YouScience Announces Strategic Investment from ECMC Group's Education Impact Fund to Expand Career Exploration and Success for All Individuals
Leading college and career readiness platform provider will use the funds to drive its mission to blend student success and workforce development
AMERICAN FORK, Utah, April 2, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- YouScience®, the leading education technology company transforming college and career readiness through its award-winning platform Brightpath, today announced a strategic investment from ECMC Group's Education Impact Fund (EIF). This partnership unites EIF's mission to improve outcomes for underserved learners and workers with YouScience's scientifically backed aptitude data and industry recognized certifications, to dramatically improve education outcomes and career opportunities for all students. Financial terms of the investment were not disclosed.
EIF is a multi-stage impact investment fund that exclusively invests in high-impact and transformative companies that seek to remove barriers to completion, revolutionize skill development, unlock equitable pathways and fuel career success.
'YouScience's mission to help all students uncover and act on their aptitudes, earn industry certifications, and meaningfully connect with employers, aligns with our goal of fostering effective, personalized pathways to college and career success,' said Joseph Watt, Vice President at ECMC Group and Managing Director of EIF. 'We are proud to support YouScience as they continue to expand their innovative solutions and empower more students to achieve their full potential.'
Founded in 2006, YouScience has been used by over 13,400 schools and organizations nationwide, guiding 4.1 million individuals through aptitude-based college and career planning, with more than 8 million industry-recognized certifications taken, to date. Co-founder and CEO, Edson Barton, has dedicated nearly 25 years to the skills certification industry, helping young adults break through glass and paper ceilings. Philip Hardin, co-founder, chairman, and CFO, led the groundbreaking creation of YouScience Aptitude & Career Discovery assessment and brings a proven track record of building successful technology companies, including growing Change Healthcare into a $1.3 billion enterprise.
Bias is a natural part of human behavior, but it significantly restricts opportunities and limits potential. YouScience's Aptitude Career & Discovery breaks down barriers such as biases, and stereotypes by aligning students' innate aptitudes (talents) with real-world, in-demand careers and the educational pathways to achieve them. With these insights, YouScience supports true career-connected learning (CCL) opportunities that advance student access and success. This CCL approach includes connecting classroom learning to employer needs through industry-recognized certifications, work-based learning opportunities, and guidance to individualized pathways to college and career.
'We're thrilled to receive this investment from ECMC Group's Education Impact Fund, which reinforces the message to districts, states, and colleges that there's a better way to engage, enroll, and support students in their best-fit education pathways,' said Barton. 'Through this partnership with EIF, we'll expand our mission and impact by connecting even more students with the data and tools they need to close opportunity gaps and achieve meaningful, personalized success.'
About YouScience®
YouScience® is the leading education technology company dedicated to empowering individuals with the data and credentials needed to succeed in school, career, and life. Its award-winning platform, Brightpath, is the only College & Career Readiness solution built for both compliance and impact–powered by scientifically backed aptitude discovery, industry-recognized certifications, and meaningful career connections. By leveraging cutting-edge research, AI, and industry collaboration, YouScience helps individuals uncover their unique talents, validate their skills, and connect with in-demand educational and career pathways. YouScience has served more than 13,400 educational institutions and millions of users nationwide, making it the preferred choice for individuals, parents, educators, and counselors to achieve real outcomes through education and career pathways.
About ECMC Group
ECMC Group is a nonprofit corporation focused on helping students succeed by creating, providing and investing in innovative educational opportunities. Headquartered in Minneapolis, ECMC Group and its family of companies provide financial tools and services, as well as funding for innovative programs to help students achieve their academic and professional goals. To learn more, visit www.ecmcgroup.org.
Education Impact Fund
The Education Impact Fund is a $250 million evergreen impact investment fund that aims to accelerate the transformation of America's postsecondary and workforce ecosystem by investing in innovative companies and collaborating with institutions, employers and communities toward a shared vision of improving education access and outcomes for underserved learners. To learn more, visit www.educationimpactfund.org.
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