Formation: A New Approach to Engineering Education

Sophie Zhou Novati previously held senior engineering positions at both Facebook and Nextdoor. During her time at these companies, she encountered significant challenges in recruiting highly qualified engineers.

Becoming dissatisfied with the difficulties in hiring, Novati began mentoring at a local coding bootcamp, aiming to train engineers to meet her team’s exacting standards. After dedicating two and a half years to this mentorship, working evenings and weekends, she resolved to transform her dedication into a full-time career.

Together with her husband, Michael, Novati established Formation with a dual purpose. They sought to deliver customized training, not merely teaching coding, but cultivating “exceptional” software engineers. Sophie also observed the diverse backgrounds of bootcamp attendees, yet noted their limited access to opportunities compared to graduates of traditional universities.

Formation co-founder and CEO Sophie Zhou Navati. Image Credits: Formation

Formation’s core objective is to personalize the learning journey through a remote fellowship program. This program integrates automated instruction with guidance from a “network of top-tier mentors” sourced from leading companies like Facebook and Google.

Following a year-long beta phase, Formation is now launching its Engineering Fellowship. Each fellow receives a “personalized training plan tailored to their unique career ambitions.” To date, the program has successfully placed over 30 individuals in engineering roles at companies including Facebook, Microsoft, and Lyft, with an average starting salary of $120,000.

Beyond Traditional Bootcamps

Formation intends to provide an educational experience that surpasses conventional bootcamps. Sophie contends that many bootcamps “have grown rapidly, processing large numbers of students through standardized curriculums without providing sufficient individualized attention.”

The startup’s innovative approach has garnered the support of Andreessen Horowitz, who spearheaded its $4 million seed funding round. Designer Fund, Combine, Lachy Groom, Slow Ventures, and engineers from Airbnb, Notion, Rippling, and other organizations also contributed to this financing.

“What immediately impressed me was the diversity within this community,” Sophie shared with TechCrunch. “Forty-four percent of graduates identify as nonmale, and the representation of Black and Latinx graduates is almost double that of traditional universities.”

However, she also pointed out that only approximately 55% of bootcamp graduates secure employment as software engineers, and their median salary is around $65,000. Simultaneously, companies are actively seeking to broaden the diversity of their talent pipelines.

Instead of adhering to a rigid curriculum, Formation utilizes adaptive learning technology to create a personalized training plan for each student. This plan is based on their existing skills and career aspirations, and the platform continually evaluates their progress, adjusting the roadmap accordingly.

Approximately half of the participants in Formation’s program are already working engineers within the industry.

Connie Chan, a general partner at Andreessen Horowitz, has been closely monitoring the edtech landscape, including companies developing innovative tools for coding education and skill enhancement.

Chan identified Formation as the “only genuinely tech-driven and scalable solution that optimizes each student’s mastery of essential skills.” She was particularly impressed by its ability to dynamically adapt based on individual student performance.

“The alignment between the founder’s vision and the product is exceptionally strong – Sophie brings her extensive engineering expertise and a long-standing commitment to mentorship to Formation,” Chan explained via email.