Cengage buys cybersecurity e-learning firm Infosec for £146m

Education technology firm Cengage Group has agreed to acquire cybersecurity education provider Infosec for $190.8m (£146m).  

The acquisition will enable Cengage to “expand into the cybersecurity professional training market and meaningfully increase the size of its rapidly growing workforce skills business". The transaction is expected to close in the first calendar quarter of 2022, subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals.  

Infosec will join Cengage Group’s ed2go business, an e-learning platform that offers online college courses, career training and continuing education as part of its workforce skills business. Cengage said it would "retain and invest in" Infosec employees and products to support future growth. 

Michael E Hansen, c.e.o. of Cengage, said: “The cybersecurity industry is at a critical inflection point where the skilled labor shortage could have far-reaching and lasting effects on business and personal safety. At the same time, it provides an opportunity for unemployed or underemployed workers who can upskill or reskill for career advancement. With our scale and resources, more cybersecurity professionals will have access to an affordable and faster option to develop the skills they need.”  

“The online, employer-paid cybersecurity training segment is currently a $1bn market, with expectations that it will grow to $10bn annually by 2027. Combining Infosec with our already successful Workforce Skills business will provide top-line growth, expand our base of recurring revenue and accelerate our opportunity within the space.” 

Since its founding in 2004, Infosec has already trained more than 100,000 cybersecurity professionals, and helped more than five million learners with training to improve cybersecurity knowledge and safety at home and work, the organisation said. 

Jack Koziol, c.e.o. and founder of Infosec, said: “Infosec was built by talented employees who truly believe that knowledge is power and care deeply about creating training materials that help cybersecurity professionals advance in their careers and keep employers and staff aware of cybersecurity threats at home and at work. Cengage Group has the same level of passion for making learning accessible, affordable and applicable to today’s cybersecurity professionals. Building on ed2go’s history in online training, Infosec will benefit from Cengage Group’s scale and expertise, which means we can reach more cybersecurity professionals and employers that are looking to not only grow their careers but to keep businesses, governments and people safe from cyber threats.”  

Cengage will “harness its expertise and scale to expand the reach of Infosec’s products and services to train learners in the US and globally”, the company said. Through Infosec Skills, cybersecurity professionals have access to more than 1,400 cybersecurity courses, and the option to upgrade to “boot camp style” training to prepare for certifications.