top of page
african-descent-brainstorming-working-workplace-concept-e1658843665389.jpg

Posts

cute-girl-using-vr-glasses-holding-molecular-model-learning-chemistry-science-.jpg

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.

Follow Us On

Motimatic Raises $4 Million In Growth Capital

  • NewMarketsVP
  • Apr 25, 2019
  • 3 min read

Updated: Nov 20, 2024

Motimatic, a unique motivation system that uses advertising networks to achieve social good, has successfully closed $4 million in growth capital led by City Light Capital, with participation from University Ventures and New Markets Venture Partners. Motimatic enables universities, health care providers, financial services providers and employers to improve key outcomes.


The system guides and inspires students, patients, consumers and employees to engage in better behaviors that help them achieve life-term goals like graduating from college or improving their health. The funding will further accelerate Motimatic’s growth in multiple sectors.


Motimatic blends the latest advances in advertising techniques, ad technology, and behavioral science to deliver tactical and motivating messages to targeted groups of people, in place of commercial advertisements that they would typically encounter on social media networks. These messages drive the behaviors, attitudes, and beliefs that lead to success. Ultimately, Motimatic customers benefit from improved engagement, completion, and retention rates.

“We know that people do great things with the right encouragement and guidance. Our solution combines behavioral science with online advertising technologies, proprietary personalization algorithms, and micro-engagement strategies. Motimatic messages are delivered through an automated distribution and scheduling system guided by each individual’s online habits,” notes Alan Tripp, Motimatic founder and CEO. “By partnering with organizations whose bottom line is improved by the success of the people they serve, Motimatic makes motivating a better world good business for all of us.”


Jason Palmer, General Partner at New Markets Venture Partners, notes: “Motimatic is a game-changer in terms of communication. While organizations struggle to capture the attention of their constituents via email, text, and phone calls, Motimatic enables an ongoing conversation with people no matter what they are doing online. For example, when you’re trying to communicate with students, patients, or employees who are frequently spending time on social media but don’t follow your feed, you can now share and deliver messages to them.


Ultimately, these messages drive productive behaviors to help them achieve their goals.”

“After watching Motimatic develop and deploy world-class technology, we’re excited to see organizations so readily adopt such an innovative solution,” added Troy Williams, Managing Director of University Ventures. “The turnkey nature and overall ease-of-use of Motimatic is facilitating its rapid growth. We’re also impressed with the versatility of the technology and how organizations in such diverse industries similarly benefit from the common need to drive the behaviors and attitudes that correlate with success, however each defines it.”


City Light Capital Managing Partner Josh Cohen further expands on the vision: “What really excites us is how Motimatic has re-purposed digital advertising to help improve lives. Motimatic delivers messages to help students graduate, individuals to live healthier lives, professionals to be more successful in their careers, and consumers and families to meet their financial needs. And that’s just the beginning. Any organization trying to drive productive behaviors and goal attainment to a targeted audience, now has an effective tool to guide and motivate people in a way that has never before been available.”


About Motimatic

Motimatic has created a motivation system that harnesses the power of advertising for good — supporting people to achieve life-changing education, health, finance and professional goals. For more information, visit: www.motimatic.com.


About City Light Capital

City Light is a Venture Capital firm that invests early in impactful companies in the areas of education, safety and care, and the environment – where more revenue equals better lives at scale, every time. As one of the earliest and most successful impact investing firms, City Light has a track record of identifying and scaling impact in ways that build better companies.


About New Markets Venture Partners

New Markets Venture Partners is a leading impact venture capital firm that invests in and actively assists early- and growth-stage education and workforce technology companies. The New Markets team has decades of experience supporting evidence-based, high growth companies that improve social mobility by leveraging deep relationships with centers of education and workforce innovation. New Markets prides itself on adding value to our portfolio companies before, during and after the investment process, with the ultimate goal of improving both individual outcomes and America’s education workforce system.

About University Ventures

University Ventures is a leading investment firm focused exclusively on the global higher education sector. The fund is led by principals with decades of collective experience as entrepreneurs, investors and leaders in higher education. University Ventures is playing a formative and constructive role in the private sector’s increasing involvement in the future of higher education.


 
 
bottom of page