Edtech unicorn Go1 buys first European company amid expansion push

Aussie edtech unicorn Go1 has acquired Coorpacademy, a corporate learning platform and content library with a multinational customer base as part of its expansion push into Europe.

With offices in France and Switzerland, Go1 said the acquisition will support its growth plans for Europe, a notable region expanding its large corporate learning market, and its already vast offerings of digital learning and education resources. 

Coorpacademy is run and co-founded by ex-Google France country manager Jean-Marc Tassetto, with a customer base that includes BNP Paribas and Societe Generale.

This latest purchase moves the needle closer to Go1’s goal of reaching 1 billion learners globally and highlights the company’s commitment to continuing its momentum of steady growth.

As Go1 continues to scale globally as a leader in the corporate education space, the company said it plans to focus on expansion in the US and Europe.

Founded in 2015, Go1 is provides on-demand content to businesses looking to support their employees in upskilling.

This whopping raise follows a $30 million Series B round closed in 2019, and a $61 million cash injection in May 2020, as the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the online learning trend.

As of mid-2021, the company reported a 300% uptick in customers and learners on the platform, growing its business in North America and the UK, as well as on home turf.

The edtech platform reached unicorn status with a valuation of US$200 million ($272 million) following its Series D raise in July 2021. 

Co-founder and chief executive of Go1, Andrew Barnes, said the merger would turbocharge the company’s plans. 

“Coorpacademy is already well established in France and Switzerland, and we are excited about this geographic expansion,” Barnes said. 

“Go1’s core purpose is to help organizations and learners access great content from thousands of content providers,” he said. 

“The combination with Coorpacademy brings an exciting set of new content partners into the mix, and ultimately helps us reach more skills and areas of interest for our customers.”