Edtech Firm Esme Learning Acquires Collaboration Platform Riff Analytics

BOSTON, December 8, 2021 (Newswire.com) - Esme Learning, a global leader in online professional development, and Riff Analytics, an AI-enabled software company, are combining their strengths to meet the learning needs of the next generation of business leaders. The two entities, who serve 1,500 organizations in more than 95 countries, will provide turnkey solutions for Higher Education, and Learning and Development departments. Esme currently works with some of the most prestigious universities in the world, including Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Saïd Business School, University of Oxford and Imperial College Business School. This acquisition cements Esme's credibility to help organizations, individuals, and governments adapt to digital transformation necessitated by the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

A track record of leadership:

The combined entity of Esme Learning and Riff Analytics, operating as Esme Learning Solutions, Inc., will be led by Esme CEO David Shrier and Riff Analytics co-founder and now COO and President of Esme Learning Solutions Beth Porter. Shrier is a globally recognized thought leader in technology who has created the four most profitable online classes in history. Porter is a former Pearson executive who, as Head of Product for the MIT/Harvard joint venture edX, created and developed the Open edX initiative, an open-source digital learning software used by more than 55 million learners worldwide. 

Proven results in delivering effective online education courses: 

The Riff platform, which consists of two products, Riff EDU and Riff Video, has been shown to significantly improve learning outcomes, as evidenced by peer-reviewed published research funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation.

Riff EDU, embedded at the core of Esme Learning, is a full-suite communication and digital collaboration platform built for the learning environment to better enable student success. Using Riff EDU, students achieved final grades 80% higher than those who did not and were twice as likely to earn a certificate (Riff Analytics, 2021). 

Powering Riff EDU is Riff Video, a SaaS offering that primarily consists of the "Meeting Mediator," an AI-enabled real-time visualization providing instant feedback about interactions with other participants. This, along with "Metrics," helps to raise awareness about interpersonal dynamics and how to adapt behavior to improve effectiveness. Riff Video can be integrated into any Learning Management System to build more effective team dynamics. Within Esme, Riff EDU is set to expand the functionalities to include prompts and nudges to drive more collaborative and effective group behaviors.    

"Riff is doing groundbreaking work in the area of effective communication and collaboration at work, and creating a platform that fundamentally helps people be more mindful, focused, and purposeful," said Porter.

"E-learning is reshaping the landscape of corporate training and, indeed, digital transformation. With the Riff Analytics acquisition, Esme Learning Solutions is ideally positioned to grow its footprint in the online Higher Education market, which has grown exponentially from US$100 billion in 2009 and is expected to reach over US$370 billion by 2026," said Shrier.

For further information:

UK and Europe: Gemma Dodd, [email protected], +44 7585 126262

North America: Melissa Tirey, [email protected], +1 646-823-6776 

Alternatively, contact [email protected] or [email protected].

About Esme Learning 

Esme Learning is transforming the future of digital learning through AI. Leveraging over 15 years of research on group collaboration, Esme Learning courses deliver an immersive and collaborative executive learning experience with some of the best universities in the world. Each course blends high-quality video, live simulations, interactive media, and small group exercises with top learning design principles. Through Esme Learning's rapidly growing portfolio of courses, executives gain technical skills and learn business best practices from experts across a wide range of frontier fields such as fintech, cybersecurity, AI leadership, and health tech. Esme Learning is backed by Adit Ventures. https://esmelearning.com 

About Riff Analytics

The Riff Platform is based on decades of research in social and cognitive science at MIT Media Lab, which examines how people interact in the workplace and learning environments. Riff Analytics' mission is to help people become more effective by providing real-time insights about their interactions and collaborations in order to raise self and situational awareness. Riff Analytics recently received a National Science Foundation (NSF) Phase II Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant to continue its research and development around how feedback and nudges help groups have better online interactions and ultimately perform better on shared tasks. https://riffanalytics.ai 

Source: Esme Learning Solutions