Future of work education startup HEX has acquired Sydney edtech, EntryLevel, to build out its skills training offering.
The terms of the deal were not disclosed.
EntryLevel, founded in 2020, has developed an AI-powered, cohort-based learning management systems offering online courses in areas such as data analytics, cybersecurity, UX design, Python and growth marketing. More than 30,000 students have completed programs delivered by mentors from Atlassian, Canva, Amazon, Microsoft, Linktree and Wise.
The six-week courses have resulted in completion rates up to 15 times higher than other online education platforms.
HEX CEO and cofounder Jeanette Cheah said EntryLevel’s scalable, industry-led reskilling and upskilling approach will build out the capabilities of their business in tackling the skills gap.
“HEX is known for its seriously fun online courses and life-changing global study programs, and now, with EntryLevel’s AI-driven platform and aligned team, we can deliver impact on a much larger scale,” she said.
“Together, we’ll prepare the workforce for an exponentially-changing world – by deploying HEX’s Exponential IntelligenceTM capabilities framework and keeping students’ career dreams at the centre of everything we do.”
EntryLevel CEO and cofounder Ajay Prakas said it “felt like a natural fit to blend two very complementary models” to join forces with HEX.
“At EntryLevel, we’ve thought about how education scales from day one,” he said.
“It’s not enough to just have great content. We’ve also been focused on building affordable courses that people actually finish.”
The Atlassian Foundation has committed to supporting HEX again in 2025 – its fourth year backing the startup, and earlier this month, Cheah partnered with the Toyota Community Trust to launch Highway to STEM, a free program offering STEM career training to 1000 female and non-binary students from regional schools.
“We believe in giving every learner the chance to create generational economic change,” Cheah said.
“Working with partners who share that commitment makes all the difference.”
HEX was founded Cheah and Jaclyn Benstead in 2017 as a study abroad startup before pivoting to digital in 2020, with a focus on innovation, entrepreneurship, and global leadership. The programs are accepted for academic credit in nearly 50 universities worldwide and more than 9,000 students have gone on to launch businesses or a new career.
Benstead recently relocated to Vietnam to lead Southeast Asian operations.
HEX is backed by Giant Leap impact venture firm,LaunchVic’s Alice Anderson Fund, and syndicates including Scale Investors and Aussie Angels.
Cheah said 97% of HEX alumni gained workplace skills not covered in formal education and 20% of the alumni have started a business, with nearly half of those founders going on to hire others.
More than half (54%) of HEX alumni identify as female or non-binary.
The HEX CEO said that fear and uncertainty has sprung up in a post-AI education world.
“Traditional institutions are reacting too slowly, and AI is eroding the value propositions of many EdTech startups, so we have the chance to take a really fresh approach,” she said
“We’ll be teaching AI literacy in our cross-disciplinary programs and building the AI operating systems we need as a global education provider – while still delivering world-class offline education and building actual human networks.”