We are officially more than halfway to 2023. With challenges like digital transformation, remote and hybrid work and The Great Resignation continuing to impact companies globally, we’re seeing more and more organizations investing in learning solutions that can help. Thus, the demand for corporate training solutions remained high last quarter.

Let’s consider the deals that took place in the corporate training market in Q2 of 2022:

The Demand for Technical Training Continues

After ample activity in Q1, notably the partnership between two major players in the market, Go1 and Pluralsight, the information technology (IT) and technical training segment of the market remained in full swing last quarter.

This segment of the market is vast, encompassing everything from cloud computing to data analytics training. According to Training Industry research, the most in-demand IT specializations are IT infrastructure, security/cybersecurity, cloud computing and data (e.g., data science, data analytics and big data).

Here are the IT/technical training deals we took note of last quarter:

• Skillsoft Corp., a leader in digital learning solutions, completed its acquisition of Codecademy, a leading online learning platform for technical skills development.
• HelpSystems acquired Terranova Security, a leader in global phishing simulation and security awareness training.
• Technology talent development leader SkillStorm announced the acquisition of Talent Path. Simultaneously, SkillStorm also announced a strategic investment from Achieve.
• Masterschool, a network of technical career training schools, announced a $100 million seed funding round led by Group 11.
• Wilco, an immersive upskilling platform for software developers, announced the release of its first public version and a $7 million seed funding investment led by Hetz Ventures.
• Global EdTech company Coding Dojo secured $10 million of non-dilutive venture debt financing from Eastward Capital Partners.

Learning Technologies

Another popular segment of the market, learning technologies, also saw notable activity last quarter:

• Leading workforce solutions provider Cornerstone OnDemand completed its acquisition of EdCast, a learning experience platform (LXP) software provider. With the acquisition, Cornerstone is set to transform the employee experience.
• EdTech company Instructure completed the acquisition of Concentric Sky, the makers of the microcredentialing tool Badgr.
• Mytaverse, a virtual shared metaverse platform for enterprises supporting training simulations and more, raised $7.5 million in seed funding.
• Pearson announced the acquisition of Mondly, a global online language learning platform that offers language training through its app, website and virtual and augmented reality (VR/AR) products.
• Rise Up, an employee learning software solution, secured an investment of approximately $30 million (USD) led by Connected Capital. Rise Up has roughly doubled its revenue and staff each year since its launch in 2014.
• Major digital learning provider Go1 raised over $100 million in funding to support growth initiatives. In the press release, Go1’s chief executive officer Andrew Barnes says that leading organizations are “recognizing the acute need to future-proof their workplaces by providing comprehensive learning and development opportunities,” and this investment will help Go1 “build on that momentum.”

• VR training provider Transfr VR secured $35 million in Series B funding, expanding into regions and industries most heavily affected by skills gaps and unemployment.

Content Development Services and Solutions

Training Industry market research found that content development is one of four “critical learning service areas” necessary for a successful training plan (along with training delivery, training administration and learning technology management).

The content development segment of the market saw four deals last quarter:

• CreatorUp raised an additional round of financing from Gaingels and Jobs for the Future (JFF) to expand its video marketplace, which allows companies to create professional training videos.
• Go1 acquired Coorpacademy, an eLearning platform and content library with a global consumer base.
• ELB Learning acquired CoreAxis, a creative training design and development provider. This marks the company’s third acquisition of 2022.
• Access Learning, part of The Access Group, announced the acquisition of Bookboon, a self-directed soft skills content provider.

Leadership

Digital coaching and front-line training solutions gained traction in the leadership segment of the market last quarter:

• CoachHub, a leading digital coaching platform, closed a $200 million Series C funding round, following an $80 million funding round just eight months ago.
• Cloverleaf, an automated coaching technology, closed $9 million in Series A funding led by Origin Ventures. Since its previous funding round in 2021, Cloverleaf has increased its revenue by 400%, according to the press release.
• Axonify, a front-line training solutions provider, acquired Nudge, an employee communication and execution platform. The acquisition is set to simplify front-line team training and enablement.

Remote Learning

In the remote learning segment of the market:

• Metacampus, a training platform designed for the virtual economy, secured an investment of approximately $1.5 million (USD) from LUMO Labs.
• Class Technologies, a leading virtual training provider, completed its acquisition of Blackboard Collaborate, which will now be know as “Class Collaborate.”

Workforce Development

In the workforce development segment of the market:

• fm, a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) training platform for warehouse operators, raised $5.4 million in a seed funding round led by Join Capital.
• Coming off the heels of its acquisition of EdCast, Cornerstone announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement with Skillsoft to acquire SumTotal, a learning and human capital management SaaS provider.

Sales

The sales training segment of the market saw two deals last quarter:

• Corporate Visions, a leading sales training and consulting provider, acquired DSG in an effort to “improve B2B commercial execution,” according to the press release.
• Richardson Sales Performance, a leading sales training organization, announced the acquisition of DoubleDigit Sales (DDS), a leading sales training provider in Canada.

Performance Management

• Leading employee experience platform Kazoo announced the acquisition of WorkTango, an employee experience survey and people analytics company.

Compliance

• 360training made its way into the health care market with its acquisition of HIPPA Exams. As a result, the online training provider will launch a new “Healthcare” vertical on its website, complete with 29 new online health care training courses, in the coming months.

Personalization and Learning Pathways

• Xip, a personalized learning provider specializing in customized training videos, secured $5 million in seed funding.

Professional Development

• Meazure Learning, an online testing services provider, announced the acquisition of Scantron Corporation’s certification and licensure business.

We love hearing from you! Email editor@trainingindustry.com to share your thoughts about last month’s activity, and your predictions for Q3.