Koru Secures $8 Million Series A Funding Led By Maveron

SEATTLE, Jan. 29, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Today Koru (www.joinkoru.com), the leading talent marketplace focused on landing college grads in jobs they love, announces that it has completed a $8 million Series A financing round led by Maveron. The financing round includes participation from new investors City Light Capital and Trilogy Equity Partners. Existing investors Battery Ventures and First Round also re-invested in this round. In addition, Koru announces that Zillow will join as an employer partner for the Seattle programs.

Koru's intensive business program teaches college grads relevant skills in a real-work setting and gets them hired. Intentionally designed to develop the competencies that high-growth, innovative companies seek like analytical rigor and business impact, Koru gives recent college graduates the relevant skills, experience, and network to be workplace-ready and, furthermore, places them inside some of the best companies in the US. To date, eighty-five percent of Koru graduates have been hired into meaningful, entry-level roles.

"At Maveron, we partner with outstanding entrepreneurs and believe that Kristen's track record and her passion for education from her non-profit and private industry experience set her apart," said Clayton Lewis, General Partner at Maveron and Board member for Koru.  "Over 50% of college graduates are unemployed or underemployed, and at the same time, employers are hungry for entry-level talent who will be impactful and committed. Koru bridges the gap to create a win-win for graduates and employers through a marketplace solution. It's why we think Koru is a winner in the ed tech market."

Koru will use the funds to continue to scale its rapidly growing programs, which are now available in Boston, San Francisco and Seattle, and invest in technology to drive an even broader impact on college graduates' job prospects. The funding round brings total capital raised to date by Koru to $12.57 million.

"There is a clear and massive need for an efficient talent marketplace in today's job market where employer expectations for entry level hires are increasing while pathways for graduates are less and less clear. This new round of funding from our investors allows us to prepare more grads for employment and partner with additional top-notch employers and colleges," said Kristen Hamilton, co-founder and CEO of Koru.  

Koru's growth and progress since it raised initial funding just over a year ago has been rapid, with the addition of programs in two news cities and top tier employer partners, like Zillow.

"Hiring graduates who are savvy, smart and well-prepared for a fast-paced work environment is critical to Zillow's success," said Annie Rihn, Director of Recruiting at Zillow. "We are excited to work with Koru to help their grads learn and grow with on the job training."

Koru is also attracting top talent to its senior executive team. The company announces the hiring of Christina Mautz as the Vice President of Marketing. Mautz joins Koru from Amazon Local, where she was Head of Merchant Marketing. Mautz will be responsible for all areas of marketing and applicant acquisition. Prior to Amazon Local, Mautz spent more than a decade leading brand, industry, marketing communications, and innovations teams for advertising and media companies, including Amazon Media Group and Yahoo.

For more information on Koru and complete details on upcoming programs, future locations, and application deadlines, please visit www.joinkoru.com.

About Koru
Koru is the leading talent marketplace that transforms the college-to-career landscape, designed to quickly make recent college graduates workplace-ready and place them inside high-growth work environments. Koru was founded by veteran entrepreneurs; Kristen Hamilton, co-founder at Onvia and former COO at World Learning, and Josh Jarrett, former head of Higher Education Innovation for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and consultant with McKinsey & Company.  Koru has raised $12.57 million in funding from Maveron, City Light Capital, Trilogy Equity Partners, Battery Ventures, First Round, Andreessen Horowitz, and Nas' Queensbridge Venture Partners. Headquartered in Seattle, Koru runs employer-embedded programs in Seattle, San Francisco, and Boston with partners like LinkedIn and Porch to give recent graduates the skills, experience and connections they need to get hired and make an immediate impact at leading companies.  For more information on Koru and details on upcoming programs and partners, please visit www.joinkoru.com.

SOURCE Koru

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