Breakthrough Learning
Breakthrough Learning is a privately held Portland-based experiential learning company founded in 1994 that designs tabletop simulations (Friday Night at the ER), distributes European hands-on training tools (METALOG), and offers a digital knowledge-mapping tool (Cauzality) for organizations seeking team, leadership, and systems-thinking development.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1994
- HeadquartersPortland, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Breakthrough Learning does
Breakthrough Learning, Inc. is a privately held experiential learning company founded in 1994 by Bette Gardner and headquartered in Portland, Oregon. It designs and delivers team-learning products and workshops intended to teach systems thinking, cross-functional collaboration, communication, and leadership across industries. The product portfolio comprises three core offerings: "Friday Night at the ER," a tabletop simulation game in which participants manage a busy community hospital and learn to apply systems-thinking principles across silos; "METALOG Tools," a suite of imported European hands-on training instruments (including Tower of Power, SysTeam, and CultuRally) that the company distributes in North America as the official US partner for German-based METALOG; and "Cauzality," an online collaborative tool for building and scoring knowledge maps to explore causal relationships.
The company monetizes through a mix of one-time product sales (game kits and physical training tools, including via its own e-commerce storefront at metalogtools.us), paid public two-day workshops hosted across US cities, customized private on-site workshops for enterprise and organizational clients (quote-based, multi-year engagements), and a live online 15-hour trainer certification program delivered over five weeks. Underlying methodology is rooted in contemporary learning theory and cognitive science, with proprietary simulation design and a unique knowledge-mapping scoring approach that the company treats as a differentiator. The customer base spans healthcare, corporate L&D, and academic institutions, with named references including Cleveland Clinic and an urban hospital and trauma center that originated the flagship simulation.
The company is small (1–10 employees, approximately five core members) and operates without disclosed external funding. Its leadership team comprises CEO Jeff Heil (who led the 2014 redesign of the flagship product), founder and senior educator Bette Gardner, a marketing and communications director, and an operations coordinator who personally assembles, packs, and ships physical orders. Distribution combines a Squarespace-hosted marketing site, a separate US e-commerce storefront, public-workshop marketing events, and direct enterprise contact-driven sales. The company has accumulated 25+ years of operating history, a 2017 Small Business Innovation Award from the Portland Business Journal, and a historical collaboration with Peter Senge and Arthur Andersen on "The Fifth Discipline-Interactive," but has not disclosed revenue, headcount growth, or geographic expansion beyond a global network of contracted educators.
Breakthrough Learning firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Breakthrough Learning
- Legal name
- Breakthrough Learning, Inc.
- Website
- https://blearning.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1994
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Breakthrough Learning is a privately held Portland-based experiential learning company founded in 1994 that designs tabletop simulations (Friday Night at the ER), distributes European hands-on training tools (METALOG), and offers a digital knowledge-mapping tool (Cauzality) for organizations seeking team, leadership, and systems-thinking development.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Breakthrough Learning industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Experiential Learning and Training Products
- NAICS
- Professional and Management Development Training (611430), Professional and Management Development Training (61143), Business Schools and Computer and Management Training (6114)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Corporate Learning & Training Content Development (EDAGAKAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Interactive Presentation & Lesson Delivery Engagement Tools (EDAFAGAJ), Core Digital Curriculum & Courseware (Full Programs & Units) (EDAFACAA)
Keywords
Where Breakthrough Learning is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Portland
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Breakthrough Learning business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Product Sales - Friday Night at the ER: Sale of tabletop simulation game kits for team learning experiences. Game is sold with all materials needed to facilitate the simulation.
- METALOG Tools Sales: Sale of physical training tools including Tower of Power, SysTeam, CultuRally and other experiential learning instruments through the official U.S. online store.
- Public Workshops: Two-day public workshops where participants experience Friday Night at the ER led by expert facilitators. Includes optional facilitator training at no additional fee. Hosted at sites across the U.S.
- Private Workshops: Custom on-site workshop delivery at client locations for organizations wanting private team-building and training experiences.
- Live Online Trainer Certification: 15-hour online certification course over 5 weeks teaching experiential learning principles, The METALOG Method, and learning project design. Includes live sessions, practice sessions, and expert feedback.
- Online Training Courses: Online training courses and support sites for customers who purchase products. Customers access training materials digitally.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Private Workshop Pricing |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Public Workshop |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Trainer Certification |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels5 records
Breakthrough Learning product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Breakthrough Learning sells experiential learning products (the Friday Night at the ER tabletop simulation, METALOG physical training tools, and the Cauzality online knowledge mapping tool) and facilitates associated workshops and trainer certification programs. Customers use these products and services to teach systems thinking, communication, collaboration, leadership, and change management across organizations of all sizes.
Product overview
Breakthrough Learning offers a portfolio of experiential learning products designed to transform team and organizational performance. The core offerings include: Friday Night at the ER (a tabletop systems thinking simulation game), METALOG Tools (a suite of hands-on training exercises for communication and leadership), and Cauzality (an online collaborative knowledge mapping tool). These products work together to address diverse learning objectives including team building, leadership development, quality improvement, strategic planning, and culture change. The company also provides associated workshops and trainer certification programs.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Friday Night at the ER: An all-industry tabletop simulation game that teaches systems thinking through a hospital management scenario.
- Metalog Tools
- Cauzality
Products and services
- Friday Night at the ER All-industry tabletop simulation game that teaches systems thinking through a hospital management scenario. Players take on roles as department managers for a simulated 24 hours, learning to collaborate across silos and apply data-driven decision making. Sold as game kits with all materials needed to facilitate the simulation, for organizations seeking team building and leadership development.
- METALOG Tools Suite of physical experiential training tools including Tower of Power, SysTeam, and CultuRally that teach communication, collaboration, creative problem-solving, leadership, performance improvement, diversity, and change. Sold as physical game kits through the official U.S. online store at metalogtools.us and shipped directly to training and development professionals and organizations.
- Cauzality Online collaborative tool that uses a guided mapping process and unique scoring method to help people explore causal relationships and discover effective ways to improve organizational results through knowledge maps. Used by teams and organizations seeking to analyze and address complex systems-level problems.
- Public Workshops Two-day public workshops led by expert facilitators where participants experience Friday Night at the ER and other products hands-on alongside peers. Optional facilitator training is included at no additional fee. Designed for prospective organizational customers who want to evaluate the methodology for in-house deployment.
- Private On-Site Workshops Custom on-site workshop delivery at client locations for organizations wanting private team-building, leadership development, or culture change experiences. Includes pre-engagement customization to address unique organizational challenges, with quote-based pricing and multi-year contract options.
- Live Online Trainer Certification 15-hour online certification course delivered over 5 weeks that teaches experiential learning principles, The METALOG Method, and learning project design. Includes live sessions, practice sessions, and expert feedback through a private online community. Certifies trainers, facilitators, and HR/L&D professionals to deliver the methodology to their own client organizations.
Companies that use Breakthrough Learning
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Breakthrough Learning technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Breakthrough Learning partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.
- Bette GardnercoreFounder of Breakthrough Learning who developed the flagship Friday Night at the ER product following a consulting engagement at an urban hospital. Created computer-based tools including management flight simulators and collaborated on The Fifth Discipline-Interactive with Peter Senge and Arthur Andersen.
- Peter SengeflagshipCollaborated with Peter Senge and Arthur Andersen to create The Fifth Discipline-Interactive, a computer-based learning and decision support tool.
- Arthur AndersenflagshipCollaborated with Peter Senge and Arthur Andersen to create The Fifth Discipline-Interactive, a computer-based learning and decision support tool.
- High Performance Systems (now isee systems)minorPartnered with High Performance Systems to build simulations for population health management and healthy communities development.
- Friends of Columbia ParkminorNonprofit organization managing a historic community center. CEO Jeff Heil serves as board president. Community involvement rather than business partnership.
- METALOG (Germany)coreOfficial U.S. online store for METALOG Training Tools, bringing Europe's top training tools to North America. METALOG is a German company producing experiential learning tools.
- CauzalityminorOnline collaborative tool for creating knowledge maps. Referenced on Breakthrough Learning website as a related product, suggesting a distribution or referral partnership.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Breakthrough Learning competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Center for Creative Leadership (CCL): Global leadership development research and training organization. Comparable in leadership and team learning outcomes; broader scope and significantly larger scale than Breakthrough Learning.
- Harvard Business Publishing Corporate Learning: Enterprise learning solution from Harvard Business Publishing serving Fortune 500 L&D needs. Broad incumbent in corporate experiential learning with significantly greater content depth and enterprise sales motion.
- Ken Blanchard Companies: Established leadership and management training company offering SLII, coaching, and team development programs. Broader incumbent in the same learning domain (leadership, team performance) but with deeper enterprise distribution and certification programs.
- Crucial Learning (formerly VitalSmarts): Corporate training company offering Crucial Conversations, Crucial Influence, and Change Anything courses. Adjacent incumbent in communication, leadership, and team training with a scaled course catalog and certification network.
Direct peers
- Capsim: Provider of business simulation-based learning experiences (Capsim Management Simulations, Capstone) used in business schools and corporate training. Direct peer in simulation-based experiential learning, though oriented more to business strategy and MBA curricula.
- Forio: Provider of online simulation tools and platforms (including Epicenter) for business learning and strategic decision-making. Comparable digital simulation-based experiential learning product, similar in category and customer base.
- Metalog: German creator of the METALOG Training Tools (Tower of Power, SysTeam, CultuRally) that Breakthrough Learning resells in the U.S. Direct upstream partner and most direct product comparable, with overlapping experiential learning methodology.
- Stratx: Business strategy simulation games and learning experiences for executive and MBA audiences. Comparable peer in simulation-based executive learning, with similar experiential approach.
- GLO-BUS: Online business strategy simulation platform used in university and corporate training. Directly comparable simulation-based learning product targeting similar business school and L&D buyers.
Regional players
- Outback Team Building & Training: North American team building and corporate training provider. Comparable experiential training services business model (workshops, on-site delivery) primarily serving U.S. and Canadian enterprise customers.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Breakthrough Learning social profiles
Digital presenceBreakthrough Learning financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Breakthrough Learning leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Breakthrough Learning funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Breakthrough Learning M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Breakthrough Learning
What does Breakthrough Learning do?
Breakthrough Learning sells experiential learning products (the Friday Night at the ER tabletop simulation, METALOG physical training tools, and the Cauzality online knowledge mapping tool) and facilitates associated workshops and trainer certification programs. Customers use these products and services to teach systems thinking, communication, collaboration, leadership, and change management across organizations of all sizes.
Is Breakthrough Learning a public or private company?
Breakthrough Learning is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Breakthrough Learning founded?
Breakthrough Learning was founded in 1994. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Breakthrough Learning based?
Breakthrough Learning is headquartered in Portland, United States, in the North America region.
How does Breakthrough Learning make money?
Six revenue lines are on record. Product Sales - Friday Night at the ER is the primary driver. The others are METALOG Tools Sales, public Workshops, private Workshops, live Online Trainer Certification and online Training Courses.
Who are Breakthrough Learning's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Center for Creative Leadership (CCL), Harvard Business Publishing Corporate Learning, Ken Blanchard Companies and Crucial Learning (formerly VitalSmarts). Direct peers are Capsim, Forio, Metalog, Stratx and GLO-BUS. Outback Team Building & Training is listed as a regional player.
Does Breakthrough Learning have an API?
No public API is recorded for Breakthrough Learning.
What industry is Breakthrough Learning in?
Breakthrough Learning's product category is Experiential Learning and Training Products. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAGAKAC, Corporate Learning & Training Content Development, with a secondary code of EDAFAGAJ, Interactive Presentation & Lesson Delivery Engagement Tools. Its NAICS code is 611430 and its SIC code is 8200.