Technology

GV Invests in Home From College to Support Next-Generation Career Development for Gen Z

ChainVerse January 9, 2025

Home From College, a career platform designed for young professionals and college students looking for their first job or internship, has announced that it has raised $5.4 million in a seed round led by GV (formerly Google Ventures). This new capital will be used to build out the platform’s main offering, ‘Gig’, which is a marketplace where companies can list jobs, ranging from part-time and internship opportunities to one-time projects and more long-term roles.

Table of Contents

The Problem That Home From College Seeks to Address

Home From College was founded in 2021 by Julia Haber, who previously founded WAYV, a marketing company that created "branded experiences" like pop-up shops on college campuses. Haber’s co-founder is Kaj Zandvliet, a former banker at PineBridge Investments and financial analyst at Sony Music Entertainment.

The idea for Home From College was born out of the founders’ observations of students expressing their fear of being unemployed when they graduated and not having their college major align with what they actually wanted to do in life. Haber told TechCrunch that other pain points include students struggling to find enjoyable ways to earn extra income during their time at college, or not qualifying for jobs due to an empty résumé.

The Rise of the Freelance Generation

Home From College aims to disrupt the traditional job search for Gen Z, who are gravitating towards more flexible opportunities outside of the 9-to-5. Some call Gen Z the "freelance generation", and Home From College is positioning itself as a platform that caters to this demographic.

The Platform’s Features

Home From College offers several features that set it apart from traditional job search platforms. For example, students can create profiles, upload their résumés and cover letters, and apply for jobs directly through the platform. Companies can also post job openings on the site, and Home From College facilitates communication between employers and candidates.

One of the unique features of Home From College is its "Resume Studio", which offers free templates and a builder tool to help students create professional résumés. Although the selection of templates may not be as extensive as some other design tools like Canva, it serves as a starting point for students who may have never made a professional résumé before.

Monetization

Home From College is free for students and offers three subscription tiers for companies: Starter ($99 per month), Growth Mode ($199 per month) and Enterprise (price varies). Students are paid directly through Home From College’s platform, and companies are charged a 20% service fee on top of each invoice price.

Competitors

Home From College is competing with other job search platforms like LinkedIn and Indeed, as well as design tools like Canva. However, its focus on Gen Z and its flexible job opportunities set it apart from more traditional job search platforms.

Expansion Plans

The company has over 100,000 users and has helped facilitate "thousands and thousands" of hires, said Haber. Home From College’s founders are now planning to expand their product offerings to people who have been in the workforce for ten years or less, in addition to its current focus on young professionals.

Conclusion

Home From College has raised $5.4 million in a seed round led by GV, and plans to use this funding to build out its platform’s main offering, ‘Gig’. With its focus on Gen Z and flexible job opportunities, Home From College is positioning itself as a leader in the career development space for young professionals.