Edtech platform Year13, which helps school leavers with the transition to work, has acquired veteran student discounts and support platform Student Edge.
The terms of the deal were not disclosed.
The deal for Year13, which coincidentally is 13-years-old, comes as cofounder and CEO Will Stubley prepared to relocate across the Pacific and join cofounder Saxon Phipps, based in North Carolina, as the company ramps up its US focus.
Year13 currently supports more than two million students. It raised $10 million from Future Now Capital in 2021 and is reportedly looking for a fresh capital injection.
Student Edge, founded in 2002, is used by around 1 million students from high school to TAFE and university, for everything from product discounts to career advice, study tools, news and entertainment.
Stubley said the acquisition would support the company’s growth, filling gaps and boosting its content and offerings, and supporting its US operations.
“The acquisition of Student Edge is a game-changer for our growth, both in Australia and the US. Locally, it strengthens our position with over 1 million users, strong partnerships, and proven research and data capabilities,” he said.
“In the US, it adds valuable experience in discounts, rewards, and enterprise relationships that align perfectly with our go-to-market strategy. Most importantly, it fast-tracks our plans in areas we’ve already invested in, including across user growth, research, rewards, and insights.”
Stubley said the acquisition was “a significant milestone”, extending Year13’s reach and capability to help more students globally.
Student Edge cofounder Damien Langley, said they built a trusted platform for young people.
“Joining forces with Year13 means we are combining two purpose-driven teams with a shared vision to help more students than ever before,” he said.
“Together, we’ll be able to scale our impact faster, expand our reach across Australia and the US, and unlock new value for both users and our partners.”
Stubley and his team are hoping to turn Year13 into a $1 billion valuation business and earlier this year, hired several former Atlassian staffers in a push to become AI-native.
They include Graham Carrick as head of engineering and Pirow Cronje as head of operations, plus ex-Atlassian product experts Nick Menere and Mark “Chai” Chaimungkalanot to rebuild Year13’s suite of digital tools with AI at the core, including a new AI Agent program that provides students with 24/7, personalised support.
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