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A Focus on Impact

Our Portfolio Companies Make a Difference

Our portfolio companies spend every day removing obstacles and working to overcome challenges students and workers have to get a good education and a good job.

Recent Posts

Dec 19, 2025

4

min read

News & Updates

Edtech and Workforce Development News Roundup - 12/19

In today's ever-changing world of education and workforce development, technology is increasingly shaping the opportunities available to students, schools, and employers. From online talent marketplaces and cutting-edge edtech tools to personalized support systems and updated regulations, these changes reflect a shared effort to make education more transparent, results-focused, and centered around the learner.

Dec 16, 2025

1

min read

Mantra Health

Mantra Health CEO and Co-Founder, Matt Kennedy named to Slice of Healthcare's "50 Under 50" list

CEO and Co-founder Matt Kennedy has been named to Slice of Healthcare’s “50 Under 50” list, which recognizes 50 dynamic and influential leaders who are shaping the future of healthcare. Matt is a visionary leader committed to innovation and has an unwavering passion for improving student mental health across higher education. Under his guidance, Mantra has reached over 150 campuses and is now actively serving more than 1.3 million students. Read the original story in full here . #MantraHealth

Dec 12, 2025

4

min read

News & Updates

Edtech and Workforce Development News Roundup - 12/12

In today's rapidly evolving workforce Industry, traditional pathways into employment are facing unprecedented challenges, from eroding entry-level opportunities to shifting perceptions of higher education's value. As AI continues to transform skill requirements and job roles, innovative approaches (such as portfolio-based work-based learning, skills-first strategies, and streamlined educational systems) are emerging as vital solutions to bridge gaps and foster economic mobility.

Dec 10, 2025

2

min read

Orijin

Monroe County Sheriff's Office Partners with Tech Educator Orijin for Inmate Workforce Development Program in Tennessee

In a recent social media announcement, Monroe County Sheriff's Office shared its inclusion in a workforce development initiative with tech education provider Orijin, supported by the State of Tennessee. Sheriff Tommy Jones made the revelation, stating that the Monroe County Sheriff's Office Detention Facility will serve as the site for this pilot initiative, set to kick off on January 1, 2026, according to a post on their Facebook page. The program will introduce inmates to the Interplay...

Dec 10, 2025

2

min read

Acceleration Academies

Gwinnett County students to graduate after given second chance with non-traditional, free program, Acceleration Academies

ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) — Traditional high school wasn’t all that smooth for Cobi Dawson. He discovered the Gwinnett County Acceleration Academies program. “Traditional school wasn’t really for me,” Dawson said. “Like people, everybody wants to be alike. They act like people they’re not; they hang around other people they do the wrong things.” The program caters to students who felt traditional high school wasn’t working out. It’s primarily an online program, that also requires them...

Dec 5, 2025

4

min read

News & Updates

Edtech and Workforce Development News Roundup - 12/05

In this week's News Roundup, the articles featured highlight how the traditional pathways from education to career are facing unprecedented challenges and opportunities. From the widening gap between high school graduation and workforce readiness to the diminishing returns of a college degree, stakeholders across the education and employment sectors are rethinking how we prepare young people for success.

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Higher Education Text Messaging Platform Signal Vine Secures $2M; New Markets Venture Partners leads Series A funding round

  • NewMarketsVP
  • Jul 26, 2017
  • 2 min read

Updated: Nov 20, 2024

Signal Vine, a leading enterprise text messaging platform used by higher education institutions to improve student retention and persistence, announced today it has secured $2 million in Series A funding. The round was led by New Markets Venture Partners, an early and growth stage venture capital firm that invests in and helps build transformative education, information technology, and business services companies.


More than 200 higher education institutions and college success organizations use Signal Vine’s enterprise text messaging platform to text students at scale and nudge them to success. Signal Vine customers have used this approach to achieve high-impact results, including an 11 percent increase in matriculation and a 20 percent improvement in persistence.


Organizations scale their texting programs across departments by integrating their data systems and leveraging unique platform features such as blended messaging, which allows organizations to send a combination of automated and manual messages in a single conversation thread. This saves staff time while still building strong relationships with students across the entire student lifecycle to improve student success.


“Communication is changing quickly and we want to help institutions keep up with these changes and reach students where they are – on their phones, texting. Texting is a very personal form of communication, so it needs to be done right to be effective at the scale that universities need. We take a unique approach by enabling blended text messaging – a combination of manual and personalized, platform-generated messages in the same message flow,” said Signal Vine CEO Brian Kathman. “To ensure our customers are communicating effectively, we leverage behavioral science strategies so a few highly powerful messages can maximize results and engagement. The outcomes and ROIs our customers are experiencing with their students are amazing.”


“We are thrilled to be part of Signal Vine’s bright future and excited to see their growth,” said Robb Doub, General Partner at New Markets Venture Partners. “Their leadership in the market and enthusiastic customer base is a recipe for success. Most importantly, Signal Vine’s solution is specifically designed to reach students in a personalized, scalable manner that improves student retention and persistence, both of which are top priorities for higher education leaders.”


Signal Vine’s Series A follows more than three years of strong growth and adoption of its market-leading enterprise messaging platform. The funds raised will be used to accelerate product development in machine learning and platform analytics, as well as continued sales and marketing growth. For more information about Signal Vine, visit signalvine.com.


About Signal Vine


Signal Vine’s enterprise text messaging platform transforms the way higher education institutions reach and engage students. Nearly 100% of students and families have access to text messaging, making it the most powerful way to communicate with any student at any time. Built on the principles of behavioral science, the Signal Vine platform combines text messaging with data analytics to deliver a highly personalized and interactive experience for students. Proactive text nudges sent through the platform are a powerful driver of positive behaviors and outcomes ranging from matriculation to enrollment to persistence. Students don’t need to download anything to receive messages. The company serves more than 200 higher education organizations, including the Utah System of Higher Education, University of New Mexico, and Austin Community College.


Visit signalvine.com for more information, or follow Signal Vine on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.


 
 
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