SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Everwise, a new model for talent development, today announced it has closed a $16 million Series B financing round. Sequoia Capital led the round with significant participation from prior investors Canvas Ventures and Webb Investment Network.
The company is also announcing the general availability of its Enterprise Social Learning Platform, defining a new category of software that connects professionals to the people, development resources and experiences they need to thrive at each stage of their careers.
"At Sequoia we’ve been actively tracking the learning and development market for many years. Everwise caught our eye as a breakthrough company,” said Joe Dobrenski of Sequoia Capital. “Their approach turns conventional professional development on its head by providing, at enterprise scale, the individualized learning experiences required to help the modern knowledge worker reach his/her full potential."
Everwise launched in 2013 as a platform to make mentoring work at scale. The Enterprise Social Learning Platform, available today, is designed to help the world’s leading organizations solve their most critical talent-related challenges such as enabling front-line managers, creating diverse and inclusive cultures, engaging millennials, effective onboarding or navigating significant organizational change.
“HR leaders have historically had to choose between solutions that scale and those that are effective,” said Mike Bergelson, co-founder and CEO of Everwise. “We believe this is a false choice. Every employee should have access to a personalized, impactful social learning experience. The human connection is critical to translating knowledge into behavior change.”
Every stage of the talent development process can be managed on the new SaaS-based Enterprise Social Learning Platform, the first solution that moves beyond content to incorporate comprehensive, personalized social and experiential learning experiences at scale.
“Today’s most successful companies realize that impactful learning and development does not come from content-driven programs. They know that people learn best with others and by doing,” said Steve Kerr, the world’s first chief learning officer who served in that capacity for General Electric and Goldman Sachs. “Everwise offers learning experiences that result in a more engaged workforce and will ultimately provide better business outcomes.”
“Businesses spend more than $130 billion today on corporate learning programs around the world,” said Josh Bersin, Principal at Bersin by Deloitte, Deloitte Consulting LLP, a leading industry research and advisory organization. “Offerings that bring together a wide variety of learning experiences – including mentoring, coaching, assessment, curated content, and access to external experts – represent a new breed of platforms which are helping to reinvent the corporate learning market.”
Since announcing its Series A funding last year, Everwise has grown to more than 250 enterprise customers. Market leaders such as Genentech and Oracle, as well as high-growth companies like Lyft and Zendesk are among the organizations already using Everwise.
Everwise will use the new funding to further develop the capabilities of its software platform, accelerate team growth and expand marketing activities.
In conjunction with the financing, Dobrenski will join the Everwise Board of Directors.
About Everwise:
Everwise provides a completely new model for talent development by connecting employees to the people, development resources and experiences they need to thrive at every stage of their career. Everwise extends beyond traditional, content-driven solutions which, while scalable, are largely ineffective on their own. Everwise works with Fortune 500 enterprises, fast-growth startups, and the social sector. The company is based in New York City and San Francisco and its investors include Sequoia Capital, Canvas Ventures and Webb Investment Network. Additional information can be found at www.geteverwise.com.
