Content curator Wakelet acquires online portfolio provider Bulb

Manchester-based content curation platform Wakelet has acquired Bulb, a digital portfolio provider used primarily by teachers and job applicants. The acquisition puts Wakelet a step further toward its ambitions of expansion into edtech. 

Having already established ‘Wakelet for educators”, the platform is looking to extend its features and functionalities by bringing in expertise from specialists in the sector. Wakelet graduated from Manchester’s science incubator in 2018 and its customers include including Harvard University, FC Barcelona and Atlanta Hawks and has also previously partnered with Microsoft Teams.

Bulb has users in over 100 countries, affording its acquirer a broader overview of key concerns, advances and requirements across a multitude of education systems. Wakelet itself is used by millions of educators, students, and professionals to capture, organise and present digital content. 

Both platforms will continue to function independently, with new customers being unaffected by the transition and able to choose between either to meet their needs.

CEO of Wakelet, Jamil Khalil, said:

“Our primary mission in education is to ensure that every learner from every background has an equal opportunity to demonstrate the skills they’ve acquired to the people who matter. We’ve seen the incredible impact bulb has been able to make on learners across the world, and we’re excited for what we’ll be able to achieve together.”

Khalil went on to say:

“As the jobs market becomes more digitized, employers are placing significant importance on a candidate’s ability to showcase the skills they’ve learned, the goals they’ve achieved, and the things that make them unique. Education systems are responding to this, by going further than ever to prepare their students for life beyond the classroom - empowering them with digital portfolios. Together with Bulb, we’ll be able to offer even more value to schools and districts looking to maximize student outcomes inside and outside the classroom.”