Ex-Zalora and iPrice marketing boss launches a new ‘startup school’ in Indonesia

As Southeast Asia’s tech industry continues to grow, there is often chatter about a lack of high-quality talent across the region.

Matteo Sutto, who has spent the past seven years working in Southeast Asian tech companies, has often been a part of those conversations, but his take on the topic is a different one.

“What I instead realized over the years is that Southeast Asia has an incredible amount of talent,” says Sutto, who is originally from Italy. “What is missing is the right tools and platforms to get that talent in sync with the needs of a fast-evolving job market.”

RevoU founder and CEO Matteo Sutto / Photo credit: Matteo Sutto

Thus came the idea for RevoU. The just-launched company, based in Jakarta, runs an online tech education platform that helps students – especially those that come from a non-tech background – to start a career in Indonesia’s burgeoning tech industry.

Its mission, according to founder and CEO Sutto, is to accelerate the career of anyone who shows a willingness to learn – regardless of background, education level, or previous career – and then match them with Southeast Asia’s top tech companies.

Working with industry partners

RevoU’s structure is not that different from other startup schools and tech education platforms. Students embark on an intensive online program that lasts between 15 to 20 weeks, depending on the discipline. They are expected to invest a minimum of 20 hours of studying per week throughout the whole duration.

To apply, prospective students need to complete a free, three-week introductory course where they get a glimpse of what the RevoU experience is like. After that, they need to pass an admission test.

At launch, RevoU is offering a digital marketing course, with Sutto as the instructor and a price tag of 15 million rupiah (roughly US$1,043) The course is currently accepting applications. A data science course, due for launch later this year, is open for pre-registration.

RevoU plans to eventually expand into additional career tracks, with software engineering being a focal point moving forward.

The curriculum is based on a curated list of resources, along with one-on-one mentorships with industry professionals, live interactive classes, and a career service that matches students with available jobs.

The mentorships, classes, and career service have been key selling points for RevoU. Startup schools have been criticized in the past for employing unqualified instructors that ultimately fail to prepare students for tech jobs – which is the very reason they enrolled.

RevoU guarantees that every graduate will land a full-time job in the tech industry. Should they fail to do so, they will get their money back: a risk that Sutto aims to mitigate by being selective in admitting students.

“First and foremost, we look out for the willingness to learn, grit, and growth mindset,” he says. “The programs are designed to be quite intensive. We will only admit students who can prove their eagerness to learn.”

Joining a crowded space