Milwaukee-based software startup
Forj announced Thursday the completion of a $15 million Series A funding round. Following the close of the funding round, Forj also announced it is merging with Madison-based
Web Courseworks, a learning management system. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Forj provides a virtual events and member experience platform for associations and professional community organizations. Web Courseworks’ learning management system CourseStage LMS is used by organizations of all sizes to build a learning business and track education outcomes for proven success. Both companies will become one entity under the Forj name.
Forj’s merger with Web Courseworks will allow the company to deliver community-driven learning that enables its clients to reduce churn, grow membership and generate non-dues revenue.
"Our purpose is to modernize the member experience in mission-driven associations and other communities of practice, enabling them to unlock their full potential,” said
Kurt Heikkinen, chief executive officer of Forj. “There is a massive opportunity in front of us, as our clients transform to meet the ever-increasing expectations of their members who want to learn, to forge relationships, and to belong to a community that helps them grow. I’m excited to invest in our future and lead our organizations to accelerate our innovation and growth.”
The merger was led by Ann Arbor, Michigan-based
Plymouth Growth Partners with support from Chicago-based
Baird Capital and Waukesha-based
GCI. Evan Ufer, partner at Plymouth Growth, will join Forj’s board of directors.
"When we met Kurt and the team at Forj, we immediately saw similarities in our cultures and our approach to client relationships. We have similar values and a strong commitment to service," said
Amber Winter, chief client officer at Forj and former chief executive officer of Web Courseworks. "Combining forces positions us as the member experience partner of choice, one who delivers measurable results to organizations striving to grow and expand their impact by using community as a catalyst for learning."
