What academyEX does

academyEX (legal name academyEX, Inc.) is a privately held, NZQA-registered New Zealand tertiary institution founded in 2012 by Frances Valintine (CNZM) and headquartered in Auckland at 99 Khyber Pass Road, Grafton. It operates as New Zealand's only private postgraduate institute purpose-built for mid-career professionals, delivering accredited Master's degrees (Contemporary Education, Technological Futures, Change and Organisational Resilience), postgraduate certificates, and a portfolio of micro-credentials spanning AI, sustainability, health leadership, entrepreneurship, and digital skills.

The business operates a hybrid (online plus periodic in-person) learning model. Its core technology is an online learning platform — anchored by the AI for Business product for organizational AI upskilling ($150 per person per year, volume-priced) — featuring bite-sized video lessons, an AI Playground, and a curated, weekly-updated content library. Supporting sub-brands include The Play Lab (hands-on emerging-tech space), Converge (weekly community meetups and an annual research symposium), and an Innovator's Residency Programme. Stackable credentials allow learners to ladder from micro-credentials through postgraduate certificates into full Master's degrees.

The revenue model combines recurring Master's tuition (multi-year contracts), one-time micro-credential purchases ($450+), B2B enterprise subscriptions for the AI for Business platform, and professional-services-style corporate training delivered through the Business Academy. The AI for Good initiative operates a buy-one-give-one model funding nonprofit access. Customers are split between individual professionals (self-serve enrollment via app.academyex.com) and enterprise/government organizations; named enterprise clients include ASB, Xero, NZTE, MBIE, Ministry of Social Development, Health New Zealand, and Education New Zealand. Primary go-to-market mixes enterprise field sales, event-driven demand generation, and self-serve individual enrollment.

Name

academyEX

Legal name

academyEX, Inc.

Website

https://academyex.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Short description

academyEX is a privately held, NZQA-registered New Zealand postgraduate institute that delivers accredited Master's degrees, postgraduate certificates, and micro-credentials — plus an enterprise AI for Business training platform — to mid-career professionals, organizations, and government agencies in New Zealand.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Auckland

HQ country

New Zealand

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Master's Degree Programs: Research Masters programs in Contemporary Education, Technological Futures, and Change & Organisational Resilience. Programs designed for mid-career professionals with flexible hybrid delivery.
2. Postgraduate Certificates: Standalone postgraduate certificates including Digital & Collaborative Learning and Leading Change for Good. Can be used as pathways to Master's programs.
3. Micro-credentials: Short accredited courses covering specific skills like Disruptive Technologies, Sustainability, Health Leadership, Entrepreneurship. Priced individually from $450 to subscription models.
4. AI for Business Enterprise Licenses: B2B AI training platform licensed to organizations at $150 per person per year with volume pricing. Includes AI for Good buy-one-give-one initiative for charity access.
5. Corporate Training & Workshops: Custom learning solutions for organizations including AI Bootcamps, Leadership Courses, and workshops through Business Academy.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

academyEX is New Zealand's only private postgraduate institute for mid-career professionals, delivering Master's degrees, postgraduate certificates, micro-credentials, and corporate training programmes. The portfolio centres on future-oriented subjects including contemporary education, technological futures, change and organisational resilience, digital and collaborative learning, and disruptive technologies such as AI. It also operates a dedicated AI for Business platform for corporate clients and a hands-on technology learning space known as The Play Lab.

Product overview

academyEX is New Zealand's only private postgraduate institute for mid-career professionals, offering a portfolio of Masters programmes, postgraduate certificates, and micro-credentials that build strategic, technological, and leadership capability. The core product suite includes three Master's degrees (Master of Contemporary Education, Master of Technological Futures, Master of Change and Organisational Resilience), two postgraduate certificates (Digital & Collaborative Learning, Leading Change for Good), and multiple AI-focused microcredentials (Disruptive Technologies: The AI One, Digital Skills for the Workplace). The AI for Business platform serves as the primary online learning product for organisations building practical AI capability, while AI for Good extends this through a buy-one-give-one social impact model. Additional offerings include The Play Lab (hands-on emerging tech space) and the Innovator's Residency Programme for in-person immersive learning. The portfolio spans education, technology, leadership, sustainability, and business domains, delivered through hybrid and online formats.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Business Academy: B2B learning solutions division offering AI bootcamps, leadership courses, and online learning for organizations.
• AI for Business
• The Mind Lab
• Tech Futures Lab
• Earth Futures Lab
• The Play Lab
• Digital Boost
• Digital Passport

Products and services

• Master of Contemporary Education Master's degree programme for mid-career professionals focused on contemporary education. Delivered by academyEX as part of its postgraduate portfolio.
• Master of Technological Futures Master's degree programme focused on technological futures for mid-career professionals.
• Master of Change and Organisational Resilience Master's degree programme for mid-career professionals centred on change management and organisational resilience.
• Postgraduate Certificate in Digital and Collaborative Learning Postgraduate certificate covering digital and collaborative learning, aimed at mid-career professionals.
• Postgraduate Certificate in Leading Change for Good Postgraduate certificate focused on leading change for good, aimed at mid-career professionals.
• Micro-credential: Disruptive Technologies — The AI One Short-form micro-credential focused on artificial intelligence as a disruptive technology, aimed at working professionals.
• Micro-credential: Digital Skills for the Workplace Short-form micro-credential covering digital skills for the workplace, aimed at working professionals.
• AI for Business Corporate-focused platform delivering AI education and training to organisations and their workforce.
• Business Academy Corporate training programme providing structured business and future-skills education to organisations.
• The Play Lab Hands-on technology learning space operated by academyEX for practical engagement with emerging technologies.

Quantifiable outcome

• 89% of Digital Boost users would recommend the program to others
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability5 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ASBcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerASB partnered with academyEX and Xero to launch the free AI Bootcamp for Business, providing AI skills training for NZ businesses. ASB is one of New Zealand's major banks and a key enterprise customer for AI for Business platform.
• XerocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerXero partnered with academyEX and ASB to launch the AI Bootcamp for Business initiative, combining forces with two of New Zealand's most trusted organizations to provide AI training.
• NZ Trade & Enterprise (NZTE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNZTE engaged academyEX to deliver short video content for up-skilling busy exporters through a Learning Management System, helping businesses equipped with skills to export.
• MBIEcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMinistry of Business, Innovation and Employment partnered with academyEX on Digital Boost - a free LMS providing digital skills training to NZ SMEs. Testimonials from MBIE staff including Melissa Story (Head of Leadership, Talent and Growth) and Malcolm Luey (Director, Digital Boost).
• Ministry of Social DevelopmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered on Digital Passport initiative - bite-sized online courses in digital skills delivered in 6 weeks for job seekers and those needing digital skills development.
• Health New ZealandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealth New Zealand collaborated with academyEX to design the Health Leadership micro-credential specifically for clinical and non-clinical leaders, addressing change management and cultural safety.
• Education New Zealand (ENZ)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerENZ partnered on the Think New program to attract international students to New Zealand education through free and paid courses online, achieving 1,000+ enrolments.
• Genesis EnergyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered to create MindLabKids - an online platform for school-aged children exploring science and technology through engaging videos and interactive projects.
• MissionNewZealand.comminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to deliver unique micro-credentials and short courses to international students, reaching 500,000+ learners globally.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• General Assembly: General Assembly provides bootcamp-style technology and business training for working professionals, offering short courses and immersive programs in AI, data, and digital skills. Directly comparable to academyEX's AI for Business platform and micro-credentials targeting mid-career professionals.
• Coursera for Business: Coursera for Business is a B2B enterprise learning platform offering AI, technology, and professional development content from top universities and companies. Comparable to academyEX's AI for Business platform in delivering curated AI and technology learning to organizational teams at volume licensing.
• BrainStation: BrainStation offers technology bootcamps, certificates, and corporate training programs in AI, data, design, and digital skills for working professionals. Closely comparable to academyEX in its focus on upskilling mid-career professionals through short, practical, accredited programs and corporate partnerships.

Regional players

• Auldhouse: Auldhouse is a New Zealand-based corporate training provider specializing in technology, leadership, and professional development courses. A direct regional peer to academyEX's Business Academy division, operating in the same NZ enterprise training market with similar customer segments.
• Open Polytechnic of New Zealand: Open Polytechnic is a New Zealand government-owned tertiary institution offering distance and online postgraduate and undergraduate programs. A regional peer operating in the same NZ tertiary market as academyEX, with similar focus on flexible, work-friendly learning but at lower price points and public-funded positioning.
• Te Pūkenga: Te Pūkenga is New Zealand's network of public polytechnics and institutes of technology, offering vocational and applied postgraduate programs across the country. A regional peer competing with academyEX in the NZ tertiary market, particularly for applied and technology-focused postgraduate learners, though at lower price points with public funding.

Emerging players

• Section: Section is a business education platform offering AI and analytics courses for executives and managers, with a strong focus on practical, cohort-based learning. Comparable to academyEX's AI for Business platform and Master of Technological Futures in targeting senior leaders needing AI fluency.

Broad incumbents

• LinkedIn Learning: LinkedIn Learning (formerly Lynda.com) is a broad B2B enterprise learning platform with extensive video courses on AI, business, and technology topics. Comparable to academyEX's enterprise subscription model, though operating at global scale with a much wider content library and lower specialization in postgraduate qualifications.
• Pluralsight: Pluralsight is a B2B technology learning platform offering courses in AI, cloud, software development, and IT skills to enterprise teams. Comparable to academyEX's tech-focused micro-credentials (e.g., Understanding Software Development, Disruptive Technologies) and AI for Business platform in delivering enterprise technology upskilling.
• Skillsoft: Skillsoft is a large enterprise learning and talent development platform offering AI, technology, leadership, and compliance training to corporate customers globally. Comparable to academyEX's Business Academy and AI for Business offerings in targeting enterprise capability building, though at much broader scale and scope.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/academyex
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@academyex
• Facebookfacebook.com/academyexlearn
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/academyex

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 academyEX