Interplay Raises $18M To Accelerate Skilled Trades Training
Interplay Learning, a leading provider of online 3D simulation and virtual reality training for skilled trades such as HVAC, plumbing, and electrical work, has raised $18 million in a Series B funding round led by Owl Ventures and S3 Ventures to expand its platform, which serves over 2,000 customers and 110,000 users nationwide and experienced a 445% increase in usage in 2020, aiming to address the critical shortage of skilled workers by accelerating immersive, job-ready training.
Interplay Learning, a global leader in training essential skilled trade workers, has completed an $18 million Series B round of financing. The round was co-led by Owl Ventures and S3 Ventures, with additional investment from Strada Education Network and The Venture Reality Fund, as well as participation from existing investors SJF Ventures, Sierra Ventures, Holt Ventures, Wild Basin Investments, and Shelter Capital Partners. Ian Chiu, Managing Director of Owl Ventures, will join Interplay’s Board of Directors.
In 2020, Interplay’s customer usage increased by 445%. The company provides online 3D simulation and virtual reality solutions for the HVAC, plumbing, electrical, solar, multi-family maintenance, and facilities maintenance workforces. Interplay Learning has more than 2,000 customers and 110,000 users nationwide on its training platform. The company also exceeded 300% year-over-year growth and earned a Gold Best in Business Award in the On the Rise Category from Inc. Magazine in 2020.
Ian Chiu of Owl Ventures commented, “Interplay Learning is setting the standard for fully interactive, lifelike, hands-on simulation learning that can be experienced through VR, mobile and desktop applications. Thousands of companies are leveraging Interplay to build their own scalable, job-ready workforce faster than ever before. Interplay’s on-demand skilled trades training courses are designed to help the existing 24 million skilled workers, as well as those just entering the workforce, to be field-ready in weeks, not years. We’re excited to be partnering with Interplay as they continue to scale and expand on their market leadership.”
Doug Donovan, Founder and CEO of Interplay Learning, stated, “This new capital enables us to broaden our offering into new markets and accelerate our vision for ‘comersive’ learning, combining immersive learning with human connection. There is a critical shortage of essential skilled workers in the U.S. that is being exacerbated by the accelerating rate of retirement. This growing skilled trades gap is what drives us every day. We’re excited about our growth in 2021; we plan to double our employee headcount and fulfill our mission of better careers, better lives.”
About Interplay Learning
Founded in 2016 in Austin, Texas, Interplay Learning is a leading global provider of online and VR training for essential skilled trades. The company develops and delivers scalable, highly effective digital learning simulations for the HVAC, plumbing, electrical, solar, multi-family maintenance, and facilities maintenance workforce. Using comersive learning technology, Interplay Learning allows customers to practice hands-on learning and train to be job-ready in weeks, not years. The company has won the AI Breakthrough Award for Best Use of Virtual Reality for Enterprise Applications and is an AHR Expo – Innovations Awards 2020 Winner. Interplay Learning is committed to building better training, better careers, and better lives for its customers and their employees.
Media Contact
Ria Romano
786.290.6413
press@interplaylearning.com
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