News | Bertelsmann Investments | Gütersloh, 07/12/2023

Bertelsmann Investments Expands EMBRACE into Leading HR Tech Company with Acquisition of Studyflix

  • Strengthening of the existing EMBRACE platforms Ausbildung.de, MeinPraktikum.de, and Trainee.de
  • Combined reach of around nine million users
  • Important milestone in the expansion of future-focused division Bertelsmann Next

Gütersloh, July 12, 2023 – Bertelsmann Investments (BI) is strengthening its portfolio company EMBRACE by acquiring Studyflix, the largest career platform for students in German-speaking countries. The company reaches more than six million users per month. Within BI, EMBRACE is part of the Bertelsmann Next division, which works to advance the emerging fields of digital health, mobile gaming, and HR tech.

Carsten Coesfeld, CEO of Bertelsmann Investments, said: “With the Studyflix acquisition, we are building EMBRACE into one of Germany’s leading HR tech companies. I am very happy for Gero Hesse and his team. The transaction is an important milestone for Bertelsmann Investments in establishing and expanding our future-focused Bertelsmann Next division.”

Coesfeld added: “We believe in the two founders, Reinhard Blech and Benedikt Bergner. At Bertelsmann Investments, we give entrepreneurs the greatest possible freedom to develop their business and realize their vision.”

EMBRACE CEO Gero Hesse said: “Studyflix, a fast-growing company, is an excellent fit for our HR Tech portfolio. I have observed the impressive journey of Studyflix founders Reinhard Blech and Benedikt Bergner since 2018, so we already know each other very well – an ideal starting point for our upcoming close cooperation. The acquisition of Studyflix strengthens our reach, especially in the important Generation Z segment.”

Further to the takeover, the EMBRACE platforms Ausbildung.de, MeinPraktikum.de and Trainee.de will be managed under a shared umbrella with Studyflix going forward. Their joint reach amounts to around nine million users per month. The established Studyflix brand will be retained.

The transaction is expected to close in the coming weeks. BI will continue to expand its HR Tech portfolio in the months ahead, and is planning further investments and acquisitions.

About Bertelsmann Investments
Bertelsmann Investments (BI) comprises Bertelsmann’s global venture capital activities as well as the Bertelsmann Next growth unit. The venture capital arm includes the Bertelsmann Asia Investments (BAI), Bertelsmann India Investments (BII) and Bertelsmann Digital Media Investments (BDMI) funds, as well as selected fund and direct holdings in markets including Europe, the United States, Brazil, Southeast Asia and Africa. The Bertelsmann Next unit advances the entrepreneurial development of new growth sectors and business areas, including digital health, mobile gaming and HR Tech. To date, around €1.7 billion has been invested in more than 400 innovative companies and funds through Bertelsmann Investments. Bertelsmann Investments currently holds over 300 active investments worldwide through its network of start-ups and funds.

About EMBRACE
EMBRACE is a progressive brand family and part of Bertelsmann Investments. The company bundles innovative offerings from the areas of recruiting, retention and HR tech. Its team is united by a common goal: They want to make the world of work more human, more optimistic, and more technology-driven, based on the conviction that everyone deserves the best possible job and employer. The EMBRACE brand comprises an agency team for employer branding and recruiting campaigns, the annual #RC festival, a recruiting community, and content offerings such as whitepapers, webinars, and podcasts. Also part of EMBRACE are the high-reach recruiting platforms Ausbildung.de, meinPraktikum.de, Trainee.de, and the e-learning & career platform Studyflix.
EMBRACE has 350 employees at its sites in Gütersloh, Bochum, and Augsburg.
For more info: www.embrace.family 

About Studyflix
With more than 6 million active users a month, Studyflix is the largest e-learning and career platform for pupils, students and graduates in the GSA (Germany/Switzerland/Austria) region / the German-speaking territories. Studyflix offers members of GenZ 5,000+ free, explanatory learning- and career-related videos. More than 1,000 corporate customers use Studyflix for purposes of employer branding and recruiting young talent. The start-up was founded in Augsburg in 2018 by Reinhard Blech and Benedikt Bergner, and currently employs more than 100 people.
For more info: https://studyflix.de