Lumesse acquires SaaS-based learning experts Edvantage Group

Lumesse, a global leader in integrated talent management solutions, is pleased to announce that it has signed a binding agreement to acquire Edvantage Group (www.edvantagegroup.com). Over 500,000 users across hundreds of organizations use Edvantage Group’s SaaS (Software-as-a-Service) learning solutions to develop employee skills and competencies. Edvantage Group brings Lumesse world-class capabilities in learning management, content development and management, online content delivery, and custom course development. The two companies already share a number of customers and have pre-existing integrations between their respective product sets. The acquisition includes all customer contracts, intellectual property, assets and goodwill of the business and, subject to the usual regulatory approval by the Norwegian competition authorities, is expected to close during October.

“People love to learn, and learning is rising up the corporate agenda as every successful business needs to retain and develop its people as part of a full talent management strategy,” said Matthew Parker, CEO at Lumesse. “Acquiring Edvantage gives Lumesse an award-winning learning and content platform that will enhance the 2012 product roadmaps for both Lumesse TalentLink and Lumesse ETWeb. We are very excited to be welcoming this great company, its many high-profile customers, and its talented employees to the growing Lumesse family.”

Edvantage Group founder and CEO Thomas Berglund, who will be responsible for the Global Learning business in Lumesse, added: “We are very proud that we have been acquired by one of the world’s most people-focused software companies, with a truly global footprint, local expertise, financial strength and a passion for what they do. This acquisition secures a promising future for our customers, employees, partners and other stakeholders.”

The acquisition will accelerate the global growth of Lumesse, strengthen its leadership in Europe, extend its product set and increase its customer base by over 200 new companies to a total of over 1,900 in 70 countries worldwide. Already offering some of the most complete talent management solutions in the industry, Lumesse will broaden its products further to include Edvantage Group’s learning management system, award-winning content authoring platform, extensive range of on-demand content, and its custom developed e-learning programs. Lumesse customers will be able to easily provide formal, informal, social and mobile learning opportunities to employees as a part of a fully integrated talent development strategy.

Edvantage Group has won many high-profile clients for its learning solutions, including Virgin Atlantic, 7-Eleven, Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank, Sony Ericsson, SEB and the UK MOD. Recent awards for its solutions include the 2010 UK E-Learning award winner for ‘E-learning Company of the Year,’ and the 2011 Brandon Hall Award winner for ‘Best Advance in Technology for Rich-Media Authoring’ category. Edvantage Group has highly skilled people in the UK, the Nordic regions and across Europe.

“Since its founding in 1999 Edvantage Group has become recognized in the e-learning market for its strong client relationships, award-winning technologies, and talented employees,” says Matthew Parker, CEO at Lumesse. “We think they are a great fit for the Lumesse culture and we are looking forward to combining their strengths with ours during 2012 to bring a superb, fully integrated learning offering to our customers and to the global market.”