Holmes Corporation

What Holmes Corporation does

Holmes Corporation (HC) is a private education management and technology company founded in 1970 and headquartered in Eagan, Minnesota, that partners with professional associations to develop, market, and distribute certification preparation programs, adaptive learning products, and member engagement platforms. The company serves a dual customer base: professional membership organizations (SHRM, ASCM, APIC, PayrollOrg, IIA, ICF, AFCPE, and others) seeking to grow certification programs and non-dues revenue, and the individual professionals and corporate buyers who consume those certification products.

HC's product architecture is organized around three interconnected core offerings: data-driven competency Assessments that benchmark professionals against association standards, Adaptive Learning Systems that use AI and machine learning to personalize certification preparation (claimed to reduce study time by 35% and increase exam pass rates by up to 25%), and the SAGE (Skills Assessment and Growth Engine) Engagement Portal that delivers AI-powered career pathway recommendations and gamified member engagement. Supporting these products is a full-service stack covering instructional design, content production, marketing and channel management, customer support, and a proprietary license management tool, all delivered via cloud-based SaaS infrastructure.

Revenue is generated through a mix of multi-year association partnership contracts for program development and ongoing platform access, SaaS subscriptions to learning and engagement products, royalties from global distribution to 200 countries via 800+ training partners, and enterprise transactions with corporate buyers. The company employs 101–250 people, has served more than 2.1 million professionals globally, and has received multiple U.S. President's E Awards for export achievement. In December 2024, HC transitioned leadership with Josh Slayton succeeding long-tenured CEO MaryBeth Anderson.

Name

Holmes Corporation

Legal name

Holmes Corporation

Website

https://holmescorp.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1970

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Holmes Corporation is a private Eagan, Minnesota-based education management company that develops, markets, and distributes adaptive learning systems, competency assessments, and AI-powered engagement portals for professional associations and their certification candidates worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Education & Certification Platforms

NAICS

Software Publishers (5132), Software Publishers (51321), Custom Computer Programming Services (541511), Computer Systems Design Services (541512)

SIC

Services-Prepackaged Software (7372), Services-Computer Programming Services (7371), Services-Management Services (8741)

akta.pro primary industry

AI Application Enablement Platforms (Copilot/Agent Frameworks, SDKs) (HDAEANAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

AI/ML Engineering & Model Development Services (BPAEAHAF)

Keywords

• Adaptive learning platforms
• Certification preparation programs
• Association learning solutions
• Competency assessment tools
• Professional development services

Headquarters

HQ city

Eagan

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Certification and Training Program Development Services: HC provides end-to-end services to professional associations including instructional design, content development, marketing support, production and fulfillment, and distribution. Revenue is generated through partnerships with associations to grow their certification programs and member engagement.
2. Learning Products and Platform Access: HC develops and delivers adaptive learning systems, assessments, and engagement portals. Products include self-study materials, online study tools, instructor resources, and digital content accessible through their cloud-based platform on a Software as a Service model.
3. Global Distribution and Fulfillment: HC manages domestic and international production and fulfillment of student and instructor materials, with global reach to 200 countries through partnerships with training providers and educational institutions.
4. Enterprise and Partner Sales: HC generates revenue through B2B relationships with corporate buyers, global training partners, colleges, and universities delivering HC's certification preparation programs worldwide.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Holmes Corporation designs, develops, produces, markets, and distributes adaptive learning systems, competency assessments, and AI-powered engagement portals on behalf of professional associations seeking to grow certification programs and member engagement. The company sells three integrated core products — Assessments, Adaptive Learning Systems, and the SAGE Engagement Portal — via a cloud-based SaaS platform, and bundles them with end-to-end services including instructional design, content development, marketing/fulfillment/distribution, and customer support.

Product overview

Holmes Corporation offers a suite of three interconnected core products designed for professional associations: Assessments (competency benchmarking tools), Adaptive Learning Systems (AI-driven personalized certification preparation), and SAGE Engagement Portals (AI-powered career guidance platform). These products are complemented by a full range of service offerings including instructional design, production/fulfillment, marketing/channel management, and customer care. The platform is delivered via cloud-based SaaS infrastructure with mobile optimization, and includes supporting content products like printed/online materials, microcredentials, and a proprietary license management tool. The three core products integrate to form a complete learning lifecycle: assessments identify knowledge gaps, adaptive learning fills those gaps with personalized content, and engagement portals guide ongoing career development and recertification.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SAGE™: Skills Assessment and Growth Engine™ - AI-powered engagement portal that guides members' career pathways, drives demand for development resources, and boosts recertification rates.

Products and services

• Adaptive Learning Systems AI/ML-powered adaptive learning platform delivering personalized certification preparation and professional development experiences; reduces required study time by 35% and increases exam pass rates by up to 25% for professionals pursuing association-administered credentials and microcredentials.
• Assessments Competency assessment tools that benchmark individual and team knowledge, skills, and competencies against association standards, providing industry-specific benchmarking and actionable insights for professional development.
• SAGE Engagement Portal AI-powered Skills Assessment & Growth Engine (SAGE) portal that provides personalized career pathway guidance for association members, integrates with content/learning/credentialing systems, delivers AI-powered recommendations for tailored learning experiences, and includes achievement badges and gamification to drive member engagement and recertification.
• Instructional Design Services End-to-end instructional design and development services delivered in partnership with subject matter experts to design customized training programs, including student materials (digital content, mobile-optimized, microlearning, audio/video), instructor materials (guides, syllabi, PowerPoint slides), and software infrastructure with GDPR/ADA accessibility compliance.
• Production & Fulfillment Domestic and international production and fulfillment of course components including reading materials, online study tools, and instructor resources, delivered through a cloud-based hosted SaaS platform with 24x7 availability.
• Marketing & Channel Management Marketing services including the development of marketing plans, creation of websites, execution of email, print, online, and social campaigns, plus multi-channel management reaching individual candidates, corporate buyers, and global training providers.
• Customer Care & Technical Support In-house customer care and technical support services, including certification candidate support, IT support, and data analytics services to drive results and improve customer strategies.
• Microcredentials Short, targeted learning experiences providing competency-based recognition in specific skill areas, offered as part of HC's learning portfolio to complement full certifications and support association growth.
• Printed & Online Reading Materials Self-study and instructor-led course materials including printed books for offline study, online reading materials, quizzes, practice exams, audio/video supports, and supplemental resources for certification preparation.

Quantifiable outcome

• Reduce study time by 35%
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability7 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

21 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• SHRM (Society for Human Resource Management)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHC develops and delivers SHRM-CP and SHRM-SCP certification preparation programs. Partnership enables HC to provide comprehensive HR training to professionals worldwide.
• ASCM (Association for Supply Chain Management)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHC produces CPIM, CSCP, CLTD, and CTSC certification preparation materials for ASCM. Partnership includes distribution through ASCM chapters worldwide.
• APIC (Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHC developed three certification prep programs for APIC, helping the association recoup its development investment in just 13 months.
• PayrollOrgcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHC serves as trusted partner for PayrollOrg's training programs, creating significant non-dues revenue through PayTrain and certification preparation.
• ICF (International Coaching Federation)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHC develops financial coaching certification programs in partnership with ICF.
• AFCPE (Association for Financial Counseling and Planning)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHC provides certification preparation and training programs for AFCPE members.
• IIA (Institute of Internal Auditors)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHC developed the IIA CIA Learning System for Certified Internal Auditor exam preparation.
• PAR (Psychology Across the Races)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHC provides certification and training support for PAR programs.
• CertWise / CWminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHC partners with CertWise for project management certification preparation programs.
• University of Maryland Global CampuscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAcademic partner delivering HC's certification preparation programs to students and professionals through university channels.
• New River Community CollegecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEducation partner providing local access to HC's training and certification programs.
• Supply Chain MavenscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTraining partner specializing in supply chain certification delivery and professional development.
• ASCM Toronto ChaptercoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor18-year partnership delivering ASCM certification training to Canadian professionals.
• Fox Valley Technical College (FVTC)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTechnical college partner offering HC's certification preparation programs to students.
• Morgan InternationalcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGlobal training partner delivering HC's programs in international markets.
• Pace InstitutecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTraining partner delivering certification preparation programs.
• KnoWerXcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSupply chain training partner delivering HC's certification programs.
• SAPICScoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorProfessional chapter partner delivering supply chain certification training.
• University of La VernecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorUniversity partner offering HC's certification programs to students and alumni.
• HR JetPackcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHR training partner delivering SHRM certification programs.
• InsperitycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCorporate training partner providing HC's certification programs to businesses.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• WebCourseworks: Association-focused LMS and continuing-education platform provider. Directly comparable to HC in targeting membership organizations for learning, certification prep, and continuing-education delivery.
• WBT Systems: Provider of TopClass LMS, an association-specific learning platform with deep certification and continuing-education workflows. Closely comparable business model and customer base to Holmes Corporation.
• Blue Sky eLearn (Community Brands): Association eLearning platform now part of Community Brands. Competes head-to-head with HC on virtual events, online learning, and continuing-education delivery for membership organizations.
• MindEdge: Provider of professional development and certification prep courses (PMP, SHRM, HRCI, etc.). Comparable as a competing developer/distributor of association-aligned certification preparation materials.

Broad incumbents

• Wiley (Education Services): Global publisher and education services provider offering professional credentialing, corporate training, and university partnerships. Operates broadly in the same professional-learning category but at much larger scale.
• Pearson: Global education and assessment company that owns Credly and Pearson VUE. Overlaps with HC on certification preparation, credentialing infrastructure, and high-stakes assessment.
• Kaplan (Professional Education): Large professional certification prep provider (PMP, CFA, financial licenses). Comparable on certification preparation content but broader and more consumer-direct than HC's association channel.

Emerging players

• Credly (Pearson): Digital credentialing platform owned by Pearson. Adjacent to HC's SAGE engagement portal in the digital credentials space and increasingly relevant as microcredentials gain traction.
• Higher Logic: Association engagement and community platform. Competes with HC's SAGE on member-engagement and recertification journeys for associations, though its primary focus is community vs. learning.

Regional players

• Yac (Yet Another Conference): Personify Wild Apricot is an association-management platform used primarily by smaller North American associations. Adjacent rather than direct competition, but targets the same association buyer with overlapping software categories.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses3 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@holmescorporation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/holmes-corporation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Holmes Corporation