CampusExplorer Raises Second Round

CampusExplorer.com, a Santa Monica, Calif.-based college search portal, has raised $2.25 million in Series B funding. OCA Ventures led the round, and was joined by Origin Ventures and return backer Rincon Venture Partners.

 

PRESS RELEASE

CampusExplorer.com, the most comprehensive college search portal on the web, announced today that it has secured $2.25 million in Series B funding led by Chicago-based OCA Ventures, along with Origin Ventures and existing investor Rincon Venture Partners of Santa Barbara, CA.

 

CampusExplorer.com provides both traditional and adult students with free interactive search tools to help them choose the right institution to best meet their post secondary educational goals. Its comprehensive database houses information ranging from curriculum and study programs to tuition and application requirements on more than 6,000 schools, including two- and four- year colleges, career and technical schools and online programs.

 

CampusExplorer.com will use the funding to invest in product and technology development that will enable the company to expand and improve services and scalability to meet growing demand. With 10 months of consecutive revenue growth, and a 2500% jump in year-over-year site visits from January 2008 to January 2009, the company is positioned to continue building momentum with innovative new product offerings and the infrastructure to support it.

 

“As public education budgets get slimmer, the guidance counselor to student ratio is plummeting. Students simply are not getting the support they need to make this very important and potentially life-changing decision,” said Jerry Slavonia, CEO of CampusExplorer.com. “Because of this, and the fact that the Internet has become the primary source of information for so many people, we’re servicing a growing number of people with very specific post secondary educational needs. We intend to provide each visitor with a comprehensive, customized solution to help them plan a better future.”

 

CampusExplorer.com goes beyond providing basic institutional data to act as a digital advisor for prospective students. Site features include a side- by-side comparison of institutions, a personalized educational profile to help tailor search results and an analysis of a student’s chance for admission at their chosen schools.

 

“Finding the right fit for a college education is extremely important, especially given the cost of tuition and the educational and career setbacks that can occur when students transfer from one school to another,” said Eddie Lou, Partner with OCA Ventures, and newest Campus Explorer Director. “With their focus on the consumer Campus Explorer has proven to be an outstanding newcomer in this marketplace, a marketplace which historically hasn’t focused much at all on user experience. We look forward to bringing the latest in online interactive technologies into the post-secondary education decision.”

 

In addition to providing assistance to students, CampusExplorer.com facilitates admissions counselors’ abilities to interact contextually with prospective students and has plans to build out additional areas of information around financial aid, scholarships, admission test preparation and housing options.

 

For more information, visit http://www.campusexplorer.com.

 

About CampusExplorer.com

 

CampusExplorer.com provides consumers helpful information and easy-to-use tools that will help make finding the right post secondary institution a more rewarding experience. Whether for students, parents, counselors or people looking to advance their careers, CampusExplorer.com works to simplify the process of discovery surrounding post secondary education.

 

About OCA Ventures

 

OCA Ventures is a venture capital firm based in Chicago focused on investments in companies with dramatic growth potential, primarily in technology, financial services, for-profit education and technology-enabled services businesses. OCA Ventures manages three funds and has invested in 26 companies since it began in 1999. For more information, please visit http://www.ocaventures.com.