Anthology, a leading provider of higher education software solutions that support the entire learner lifecycle, and Blackboard Inc., a leading global EdTech software and solutions company, has announced the completion of their previously announced merger.
According to a press statement, the combined organization will create the most comprehensive and modern EdTech ecosystem at a global scale for education. The company is uniquely positioned to enable deeper insights about the learner so that institutions can deliver unmatched personalized experiences and outcomes across the full learner lifecycle.
The parent company of the newly combined organization will be Anthology, with the Blackboard name continuing as an integral part of its brand portfolio. Anthology will tap its leading global position — with more than 150 million users across 80 countries — and a comprehensive portfolio of innovative solutions, to enable institutions to remove the historical barriers between administrative and learning ecosystems and drive learner and institutional success.
Commenting on the development, Jim Milton, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Anthology, said,
“The closing of the transaction represents the next chapter for Anthology and Blackboard as our collective offerings can deliver unmatched personalized experiences and insights across the full learner lifecycle. Our combined broad set of capabilities – including teaching and learning, student information systems, enterprise resource planning, community engagement, student success, and student engagement – will provide our clients with a full suite of enterprise-level products and services that enable institutions to not only focus on data-driven decisions but completely transform both student and institutional success.”
According to the company, clients across higher education, K-12 schools, government, and business sectors of the combined companies will benefit from accelerated investments and innovation in current solutions, have access to an expanded product portfolio and global reach to meet institutions’ learning and administrative needs, and also enjoy the high privacy, security standards provided by the combined company.
Ramzi Musallam, CEO and Managing Partner of Veritas Capital, said,
“With this combination, Anthology is poised to accelerate the data-driven higher ed ecosystem that the market has been demanding. Under the leadership of Jim Milton and the company’s proven senior leadership team, Anthology will serve as an industry force to improve outcomes for students and institutions and ensure the advancement of connected knowledge.”
The combined entity is majority-owned by Veritas Capital, a longstanding technology investor with a focus on companies operating at the intersection of technology and government.
The company’s headquarters will be in Boca Raton, Florida. The company also will maintain its global facility footprint including the main Blackboard office in Reston, Virginia.
Milbank LLP acted as legal advisor to Anthology and Veritas. Deutsche Bank served as financial advisor to Blackboard, and Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP acted as legal advisor to Blackboard.
