Pineapple Academy

What Pineapple Academy does

Pineapple Academy, Inc. is a US-based microlearning SaaS company founded in Kansas City in 2018 that delivers short, video-based training to deskless frontline workforces in healthcare, senior living, education, and hospitality. The platform combines a domain-specific training library (foodservice, EVS, housekeeping, dining services, IDDSI, PPE, infection control, leadership) with delivery mechanisms designed for time-of-need access, including QR-code scanning on equipment, shareable links, printable posters, and SCORM file packaging that embeds Pineapple's content into incumbent Learning Management Systems such as Relias and HealthStream rather than displacing them. Content is supplied by a paid network of credentialed Content Creators (e.g., Chef Shawn Bucher, Suzanne Quiring RD, Destiny Training Partners, Summit Safety Group) and packaged products such as "Kitchen Onboarding in 3 Hours," which the company cites as reducing new-hire onboarding time to approximately three hours and trainer time to about 30 minutes per hire.

The business is monetized through tiered subscriptions priced per team size and streaming-hour limits: Starter ($275/month, up to 15 users, 8 streamed hours), Team ($495/month, up to 50 users, 25 hours), Location ($975/month, up to 100 users, 50 hours), and a custom Enterprise tier for larger operators, with an annual billing discount of roughly 10%. Go-to-market blends a self-serve free-trial funnel with sales-assisted enterprise sales and a tiered channel program: Referral Partners earn approximately 10% commission on net-new deals, while Solution Partners such as RU Institute and Remarkable Academic Foods bundle Pineapple into broader training and AI-video offerings. The service is hosted in the United States and is restricted to US-located visitors per the Terms of Service. Pineapple has raised approximately $1.55M in disclosed outside capital ($750K in 2020 and $800K from Right Side Capital Management in January 2024) and operates with a headcount in the 1-10 range, with named customers including Arbor Company, Kendal, Trilogy Health Services, NHC, St. Jude, Ohio State Wexner Medical Center, and Gordon Food Service.

Name

Pineapple Academy

Legal name

Pineapple Academy, Inc.

Website

https://pineappleacademy.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Pineapple Academy is a US-based microlearning SaaS platform delivering short-form video training to deskless frontline workers in healthcare, senior living, education, and hospitality via subscription plans and SCORM-compatible delivery into existing LMS systems.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Blue Springs

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. SaaS subscription (Starter / Team / Location / Enterprise): Recurring monthly or annual subscription priced per plan tier, with team-size-based limits (15, 50, 100) and streaming-hour caps. Custom Enterprise pricing for larger operators.
2. Free trial (freemium lead funnel): Free trial entry point that converts to paid Starter ($275/mo) and up; "Plans start at $275/month after a free trial. Cancel anytime."
3. Referral / Solution Partner revenue share: Referral Partners earn approximately 10% commission on net-new customer deals; Solution Partners receive exclusive customer discounts to bundle PA into their value proposition.
4. Content Creator revenue share: Creators are paid to contribute training content to the platform, providing a supply-side creator economy for the content library.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion5 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Pineapple Academy is a cloud-hosted microlearning SaaS platform that delivers short, video-based training content to deskless frontline workers in senior living, healthcare, education, and hospitality. The offering combines a curated training library with QR-code, link, and SCORM-based distribution so customers can either stream content directly or embed it inside their existing Learning Management Systems. Plans are sold on a tiered subscription basis (Starter, Team, Location, Enterprise), with a paid Content Creator and Partner ecosystem supplying the content supply side.

Product overview

Pineapple Academy offers a single integrated microlearning platform built around the core Pineapple Academy Platform, which delivers short, video-based training to frontline workers in healthcare, senior living, education, and hospitality. The platform is anchored by the Pineapple Academy Training Library of on-demand video modules and by packaged training programs such as Kitchen Onboarding in 3 Hours, and is designed to slot into customers' existing Learning Management Systems via SCORM packaging, QR-code and poster delivery, and direct sharing links rather than replace them.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Piña University: Internal training-publishing entity that authors onboarding content such as the "How to Scan a QR Code" training video. Appears as a content publisher on the Pineapple Academy platform.

Products and services

• Pineapple Academy Platform Cloud-hosted microlearning platform that delivers short, video-based training content to frontline workers in healthcare, senior living, education, and hospitality. Supports QR-code, link, poster, and SCORM-based distribution so content can be streamed on any device or embedded inside customers' existing Learning Management Systems (e.g., Relias, HealthStream).
• Pineapple Academy Training Library On-demand library of thousands of microlearning video modules designed for frontline workers across healthcare, senior living, education, and hospitality, delivered as discrete, just-in-time lessons on any device.
• Kitchen Onboarding in 3 Hours Pre-packaged, video-based onboarding program that brings new kitchen staff up to speed on core foodservice workflows, safety, and operational standards in approximately three hours of microlearning content, paired with print-ready QR-code posters and a Skills Check Template.

Quantifiable outcome

• Reduced customer turnover from 112% (2022) to 63% after deploying Pineapple Academy — per testimonial from Brigitte Burke, AVP Food and Nutrition Services.
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature7 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship solution partner, core content partner and recurring channel program.

• RU Instituteflagship solution partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerRU Institute is featured as a Pineapple Academy Solution Partner, combining PA's ready-to-go content with RU Institute's training expertise (Fractional CLO services, Instructional Design Systems, Project Management, AI Infusions) to create "training that sticks" with claimed retention benefits.
• Remarkable Academic Foods (RAF)flagship solution partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerFeatured as a Pineapple Academy Solution Partner; RAF provides strategic expertise in customized onboarding, training programs, operational efficiency plans, and AI-powered video content, with PA providing the training delivery platform.
• Aspirecore content partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerAspire is a strategic training and consulting company that creates and publishes Pineapple Academy training videos on sales, service, and leadership development topics (e.g., Follow Up and Follow Through, Heroic Hospitality, Owning It).
• Basics with Chef Shawn (Shawn Bucher)core content partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerChef Shawn Bucher (PhD, MBA, CEC, CCE) is a Certified Executive Chef and Certified Culinary Educator who authors and publishes foodservice/culinary training videos on Pineapple Academy (e.g., Pork, Red Meat, Braising Meat, Hollandaise and Tomato Sauce).
• Destiny Training Partnerscore content partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerPublishes infection-control and PPE training on Pineapple Academy (e.g., Donning & Doffing PPE covering CDC guidelines for gloves, gowns, masks, respirators, and goggles).
• Food Media Networkcore content partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a Pineapple Academy Content Creator that produces and publishes training videos to the platform's library.
• Lakeside Manufacturing Foodservice (SuzyQ Cart)core content partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerBrings product/equipment expertise to the Pineapple Academy library, publishing senior care dining content (e.g., Best Practices for Senior Care, Part 1-3) and SuzyQ Cart training.
• Leader Connect (Neil Jurd)core content partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerPublishes leadership content on Pineapple Academy such as "Blue Zone Leadership" and other leadership development videos for frontline managers.
• Real Server Trainingcore content partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerProduces frontline server training videos for Pineapple Academy (e.g., Appearance Matters, How to Pre-Bus Entrees, How to Check In After Serving Entrees).
• Rubicon Foodscore content partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerBrands product-specific IDDSI training on Pineapple Academy (e.g., Rubicon Puree Waffle, BBQ Pork Sandwich, Rubicon Puree Bulk Sandwiches), showcasing Rubicon Puree Bread Mix and flavoring products in IDDSI Level 4-7EC recipes.
• SimplyThickcore content partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerContributes IDDSI and dysphagia-related training content to Pineapple Academy, leveraging its thickening-agent product expertise.
• Summit Safety Groupcore content partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerPublishes workplace safety and emergency preparedness content on Pineapple Academy (e.g., Emergency Action Planning (EAP), Back Safety, Proper Lifting, & MSDs).
• Suzanne Quiring, RDcore content partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegistered Dietitian who publishes senior-care dining and relationship-centered dining content (e.g., The Foodservice Manager's Role in the Dining Room, Ways to Increase Relationship Centered Dining).
• Transformed Culinary Solutionscore content partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerPublishes culinary technique training (e.g., Knife Skill & Safety: Types of Knives) tailored to healthcare and food-preparation settings on Pineapple Academy.
• Referral Partner programrecurring channel programGTM or Marketing PartnerOpen program where individuals act as extensions of Pineapple Academy's Sales & Account Management; partners earn approximately 10% commission on any deal with a new customer they bring in and can also be Solution Partners.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• EdApp by SafetyCulture: Microlearning platform focused on frontline worker training with mobile-first delivery, SCORM support, and a creator-style content library — directly comparable to Pineapple Academy's model and target buyer (operations leaders in healthcare, hospitality, and foodservice).
• Opus Training: Frontline-focused training and operations platform for restaurants and hospitality, with mobile video microlearning and shift-based onboarding — competes head-to-head with Pineapple in foodservice and hospitality verticals.
• TalentLMS: Cloud LMS with strong SMB and frontline training positioning, course authoring, and tiered subscriptions — comparable SaaS pricing structure and buyer (training admins in mid-market companies).
• EasyLlama: Compliance and harassment training platform aimed at hourly and frontline workforces, with short video lessons and SCORM/LMS delivery — comparable use case and customer base to Pineapple Academy.
• Schoox: Workforce learning and operations platform purpose-built for frontline industries (restaurants, retail, manufacturing), with mobile microlearning — directly comparable buyer, vertical, and delivery model.
• Trainual: SMB-focused training and onboarding platform for small and mid-market operators, with role-based playbooks and short-form training content — overlaps Pineapple's SMB Starter/Team tier buyer profile.

Broad incumbents

• Relias: Established healthcare and human services LMS used by the same Pineapple customer base (senior living, hospitals, skilled nursing). Pineapple distributes into Relias via SCORM, but Relias also competes as a broader content and compliance platform.
• HealthStream: Healthcare-specialized workforce learning platform with deep hospital and health system penetration — comparable buyer (healthcare L&D) and a named SCORM integration partner for Pineapple, but at much larger scale.

Emerging players

• Thinkific: Course creation and delivery platform with creator-economy roots and tiered SaaS pricing — comparable monetization mechanics (creator revenue share, subscriptions) although oriented more toward external course creators than internal training.
• LearnDash: WordPress-based LMS plugin used by training organizations for employee and customer education — comparable content-authoring and delivery capabilities, though focused on organizations building their own branded academies rather than Pineapple's turnkey library model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds5 records

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Pineapple Academy