Announcing Our Investment into Ceresa
Problem: At the beginning of 2021, with the introduction of vaccines, we anticipated the work world would return to a place of pre-pandemic normalcy.
However, 2021 and 2022 proved to be more turbulent than ever anticipated due to the emergence of new Covid variations, the shift of at-home and hybrid work environments, fierce talent competition and record-high leave rates shown through the Great Resignation. The days of people working their entire lives for one firm or even one industry are long gone and much of this can be attributed to a lack of emphasis and on individual employee investment. The lack of focus on leadership development results in (a) attrition, (b) under-performing managers and teams and (c) particularly acute problems for diverse talent, who receive less informal mentoring, support, and access. Retention of talent and DEI have become critical C-level agenda items, backed by growing budgets despite recession concerns. In fact, according to the Harvard Business Journal, the number one priority for HR executives in 2022 and beyond is the need to address how they are managing fairness and equity across the increasingly varied employee experience.
Enter: Ceresa
Ceresa is a learning and development platform that provides professionals the tools they need to grow into leadership positions. Ceresa is a first-of-its-kind leadership development and training platform that works with businesses to attract and retain motivated, growing, and diverse individuals as leaders in their companies. The program starts with a self-reflection, a 360-degree feedback process and vision and goal-setting exercises that will set users on a personalized career development journey. This journey includes a mix of training, on-demand mentoring videos and peers learning programs. Recognizing that professional success is more than just workplace skills, the platform helps users with self-awareness, goal-setting, and relationship-building skills that provide the foundation for higher-level leadership skills, like communication, giving feedback, and managing up. Customers report more than 5X ROI, with data showing impact across retention, performance improvement, more confidence, and higher career aspirations. Ceresa is turning the leadership development and training market on its head - so companies no longer have to choose between impact and scale. As a result, employees are better equipped to take on new challenges and contribute to the organization.
Why We Invested: We invested in Ceresa because we strongly believe in not only the mission of Ceresa but also the founder, Anna Robinson. Spend 10 minutes with Anna and you will see why. She is disciplined, driven, insanely smart, capable and on a mission to make the future org charts of the working world more equitable and talented. Enabling a workplace that is innovative, inclusive and insightful demands a strategy to rethink how work gets done and all work starts with proper leadership. As society grows more connected through technology, it is becoming exponentially more important to maintain and grow top talent.
Team: Anna Robinson, Founder & CEO
Anna Robinson is an entrepreneurial and mission-driven leader, founding Ceresa in 2018. At Ceresa, we use technology and data to democratize access to truly transformative leadership development and career management. As a proud mother to two girls and a transgender son, Anna is committed to diversifying leadership for the future - so our children aren't having these same conversations in another 40 years. Prior to launching Ceresa, Anna was an expert in US healthcare reform, performance improvement, and M&A. She has extensive experience serving not-for-profit health systems and foundations with global, hands-on experience across NA, Europe, and Africa; is skilled in creating innovative partnerships, not-for-profit strategies, grants, governance, and culture transformations; negotiating/structuring performance contracts; and building mentorship/development programs. Anna has an MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business, an MPhil, and a BA from the University of Oxford, England.
Market Size Opportunities
The corporate leadership training market share is expected to increase by $15.78 billion from 2020 to 2025. This reflects the increasing demand for such platforms as businesses strive to develop the next generation of leaders.
Leadership development platforms are used by businesses of all sizes to develop and improve the leadership skills of their employees. Companies with strategic leadership development programs can adapt quickly in an uncertain business climate. Advanced leadership training programs also aid in the creation of a strong pipeline of talent, which is why firms are investing more on corporate leadership training. These platforms can range from online courses and tutorials to immersive experiences that take place over several days or weeks. The benefits of using a leadership development platform include improved communication and collaboration skills, increased productivity, and better decision-making. Employees who have participated in leadership development programs are also more likely to stay with their company for longer periods of time and they have an increased sense of ownership and belonging.