London (UK), March 2016 - The City & Guilds Group has invested in London-based online-training company Filtered as the first investment from its New Venture Fund. The Fund, launched in September 2015, will invest £2.5m in post-revenue companies to support innovation in skills development across the world.
Filtered is an online-training platform that personalises learning material for each user. By asking questions at the outset, the platform's algorithms filter out learning material a user doesn't need or already knows. This reduces the time spent training and maximises the value of that time.
Its range of courses are tailored to each individual and give users the chance to learn essential business skills (such as communication, leadership, and project management); Microsoft Office (Excel, Outlook, etc.); and business analysis. Filtered has grown quickly since 2009, serving 700,000 consumers and a growing list of multinationals including EE, Regus, and New Look.
As well as funding, Filtered will benefit from the City & Guilds Group's expertise and resources. In return, the Group will have an equity stake in the business.
Speaking about the investment, John Yates, New Ventures Director, City & Guilds Group said, "Our New Venture Fund is all about giving entrepreneurs and their businesses support as they grow. The team at Filtered is passionate about what they do and has created an innovative, engaging, personalised, and adaptive learning platform with huge potential. They are implementing solutions that many until now have only dreamed possible. And we share a commitment to giving people the chance to develop their skills so they can progress in their careers. For us, this partnership isn't only about providing Filtered with funding; it's about working together to give them the best possible chance of success. We're really excited to start working with the team at Filtered and helping their business grow even more in the future."
Adding to this, Marc Zao-Sanders, CEO and one of the founders of Filtered, commented, "It's fantastic to have the City & Guilds Group as an investor. Our mission is to maximise the value of training, and we do this by filtering content using proprietary adaptive technology. This mission fits perfectly with the City & Guilds Group's drive to develop skills for individuals, organisations, and the economy. Having got to know and enjoyed working with the team at the City & Guilds Group, we've already identified several interesting joint projects that combine our approach and technology with their expertise and stature."
