Sakai

What Sakai does

Sakai is a 100% open-source Learning Management System (LMS) coordinated by the Apereo Foundation and developed by a global community of educators and commercial affiliates. It serves higher education institutions worldwide, including universities, colleges, and community colleges that use the platform for online and in-person course delivery, assessment and grading, collaboration, and student engagement. Core integrated tools include Assignments, Gradebook, Lessons, Tests & Quizzes, Rubrics, and the experimental Conversations discussion tool introduced in Sakai 22. Named users span the University of Dayton, Pepperdine, University of Michigan, Duke, Northwestern State Community College, Marist, Nagoya, University of Murcia, and Western University.

The platform is built on Java-based architecture and is a recognized leader in IMS Learning Tools Interoperability (LTI) specification implementation, with an extensive API enabling deep third-party integrations. Sakai 23 introduced a redesigned user interface based on the Bootstrap 5 CSS framework. Sakai targets WCAG 2.2 Level A and AA compliance using WAI-ARIA, and achieved a 98%+ keyboard and screen reader task completion rate across 5,096 test cases in Sakai 23; published VPAT reports cover WCAG 2.2, Section 508, and EN 301 549 conformance for versions 21, 22, and 23. Sakai Plus, introduced in 2023, is an LTI Advantage-based add-on that allows institutions to embed Sakai tools within an existing enterprise LMS rather than requiring full migration.

Sakai's business model is freemium and community-led. The software itself generates no direct revenue and is free to download and self-host; a free cloud-hosted trial is provided by Longsight. Paid services — cloud hosting, development, and support — are delivered exclusively through three commercial affiliates (Longsight, Learning Experiences, and EDF), which are separate legal entities that capture the ecosystem's commercial revenue. The project is governed by a 20-member Project Management Committee drawn from member institutions and affiliate companies, and additionally generates minor merchandise revenue through an online shop selling branded apparel and accessories priced from $9 to $56. The project's origins trace to a Mellon Foundation grant funding an open-source alternative to commercial LMS offerings.

Name

Sakai

Legal name

Sakai

Website

https://sakailms.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Sakai is an open-source Learning Management System coordinated by the Apereo Foundation that serves higher education institutions globally with course delivery, assessment, grading, and collaboration tools. Revenue is captured indirectly via commercial affiliates (Longsight, Learning Experiences, EDF) providing hosting, development, and support.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Learning Management System (Education Technology)

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Support Services (61171)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Open-Source & Self-Hosted LMS (EDAFAAAL)

akta.pro secondary industry

Core LMS Platforms (Academic & Corporate) (EDAFAAAA)

Keywords

• Learning management system
• Open source LMS
• Higher education software
• Course management platform
• IMS LTI integration

Headquarters

HQ city

Ann Arbor

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Open Source Software Distribution: Sakai is 100% open-source and free to download and use. The software itself generates no direct revenue. Revenue for the ecosystem comes through commercial affiliates who provide paid hosting, development, and support services to institutions adopting Sakai.
2. Merchandise Sales: Sakai sells branded merchandise including apparel (hoodies, t-shirts, polo shirts), accessories (hats, headbands, tumblers, mugs), and event merchandise (SVC conference items) through their online shop.
3. Commercial Affiliate Services: Longsight, Learning Experiences, and EDF serve as commercial affiliates that develop new Sakai functionality, provide cloud hosting, development services, and support to institutions. These affiliates generate revenue through professional services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Sakai provides a 100% open-source Learning Management System used by higher education institutions for course delivery, assessment, collaboration, and student engagement. The core Sakai LMS is freely downloadable for self-hosting, with commercial affiliates (Longsight, Learning Experiences, EDF) supplying paid cloud hosting, development, and support. A companion offering, Sakai Plus, uses IMS LTI Advantage to layer Sakai tools on top of existing enterprise LMS installations.

Product overview

Sakai is a 100% open-source Learning Management System created by educators for educators, managed by the Apereo Foundation. The core product, Sakai LMS, provides a comprehensive suite of online learning, teaching, and collaboration tools. Key integrated tools include Assignments for online submission and grading, Gradebook for score calculation, Lessons for content delivery with conditional release, Tests & Quizzes for assessments, and Rubrics for standardized grading. Sakai Plus is an add-on module that leverages LTI Advantage to integrate Sakai tools into existing enterprise LMS systems. The platform also supports community-contributed tools and offers both cloud-hosted and self-hosted deployment options.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Sakai LMS 100% open-source Learning Management System for educational institutions, providing online learning, teaching, and collaboration tools including assignments, gradebook, lessons, tests and quizzes, rubrics, discussions, and calendar.
• Sakai Plus LTI-based add-on enabling institutions to add Sakai learning content and authentic assessment tools to their existing enterprise LMS, using LTI Advantage to synchronize enrollment and grades.

Quantifiable outcome

• 98%+ keyboard and screen reader task completion rate
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and strategic.

• Apereo FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerApereo Foundation coordinates the global Sakai community and provides strategic oversight. Sakai is one of many open source projects within the Apereo portfolio, a global network with member institutions on six continents. The foundation actively seeks partnerships to further their mission of creating and sustaining software that supports learning, teaching, and research.
• LongsightcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLongsight is the leading developer of new Sakai functionality, contributing to the Sakai community. They also host and support Sakai in the cloud, relieving institutions of managing servers and dedicating resources to support and maintenance. Earle Nietzel from Longsight serves as Sakai Release Manager.
• Learning ExperiencescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLearning Experiences is a business devoted to adding value to the Apereo communities and encouraging the use of Open Source and Open Content in Education. Multiple Learning Experiences employees serve on the Sakai PMC.
• EDF (Entornos de Formación)coreTechnology or IntegrationEDF is a global education technology company whose Sakai experts provide cloud services, development and support to integrate next-generation technologies into classroom practice. The EDF team actively contributes to Sakai's accessibility evolution.
• Vision-AidstrategicTechnology or IntegrationVision-Aid is a non-profit organization providing IT-related training to blind and low-vision individuals in India. Through partnership with Vision-Aid, Sakai has a team of blind/low-vision testers regularly working on accessibility testing of the platform.
• AccessiversitystrategicTechnology or IntegrationAccessiversity is a disability-owned business operated by Chris Knapp, an accessibility consultant/tester who serves as The Sakai Accessibility Team Lead. Chris is statutorily blind and relies on screen readers and assistive technology, providing authentic accessibility experience.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• D2L Brightspace: D2L Brightspace is a commercial enterprise LMS with a strong footprint in higher education and K–12, competing directly with Sakai for institutional deployments.
• Instructure (Canvas LMS): Canvas is a commercial LMS dominant in higher education, competing head-to-head with Sakai for institutional contracts and offering proprietary tools with active product development.
• Moodle: Moodle is the largest open-source LMS, directly competing with Sakai in higher education and offering self-hosted and hosted editions with extensive plugin ecosystems.
• Chamilo: Chamilo is an open-source e-learning and LMS platform aimed at educational institutions globally, offering similar self-hosted deployment and free open-source licensing to Sakai.
• OpenOLAT: OpenOLAT is an open-source LMS focused on higher education and corporate training, with similar self-hosted architecture and open-source ethos to Sakai.
• ILIAS: ILIAS is an open-source learning management system used across European higher education and corporate training, providing an alternative open-source LMS comparable to Sakai.
• Anthology (Blackboard Learn): Blackboard is one of the longest-standing LMS platforms in higher education with deep institutional penetration, making it a primary incumbent competitor for Sakai.

Broad incumbents

• PowerSchool Unified Classroom: PowerSchool is a large education technology platform offering LMS components (e.g., Schoology Learning) within a broader K–12 and higher-ed portfolio, serving as a broad incumbent with overlapping LMS capabilities to Sakai.

Others

• Longsight: Longsight is the leading commercial affiliate for Sakai, providing cloud hosting, custom development, and institutional support; ecosystemically integral to Sakai's commercial delivery model.
• Apereo Foundation: Apereo is the parent foundation that stewards Sakai and other open-source education projects (OAE, Bedework), coordinating community governance — directly operationally tied as parent organization.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/sakailms
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@SakaiCLE
• Facebookfacebook.com/sakailms
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sakai-lms
• Instagraminstagram.com/sakailms

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 Sakai