Holberton School Australia

What Holberton School Australia does

Holberton School Australia is a private education company and the Australian branch of the global Holberton School network, founded in Silicon Valley in 2015-2016. Launched in Melbourne in January 2022 by Emmanuel Goutallier (executive partner at Onepoint APAC), the company operates a 9-month full-time and 18-month part-time software engineering program targeting career switchers with no prior coding experience — 80% of its students enter without having written code before. The core product is delivered through a project-based, peer-learning curriculum: students complete weekly programming challenges of increasing difficulty across 1,400+ learning hours and 81 projects, with no formal teachers or lectures, supplemented by 50 days of in-person attendance at the Melbourne CBD campus and synchronous global projects with students across 35+ worldwide campuses. The curriculum covers full-stack engineering including low-level programming, high-level languages, frameworks, data structures, and algorithms.

The business model combines three revenue streams: (1) individual student tuition at $14,850 AUD for the standard 9-month program, (2) employer-sponsored scholarships where companies fund cohort seats in exchange for first access to graduates, and (3) corporate reskilling engagements where enterprise clients (notably REA Group and Reece) send existing staff on full salary for career transitions into tech roles. The 3-level automated, blind admissions process — requiring no ATAR, prior degree, or work experience — is positioned as a key differentiator, and is followed by a 90% graduate employment rate and an $80,000 average starting salary among Australian graduates.

Go-to-market is hybrid: direct-to-consumer enrollment via apply.holbertonschool.com paired with a B2B enterprise channel anchored by founding partner REA Group and a network of scholarship providers (Sportsbet, RACV, Reece, PEXA, Shine Solutions, Onepoint) and hiring partners (AWS, NAB, Canva, Qantas, MYOB, IAG, Vicinity Centres, Events Air). The company is small, with 16 employees and 50+ graduates placed since 2022, and has received third-party validation including a Forrester case study (2024), University of Melbourne curriculum recognition (2024), and coverage in the Australian Financial Review, The Australian, and Sydney Morning Herald.

Name

Holberton School Australia

Legal name

Holberton School Australia

Website

https://holbertonschool.com.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

2022

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Holberton School Australia operates a 9-month, project-based software engineering program in Melbourne, training career switchers with no prior coding experience for the Australian tech workforce, with revenue from student tuition, employer-sponsored scholarships, and corporate reskilling partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Technical Education / Coding Bootcamp

NAICS

Computer Training (61142), Educational Support Services (611710), Technical and Trade Schools (6115)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Intensive Bootcamps & Accelerated ASE Programs (EDAAABAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

College & Career Transition Services (Bridge Programs, Dual Enrollment Pathways) (EDAAABAK), Online/Hybrid Lifelong Learning Platforms & Open Enrollment Programs (EDAAAEAL)

Keywords

• Software engineering training
• Coding bootcamp
• Developer education
• Tech career training
• Workforce reskilling

Headquarters

HQ city

Melbourne

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Tuition Fees: Students pay tuition for the full-time 9-month software engineering program. The standard price is $14,850 AUD. Part-time 18-month option is also available at different pricing. Revenue comes directly from student enrollment fees.
2. Employer Scholarship Partnerships: Companies sponsor scholarship places for selected candidates. Students who receive scholarships often get hired by their sponsoring partners, creating a talent acquisition pipeline. Companies provide funding for student tuition in exchange for first access to graduates.
3. Corporate Training and Reskilling: Partner companies like REA Group and Reece send existing staff to the program on full salary, paying tuition while maintaining employee compensation. This creates recurring revenue from enterprise clients retraining their workforce.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Holberton School Australia delivers a project-based, peer-learning software engineering program in a hybrid online/in-person format, with a 9-month full-time track and an 18-month part-time track. The curriculum trains career switchers with no prior coding experience in full-stack software engineering through progressively difficult weekly programming challenges and collaborative peer mentoring. The offering is supported by employer-sponsored scholarships and corporate reskilling partnerships with major Australian firms such as REA Group, Reece, Sportsbet, RACV, and PEXA. Standard full-time tuition is A$14,850.

Product overview

Holberton School Australia offers a comprehensive software engineering education platform centered on its 9-month full-time and 18-month part-time Software Engineering Programs. These programs use a project-based, peer-learning curriculum to train career switchers without prior tech experience. The offering also includes a 3-level automated admissions process, employer-sponsored scholarship programs with partners like REA Group and Sportsbet, and community-focused content initiatives including the 'What the Heck is Tech (?)' podcast and Holberton TV video series.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• What the Heck is Tech (?): A podcast and event series launched by Holberton to demystify and raise awareness around tech roles. Recorded series with Microsoft interviewing tech leaders.

Products and services

• 9-Month Full-Time Software Engineering Program An intensive, hands-on software engineering education program designed to train career switchers with no prior coding experience into job-ready full-stack software engineers in nine months via a project-based, peer-learning curriculum; covers low-level programming, high-level languages, frameworks, data structures, algorithms, and soft skills, delivered through a hybrid of online learning and in-person sessions at the Melbourne campus. Standard tuition is A$14,850.
• 18-Month Part-Time Software Engineering Program A flexible online software engineering program spanning 18 months at 15-20 hours per week, built on the same project-based peer-learning curriculum as the full-time track, intended for students who need to keep working or have other time commitments while training into a tech career.
• Employer-Sponsored Corporate Training and Reskilling A B2B offering in which partner companies such as REA Group and Reece pay tuition while keeping enrolled employees on full salary to upskill into software engineering roles, and additionally sponsor scholarship places for external candidates, with recruiting rights to graduates from those cohorts.

Quantifiable outcome

• 90% graduate employment rate
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• REA GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 October 2021Launch partner for Holberton School Australia. REA Group supports the launch and provides scholarships for students. Companies can sponsor places and meet students during the program with a view to hiring them. REA also sends existing staff to the program on full salary for career transitions.
• SportsbetcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerScholarship partner providing financial support for selected candidates. Sportsbet has hired Holberton graduates including offering positions before course completion. Part of industry ecosystem building tech talent.
• RACVcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerScholarship partner providing limited number of scholarships for Holberton students. RACV is part of the hiring partner network for graduates.
• ReececoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerScholarship partner and hiring partner. Featured in Forrester case study alongside REA Group documenting how they use Holberton to retrain existing staff and hire graduates. Directly supports staff who want career change to tech.
• PEXAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerExpected to join as scholarship partner. Has hired Holberton graduates including Angella Lao as graduate software engineer. Property exchange platform seeking tech talent.
• Australian Computer Society (ACS)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustry membership allowing Holberton to stay informed about trends, demands, and innovations shaping Australia's technology sector. Part of ecosystem approach to industry connection.
• Australian Association of Graduate Employers (AAGE)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustry membership ensuring Holberton is active in developing and expanding graduate pathways. Directly connects students with industry through membership network.
• Shine SolutionscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerScholarship provider for Holberton cohorts alongside REA Group, Sportsbet, and others. Companies providing scholarships often hire their sponsoring partners.
• CanvaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMentorship partner guiding and supporting students by sharing industry insights and real-world experience. Part of mentorship network helping students grow.
• National Australia Bank (NAB)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMentorship partner providing industry guidance to students. Shares real-world experience and insights to help students prepare for tech careers.
• QantasminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMentorship partner in the ecosystem sharing industry insights with students. Part of network building tech talent pipeline.
• Service VictoriaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMentorship partner supporting student development through industry expertise sharing. Part of growing mentorship ecosystem.
• Up1minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMentorship partner in the ecosystem. Guides and supports students sharing industry insights and real-world experience.
• AWScoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHiring partner investing in talent by offering career opportunities to the next generation of tech professionals. Holberton alumni found working at AWS.
• MYOBminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHiring partner offering career opportunities to Holberton graduates. Part of industry ecosystem investing in next generation tech talent.
• Furo GroupminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHiring partner in the ecosystem. Invests in talent by offering career opportunities to Holberton graduates.
• ACVRminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHiring partner in the ecosystem providing career opportunities to next generation of tech professionals.
• OnepointcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDigital transformation firm where Holberton Australia founder Emmanuel Goutallier serves as executive partner. Searched globally for innovative tech education approaches. Part of founding ecosystem.
• MicrosoftminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRecorded latest 'What the Heck is Tech' podcast series with Microsoft, interviewing tech leaders to explore what they actually do. Part of content and awareness building initiatives.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Coder Academy: Australian coding bootcamp offering full-stack and cyber security bootcamps. Directly competes for the same career-switcher and upskiller market in Australia with similar duration and tuition positioning.
• Flatiron School: US-based software engineering and data science bootcamp with project-based curriculum, immersive program structure, and career services comparable to Holberton's model.
• Le Wagon: Global full-stack coding bootcamp with similar project-based methodology, 9–24 week intensive format, and career-switcher focus across 40+ cities including Australia presence.
• Academy Xi: Australian tech education provider offering bootcamps in software engineering, data, and UX/UI. Same geography, similar cohort-based model, similar career-switcher target segment.

Broad incumbents

• General Assembly: Globally established bootcamp provider offering software engineering, data, UX, and digital marketing programs with a broader portfolio and larger employer network than Holberton Australia.

Regional players

• CodeClan: Scotland-based coding bootcamp offering 16–20 week software development programs with similar career-switcher focus and industry partnership model.
• Lighthouse Labs: Canada-based coding bootcamp offering full-stack web development and data science bootcamps with similar cohort-based, project-driven curriculum model.
• Makers Academy: UK coding bootcamp offering 16-week full-stack software engineering programs with similar peer-learning and project-based methodology to Holberton.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@holbertonschoolaustralia/featured
• Facebookfacebook.com/HolbertonSchoolAustralia
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/holberton-school-australia
• Instagraminstagram.com/holbertonaus

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Holberton School Australia