Skillsoft
 | |
Formerly called | SmartForce[1] |
|---|---|
| Industry | Software as a service |
| Founded | August 8, 1989[2] |
| Headquarters | 107 Northeastern Blvd., Nashua, NH, United States[3] |
Key people |
Chuck Moran, President and CEO Jerald Nine, COO[4] |
| Products | Educational technology, learning management systems, training content |
| Owner | Charterhouse Capital Partners (as of April 2014) |
Number of employees | 2,400[5] (as of 2014) |
| Website |
www |
Skillsoft is an American educational technology company that produces learning management system software and content. It is one of the world's largest corporate training providers, with 10,000 customers, 60 million users, and 2,400 employees as of 2014.[5]
History
Ownership
Skillsoft was traded on NASDAQ under the stock symbol SKIL, with an IPO in February 2000[6] and a SPO in July 2001.[7][8]
In May 2010, the company was bought out for US$1.2 billion by SSI Investments III Limited, a firm funded by Berkshire Partners, Advent International and Bain Capital.[9][10] Skillsoft was sold by Berkshire Partners to Charterhouse Capital Partners on April 28, 2014.[9][2]
Mergers and acquisitions
In 2002, Skillsoft merged with IT courseware company SmartForce, with the combined company retaining the Skillsoft name.[1]
Skillsoft's acquisitions include:
- NETg (acquired 2007, from Thomson Corporation)[1]
- MindLeaders (ThirdForce Group) (acquired September 2012)[9]
- SumTotal Systems (acquired September 2014)[5]
- Element K (acquired October 2011, from NIIT)[9]
- Vodeclic SAS (acquired May 2015)[11]
Products
Skillsoft's products include:[2]
- SkillChoice Multi-Modal Learning Solutions (resources for formal training)
- SkillPort (learning management platform)
- SkillSoft Dialogue (virtual classroom)
- KnowledgeCenters (prepackaged learning portals)
- Business Impact Series (audio-based dramatizations of workplace problems)
- Challenge Series (interactive case studies)
- Business Skills Courseware Collection (2,200 titles)
- IT Skills and Certification Courseware Collection (2,450 titles)
- Desktop Skills Courseware Collection (800 titles)
- Legal Compliance, Federal Government Compliance, and Environmental Safety and Health Courseware Collection
References
- 1 2 3 "About Skillsoft". Skillsoft. Retrieved 17 June 2015.
- 1 2 3 "SkillSoft". CrunchBase. Retrieved 17 June 2015.
- ↑ "Skillsoft Corporation Company Information". Hoovers. Retrieved 17 June 2015.
- ↑ "Company Overview of SkillSoft Limited". Bloomberg Business. Retrieved 17 June 2015.
- 1 2 3 Bersin, Josh (October 1, 2014). "Skillsoft Acquisition of SumTotal: Corporate Training Market Disruption?". Forbes. Retrieved 17 June 2015.
- ↑ "Skillsoft Corp (SKIL) IPO". NASDAQ. Retrieved 19 June 2015.
- ↑ "Skillsoft Corp (SKIL) SPO". NASDAQ. Retrieved 19 June 2015.
- ↑ Brown, Rodney H. (February 15, 2010). "SkillSoft to go private in $1B buyout from Bain and partners". Boston Business Journal. Retrieved 19 June 2015.
- 1 2 3 4 "Skillsoft". Berkshire Partners. Retrieved 17 June 2015.
- ↑ Suria, Asif (April 6, 2010). "Merger Arbitrage Mondays: April 5, 2010". Seeking Alpha. Retrieved 19 June 2015.
- ↑ "Skillsoft Announces Acquisition of Vodeclic". BusinessWire. Berkshire Hathaway. May 7, 2015. Retrieved 17 June 2015.