Accenture Invests in Immersive Learning Startup Talespin

February 17, 2022 at 08:59 AM EST

Accenture (NYSE: ACN) has made a strategic investment, through Accenture Ventures, in Talespin, a spatial computing company focused on workforce talent development and skills mobility. Talespin’s platform delivers XR-based learning and training applications, mixed reality job aides to support employee job performance and a new skills-based approach to work and productivity.

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Accenture Invests in XR-based Immersive Learning Startup Talespin (Photo: Business Wire)

The World Economic Forum projects that by 2030, over one billion workers will have needed to reskill, as the core capabilities required for work across industries change. This makes it vital that companies implement engaging training programs to equip their workforces with these new skills. Immersive learning, built on Extended Reality (XR) technologies, offers opportunities for employees to participate in “hands-on” learning, and has been shown to lead to greater learning retention. Talespin’s platform powers the creation and distribution of immersive learning experiences, and supports an ecosystem of learning content creators, leading learning platforms, XR hardware partners and enterprise customers. It uses 3D, virtual humans and environments to help people practice conversational skills and simulate jobs with real-time feedback and skills analytics.

“As the workforce evolves, so do the skills needed to excel and succeed. At the same time, device, computing and connectivity advances are enabling companies to explore new, innovative approaches to learning,” said Kyle Jackson, co-founder and chief executive officer, Talespin. “We are excited to work with Accenture to further develop our immersive learning platform and accelerate its adoption on a global scale.”

Tom Lounibos, managing director of Accenture Ventures, said, “Over 90% of executives who responded to a recent Accenture survey believe that their existing training methods need to be more effective and efficient. Yet conventional approaches to training, such as instructor-led classes or online video series, are not always effective; in fact, research shows that learners forget 70 percent of this type of content within 24 hours and nearly 90 percent in a month. The need for engaging, immersive learning is clear, and we believe that Talespin is well-positioned to address this challenge.”

Talespin is part of Accenture Ventures’ Project Spotlight, an engagement and investment program that connects emerging technology software startups with the Global 2000 to fill strategic innovation gaps. Project Spotlight offers extensive access to Accenture’s domain expertise and its enterprise clients, helping startups harness human creativity and deliver on the promise of their technology. Talespin is also the latest addition to the investment portfolio of Accenture Ventures, which is focused on investing in companies that create or apply disruptive enterprise technologies.

Terms of the investment were not disclosed.

About Accenture

Accenture is a global professional services company with leading capabilities in digital, cloud and security. Combining unmatched experience and specialized skills across more than 40 industries, we offer Strategy and Consulting, Interactive, Technology and Operations services — all powered by the world’s largest network of Advanced Technology and Intelligent Operations centers. Our 674,000 people deliver on the promise of technology and human ingenuity every day, serving clients in more than 120 countries. We embrace the power of change to create value and shared success for our clients, people, shareholders, partners and communities. Visit us at accenture.com.

About Talespin

Talespin is building the spatial computing platform to power talent development and skills mobility for the future of work. Founded in 2015, the company leverages its proprietary platform to offer enterprise customers, partners, and individuals an end-to-end solution for creating, distributing, and measuring the impact of immersive learning content. Talespin is building a future of work where the distance between learning and execution is collapsed, enabling people to explore unique career paths that meet the needs of both businesses and individuals.