Serena Capital, NextStageAM and Debiopharm Investment lend their support to Coorpacademy, the educational platform which is revolutionizing access to knowledge in business.
Paris, 11th October 2016 – EdTech start-up which is set to revolutionize e-learning in business, Coorpacademy just raised 10 million euros from Serena Capital, NextStageAM and Debiopharm Investment funds. These funds will allow the company to accelerate its development in Europe, expand its partnership policy with software publishers, and maintain its platform’s technological edge. Coorpacademy is taking the necessary steps to fulfil its ambitions: bring back the pleasure of learning, and encourage learners to develop their skills to their full potential. The funds will also be invested in external growth.
Coorpacademy was founded in 2013 by three talented digital entrepreneurs: Jean-Marc Tassetto, former Vice-President of Google France and SFR, Arnauld Mitre, former director of Google France and ISOBAR, and Frédérick Benichou, a serial digital entrepreneur. Coorpacademy has totally transformed the codes of professional training with the development of a SaaS platform, which inaugurates the latest educational innovations including gamification, reverse education and collaborative learning. These methods are delivered with a flexible experience (short modules and multi-device) that is compatible with companies, their employees their clients and the whole ecosystem.
The latter are now in a position to grasp and master the numerous changes which their companies and themselves are facing today: technological innovations, energetic revolutions, new ways of managing and working…
Since its creation, Coorpacademy has experienced a profitable growth exceeding 100% each year, thanks to the marketing of their solutions to businesses of all sizes, including several large Fortune 500 & CAC 40 international companies such as L’Oréal, Société Générale, Tag Heuer, SFR, Pernod Ricard, Engie, Schneider Electric, Renault, Michelin or Air Liquide, and also smaller businesses that have had direct access to the platform since September 2015 via www.coorpacademy.com. The start-up also supports a community of more than 300,000 learners, of which 30% are international.
With more than 70% of the learners on their platforms being active users, Coorpacademy has an engagement rate well above other companies in the market.
3 strategic axes of development
After a first fundraising of 3.2 million euros in 2014 alongside NextStageAM and Debiopharm Investment, those investors have renewed their confidence in the company in this second round led by Serena Capital. Coorpacademy now intends to develop itself by focusing on three main axes:
• European development: already active in France and Switzerland, Coorpacademy is focusing on international development by working closely with their overseas clients, particularly in major European countries.
• Technical innovation: Coorpacademy will continue to raise its technological edge thanks to the enrichment of the instructional design delivered on their platform which is linked to machine learning and more generally to artificial intelligence. Coorpacademy is building on its collaboration with the research centre of l’Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale in Lausanne (EPFL), one of the most advanced universities in the world when it comes to MOOCs, (Massive Open Online Courses), and which has more than 1.4 million connected students.
● Partnerships: the fundraising will also allow Coorpacademy to develop its partnership program with beneficial companies who wish to promote and invest in their project. Following the success of the masterclass on Digital Culture, with versions in both French and English, Coorpacademy released last September a new masterclass entitled « ZeitGeist », together with influential partners such as: AUFEMININ, CAPGEMINI CONSULTING, ELEPHANT & Cie…
For Arnauld Mitre, one of three co-founders, “The technical and educational revolution led by Coorpacademy changes in the long run the vision we all have of professional training. Coorpacademy puts its users at the centre of the platform in order to allow them to develop their knowledge and skills online, regardless of their business’ size”.
Phillippe Hayat, Managing Partner of Serena Capital: “We have studied the majority of the EdTech dossiers and our choice is Coorpacademy. They are the best performers in the sector particularly in terms of development, recurrence and financial strength. This success is due to the quality and experience of its founders, and also to the efficiency of its learning experience, which require a true commitment from the user. This company has an incredible potential for growth”.
“The platform developed by Coorpacademy is an innovative and personalized response to the new challenges that companies are addressing beyond professional training. The knowledge economy disrupts companies’ operating principles. They need training platforms like the one offered by Coorpacademy who guides them in the change of uses. NextStageAM is proud to work alongside the entrepreneurs in the new step of Coorpacademy’s growth”, adds Grégoire Sentilhes, NextStageAM President.
“A few years ago we counted on a promise. Coorpacademy has since become a key player in tomorrow’s education, by offering companies an innovative and gamified solution that engages their employees in spearheading their digital transformation”, says Thierry Mauvernay, Co-President & Delegate of the board of Debiopharm GroupTM.
Contributors to the transaction
For Coorpacademy
– Co-founders: Jean-Marc Tassetto, Arnauld Mitre, Frédérick Benichou
– French legal department: Gide Loyrette Nouel with David-James Sebag and Bruno Laffont
– Swiss legal department: Gros & Waltensphul with Pascal Aeby
For Serena capital
– Team: Philippe Hayat, Anne Valérie Bach, Léa Verdillon
– Legal department: VOLT Associés with Lucas d’Orgeval and Charlotte Hazan
– Finance: Adwelsen with Florent Belliard
For NextStageAM
– Team: Grégoire Sentilhes, Aloys de Fontaines, Arthur Vigneras
– Legal department: Latournerie Wolfrom Lawyers with Christian Wolfrom
For Debiopharm Investment
– Team: Axel Favre, Alexandra le Coz Sanchez
– Legal department: Maître Philippe Jacquemoud from Jacquemoud Stanislas legal study
About Coorpacademy – www.coorpacademy.com
Coorpacademy is an EdTech start-up specialized in digital learning. It was founded in 2013 by 3 digital experts: Jean-Marc Tassetto, former Google France and SFR Managing Director, Arnauld Mitre, former Director of Google Agencies Unit, and Frédérick Benichou, TeamInside and Interactive Planet founder. Coorpacademy’s mission is to empower businesses facing major transformations – Digital, technological, energetic, managerial…- with an innovative, user-centric training experience for all leaders and team members, thus helping them anticipate and make the right decisions for their companies’ and career growth. Its « Digital Culture » and « Zeitgeist » masterclasses are also available on Coorpacademy’s public platform: www.coorpacademy.com.
Coorpacademy’s expertise relies on a cutting-edge technological platform and a unique instructional design which converts any content into an engaging online learning experience, fully adapted to learners’ needs and constraints.
With 3 years of experience, Coorpacademy has been distinguished by Frenchweb as the first B2B EdTech start-up in the 2016 top 500 ranking of French Digital start-ups with most growth potential. Its client portfolio includes more than 30 Fortune 500 companies: Engie, Pernod Ricard, Société Générale, Renault, SFR, Capgemini Consulting, Total… The next step for the thriving start-up: embark on its international expansion development and the SMEs market.
About Serena Capital
Founded in 2008 by Marc Fournier, Philippe Hayat and Xavier Lorphelin, Serena Capital is an investment structure recognized in France and Europe with more than 250 million euros under management. Highly active on the innovation and digital markets (Internet & Media, Mobile & Telecom, Software, Big Data, Electronics), the company invest up to 15 million euros in innovative, strong growth, companies (Alkemics, AramisAuto, Augure, Cheerz, Dataiku, Evaneos, FInalcad, Habiteo, iContainers, Lafourchette, Melty Group, Prestashop, TextMaster, TVTY, Worldstores, etc.).
About NextStageAM – www.nextstage.com
An independent management company approved by the French Financial Markets Authority (AMF) in 2002, NextStageAM is one of the pioneers and leaders in Growth Equity Fund in France. NextStageAM invests in a limited number of innovative growth SMEs and mid-cap companies (61 in the portfolio as of June 30, 2016) in France and elsewhere in Europe, providing entrepreneurial investment expertise and substantial international and operating experience. NextStageAM accompanies medium-sized businesses over the long term, whether unlisted or listed on the Alternext and Euronext B and C exchanges. It provides them with the means to accelerate their growth and their innovative capabilities so that they become the “champions” in their markets, in France and abroad, through organic growth and/or acquisitions. In December 2015, the Private Equity Awards recognized NextStageAM with the Gold Award for the best Growth Equity Fund in Europe.
NextStageAM was co-founded by Grégoire Sentilhes, its Chairman, who together with Chief Executive Officer Jean David Haas and managing partners Nicolas de Saint Etienne and Vincent Bazi own 75% of the share capital. The remainder is held in equal parts by Artémis, Groupe Pinault’s financial holding company, and Amundi. NextStageAM, which has raised €487 million, has a strategic alliance with Matignon Investissement & Gestion, a long-standing Growth Equity Fund
NextStageAM is deeply involved in the entrepreneurial ecosystem through its commitment to the “G20 of Entrepreneurs”, “Citizen Entrepreneurs” and “France 2020” groups.
About Debiopharm Investment
Debiopharm Investment SA pursues its mission to preserve, diversify and support the sustainable growth of Debiopharm Group™, a biopharmaceutical development company based in Lausanne (Switzerland), through a comprehensive investment strategy centered on three areas of activity: Finance (portfolio management, currency hedging), Real Estate (residential and commercial) and Private Equity.
The Private Equity team focuses primarily on investment diversification, managing a portfolio of funds and of direct equity investments, as minority shareholder, in the capital of pioneering start-ups as well as small and medium-sized European companies.
Our entrepreneurial culture, as well as our willingness and capacity to act as long-term partners of the teams with which we invest, are the established pillars of our commitment.
For more information, please visit www.apres-demain.com