https://techcrunch.com/2023/07/28/pollen-is-a-new-professional-development-platform-for-tech-workers/

Meet Pollen, a new French startup that wants to provide a better way to learn new skills. Instead of working with full-time teachers, Pollen invites business executives and top performers in the tech industry so that they can host a class with a small group of people.

Behind the scenes, Pollen was co-founded by Julie Ranty, the former managing director of Viva Technology, a popular tech conference that takes place every year in Paris, along with Olivier Xu and Vincent Huguet. And Huguet knows a thing or two about marketplaces as he’s the co-founder and co-CEO of Malt, a freelancer marketplace. He’s still very much focused on Malt but he contributes to Pollen in a non-operational role.