Industry News
Recruitment Technology Startup Acquired by Wiley
John Wiley & Sons, a provider of curriculum and learning technology, has acquired a Seattle-based startup that helps higher education institutions increase enrollment in their online programs.
Ranku “licenses recruitment technology and predictive analytics to universities and state systems to scale online degree enrollment” for more than 500 programs, according to the company’s website. The platform provides institutions with access to real-time recruitment data as well as SEO services that integrate with existing systems, such as Hobsons and Ellucian.
“There are so many affordable online degree programs within state systems and community colleges, but without the right strategies and tools, many are going undiscovered,” said Kim Taylor, CEO and co-founder of Ranku, in a statement. “With Wiley’s support, Ranku can ensure that potential applicants are discovering the programs that are right for them and enable both the students and institution to be successful.”
When it launched in 2013, Ranku enabled students to shop and compare online programs and to detect scams. In 2014, the startup secured $650,000 in seed funding from Mark Cuban, Microsoft Accelerator and other investors, according to a TechCrunch report, and diverted its efforts to licensing its software to universities.
Although the terms of the acquisition were not publicly announced, Ranku will said it will continue to run operations in Seattle as a stand-alone company and work within Wiley Education Services.
To learn more about the recruitment technology, visit the Ranku site.
About the Author
Sri Ravipati is Web producer for THE Journal and Campus Technology. She can be reached at [email protected].
