Risepoint
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2007
- HeadquartersDallas, United States
- Headcount1,001–5,000
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Risepoint does
Risepoint is a Dallas-based, privately held education technology company that partners with more than 100 regional public and private universities across 40 U.S. states and 5 countries to launch, market, and operate online degree programs. The company, formerly known as Academic Partnerships before its 2022 rebrand, sells a four-module service platform covering marketing and student recruitment, partner success, student support and retention, and faculty support including instructional design and course conversion. Programs are staffed and credentialed by partner university faculty, while Risepoint retains 100% intellectual property ownership for the university and explicitly avoids involvement in admissions, financial aid, curriculum, grading, or graduation decisions; approximately 95% of students enrolled are working adults, and the company reports a 1.5-year average student payback period on education investment.
Revenue is generated through two models: a fee-for-service structure where universities pay for specific deliverables, and a fee-for-persistence model where compensation is tied to student persistence or completion outcomes, both typically structured as multi-year contracts. The company monetizes a proprietary longitudinal research product, the Voice of the Online Learner report (now in its 15th year, with an Australia edition launched in 2024), which doubles as a thought-leadership and demand-generation asset. Strategic emphasis is on workforce-critical fields such as nursing, teaching, business, and public service, with growing portfolio depth in AI-related credentials (e.g., NKU MBA concentrations in AI and supply chain analytics, Goldsmiths programs in AI and computer science).
Risepoint operates a remote-first organization of 1,500+ employees across the U.S., Canada, the U.K., and Australia, and has accumulated a track record of repeated Comparably workplace awards (Best Career Growth, Best Leadership Teams, Best Sales Teams, Best Product and Design Teams in 2026) and inclusion in Forbes' 2026 America's Best-in-State Companies list. AI integration is positioned at the curriculum and faculty-workflow layer through guidelines on responsible AI use and AI-augmented simulations in courses such as Healthcare Leadership, rather than as a proprietary model layer.
Risepoint firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Risepoint
- Legal name
- Risepoint
- Website
- https://risepoint.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2007
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1,001–5,000 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Risepoint industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Higher Education Services
- NAICS
- Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (611310), Educational Support Services (611710)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Advertising Agencies (7311)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Online Divisions of Traditional Universities (Hybrid/Extension) (EDAHALAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Higher Education Course Design & Online Program Development (EDAGAKAB), University/College Continuing Education (Extension) Programs (EDAAAEAA), Public Research Universities with Major Extension & Outreach Missions (EDAHAAAG)
Keywords
Where Risepoint is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Dallas
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Risepoint business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Operations
Revenue model
- Fee-for-Persistence Model: One of two business models offered. Universities pay based on student persistence or completion metrics.
- Fee-for-Service Model: Second business model offered. Universities pay for specific services rendered.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Outcome Based/ Performance | Multi-year contract | Fee-for-Persistence Model |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Fee-for-Service Model |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels5 records
Risepoint product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Risepoint partners with regional public and private universities to launch and grow workforce-focused online degree programs in nursing, teaching, business, and public service. It delivers four integrated service modules (Marketing Services, Partner Success, Student Support, Faculty Support) under either fee-for-service or fee-for-persistence contracts, and produces proprietary research such as the Voice of the Online Learner report. Curriculum, admissions, and academic decisions remain entirely with the university partners.
Product overview
Risepoint is an education technology company offering a platform of services to university partners for developing and growing online degree programs. The core offering consists of four integrated service modules: Marketing Services (student recruitment), Partner Success (program development support), Student Support (retention services), and Faculty Support (instructional design and course conversion). The company also produces proprietary research products including the Voice of the Online Learner report series (U.S. and Australia editions) and Impact Reports. All programs focus on workforce-critical fields such as nursing, teaching, business, and public service, with curriculum developed and owned by university faculty. Risepoint operates two business models: fee-for-persistence and fee-for-service.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Marketing Services Marketing and prospective student outreach services to help university partners attract and enroll students in online degree programs.
- Partner Success Support services focused on helping university partners throughout their entire journey with program development, launch, and growth.
- Student Support Student support and retention services to help enrolled students complete their online degree programs.
- Faculty Support Support services for university faculty including instructional design, course conversion to online format, and quality review.
- Voice of the Online Learner Report Annual industry research report surveying prospective, enrolled, and graduated online learners to understand their needs, motivators, and challenges; now in its 15th year.
- Voice of the Online Learner Australia Australia-specific edition of the annual Voice of the Online Learner research report, drawing insights from the largest survey of Australian adult online learners to date.
- Risepoint Impact Report Annual impact report highlighting student outcomes from Risepoint-supported online degree programs, reporting metrics on students pursuing educational goals and program completions.
Quantifiable outcome
- 107,000+ students pursued educational goals; 40,000+ completed programs in 2025
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Risepoint
Customer profileNamed customers19 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Risepoint technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability4 records
Feature3 records
Risepoint partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
18 partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- Delaware State UniversitycoreDelaware State University, an HBCU and member of the eHBCU Consortium, partnered with Risepoint to support 25 online undergraduate and graduate degree programs launching Fall 2026. Programs span business, healthcare, public service, and social sciences. The partnership aims to expand access to career-connected programs for working adults.
- Longwood UniversitycoreLongwood University in Virginia partnered with Risepoint to expand graduate programs in business and information technology. New offerings include MBA concentrations and MSIT programs in cybersecurity, designed to meet workforce demand and support regional economic growth.
- Concordia University, St. PaulcoreConcordia University, St. Paul launched 90-credit, three-year bachelor's degrees in Exercise Science and Business Administration through its CSP Global platform. The accelerated format reduces elective coursework and enables faster degree completion with reduced tuition costs.
- Goldsmiths, University of LondoncoreGoldsmiths, University of London partnered with Risepoint to launch five online programs covering Artificial Intelligence, Children's Literature, Psychology, Computer Science, and Creative Practice. Teaching began summer 2026, expanding global access to Goldsmiths' educational offerings.
- University of South Carolina UpstatecoreUSC Upstate partnered with Risepoint to launch ten new online degree programs beginning June 2026. Programs target working adults in business, leadership, and health disciplines, addressing regional and national workforce needs through the university's Affordable Learning Initiative.
- Aurora UniversitycoreAurora University partnered with Risepoint and participated in the P3EDU conference. President Susana Rivera-Mills spoke on panels about public-private partnerships in higher education.
- University of Mount Saint VincentcorePresident Susan Burns of University of Mount Saint Vincent participated in P3EDU conference panels, discussing how online partnerships have transformed the university's offerings and campus culture.
- Northern Kentucky UniversitycoreNKU partnered with Risepoint to add AI and supply chain analytics concentrations to its online MBA program. The new concentrations prepare professionals for leadership roles in technology-driven industries across healthcare, finance, logistics, and marketing sectors.
- Northern Kentucky UniversitycoreNKU expanded its online MBA program with two new Risepoint-supported concentrations in artificial intelligence and supply chain analytics. Courses explore AI applications in business operations and logistics optimization with predictive modeling.
- Southeastern Oklahoma State UniversitycoreSoutheastern Oklahoma State University launched a Master of Education concentration in Special Education focused on Autism and Developmental Disabilities. The program addresses teacher shortages by preparing educators with specialized skills, launching January 2026.
- University of TulsacoreThe University of Tulsa launched a fully online MBA portfolio with seven concentration options (Accounting, Business Analytics, Energy, Entrepreneurship, Finance, Information Technology, Marketing) plus a general track, starting January 2026.
- Lamar UniversitycoreLamar University launched a fully online MBA in Cybersecurity Management in partnership with Risepoint. The program targets working professionals and career changers, preparing them for cybersecurity leadership roles with courses beginning October 2025.
- University of Wisconsin-ParksidecoreUW-Parkside launched six new online undergraduate degree programs in Fall 2025, including degrees in marketing, business management (with concentrations in finance, general business, and HR management), criminal justice, and sociology.
- Youngstown State UniversitycoreYSU partnered with Risepoint to launch eight new bachelor's programs in Fall 2025, including computer science with cybersecurity, business administration (accounting, business analytics, economics, management), communication, and applied science in public health.
- Southeastern Oklahoma State UniversitycoreSoutheastern Oklahoma State University expanded its Risepoint partnership to launch its first online doctoral program and expand into nursing. SE serves a student body of 36% first-generation college students and 24% Native American students.
- Sheridan CollegecoreSheridan College in Ontario partnered with Risepoint to launch SheridanOnline, offering nine fully online programs starting January 2025. Programs include bachelor's degrees in business administration (accounting, finance, HR, marketing, supply chain), arts, social science, and computer science.
- Florida Institute of TechnologycoreFlorida Tech partnered with Risepoint to support 35 online degree programs for undergraduate and graduate students. Programs span associate degrees (8), bachelor's degrees (14), and master's degrees (13) in fields including business, healthcare, and technology.
- Texas State UniversitycoreTexas State University partnered with Risepoint to offer 19 online undergraduate and graduate programs starting Fall 2024. Programs include degrees in communication, public administration, health information management, public health, and engineering management.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Risepoint competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- 2U: One of the largest publicly-traded Online Program Managers, partnering with nonprofit universities to deliver online degree programs. Direct competitor to Risepoint in the OPM category with overlapping customer base of traditional universities, though historically more revenue-share heavy than Risepoint's persistence-fee model.
- Wiley Education Services: The higher education services arm of Wiley, providing OPM-style services including marketing, recruitment, retention, and instructional design to university partners. Directly competes with Risepoint for university partnerships and shares the focus on working adult learners.
- Noodle: An Online Program Management company that partners with universities to build and run online degree programs. Directly competes with Risepoint for university partnerships and serves a similar adult-learner market.
- iDesign: An OPM that partners with universities to launch and grow online programs, providing custom program management services. Direct peer to Risepoint with comparable university-customer focus and full-service OPM model.
- Bisk Education: An OPM partnering primarily with nonprofit universities to deliver online degree programs in workforce-aligned fields. Direct competitor to Risepoint in the university OPM category with comparable service model.
Broad incumbents
- Pearson: Global education incumbent with online program management services and higher education content. A broader incumbent offering OPM-adjacent services alongside K-12, English-language learning, and assessment, providing indirect competition for Risepoint's university partnerships.
- Kaplan: Diversified education provider offering higher education partnerships (Kaplan University Pathways, Purdue University Global support), test prep, and professional training. A broad incumbent with overlapping OPM-style university relationships and adult-learner focus.
- Anthology: Education technology company (formerly Blackboard) offering LMS, SIS, and student success tools to universities. An adjacent EdTech incumbent that competes with parts of Risepoint's technology stack and increasingly bundles services that overlap with OPM offerings.
Emerging players
- Coursera: Online learning platform partnering with universities to deliver degree programs and credentials. Adjacent competitor with growing university partnerships and similar workforce-aligned content focus, though Coursera's platform-led model differs from Risepoint's service-heavy OPM approach.
Others
- D2L (Brightspace): Learning management system provider used by universities for online course delivery. An enabling technology vendor rather than direct competitor, but increasingly relevant as universities evaluate building in-house OPM capabilities on top of modern LMS platforms.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Risepoint social profiles
Digital presenceRisepoint financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Risepoint leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Risepoint funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Risepoint 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 Risepoint
What does Risepoint do?
Risepoint partners with regional public and private universities to launch and grow workforce-focused online degree programs in nursing, teaching, business, and public service. It delivers four integrated service modules (Marketing Services, Partner Success, Student Support, Faculty Support) under either fee-for-service or fee-for-persistence contracts, and produces proprietary research such as the Voice of the Online Learner report. Curriculum, admissions, and academic decisions remain entirely with the university partners.
Is Risepoint a public or private company?
Risepoint is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was Risepoint founded?
Risepoint was founded in 2007. It employs 1,001 to 5,000 people.
Where is Risepoint based?
Risepoint is headquartered in Dallas, United States, in the North America region.
How does Risepoint make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Fee-for-Persistence Model is the primary driver. The others are fee-for-Service Model.
Who are Risepoint's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are 2U, Wiley Education Services, Noodle, iDesign and Bisk Education. Broad incumbents are Pearson, Kaplan and Anthology. Coursera is listed as an emerging player. D2L (Brightspace) is listed as an others.
Does Risepoint have an API?
No public API is recorded for Risepoint.
What industry is Risepoint in?
Risepoint's product category is Higher Education Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAHALAB, Online Divisions of Traditional Universities (Hybrid/Extension), with a secondary code of EDAGAKAB, Higher Education Course Design & Online Program Development. Its NAICS code is 611310 and its SIC code is 8200.