Interplay Learning, the global leader in training essential skilled trade workers to be job-ready, announced today, it completed an $18 Million Series B round of financing. Owl Ventures and S3 Ventures co-led the round, with additional investment from Strada Education Network and The Venture Reality Fund, as well as participation from existing investors SJF Ventures, Sierra Ventures, Holt Ventures, Wild Basin Investments and Shelter Capital Partners. Owl Ventures is the world’s largest venture capital fund in education technology and its Managing Director, Ian Chiu, will join Interplay’s Board of Directors.
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Interplay’s customer usage was up 445% in 2020, as the leading provider of online 3D simulation and virtual reality solutions for the HVAC, plumbing, electrical, solar, multi-family maintenance and facilities maintenance workforces. The firm has more than 2,000 customers and 110,000 users nationwide on its next-generation training platform. Additionally, Interplay exceeded 300% year-over-year growth and earned a Gold Best in Business Award in the On the Rise Category from Inc. Magazine in 2020.
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“Interplay Learning is setting the standard for fully interactive, lifelike, hands-on simulation learning that can be experienced through VR, mobile and desktop applications,” said Ian Chiu, Managing Director of Owl Ventures. “Thousands of companies are leveraging Interplay to build their own scalable, job-ready workforce faster than ever before. Interplay’s on-demand skilled trades training courses are designed to help the existing 24 million skilled workers, as well as those just entering the workforce, to be field-ready in weeks, not years. We’re excited to be partnering with Interplay as they continue to scale and expand on their market leadership.”
“This new capital enables us to broaden our offering into new markets and accelerate our vision for ‘comersive’ learning, combining immersive learning with human connection,” said Doug Donovan, Founder and CEO of Interplay Learning. “There is a critical shortage of essential skilled workers in the U.S. that is being exacerbated by the accelerating rate of retirement. This growing skilled trades gap is what drives us every day. We’re excited about our growth in 2021; we plan to double our employee headcount and fulfill our mission of better careers, better lives.”
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