SJF Ventures Leads Series A Financing of Portfolium
San Diego, CA, September 15, 2016 – Portfolium announced on Monday that it has raised $6.55M in Series A Financing, led by SJF Ventures. The funds will fuel expansion of Portfolium’s talent marketplace for students and cement it’s position as this generation’s bridge between higher ed and the job market.
“In every classroom, in every city in this country, there are students being left behind by a recruiting system that simply isn’t equipped with the radar to detect their skills and talents,” said Adam Markowitz, Portfolium’s Founder and CEO. “We’ve now got the resources to put millions of overlooked students on the map while teaching companies that an evidence-based approach to hiring is both the smart way to recruit and the right thing to do.”
Revolutionizing the Classroom-to-Career Transition
Portfolium is turning classroom learning inside out by translating a student’s academic experience into data about what makes them hireable by employers. Portfolium’s mission is to equip every learner with a free ePortfolio that shows evidence of what they’re able to do on the job. Portfolio “entries” range from writing samples, public speaking videos, powerpoint and prezi presentations, and photo-essays about foreign travel, to samples of computer code, graphic design, and excel spreadsheets.
“We believe that Portfolium can erase the workforce skills gap by changing the way students are measured and recruited by employers and helping companies make millions of new connections with talented entry-level employees. It’s an exciting, ambitious mission that aligns closely with SJF’s aim to drive high growth and positive impact,” said Arrun Kapoor, Managing Director, SJF Ventures.
Key Allies in University Ventures and USA Funds
Ryan Craig, Managing Director of University Ventures, the premier investment firm focused exclusively on the global higher education sector, said “Portfolium has revolutionized the ePortfolio (formerly an obscure academic product adopted by individual faculty at the course-level) by reconceptualizing it as the basis for a competency marketplace wherein students present work samples demonstrating competencies and employers search and match based on employment needs”.
USA Funds, a nonprofit corporation that has worked since 1960 to enhance preparation for, access to and success in postsecondary education, also participated in the Series A round. USA Funds’ guiding principle of Completion With a Purpose aligns strategically with Portfolium.
Leveling the Playing Field with Evidence-Based Recruiting
By giving every student a way to show what they know, Portfolium enables what it calls “evidence-based” recruiting. Portfolium’s TalentMatch helps recruiters match jobs to direct evidence of skills, while looking beyond a student’s GPA, major, and school reputation. The benefits are numerous; from opening up new pools of qualified talent, to enhancing workplace diversity. TalentMatch gives students everywhere a chance to find work regardless of where they went to school and how well they performed on standardized tests.
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About Portfolium
Portfolium partners with colleges & universities to help students connect learning with opportunity. Our ePortfolio network helps 5M+ students and alumni from over 190 partner institutions manage their skills and launch their careers. Portfolium’s cloud-based platform empowers students with lifelong opportunities to capture, curate, and convert skills into job offers, while giving learning institutions and employers the tools they need to assess competencies and recruit talent.
About SJF Ventures
SJF Ventures invests in high-growth companies creating a healthier, smarter and cleaner future. Our mission is to catalyze the development of highly successful businesses driving lasting, positive changes.
