SafetyCulture deepens its COVID response with $29M acquisition of ‘micro-learning’ app
September 16, 2020 | Startland News Staff
An Australian startup with a significant presence in Kansas City has acquired a mobile training app to boost COVID-era education for businesses through free “micro-learning” resources.
“We’re experiencing the biggest workplace shake-up since economies were rebuilt after World War II. This is not survival of the fittest, this is survival of those that can adapt,” said Luke Anear, CEO of SafetyCulture, detailing how folding in EdApp’s technology is the next step for the company. “The pandemic has made it clear there’s a huge appetite for training as companies look to get safely back to business. EdApp will strengthen our ability to support businesses to do their best work.”
EdApp offers micro lessons downloaded straight to users’ smartphones. Learners acquire knowledge in targeted bursts when it suits them best and can learn at their own pace, according to SafetyCulture, which boasts a Crossroads-based second headquarters in Kansas City. Courses that employ micro elearning typically see completion rates rise from as low as 15 percent to about 90 percent and beyond, the company said in a press release. The app currently delivers about 50,000 lessons per day across more than 90 countries.
Click here to learn more about EdApp, which hails from New York City.
SafetyCulture’s $29 million acquisition of EdApp comes as the Sydney, Australia-born workplace safety and quality platform dedicates its 2020 to helping businesses navigate reopening amid new safety restrictions, Anear said.
In response to COVID-19, SafetyCulture digitized workplace guidance from governments and leading industry bodies across the world into free, ready to use and customizable checklists via its iAuditor app — which already has more than 75,000 users at more than 26,000 organizations.
Click here to learn more about iAuditor.

2020 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
10 ways to wear (or gift) KC’s maker scene
Editor’s note: Below you’ll find a list of 10 wearable gift ideas for your holiday shopping list. Click here to check out the rest of Startland News’ 2019 Gift Guide. Mackbecks shuttlecock earrings Handcrafted in Kansas City, Mackbecks’ tassel earrings capture the spirit of the iconic Nelson Atkins Museum’s shuttlecocks. Price: $25 Where to buy: Midcoast…
Opening pitch: Sandlot Goods’ new workshop puts fresh spin on its best-selling wallet
As Sandlot Goods moves deeper into a new workspace off Southwest Boulevard, the six-year-old premier maker is stitching an aesthetic that holds true to its classic appeal but ventures away from hometown branding. “In the last year, we have been dialing back the overly Kansas City feel,” said Chad Hickman, owner of Sandlot Goods. “We…
Hemp startup founders cultivate Year Round partnership in light of growing interest
A casual supply run produced more than equipment for United American Hemp; the team behind the Olathe startup walked away co-owners of another new venture. “We hit it off and invested both time and money in [the] business. … Since then [its] exploded in revenue,” Michael Wilson, director of research and development at United American…
Photos: Culture pops as Kritiq puts KC’s fashion family on the runway
The evolution of the Kritiq fashion show — from a one-night event to a full weekend showcasing up-and-coming artists and fashion designers in streetwear and high fashion — was an intentional effort to reflect Kansas City’s booming creative landscape, said Mark Launiu. “The culture [of Kansas City] is changing and we have to be a…

