UPDATED 14:32 EDT / SEPTEMBER 28 2016

NEWS

OpenSesame raises $9M for enterprise elearning, wants to add VR classes

OpenSesame, an enterprise-focused elearning platform, has just raised $9 million in a Series B funding round led by Altos Ventures.

This latest funding round also included continued investment from Partech Ventures, which contributed to OpenSesame’s $8 million Series A funding round in January 2014. This brings the company’s total funding up to over $17 million.

In a press release, the Portland-based company noted that its new funding will allow it to continue along its strong growth trajectory, as well as to expand into highly demanded new subjects like augmented reality and virtual reality. As part of the new funding deal, Ho Nam, Managing Director for Altos Ventures, will be joining OpenSesame’s board of directors.

“OpenSesame has experienced tremendous growth in the last two years because leading organizations understand that simple and effective online training gives them a competitive advantage,” said OpenSesame Chief Executive Don Spear. “It is exciting to have Altos Ventures bring their deep experience to OpenSesame. Ho Nam’s insight and counsel on our Board of Directors will be a great addition.”

“Altos Ventures invests in companies that are leaders in their industry,” added Ho Nam. “OpenSesame’s continued growth with strong fundamentals, innovative market approach and accomplished management team is exactly what we look for in a strong partnership.”

Continuing education is critical for a number of businesses, especially in the fast-moving technology industry, and OpenSesame says that its classes have been used by a number of major corporations to keep up with the changing times, including Toshiba, Wyndham Hotel Group, CSX, Rheem and Estee Lauder.

OpenSesame’s platform includes classes on a wide range of subjects, including general business skills like sales and customer service training, software-specific classes for tools like Microsoft Excel, and classes on specialized industry subjects such as HIPAA compliance or Department of Transportation security protocols.

There are many online education options available today, and OpenSesame even recently gained some major competition in the enterprise edtech space. Last month, popular online education platform Coursera announced that it would be launching Coursera for Business, an enterprise-focused elearning service that would offer courses in a wide range of subjects.

However, there are a few differences between OpenSesame’s offerings and Coursera’s classes. While OpenSesame has many short classes for simple certifications or a better understanding of certain business software programs, Coursera is dedicated to a more university-like experience, with video lectures taken directly from top colleges around the country.

Photo by pestoverde 

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