About Upright Education
Upright Education partners with colleges, universities and employers to deliver short career-focused training in AI, data analytics and cybersecurity. Courses blend live and asynchronous instruction with college certificates and individual career support.
Upright has supported more than 5,000 learners across more than 50 colleges and employers. Social Finance reported a 79% job-placement rate and $59,588 average salary among reporting grant-funded learners six months after graduation.
Funding Rounds (SEC Form D)
| First sale | Filed with SEC | Amount sold | Investors | Avg. check | Terms | Filing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 8, 2026 | Oct 23, 2026 | $1,533,856of $2.7M target | 11 | $139K | EquityRule 506(b) | Form D ↗ |
| Jun 22, 2022 | Jul 7, 2022 | $1,750,000of $3.0M target | 3 | $583K | DebtRule 506(b) | Form D ↗ |
| Jul 23, 2021 | Aug 2, 2021 | $450,000fully sold | 4 | $112K | EquityRule 506(b) | Form D ↗ |
| Jul 23, 2021 | Jul 30, 2021 | $1,085,000fully sold | 4 | $271K | Simple Agreement for Future EquityRule 506(b) | Form D ↗ |
| Total, four offerings | $4,818,856 | |||||
First sale is the date the first investor in the offering committed to invest. Companies must file Form D within 15 days of that date, so filing dates run later.
What the SEC Filings Show
Who Invested in Upright Education
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| Announced | Round | Amount | Lead | Other investors | On the Form D | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 3, 2025 | Investment | $3 million | Social Finance's UP Fund | — | [5] |
Announced amounts can differ from Form D figures: an announcement can combine several closings, and some money is raised without a Form D.
Why Investors Backed Upright Education
Slow public-grant reimbursements can restrict how many eligible learners a training provider serves. Social Finance highlighted Upright’s results for grant-funded students and its partnerships in overlooked mid-sized metro areas. The investor also saw value for colleges through enrollment revenue shares and broader course offerings. [5]
Origin and Team
Benjamin (Benny) Boas founded Upright and also co-founded Burlington Code Academy with Alexander Horner. Burlington Code Academy prepared adults for faster moves into coding or UX design careers. [4][6]
Product and Technology
Partner colleges can launch co-branded programs with no upfront payment. Upright provides curriculum, instruction and learner support, then handles reporting, compliance and certificates. [1]
Employer programs can use cohort-based or on-demand formats with per-seat discounts and flexible scheduling. Learners complete projects with tools including ChatGPT, Python and Replit. [1]
Courses generally run part-time for four to six months. Graduates receive a partner-college certificate and one-on-one career coaching. [5]
Upright gives two learner-satisfaction figures: 84% and 83% across at least 12 programs. [1]
Use of Funds
- The investment will finance training upfront for students eligible for WIOA and similar tuition-support grants, letting Upright enroll more students at no cost while reimbursements are pending. [5]
Milestones
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| Date | What happened | Source | Coverage |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 5, 2025 | Upright announced a partnership with the University of Massachusetts Boston to expand career-ready learning opportunities. | [1] | — |
| Mar 7, 2025 | Metropolitan Community College of Kansas City and Upright announced four career-reskilling programs. | [1] | — |
| Oct 9, 2024 | Kennesaw State University and Upright formed a partnership focused on technology workforce development in Georgia. | [4] | — |
| Jul 28, 2023 | Old Dominion University and Upright announced additional online technology-reskilling programs. | [1] | — |
| Jul 28, 2023 | Front Range Community College and Upright announced online coding bootcamps for adult career changers. | [4] | — |
| Nov 29, 2022 | Rutgers University’s continuing education unit and Upright announced a partnership. | [1] | — |
| Sep 13, 2022 | Upright, Holyoke Community College and Springfield Technical Community College formally announced partnerships serving Western Massachusetts. | [4] | BusinessWest ↗MassLive ↗ |
Market
Upright estimates that 40% of the global workforce needs new AI skills. It reports that noncredit programs grew 18% over five years and generated more than $1 billion in tuition revenue as digital-skills enrollment rose. Social Finance points to declining college enrollment and uncertain public funding. [1][5]
We wrote this summary from public statements by Upright Education and its investors. It is not investment advice.
Leadership Team
Executive officers and directors listed on Upright Education's Form D filed Oct 23, 2026.
Sources
- CompanyUpright Education programs, delivery model, partnerships and outcomes · linked above ↑
- CompanyUpright Education company story
- CompanyUpright Education privacy policy and legal name
- CompanyUpright Education Western Massachusetts partnership announcement
- InvestorSocial Finance $3 million Upright Education investment announcement
- InvestorVCET profile of Burlington Code Academy’s co-founders
- SECUpright Education Form D, filed 2026-10-23 · linked above ↑
- SECUpright Education Form D, filed 2022-07-07 · linked above ↑
- SECUpright Education Form D, filed 2021-08-02 · linked above ↑
- SECUpright Education Form D, filed 2021-07-30 · linked above ↑
- SECUpright Education, Inc. filing history