Knack raises Series B from New Markets Venture Partners, appoints industry leader Megan Dusenbery as CEO

Funding supports continued scale of higher education partnerships for student-led peer learning; education leader Megan Dusenbery appointed CEO; founder Samyr Qureshi becomes Executive Chairman.

MIAMI, Oct. 21, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Knack, the leading student success technology platform that enables higher education institutions to power and scale peer learning programs, today announced the appointment of Megan Dusenbery as Chief Executive Officer. Founding CEO Samyr Qureshi will transition to Executive Chairman of the Board. The company also announced it has raised a Series B funding round led by New Markets Venture Partners (NMVP).

After a decade of launching and leading the company, Samyr Qureshi will transition from CEO to Executive Chairman, remaining engaged in go-to-market and long-range strategy. Under his leadership, Knack launched on hundreds of campuses nationwide, partnering with prominent institutions such as Fordham University, Northeastern University, University of San Diego, University of Florida, and Georgia Tech, among dozens of others. Knack's partnerships have enabled student peer tutors to earn millions of dollars and have demonstrably helped institutions strengthen their retention and graduation rates.

"I'm thrilled for this next chapter, for me and for the company," said Samyr Qureshi, Founder & Executive Chairman. "With nearly 20 years of experience partnering with higher education institutions, Megan brings a rare combination of domain depth and disciplined execution. I could not be more excited to support Knack in a new capacity under Megan's leadership."

Dusenbery brings extensive experience in higher education partnerships and revenue leadership, most recently serving as Chief Partnerships Officer at the Association of College and University Educators (ACUE) and previously holding senior roles at Kaplan, including Senior Vice President of Higher Education.

"I'm honored to lead Knack's talented team into this exciting new phase of growth. At this pivotal moment in higher education, it is more crucial than ever to invest in solutions that yield meaningful retention outcomes for students. What excites me most about Knack is that our platform not only delivers measurable retention outcomes for institutions but also creates paid high-impact job opportunities for students to lead, mentor, and gain real-world skills—impacting both student learning and workforce readiness," said incoming CEO, Megan Dusenbery.

As part of the transaction and leadership transition, Robb Doub, General Partner at NMVP, and Megan Dusenbery will join Knack's Board of Directors. Samyr Qureshi will remain on the board as Executive Chairman.

"Megan is the right leader for this phase," NMVP's Doub added. "We're looking forward to working with her and the team."

About Knack

Founded in 2015, Knack is the leading student success technology platform that enables higher-ed institutions to power and scale peer learning programs, making support more personalized and accessible for every student, from freshman to senior year. Institutions such as Auburn University, Fordham University, the University of Maine, Rutgers University, and dozens of others partner with Knack to identify, credential, and deploy high-achieving students as paid peer tutors—expanding academic support while creating meaningful, skill-building work. Knack is backed by leading venture investors and education companies, including New Markets Venture Partners, Precursor Ventures, ETS.org, Chegg, Arizona State University Enterprise Partners, Village Capital, and Bisk Ventures. Learn more at joinknack.com.

About New Markets Venture Partners

Founded in 2002 by Mark Grovic and Robb Doub, New Markets Venture Partners is one of the longest-running venture firms focused on education and workforce technology. In 2023, the firm raised over $160 million for its oversubscribed Economic Mobility Fund to back evidence-based solutions that improve student and worker outcomes. Learn more at newmarketsvp.com.

SOURCE Knack