Stemuli, a gaming company at the intersection of AI, education, and workforce development, has announced the acquisition of Infinity.careers, a tech career exploration and talent training marketplace, and Oppti. It helps students explore their career interests and build the skills and knowledge necessary for a meaningful career.
Founded by Taylor Shead, Stemuli is a Black and woman-owned company with a mission to provide a pathway to an intellectually and economically fulfilling career for all. The platform leverages the power of online communities, AI, and game-based learning to give a metaverse immersive academic and career exploration experiences to take students from where they are to their dream job.
Speaking about the latest development, Founder & CEO of Stemuli, Taylor Shead, said:
This merger marks a significant milestone for both black entrepreneurs and the EdTech industry. We are excited to join forces and bring our collective expertise to create a company that truly empowers students and addresses the needs of the education system. We believe that education is the key to unlocking opportunities and driving social and economic mobility, and we are committed to making that a reality for students across the country.
According to the National Bureau of Economic Research, access to capital is a major barrier for black entrepreneurs. Despite making up over 13% of the US population, Black-owned businesses only receive less than 1% of venture capital. The merger of Infinity.careers and Oppti into Stemuli highlights the power of Black founders coming together in a way that hasn’t been done before and demonstrates their commitment to creating new opportunities in the EdTech space.
As a part of the agreement, Naomi Thomas, Founder of infinity.careers, will take on the role of Head of Digital for Stemuli, while Khiry Kemp, Founder of Oppti, will serve as Head of Operations. The company announced the merger was made possible because the three founders met in Jobs for the Future’s (JFF) Entrepreneur in Residence incubator, led by JFFLabs, JFF’s innovation lab, which brings together talented and driven entrepreneurs to collaborate and solve real-world problems.
Executive Director of JFFLabs, JFF’s innovation lab, Kristina Francis, added:
Stemuli is a shining example of what can happen when we bring together and incubate talented and driven entrepreneurs to collaborate and catalyze new ways to support people facing systemic barriers to advancement. We are thrilled to see the success of our program in action, and we look forward to seeing the impact this merger will have on the Future of learning.
Infinity.careers bridges the gap between education and the workforce by turning brands into universities. The platform streamlines tech career navigation, training, and career community discovery.
Oppti aims to give students the tools to succeed in their career development and prepare for an increasingly connected, diverse, and open world. The startup collaborates with teachers and administrators with decades of education experience. It also incorporates stakeholders’ interests, such as parents, students, and employers, ensuring that the platform represents and supports those working to build up the next generation. The company combines the input of its community members with the efficiency of modern technology to provide a tool that meets the holistic needs of today’s students.
Last year in May, Stemuli raised $3.25 million in seed funding co-led by Slauson & Co and Valor Ventures, with participation from Draper Associates.
