Podium Education
Podium Education partners with 90+ universities to deliver for-credit experiential learning programs, including The Global Career Accelerator, that equip undergraduate students with digital skills, intercultural competency, and employer connections through real-world projects with brand partners.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2019
- HeadquartersAustin, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What Podium Education does
Podium Education, Inc. is a private, Austin-based experiential learning and career platform founded in 2019 that partners with colleges and universities to deliver for-credit programs to undergraduate students. The company serves three customer segments: higher education institutions that integrate its programs into the degree (including Harvard, ASU, Georgetown, UT Austin, the University of Michigan, and 90+ other partners reaching 1.8M+ students), undergraduate students seeking career-ready skills and global experience, and an invitation-only Employer Network of 20+ enterprise brands (Intel, L'Oréal, Wells Fargo, KeHE, Charity: Water, Publicis Sapient, The Recording Academy, NASA) that co-create curriculum-integrated projects. The platform's core products are The Global Career Accelerator, a 6-credit, semester-long online program with tracks in Digital Marketing, Coding for Web, Coding for Data, and Data Analytics, and The Career Discovery Experience, a for-credit program for first-year and exploratory students launching Spring 2026. Sub-components include LiveLabs for live cross-cultural team collaboration across 60+ countries, SkillBuilders for on-demand video learning, and Career Boost for badges, certifications, and access to internships and paid roles (including via Upwork).
The underlying platform combines curriculum management, live virtual collaboration, and career connection features, supported by a proprietary intercultural competency framework co-developed with Dr. Darla Deardorff of AIEA/Duke. Podium generates revenue through two primary subscription streams: university partnership fees for platform, curriculum, and brand network access (with flexible pilot pricing that can be offered at no cost to the institution or student), and tiered Employer Network membership (Discovery free, with paid Influence and Strategic Partner tiers offering increasing curriculum co-development and integration). A third, ancillary stream comes from career placement and paid project partnerships such as the Upwork integration. The company is privately held, has raised $32 million across 2020 (Series A) and 2022 (Series B) rounds, acquired Untapped in 2023 to expand career networking capabilities, and operates a 101-250 person team with a full executive suite led by CEO John Fillmore and co-founders Alex Ricken and Chris Parrish.
Podium Education firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Podium Education
- Legal name
- Podium Education, Inc.
- Website
- https://podiumeducation.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2019
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Podium Education partners with 90+ universities to deliver for-credit experiential learning programs, including The Global Career Accelerator, that equip undergraduate students with digital skills, intercultural competency, and employer connections through real-world projects with brand partners.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Podium Education industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Experiential Learning Platform
- NAICS
- Professional and Management Development Training (611430), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Internship/Apprenticeship Matching & Work-Based Learning Platforms (EDAFAMAL)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Mentorship & Coaching (Career, Academic, Industry-Specific) (EDAMAKAA), Employer-Led Workforce Partnerships & Sector Strategies (EDAAAOAB)
Keywords
Where Podium Education is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Austin
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Podium Education business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- University Partnership Fees: Podium partners with colleges and universities to offer programs for credit. Universities pay Podium for access to the platform, curriculum, and brand partner network. The company states programs 'can be offered at no cost to the institution or student' suggesting flexible pricing models for piloting.
- Employer Network Membership: Tiered employer membership model (Discovery, Influence, Strategic Partner) where companies pay for curriculum co-development, talent access, and brand integration into academic programs. The Employer Network is described as an 'invitation-only council' with membership tiers offering increasing levels of integration and access.
- Career Connections and Placement Services: Upon program completion, students receive priority access to internships, job placements, and paid freelance opportunities with partner companies. This creates a talent pipeline revenue stream from employers seeking pre-vetted candidates.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | University partnership with potential no-cost pilot |
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Discovery tier - Free entry point |
| Subscription | Annual | Influence and Strategic Partner tiers |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
Podium Education product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Podium Education operates an experiential learning platform that partners with colleges and universities to deliver for-credit programs (The Global Career Accelerator and The Career Discovery Experience) where undergraduate students complete real-world projects for leading global brands while building digital skills and intercultural competency. The company also operates the Podium Employer Network, an invitation-only council of leading companies that co-create curriculum and gain early-career talent pipeline access to a network of 1.8M+ students across 90+ partner universities.
Product overview
Podium Education is an experiential learning and career platform consisting of two main for-credit programs: The Global Career Accelerator (a 6-credit, semester-long online program for undergraduates offering tracks in Digital Marketing, Coding for Web, Coding for Data, and Data Analytics) and The Career Discovery Experience (launching Spring 2026 for first-year students). The platform also includes The Podium Employer Network connecting employers with student talent. Key program components include LiveLabs (global collaborative sessions), SkillBuilders (self-paced video content), and Career Boost (badges and certifications). Students complete real-world projects for brand partners including Intel, Charity: Water, Publicis Sapient, The Grammys, L'Oréal, Wells Fargo, and KeHE, earning college credit while gaining in-demand technical and intercultural skills.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- The Global Career Accelerator: A for-credit program that builds in-demand digital skills through real projects and strengthens every student's resume.
- The Career Discovery Experience
Products and services
- The Global Career Accelerator A 6-credit, semester-long, fully online for-credit program for undergraduates where students develop substantial technical and intercultural competencies by working directly on real-world projects from global companies alongside peers from multiple countries.
- The Career Discovery Experience A for-credit program designed for first-year and exploratory students to help them try on professional and academic paths, connect their studies with purpose and future career goals, develop sense of belonging and purpose on campus, and chart a path for their major, skills, and experiences.
- Podium Employer Network An invitation-only council of leading employers (CPG, Retail, Travel, Tech, Finance sectors) co-creating the future workforce through curriculum-integrated experiences that connect employers directly with students who have applied their skills to real-world business challenges across the 1.8M+ student network.
Quantifiable outcome
- 94% of program alumni would recommend The Global Career Accelerator
- +7 more outcomes
Companies that use Podium Education
Customer profileNamed customers12 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Podium Education technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
Podium Education partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
16 partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.
- Virginia TechcoreVirginia Tech is one of Podium's newest university partners, offering The Global Career Accelerator to students for college credit. The partnership was announced publicly on LinkedIn as a key relationship for expanding experiential learning opportunities.
- Harvard UniversitycoreHarvard University partners with Podium to offer The Global Career Accelerator through a dedicated program subdomain (podium.fas.harvard.edu). Elite institution providing access to Ivy League student population.
- Arizona State UniversitycoreASU is a major university partner that includes The Accelerator in standard tuition. 49% of Pell-eligible student engagement in virtual global programming comes through The Accelerator. The partnership has shown significant success in expanding access to underrepresented students.
- University of South FloridacoreUSF partnered with Podium in 2021 and has shown significant growth in underrepresented student enrollment through The Global Career Accelerator, with variance increasing from +3% to +11% compared to traditional study abroad.
- Georgetown UniversitycoreGeorgetown University is a key university partner offering The Global Career Accelerator, featured prominently in partner logos on the homepage.
- University of MichigancoreUniversity of Michigan partners with Podium across multiple campuses (Ann Arbor, Flint, Dearborn) to offer The Global Career Accelerator.
- University of Texas at AustincoreUT Austin is a flagship university partner with dedicated program subdomain (go.global.utexas.edu) for The Global Career Accelerator.
- IntelflagshipIntel co-designs Data Analysis projects with Podium for The Global Career Accelerator. Students analyze sustainability data and make recommendations for data center location decisions. Intel's GM of Education Division provides quotes endorsing the partnership.
- Charity: WaterflagshipCharity: Water co-designs Digital Marketing projects where students create brand and content strategy targeting younger audiences. The Creative Director of Charity: Water is directly involved in project design and provides testimonials.
- Publicis SapientflagshipPublicis Sapient partners with Podium for prototyping and web development projects for their client Marriott. Students work on real client challenges including product management, user research, and customer experience.
- The Recording Academy (The Grammys)flagshipThe Recording Academy partners with Podium for Data Analysis projects focused on Grammy.com's content and audience strategy, using real data sets and business context.
- L'OréalcoreL'Oréal is an enterprise employer partner in the Podium Employer Network, co-creating curriculum-integrated experiences that prepare students for careers in consumer goods.
- Wells FargocoreWells Fargo is an enterprise employer partner in the Podium Employer Network, contributing to work-based learning opportunities for students in the financial services sector.
- KeHEminorKeHE is a consumer goods/distribution company partnering with The Global Career Accelerator for early talent engagement, announced via LinkedIn.
- NASAflagshipNASA partners with Podium for data analysis projects where students learn predictive modeling to identify high-risk flood-prone and earthquake-prone regions, aligned with UN SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities).
- Dr. Darla DeardorffcoreExecutive Director of AIEA and Research Scholar at Duke University collaborated with Podium to create the intercultural competency teaching framework, including interactive case-studies and role-play practice opportunities.
Scale indicators14 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Podium Education competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- 12Twenty: 12Twenty provides career services management and outcomes platforms to universities and business schools, competing with Podium on the institutional buyer side for student employment outcomes and reporting infrastructure.
- InsideTrack: InsideTrack delivers student coaching and success programs to colleges and universities, including enrollment, retention, and career coaching. Its coaching-led model overlaps with parts of Podium's mentorship and student success positioning.
- Symplicity: Symplicity provides career services and student success software to universities, including job boards and experiential learning modules. It is an incumbent on the institutional buyer side that universities may choose over Podium for in-house program delivery.
Direct peers
- Parker Dewey: Parker Dewey runs a micro-internship platform connecting college students with paid short-term employer projects. It competes for both student engagement and employer early-talent dollars, particularly with students who cannot access traditional internships.
- Forage: Forage runs free virtual work-experience programs co-designed with employers (similar brand-partner playbook to Podium) and is increasingly integrated into university career services. It is the closest direct competitor in virtual experiential learning for undergraduate students.
- WayUp: WayUp is a job marketplace and talent platform focused on college students and early-career candidates, with employer branding and university partnerships. It overlaps with the post-program career placement side of Podium's offering.
- Handshake: Handshake is the dominant college-to-career platform connecting students, universities, and employers for jobs and internships. It directly overlaps with Podium's Untapped-acquired career network and competes for both university career services contracts and employer early-talent budgets.
- Riipen: Riipen operates a work-integrated learning platform that pairs students with employer projects, very similar to Podium's Global Career Accelerator model. Both compete for university partnerships and employer project sponsorships in experiential learning.
Broad incumbents
- Degreed: Degreed is a learning and skill-development platform with employer and education buyers, overlapping with Podium's career-readiness and corporate learning positioning, particularly on the employer side of the Employer Network.
- Coursera: Coursera for Campus and Coursera for Business offer employer-aligned online credentials and skill development, competing at the broader digital-skills and career-readiness layer where Podium's SkillBuilders content operates.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Podium Education social profiles
Digital presencePodium Education financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Podium Education leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles13 records
Podium Education subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Podium Education funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors7 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Podium Education M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A1 record
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Podium Education
What does Podium Education do?
Podium Education operates an experiential learning platform that partners with colleges and universities to deliver for-credit programs (The Global Career Accelerator and The Career Discovery Experience) where undergraduate students complete real-world projects for leading global brands while building digital skills and intercultural competency. The company also operates the Podium Employer Network, an invitation-only council of leading companies that co-create curriculum and gain early-career talent pipeline access to a network of 1.8M+ students across 90+ partner universities.
Is Podium Education a public or private company?
Podium Education is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Podium Education founded?
Podium Education was founded in 2019. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Podium Education based?
Podium Education is headquartered in Austin, United States, in the North America region.
How does Podium Education make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. University Partnership Fees are the primary driver. The others are employer Network Membership and career Connections and Placement Services.
Who are Podium Education's main competitors?
Emerging players on record are 12Twenty, InsideTrack and Symplicity. Direct peers are Parker Dewey, Forage, WayUp, Handshake and Riipen. Broad incumbents are Degreed and Coursera.
Does Podium Education have an API?
No public API is recorded for Podium Education.
What industry is Podium Education in?
Podium Education's product category is Experiential Learning Platform. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAFAMAL, Internship/Apprenticeship Matching & Work-Based Learning Platforms, with a secondary code of EDAMAKAA, Mentorship & Coaching (Career, Academic, Industry-Specific). Its NAICS code is 611430 and its SIC code is 8200.