Smalt, a talent development and services platform for the green trades sector, has raised €4.1 million in pre-seed financing to accelerate Europe’s green energy transition through the untapped potential of immigrant workers, according to a press release.

The round was led by La Famiglia and joined by US-based Owl Ventures, the world’s largest education technology investor, and Axel Springer, Porsche Ventures, and a group of angel investors.

Founded in 2023, Smalt’s education program starts with intensive two to six-week academies and continuously trains participants with digital learning technologies to become certified solar and heat pump installation specialists.

The company’s platform upskills talent with specialized training and certification programs in clean energy, and transforms service fulfillment with smart dispatching, AI-driven workflow guidance, and dedicated customer analytics.

Smalt said it is already delivering its services to large B2B customers, such as solar and heat pump OEMs, energy companies and large green energy asset retailers who have a centralized demand for homes that need installation services.

“Smalt is purpose-built to bridge the gap between talent shortage and demand surplus. Our training platform will be the source of economic opportunity for tens of thousands of workers,” said Khurram Masood, one of the Co-Founders of Smalt.

“By digitizing the predominantly pen-and-paper process of procuring, installing, and maintaining renewable energy solutions, Smalt will empower this new talent to become the engine Europe needs to secure our environmental future,” added Marius Westhoff, Co-Founder of Smalt.