Japan’s Recruit Holdings acquires UK-based edutech startup Quipper for $40M

SHARE:

quipper_featuredimage

TechCrunch Japan reported earlier today that UK-based edutech startup Quipper has been acquired by Japanese human resources and internet service company Recruit Holdings (TSE:6098). According to TechCrunch Japan, all shares of Quipper were handed over to Recruit for about $40 million on April 1st while the edutech company launched a new online learning platform as part of the giant firm. Since its launch back in 2010, Quipper has fundraised a total of about $10 million from Atomico, Globis Capital Partners, and 500 Startups.

Despite the acquisition by Recruit, Quipper’s founder Masayuki Watanabe will stay on as CEO; however he will launch a new learning platform with a new team focused on the global markets. Watanabe is also well known as one of the co-founders of Japanese internet powerhouse DeNA (TSE:2432). Quipper now has offices at five locations worldwide, including London, Tokyo and Manila. Quipper has expanded into emerging markets like Indonesia, Mexico and the Philippines where schools  typically lack teachers yet want to provide sufficient learning opportunities for their students.

See also: