LIQUID WEB LLC HAS ACQUIRED LEARNDASH
Birmingham, Michigan – September 23, 2021 – Angle Advisors is pleased to announce that Liquid Web, LLC (“Liquid Web”), a Madison Dearborn Partners, LLC (“MDP”) portfolio company has acquired Skyward North LLC, dba LearnDash (“LearnDash” or the “Company”). LearnDash will operate under Liquid Web’s StellarWP brand. Angle Advisors acted as the exclusive investment banking advisor to LearnDash in completing this transaction.
Based in Ann Arbor, MI, LearnDash is a is a leading provider of flexible learning management system (“LMS”) software that enables users to develop robust online courses for e-Learning. LearnDash was founded in 2012 by Justin and Kloe Ferriman as an e-Learning blog before transforming to Capterra’s #1 rank for Most Affordable LMS and Top 20 Training Software. Since the Company’s inception, Justin and Kloe have built an exceptional management team, drove product innovation, implemented a highly effective e-marketing and sales strategy and provided best in class customer service enabling the business to more than triple in size in 3 years. For additional information, please visit https://www.learndash.com/.
“Over the years, we have brought unmatched innovation in this area to both the e-learning and WordPress industries,” stated Justin Ferriman, Co-founder. “While e-learning has always been steadily on the rise, the situation in the world today further highlights the importance of online education and the tools that serve that market. We are passionate about this industry and are always looking for ways that we can serve those of you in it, better.”
Justin Ferriman, added, “By joining the Liquid Web Family of Brands, LearnDash becomes part of one of the biggest names in the WordPress industry. This gives us confidence in both the conservation and permanency of LearnDash far into the future so that we can continue serving the industry we are so passionate about.”
Justin Ferriman also commented “I would like to give my sincerest thanks to the team at Angle Advisors. As a first-time seller, I was surprised at how much preparation, thought, financial analysis, and negotiation goes into selling a business. Angle acted as a true partner who enabled us to find a great home for LearnDash. Angle ran a great process and I could not be more delighted with the outcome.”
Kloe Ferriman, Co-founder, added “Angle Advisors worked diligently to accomplish an excellent outcome for our Company, employees and customers. As a private business owner, we relied on their experience in the software and e-Learning space, creative ideas and solutions, and dedication throughout the process.”
The Liquid Web Family of Brands (Liquid Web, Nexcess, StellarWP) is a proven champion of WordPress, for years offering best-in-class WordPress hosting. In recent years they have been acquiring industry-leading WordPress solutions, maintaining their core teams, and giving them the resources for additional growth. They started in 2017 with the acquisition of iThemes, a very well-known solution provider in WordPress. Today, Liquid Web has an impressive portfolio of WordPress plugins under their StellarWP brand. For additional information, please visit https://www.liquidweb.com/our-brands/.
MDP is a leading private equity investment firm based in Chicago. Since MDP’s formation in 1992, the firm has raised aggregate capital of over $27 billion and has completed over 150 investments. MDP invests across five dedicated industry verticals, including basic industries; business and government software and services; financial and transaction services; health care; and telecom, media and technology services. For more information, please visit www.mdcp.com.
Angle Advisors, with offices in the United States, Germany, and China, specializes in mergers and acquisitions and capital raising. The firm’s professionals have completed 242 transactions since 2009 for multinational corporations, privately-held companies, private equity funds, and public sector clients. For additional information, please visit www.angleadvisors.com.