Platinum Edge

What Platinum Edge does

Platinum Edge, Inc. is a private US-based professional training and certification company specializing in agile and Scrum project management methodologies. Founded in 2001 by Mark Layton, an industry figure known as "Mr. Agile" and author of multiple Dummies-branded guides on Agile and Scrum, the company delivers authorized certification courses through partnerships with the Scrum Alliance (Certified ScrumMaster, Certified Scrum Product Owner, Certified Scrum Developer) and the Project Management Institute (PMI). It maintains dual operational bases in Las Vegas and Salt Lake City and delivers training across the United States, Europe, and Asia.

The company monetizes through three primary revenue streams: per-seat certification course fees paid by individual professionals and corporate trainees, enterprise training engagements for organizations running agile transformations, and book royalties from its Dummies series titles. Its instructor pool is drawn from Certified Scrum Trainers (CSTs) selected from the top 1% of practitioners globally, and the company reports a 4.9/5 instructor rating across more than 20,000 trained students. The firm also holds Veteran-Owned Small Business (VOSB) certification and is GSA schedule-eligible, opening federal and defense procurement channels that non-certified competitors cannot access. Platinum Edge is bootstrapped, operates with 11-50 employees, and has no public funding history.

More recently, Platinum Edge has extended its curriculum into AI-practitioner enablement with the release of the AI Agility Playbook (2025) and the AI for Scrum Masters Microcredential (2026), covering prompt engineering and AI-assisted sprint planning. These additions layer AI literacy content onto the existing agile certification catalog rather than signaling a pivot into AI-native product development.

Name

Platinum Edge

Legal name

Platinum Edge, Inc.

Website

https://platinumedge.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Platinum Edge is a private US-based agile and Scrum training provider, founded in 2001 by Mark Layton, delivering Scrum Alliance and PMI certifications plus AI-practitioner courses to individual professionals, enterprises, and federal clients globally.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agile and Scrum Professional Training & Certification

NAICS

Business Schools and Computer and Management Training (6114), Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services (54169), Marketing Consulting Services (541613)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Scaled Agile & Enterprise Product Delivery (SAFe/LeSS/Nexus) (EDABAHAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Project, Quality & Operations (PMP PDUs, Six Sigma, Quality CE) (EDAAALAM), Tools & Platforms Training (Jira, Azure DevOps, MS Project, Smartsheet, etc.) (EDABAHAH)

Keywords

• Agile certification training
• Scrum master courses
• Agile transformation consulting
• Professional agile education
• Scrum alliance certification

Headquarters

HQ city

Las Vegas

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices34 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Certification Training Courses: Per-class registration fees for individual certification courses (CSM, CSPO, CSD, A-CSM, A-CSPO, CAL, CLB, DA, etc.) and skills-based microcredentials. Pricing is not publicly disclosed on the homepage but is paid per seat/per class; a '$400 OFF' limited-time promotion is offered and a price match guarantee is in place. Refund policy: full refund prior to one week before start; $100 fee if cancelled within one week.
2. Enterprise Agile Transformation Services: Multi-engagement professional services revenue from organizational clients, covering Agile Assessments, Recruiting, Training (private on-site classes sized 15–20+ people), Coaching & Mentoring, and Jira Administration. Sold as bundled transformation engagements.
3. Book and Resource Sales: Direct e-commerce sales of books ('Scrum for Dummies', 'Agile Project Management for Dummies', 'Agile Reality Check Playbook', 'AI Agility Playbook') and related resources through the company's online Store.
4. Partnership / PMI Chapter Course Delivery: Revenue from courses delivered in partnership with PMI chapters and other professional organizations, where Platinum Edge provides trainers/content in exchange for access to chapter members.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels8 records

Marketing channels12 records

Core offering

Platinum Edge is a Scrum Alliance Registered Education Ally that delivers Scrum and agile certification courses (CSM, CSPO, CSD, A-CSM, A-CSPO, CAL 1, CLB, Disciplined Agile, Jira Cloud Fundamentals, Psychological Safety, Organizational Change Management, and Conflict Management/AI for Scrum Masters microcredentials) to individual professionals and teams. For organizations, the company provides a five-component Agile Transformation service suite covering Assess, Recruit, Train, Coach & Mentor, and Jira Administration. The company also retails authored books (Scrum For Dummies, Agile Project Management For Dummies) and produces proprietary video/online content such as the Ask Mr. Agile and Scrum Nightmares series.

Product overview

Platinum Edge is a training and consulting firm (not a packaged software product) built around a portfolio of Scrum Alliance and PMI-aligned certification courses plus an integrated enterprise services suite. The core training catalog consists of foundational certifications (CSM, CSPO, CSD, CLB), advanced certifications (A-CSM, A-CSPO, CAL 1), skills-based courses (Jira Cloud Fundamentals, Disciplined Agile, Psychological Safety, Organizational Change Management), and microcredentials (AI for Scrum Masters, Conflict Management Skills), with specialized variants for Government, U.S. Active Duty, and Veterans. These courses feed an enterprise "FOR TEAMS & ORGANIZATIONS" services track organized around five modules — Assess, Recruit, Train, Coach & Mentor, and Jira Administration — which together deliver end-to-end agile transformation support. The portfolio is reinforced by published resources authored by founder Mark Layton and senior trainers (Scrum For Dummies 3rd Edition, Agile Project Management For Dummies 3rd Edition, Agile Reality Check Playbook, AI Agility Playbook) and educational video series (Ask Mr. Agile®, Scrum Nightmares). Platinum Edge delivers primarily as a Scrum Alliance Registered Education Provider and offers certain classes in partnership with PMI.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Certified ScrumMaster (CSM) Scrum Alliance entry-level Scrum Master certification course teaching the Scrum framework, roles, events, and artifacts for individual professionals and teams new to agile.
• Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO) Scrum Alliance certification course teaching product ownership skills such as backlog management, user story writing, and stakeholder engagement for product managers, business analysts, and Product Owners.
• Certified Scrum Developer (CSD) Scrum Alliance certification course focused on agile engineering practices for developers working on Scrum teams, covering technical excellence and team collaboration.
• Advanced Certified ScrumMaster (A-CSM) Advanced Scrum Alliance credential for practicing Scrum Masters seeking to deepen facilitation, coaching, and team dynamics skills beyond the CSM.
• Advanced Certified Scrum Product Owner (A-CSPO) Advanced Scrum Alliance credential for experienced Product Owners seeking to expand strategic product management, stakeholder engagement, and value delivery skills.
• Certified Agile Leader 1 (CAL 1) Scrum Alliance certification for managers and leaders seeking to lead agile organizations, covering agile leadership mindsets, organizational design, and change.
• Certified LeSS Basics (CLB) Introductory credential on Large-Scale Scrum (LeSS) for organizations coordinating multiple Scrum teams, aimed at practitioners and leaders scaling agile beyond a single team.
• Disciplined Agile Foundations Course (DA) Foundational course on the Disciplined Agile (DA) toolkit, helping organizations choose appropriate agile/lean strategies across the full delivery lifecycle.
• Jira Cloud Fundamentals: Parts 1 & 2 Two-part skills course on configuring and administering Atlassian Jira Cloud for agile teams, aimed at Jira administrators, Scrum Masters, and team leads.
• Psychological Safety Course teaching leaders and team members how to foster psychological safety within agile teams to improve collaboration, learning, and performance.
• Organizational Change Management Course providing change management frameworks and practices for leaders and change agents guiding organizations through agile transformations.
• Conflict Management Skills Microcredential Microcredential course focused on recognizing, navigating, and resolving conflict in agile teams and organizations.
• AI for Scrum Masters Microcredential Scrum Alliance AI for Scrum Masters Microcredential delivered in partnership with PMI, covering the application of AI tools and techniques in Scrum Master practice; available via virtual live sessions.
• Agile Transformation Services End-to-end enterprise agile transformation offering combining assessment, agile-aware recruiting, certification training, ongoing coaching/mentoring, and Jira administration as an integrated five-step suite for organizations scaling agile practices.
• Certified Agile Training for Government / Active Duty / Veterans Segmented offering providing Scrum Alliance certification training tailored for U.S. government employees, active-duty military, and veterans, often at discounted or specialized pricing.
• Scrum For Dummies (3rd Edition) Published Wiley book by Mark Layton introducing Scrum fundamentals and practices, sold through the Platinum Edge online store to individuals learning agile.
• Agile Project Management For Dummies (3rd Edition) Published Wiley book by Mark Layton covering agile project management practices beyond Scrum, sold through the Platinum Edge online store to practitioners and organizations.

Quantifiable outcome

• Trained over 20,000+ students in agile certification and transformation
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability4 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• Project Management Institute (PMI)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerPlatinum Edge delivers courses 'in partnership with PMI to support the local PM community,' co-delivers PMI chapter courses (e.g., PMI Northern Utah Chapter in Salt Lake City, PMI-SVC Professional Development Day 2019, PMI Region 5 LIM), and references the PMI Registered Education Provider logo. PMI, PMP, PMI-ACP and the PMI Registered Education Provider logo are registered marks of the Project Management Institute, Inc.
• Scrum AllianceflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerScrum Alliance is the certifying body for all Platinum Edge CSM, CSPO, CSD, A-CSM, A-CSPO, CAL, CLB, and AI for Scrum Masters Microcredential courses. Platinum Edge instructors (Mark Layton, Steve Ostermiller, Dean Kynaston) are Certified Scrum Trainers (CSTs) approved by Scrum Alliance. CSM and its logo are registered trademarks of Scrum Alliance, Inc. The relationship is foundational to Platinum Edge's certification offerings.
• International Innovation CenterminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPlatinum Edge partnered with the International Innovation Center to host a free Lunch and Learn in Las Vegas (later postponed due to COVID-19) where founder Mark Layton presented on Agile Estimation.
• Pearson EducationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPearson Education published the 'Agile Foundations Complete Video Course' for which Platinum Edge Senior Trainer Steve Ostermiller serves as technical editor — an editorial alliance tied to Platinum Edge's broader content and publishing footprint.
• U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) — Veteran-Owned Small Business (VOSB) ProgramcoreOthersPlatinum Edge is a Veteran-Owned Certified business (VOSB logo in footer) and runs a 'Give Back Certified Scrum Training for Veterans' program alongside separate tracks for U.S. Active Duty and government. The VOSB status positions the company for set-aside federal contracts and veteran-focused training.
• U.S. General Services Administration (GSA)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGSA logo is displayed in the site footer, indicating Platinum Edge is approved to sell training services to U.S. federal agencies via GSA contracting vehicles (consistent with the company's dedicated 'Certified Agile Training for Government' track).
• Agile AllianceminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPlatinum Edge was a sponsor of the Agile 2013 Conference organized by the Agile Alliance, the global non-profit that publishes the Agile Manifesto and supports the broader agile community. Founder Mark Layton also delivered a keynote at an Agile Conference.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Scrum Alliance: Scrum Alliance is the certifying body that issues all of Platinum Edge's core credentials (CSM, CSPO, CSD, A-CSM, A-CSPO, CAL, AI for Scrum Masters Microcredential) and accredits Platinum Edge as a Registered Education Provider. It is an enabling ecosystem participant rather than a direct competitor, but its curriculum and REP economics are existential to Platinum Edge's core product.

Direct peers

• Scaled Agile (SAFe): Scaled Agile is the creator and owner of the Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe), the dominant enterprise agile scaling method, and runs a global SPC/SPCT trainer network. Platinum Edge lists SAFe among its scaling offerings and competes with SAFe's Preferred Partners for enterprise transformation mandates.
• Exceptional Agile (Mark Summers): Exceptional Agile is an independent Certified Scrum Trainer-led training and coaching firm offering CSM, CSPO, and enterprise agile coaching. It competes with Platinum Edge for both individual learners and private corporate agile engagements.
• Mountain Goat Software: Founded by Mike Cohn, Mountain Goat Software is one of the most recognized independent Scrum training providers, offering CSM, CSPO, and agile engineering courses. It directly competes with Platinum Edge in the individual Scrum certification market and shares the same founder-as-author brand playbook.
• ICAgile: ICAgile is an independent agile certification body that accredits training providers and issues credentials (ICP, ICP-CAT, etc.) that compete with Scrum Alliance credentials such as those Platinum Edge delivers. It is a direct peer in the agile certification and accreditation ecosystem.
• Scrum Inc. Founded by Jeff Sutherland, co-creator of Scrum, Scrum Inc. delivers Scrum certification, enterprise agile transformation, and the Scrum@Scale framework. It is a direct peer for both Platinum Edge's certification course business and its enterprise scaling engagements (overlapping with LeSS offerings).
• cPrime: cPrime is an enterprise agile and Atlassian consultancy offering Jira/Atlassian training, SAFe/Scrum certification courses, and full agile transformation services. It directly competes with Platinum Edge across both the certification catalog and the enterprise transformation (including Jira Administration) service line.
• AgileThought: AgileThought is a full-service agile transformation and training provider offering CSM/CSPO/SAFe certifications and enterprise consulting. It is a direct peer in the integrated certification-plus-transformation market that Platinum Edge targets.
• Adventures with Agile: Adventures with Agile, founded by John McFadyen, delivers Scrum Alliance certification courses (CSM, CSPO, A-CSM) and enterprise coaching internationally. It is a direct peer in the Scrum Alliance CST-led certification market, particularly in the EMEA region.

Broad incumbents

• Accenture (Agile/DevOps practice): Accenture operates a global agile transformation consulting practice that competes with Platinum Edge for large enterprise agile mandates. As a broad incumbent, it does not specialize in Scrum Alliance certification courses but overlaps in the enterprise transformation and agile coaching markets.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/PlatinumEdgellc
• YouTubeyoutube.com/platinumedge
• Facebookfacebook.com/PlatinumEdgeLLC
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/platinum-edge
• Instagraminstagram.com/platinum.edge.llc

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 Platinum Edge