We buy, build, and operate professional education businesses in three verticals. What they have in common: credentials that matter, professionals who have to keep earning them, and employers who can’t find enough qualified people.
Highly technical and differentiated IT and cybersecurity certification prep and upskilling providers. Certifications are the currency of this field, and they expire. That makes for durable, repeat demand from professionals who can't afford to fall behind.
Licensure exam prep, certification exam prep, and professional development providers. Licensure isn't optional in these professions, and neither is the continuing education required to maintain it. Well-run providers earn a place in a career, not just a transaction.
Pre-licensure training providers, including allied health and other vocational schools, licensure exam prep providers, and high-impact professional development. Persistent workforce shortages mean the pipeline into these roles matters as much as the training that keeps people in them.
There is no single right way to partner with Axcel. We structure each acquisition around what the founder wants next.
A spectrum of founder outcomes at Axcel. At one end, founders solving for succession planning, monetizing the full value of their business, and transitioning out over a short period. At the other end, founders seeking capital and resources to grow, taking some chips off the table, remaining operationally involved, and retaining meaningful upside. Axcel has partnered with founders on both ends and everywhere in between.
Tell us where you are on this spectrum. We’ll build the deal around it.
This is when we get to know each other. This stage can be 2 weeks or 2 years, depending on your timeline and priorities. Our team will explain what we do, where we’re headed, and how your company could fit in.
When the time is right, we take an in- depth look at the business you’ve created to see how well it matches our acquisition criteria and fits with the Axcel portfolio.
Once we have a full understanding of your business, we draft and send a detailed letter of intent, clearly laying out our acquisition terms.
After a ~60-day confirmatory diligence process, the acquisition is finalized, and we officially welcome you and your company to the Axcel family.
From here, we add support from Axcel to set the business up for long-term success. This is not one-size-fits-all – we work alongside the founders to design a customized plan that works best for themselves and their business.
If you’re interested, so are we. We’d love to talk about taking your company to the next level.