Aprende Institute closes $22m financing round, consolidating leadership position in vocational education for Latinos.
Aprende Institute, the leading vocational training platform focused on professional development and economic advancement for the Spanish-speaking population, announced it closed a Series A-II investment round of $22 million. The round was led by Valor Capital Group and included the participation of previous investor Reach Capital. Also participating in the round were strategic and financial investors such as ECMC Group, Univision, Angel Ventures, Capria, Endeavor Catalyst, Artisan Venture Capital, Matterscale, Salkantay Ventures, 500 Startups, The Yard Ventures, Claure Group, and a select group of angel investors. The new financing brings the total raised by Aprende to date to $27 million.
Aprende Institute has enrolled more than 70,000 students in the last two years by providing a high-quality, flexible and affordable solution to learn high-demand vocational skills in Entrepreneurship, Beauty and Fashion, Gastronomy, Trades, and Wellness. Ninety-five percent of its students find their learning experience enriching, 6 out of 10 graduates claim to have increased their income in the short term, and 9 out of 10 to have improved their quality of life thanks to their experience with Aprende Institute. As a result, its revenue grew more than 6x in the previous 24 months.
“At Valor, we believe in the transformative potential of education. We have already invested in companies that have drastically changed not only markets but people’s lives through more inclusive education,” says Antoine Colaço, Managing Partner of Valor Capital Group. “Aprende Institute caught our attention for being a social business that, through technology, helps a wide number of people find their true vocation and reach for better opportunities,” he adds.
Martin Claure, CEO of Aprende Institute, affirms that “the new financing will enable us to attract top-tier talent across all areas, further improve our educational offering and expand services to businesses and institutions to boost growth. “Training is a tremendously powerful tool for companies to position their brands and increase loyalty among different participants in their value chains. It’s also a highly effective tool for organizations and institutions that promote social responsibility programs aimed at improving employability and entrepreneurial skills,” Claure adds.
The funding will also allow Aprende Institute to continue growing in the U.S. Hispanic market, its largest market. Accordingly, it has partnered with the leading media conglomerate focused on this audience, Univision will make its product offering more widely accessible to the U.S. Hispanic community, while Aprende continues driving growth in Latin America as well.
Another objective for Aprende Institute is to expand its School of Business and Entrepreneurship to better support small business owners, who make up a large share of its students. “We are developing courses in marketing, sales, negotiation, finance, and other value-added services specifically designed for our student body to acquire the business and soft skills needed to run successful ventures,’’ Claure explained.
Undoubtedly, the rapid growth that Aprende Institute and the EdTech sector have registered in recent years triggered the interest of investors in this financing round. “We invest in companies that offer high-quality educational experiences and help learners reach their full potential and improve their lives. Aprende Institute can deliver on this mission and help millions of small business owners throughout the U.S. and Latin America with high-quality courses and a community of peers,” said Esteban Sosnik, Partner at Reach Capital.
Aprende Institute is the leading online education platform for vocational training in Latin America and the U.S. Hispanic market. The platform offers a wide array of online certifications and courses, allowing its growing community of over 70,000 students to acquire high-demand skills. These skills empower learners to turn their interests into income by starting a new business or a new career.
Aprende’s tech platform and customized content solutions help corporations and institutions train and empower their employees, customers, and communities with highly effective learning experiences. In this regard, Aprende has developed successful alliances with companies such as Stanley Tools, WeWork, Dupreé, and Lear, and with financial institutions in Latin America, such as BBVA, Davivienda, Banco Santander, and Banco Azteca.
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