Acquisitions & Partnerships

Private-equity firms to buy SkillSoft for $1.1 billion

Submitted by LCuscuna on Feb 12 1:43pm GMT

E-learning software maker SkillSoft Plc said it agreed to be acquired by a consortium of private-equity firms for about $1.1 billion, an offer that investors think undervalues the company.

(Reuters, February 12, 2010) The cash offer of $10.80 per share, made by funds owned by Berkshire Partners, Advent International and Bain Capital, was 11 percent more than SkillSoft's closing price on Thursday.

Interactive Textbooks Headed to iPad, Report Says

Submitted by LCuscuna on Feb 03 1:34pm GMT

Software developer ScrollMotion has been tapped to develop iPad-friendly versions of textbooks for education publishers like McGraw Hill, Houghton Mifflin, and Kaplan.

(PC World, February 3, 2010)

Inkling lets textbook makers embrace the iPad

Submitted by LCuscuna on Jan 28 8:14am GMT

Inkling will port their existing tomes onto Apple’s iPad as interactive, socialized objects. Then, they’ll create all-new learning modules — interactive, social, and mobile. Funded with about $1M in seed money led by Ram Shiram and Mitch Kapor, Inkling is working with McGraw-Hill, Pearson and other top textbook makers.

(Venture Beat, January 28, 2010) “The book will never die. But the textbook probably will,” says Inkling CEO Matt MacInnis. Inkling is working directly with textbook publishers. First, they’ll port their existing tomes onto Apple’s iPad as interactive, socialized objects.

JitterBook Selects Parago to Provide Visa(R) Prepaid Cards to Students Trading in Textbooks

Submitted by LCuscuna on Jan 25 9:26am GMT

JitterBook, which reinvented the way that students buy and sell textbooks, has introduced one more convenience to its program. Students can now trade in books and get paid on Parago's Visa® Prepaid Cards – furthering the convenience and ease that JitterBook offers students.

(PR Newswire, January 25, 2010) JitterBook (www.JitterBook.com), which reinvented the way that students buy and sell textbooks, has introduced one more convenience to its program.

Apple in Talks with McGraw-Hill, Hachette over Tablet

Submitted by LCuscuna on Jan 22 10:26am GMT

The maker of the iPhone is discussing ways to include McGraw-Hill and Hachette e-book titles on its tablet, due to be introduced Jan. 27

(Business Week, January 21, 2010) Apple (AAPL) is in talks with the McGraw-Hill Companies (MHP) and Hachette Book Group to include educational and trade titles on its planned tablet computer, according

Orbis Education Lands $8 Million in Venture Capital

Submitted by LCuscuna on Jan 20 9:29am GMT

A Silicon Valley venture capital firm has invested $8 million in Orbis Education, a locally based maker of nursing-education software. Founded in 2003, Orbis offers a system that helps universities and hospitals train new nurses. Last year, it had $4.5 million in revenue.

(Indianapolis Business Journal, January 19. 2010) A Silicon Valley venture capital firm has invested $8 million in Orbis Education, a locally based maker of nursing-education software.

Menlo Park, Calif.-based Lightspeed Venture Partners engineered the capital infusion in late December to help Orbis expand its nursing-education programs. Orbis announced the deal today.

Will Online Education Become a Revenue Stream for News Organisations?

Submitted by LCuscuna on Jan 18 11:09am GMT

As news organisations struggle to find new revenue models, education offerings seem to be a very good way to extend the brand and earn extra revenue. This spring, the New York Times will start awarding certificates in conjunction with several universities to students who pay to take its online courses.

(The Guardian, January 18, 2009) As news organisations struggle to find new revenue models, education offerings seem to be a very good way to extend the brand and earn extra revenue.

Indiana U Leads Effort to Develop Next-Generation Library Management App

Submitted by LCuscuna on Jan 14 2:22pm GMT

Indiana University in Bloomington will be developing new library software to manage digital collections thanks to a $2.38 million grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. The university will lead a partnership of libraries in the Kuali Open Library Environment (OLE) project to develop "community source" software that will be made available to libraries worldwide.

(Campus Technology, January 14, 2009) Indiana University in Bloomington will be developing new library software to manage digital collections thanks to a $2.38 million grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

enTourage eDGe Dualbook Joins the Blackboard Alliance Program to Revolutionize Learning

Submitted by LCuscuna on Jan 08 9:38am GMT

New application to provide collaboration tools and access to class schedules, campus maps, announcements and messages

(Virtual Press Office, January 8, 2009) MCLEAN, Va.

McGraw-Hill Education and enTourage Systems(TM) Join Forces to Bring Higher Ed Content to First-Ever Dualbook(TM)

Submitted by LCuscuna on Jan 06 9:17am GMT

First higher ed content partnership for interactive "dualbook(TM)" allows students to read, highlight and share notes on digital versions of top-selling titles

(PR Newswire, January 5, 2009) NEW YORK, Jan. 5 /PRNewswire/ -- McGraw-Hill Education today announced a strategic alliance with enTourage Systems, Inc., to deliver McGraw-Hill's higher educational content to the enTourage eDGe(TM), a revolutionary interactive dualbook(TM) that combines the features of an e-book reader, notepad and tablet netbook in one device.