New commercial pilot program connects education and workforce startups with Strategic Education, Inc.’s global portfolio to test, measure, and scale emerging technologies

Strategic Education, Inc. (NASDAQ: STRA), a global leader in higher education and workforce development, and LearnLaunch Fund + Accelerator, a nationally recognized edtech accelerator known for its deep expertise in cultivating and scaling high-impact learning innovations, today announced the launch of Strategic Education, Inc. Signal Labs, a new commercial pilot program designed to fast-track innovation in learning and employment. Startups who join will have the unique benefit of having upfront focus and attention from LearnLaunch Fund + Accelerator, as well as immediate access to the Strategic Education global portfolio for product testing.

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“LearnLaunch, through our Breakthrough to Scale accelerator program and catalytic capital investments, helps promising education and workforce upskilling startups to scale. One of the biggest challenges facing our companies is finding a partner who can provide the real-world environment to test scaling strategies,” said Jean Hammond, Co-Founder and General Partner at LearnLaunch. “We’re excited to partner with Strategic Education and launch this commercial pilot program to solve this problem. Strategic Education, Inc. Signal Labs will bring badly needed reach, infrastructure, and deep operational knowledge to move these companies forward.”

“Together, we will surface solutions that solve real problems,” said Hammond. “With hands-on support from the Strategic Education team, startups will be able to test and refine their product to help scale faster, giving institutions, students, and employers access to the transformative solutions they’ve been waiting for.”

The initiative will connect growth-stage education and future-of-work startups with Strategic Education’s global ecosystem of institutions, students and employer partners to test, measure, and scale solutions that enhance the student experience, remove friction points and improve student and workforce outcomes.

“The pace of change in today’s world is accelerating, and higher education must keep up,” said Karl McDonnell, President and Chief Executive Officer of Strategic Education. “Students and faculty are living in an era defined by innovation, personalization, and immediacy. This commercial pilot program is our way of responding to that reality – creating a dedicated pipeline to experiment, refine, and scale new models that reflect the dynamic environments our students and educators navigate every day. By harnessing the full power of our institutions, partners, and data, we’re working to ensure that every experience within our network mirrors the ingenuity and agility of the world outside the classroom.”

Backed by more than a decade of experience, LearnLaunch brings deep industry expertise and an expansive, well-connected network of educators, investors, and strategic partners that empower founders to navigate the unique edtech landscape and accelerate their path to impact and scale. LearnLaunch brings years of experience investing in and supporting edtech entrepreneurs. LearnLaunch has supported over 90 early-stage companies, each focusing on scalable change in education and methods needed to up-skill the workforce.

With more than 130 years of experience, global student reach, and more than 1,400 employer partners across the U.S., Strategic Education operates one of the world’s largest adult learning portfolios. Through its network – which includes Capella University, Strayer University, Torrens University Australia, Sophia Learning, and Workforce Edge – Strategic Education helps working adults and employers upskill and reskill for the jobs of today and tomorrow.

To Apply: Strategic Education, Inc. Signal Labs is seeking ready-to-scale innovators with proven results and existing customers that align with its mission to expand access to affordable, career-relevant education to working adults and lifelong students. The program will prioritize solutions that advance student success and workforce readiness in areas such as non-degree and modular learning pathways, skills assessment, allied health, AR/VR, experiential learning, credentialing, and operational efficiency.

Applications for the 2025–2026 Strategic Education, Inc. Signal Labs cycle are open now at https://www.strategiceducation.com/strategic-education-signal-labs/.

About Strategic Education, Inc. Strategic Education, Inc. (NASDAQ: STRA) (www.strategiceducation.com) is dedicated to helping advance economic mobility through higher education. We primarily serve working adult students globally through our core focus areas: 1) Education Technology Services, developing and maintaining relationships with employers to build education benefits programs providing employees access to affordable and industry-relevant training, certificate, and degree programs, including through Workforce Edge, a full-service education benefits administration solution for employers, and Sophia Learning, which offers low-cost online general education-level courses that are ACE-recommended for college credit; 2) U.S. Higher Education, including Capella University and Strayer University, each institutionally accredited, and collectively offering flexible and affordable associate, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral programs; and 3) Australia/New Zealand, comprised primarily of Torrens University. This portfolio of high quality, innovative, relevant, and affordable programs and institutions helps our students prepare for success in today’s workforce and find a path to bettering their lives.

About LearnLaunch. LearnLaunch Fund + Accelerator is a Boston-based early-stage venture fund and accelerator transforming education for the age of AI. As one of the first funds in the U.S. to focus exclusively on education and workforce innovation, LearnLaunch has invested in more than 90 impact-driven companies advancing equity, access, and outcomes across the education ecosystem. Our blended model combines venture capital rigor with accelerator agility, offering milestone-based funding, hands-on CEO coaching, and tailored programming to help founders achieve product-market fit, scale growth, and build sustainable partnerships. Backed by more than a decade of experience, LearnLaunch brings deep industry expertise and an expansive, well-connected network of educators, investors, and strategic partners that empower founders to navigate the unique edtech landscape and accelerate their path to impact and scale. Learn more at learnlaunch.com/accelerator

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