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Thinkful Acquires Viking Code School and The Odin Project, Continues Expanding CommunityThinkful, the school which provides 1-on-1 learning of web development and data science with industry experts, announced today that it has acquired Viking Code School and The Odin Project. The investment will advance the company's mission to provide access to high-growth tech careers and deliver top talent to its employer network. "Both Viking and The Odin Project are outstanding communities of web developers - it's a privilege that Erik and his team have chosen us to support their community going forward," said Thinkful CEO Darrell Silver. "By combining two of the best programs in the industry, we will continue to provide students the quality education our organizations are known for, while training the tech talent employers are searching for nationwide." The companies began talks earlier this year and the deal was finalized in November 2017. This is Thinkful's first acquisition, signaling the continued growth of the company which became profitable in 2016. "I have a healthy respect for what the team at Thinkful has built and admiration for their fanatical focus on creating something that truly improves the lives of their students," said Erik Trautman, CEO of Viking Code School and Founder of The Odin Project. "There are a lot of programs that claim to help students launch their careers but none that come close to the kind of depth and rigor that the team at Thinkful have been able to achieve. I'm thriled that we have found a way to work together and could do so at such an exciting time in the arc of both programs." Viking provides online training to aspiring developers and software engineers while The Odin Project is an open source platform with over 80,000 community members worldwide. Existing Viking students will continue learning with Erik and his team. Students considering Viking now have a direct path to Thinkful's Full Stack Flex, Engineering Immersion and Data Science programs, all of which come with a job guarantee. "We believe that communities can make a real difference if you find the right balance of impact and motivation," noted Ann Miura-Ko, Partner at Floodgate and Thinkful Board Member. "It is the reason why Thinkful is the only education platform that has continued impact long after the class is over. We are tremendously excited about growing that capability with Odin and Viking." Floodgate led Thinkful's series seed in 2014. In 2015, Viking was the first online school to offer Income Share Agreements (ISA), where students only pay when they get a qualifying job. Thinkful offers several flexible options, including ISAs, to ensure those with ambition have access to education. For those who are interested in finding out more or enrolling in Thinkful's upcoming cohorts, visit Thinkful.com. "We are looking forward to supporting Viking and The Odin Project for years to come," stated Silver. About Thinkful Thinkful is a new type of school that brings high-growth tech careers to ambitious people everywhere. The company provides 1-on-1 learning through its network of industry experts, hiring partners, and online platform to deliver a structured and flexible education. Thinkful offers programs in Web Development and Data Science, with in-person communities in up-and-coming tech hubs around the U.S. To join the Thinkful network visit thinkful.com. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20171205005229/en/ |
