EdCircuit StaffEduLab Capital Partners, TTCER Partners and LiveOak Venture Partners led Ceresa’s latest round of funding to support its mission of democratizing employee learning
AUSTIN, TX (August 8, 2022) — Ceresa, whose employee learning platform is used by globally leading companies such as Nordstrom, Walmart, Blackstone, today announced a $3M funding round led by TTCER Partners, EduLab Capital Partners, and LiveOak Venture Partners, and joined by Gaingels, Goodwater Capital, TXV Partners, and Notley.
“We’re genuinely excited to assist Ceresa in their mission to unearth emerging talent and democratize the leadership development process,” said Liam Pisano, managing partner at EduLab Capital Partners, a venture capital fund focused exclusively on early-stage education technology companies. “We believe in equal access to the tools that will accelerate development for learners of all ages, in the classroom and in the workplace.”
Despite spending more than $100 billion on training each year, 4 out of 5 U.S. companies say they are ineffective at providing skills or career development for emerging talent. At the same time, a lack of career development is the number one reason people quit their jobs.
Younger workers not only expect growth opportunities, but are digital natives with a strong preference for asynchronous, just-in-time and social learning. Yet the world of learning is not keeping up. Employers are still forced to choose among content platforms, coaching solutions, mentor programs, and peer forums. A human resources leader at Google said to Anna, “I am so frustrated with having to choose between scale or impact.”
Ceresa provides a fresh approach with a modern, personalized learning platform that blends access to coaching, expert training, mentoring, and peer learning. With a curriculum that covers human work skills, critical and strategic thinking, and personal wellness, Ceresa’s mission is to democratize leadership. To do that, Ceresa brings world-class learning to early-career professionals in a scalable model that is inclusive by design. Learning is delivered in less than 10 minutes a day, and for less than $1 a day.
“It’s pretty simple: learning hasn’t kept up with younger generations’ needs,” said Anna Robinson, CEO and founder of Ceresa. “Learning must be fun, human, impactful, and deepen connection. By making the learning process highly scalable, we’re transforming how companies engage their most critical asset—their people.”
Ceresa first launched its virtual, multi-modal learning experience in 2018, providing access to world-class coaching and mentoring for under-represented talent. As of today, Ceresa delivers engaging courses that deepen self-awareness, critical business skills, wellness, and resiliency for thousands of leaders across top-tier tech, retail, finance, and consumer companies around the world.
Pisano concluded, “We feel as though Anna and her team at Ceresa have developed a groundbreaking content delivery process that will help HR managers identify leadership and performance in places that were previously overlooked.”
About Ceresa
Ceresa uses technology and data to democratize access to truly transformative leadership development and career management. Grounded in a whole-person leadership approach, Ceresa combines research-based curriculum, focused executive coaching, expert instruction, and personalized external mentoring, all delivered 100% virtually via an engaging technology platform. Visit Ceresa.com to learn more.
About EduLab Capital
EduLab Capital Partners is a seed-stage venture capital firm focused exclusively on the education market, investing in business models that transcend the traditional education landscape. The Company’s Boston- and Tokyo-based team provides foundational support to entrepreneurs to help expand their customer base, make key early-stage hires, and raise additional capital for profitable and sustainable growth. EduLab’s education market savvy and artificial intelligence expertise provide unique leverage points for its investments, while the Company’s network of global partnerships and distribution channels provide its portfolio companies with the depth and reach to quickly accelerate product integration and impact. For more information, visit EduLabCapital.com.
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