by offering learning and development programs for young professionals and tailoring the offering to Gen Z's learning and development needs, all backed by a scalable SaaS platform.
"Young Heroes already serves companies across the country and we are finding that we have momentum. The investment will support us in expanding our team and further developing the product," said Co-Founder Eva van Leeuwen. "We have strong growth ambitions and the investment gives us the push to go faster. We have found experienced partners in G-Force and NOM who want to continue this journey with us. We are looking forward to it immensely!"
"The Young Heroes team understands like no other what Generation Z wants from their professional career. Their offer of coaching, knowledge and network fits that perfectly," said Niek Huizenga, Fund Manager of G-Force Capital.
Ytsen van der Meer, Investment Manager at NOM, adds: "Young Heroes is a young HR-tech startup with an inspired entrepreneurial team. The company focuses on a recognizable problem in a large (Dutch) market. What is clear is that the story resonates with several companies. The investment by NOM and G-Force gives the company the opportunity to follow through on this now and offer young professionals coaching and guidance that will help them get their careers off to a flying start."
About Young Heroes
Young Heroes is an HR Tech start-up focused on coaching and mentoring young professionals using their career platform. It was founded by Eva van Leeuwen and Sarah Hoeckner in 2021. The Young Heroes platform matches young talent with expert coaches and offers hands-on training and workshops, as well as honest advice on career and development-related topics. The program is available to young professionals from a variety of organizations. Young Heroes' offerings are based on the proven methodology of parent company YFK Research & Marketing, founded by Eva van Leeuwen in 2016.
About G-Force Capital
G-Force Capital is a Groningen-based pre-seed fund focused on startups in the digital sector. The fund was founded in 2017 and is part of the Investment Fund Groningen.