Viridis Learning, Inc., a New York-based SaaS technology company using data analytics to match students and employers, announced today that it has secured $3.225 million in Series A funding led by the Bay Area venture capital firm Thayer Ventures.

Co-investors in the round include Lumina Foundation, University Ventures, the Carver Family Office, Serious Change, NVC Investments, and strategic retired Fortune 500 Chief Human Resource Officers (CHROs) and Fortune 500 CEOs.

Also participating in the round are Ken Hicks, former Chairman and CEO of FootLocker, and C.S. Park, former Chairman and CEO of Seagate.

'This round of financing comes on the heels of months of rapid growth for Viridis and moves us closer toward our goal of reinventing the human capital pipeline through competency-based matching,' said Founder and CEO Felix W. Ortiz III. 'We are now poised to scale our platform nationally and create a seamless integration of the employment triangle of students, colleges, and employers. Our goal is to become the singular hub for colleges and employers to validate student skill sets, and this round will help us fulfill our vision for ending the global skills gap.'

'Viridis Learning has a clear, winning idea for how to improve the human capital needs of hospitality companies everywhere,' said Managing Director of Thayer Ventures Mark Farrell. 'We expect to see their platform not only save the hospitality industry time and money in their hiring operations, but provide a boost in the quality of incoming talent as well.'

'Viridis Learning is building a competency-based model that puts student success at the center of America's talent pipeline,' said Lumina Vice President of Communications and Innovation Dr. Kiko Suarez. 'Companies such as Viridis who are working to connect students to opportunity are doing what it takes to ensure an equitable, secure future for the U.S.'

Viridis Learning is a SaaS technology company that uses a proprietary software platform to close the skills gap by integrating students, colleges and employers, especially in cities. Colleges can better track and understand their students' performance and outcomes, reduce student time-to-completion rates, and improve students' employment placement. The Viridis platform allows employers to hire more quickly, cut recruitment and retention costs, and reduce churn with skill-based job matching.

'Utilizing technology to connect colleges and students with employers on the basis of skills is one of the most significant economic opportunities of our time,' said University Ventures President Ryan Craig. 'We are pleased to be involved with Viridis, a visionary company dedicated to helping students identify the skills and programs they need to get good jobs in growing industries.'

'As president of an urban community college, I can say the Viridis platform has the ability to make a difference in the lives of our students,' said Eloy Oakley, Superintendent-President of the Long Beach Community College District. 'Viridis is providing a practical technological solution that will improve career pathways for our students and a higher level of satisfaction from employers who hire them.'

Farrell and Park will join Viridis' Board of Directors, which already includes former U.S. Secretary of Education Bill Bennett and former CEO of Kellogg's and former U.S. Secretary of Commerce Carlos Gutierrez.

About Viridis Learning

With the Viridis platform, colleges can create and assess student pathways with the highest precision, leading to a better understanding of their own institutional needs and the needs of their students. Viridis then uses using data analytics to match students' career aspirations and skill sets with employer demand, a data-driven process which represents the future of human capital acquisition and development.

Some of the early adopters of the Viridis platform include Mesa Community College, Cerritos Community College, Dallas County Community College District, Hawaii Community Colleges, Long Beach City College, Mesa Community College, Onogonda Community College-SUNY, San Jose City College and the Louisiana Workforce Commission.