Published: February 22, 2026 at 2:52 pm
A Manchester startup founded by THG’s former chief people officer to identify and develop overlooked talent for the tech industry has closed.
Ashley Ramrachia launched Academy in 2020 after helping grow THG from 50 to 5,000 people ahead of its IPO in 2020.
Academy helped build a talent and leadership infrastructure for the tech industry and raised £5m from LocalGlobe.
According to Ramrachia: “1,000+ overlooked people moved from warehouses, call centres and caring roles into serious technology and data jobs. 60 per cent women, 60 per cent minority ethnic. The best representation outcomes in technology, globally.”
The startup also partnered with HSBC, Ocado and IAG to prove the model could scale beyond one company.
However, Ramrachia has revealed: “The Academy chapter is closed.”
He told BusinessCloud he turned down two offers to sell Academy because it would have entailed remaining with the business.