Our Mission: To improve lives through innovations in education
Our Story
Bisk Ventures was founded by Mike Bisk in 2015 to support the innovative use of technology to engage students in impactful learning experiences and to strengthen education to employment pathways. We’ve invested globally in more than 40 companies and counting who push the edge of what’s possible in education technology. Our portfolio is made up of an incredibly diverse group of founders and solutions. We’ve also enhanced our focus on impact as we’ve increased our global footprint over the past decade, while remaining committed to backing startups in the early stages of development – where funding and meaningful support are often in short supply.
We have a passion for solutions that bring efficiency and efficacy to serving the needs of students and faculty in post-secondary and professional education.
Team
Mike Bisk is the Founder and President of Bisk Ventures. He founded the firm in 2015 to help bridge the gap between education and technology.
A leader in the edtech industry, Mike is the CEO of Bisk, the nation’s leading online program management company, where he has dedicated more than 30 years to helping universities deliver exceptional online education to students around the world.
A regular speaker, panelist and judge at edtech events across the country and strategic advisor to the 40+ companies he has invested in, Mike is passionate about providing the best learning experiences for students and educators.
Mike earned a Bachelor of Science from the University of Florida and an MBA Executive Certificate from Tulane University. He serves on the Board of Trustees for the Florida Institute of Technology.
George is the Managing Director of Bisk Ventures. He serves as an active advisor to the Firm’s portfolio in matters related to strategy, development, and product, as well as fund raising and access to the global ed tech industry investor network. He serves on advisory boards at education technology accelerators including Michelson 20MM, USC Rossier Edventures, WISE and Eduspaze, and is a regular speaker, mentor and startup judge at industry events including ASU/GSV and EdTech Week.
Prior to joining Bisk Ventures, George spent 12 years at Bisk as Chief Strategy Officer and VP Business Development, focusing on product and new customer relationships with university leadership, as well as overseeing legal and regulatory matters as General Counsel.
Prior to Bisk, he founded several early Internet startups, practiced as a commercial litigator and served as an assistant county attorney.
George earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in literature from Colgate and Georgetown Universities, respectively, and a JD from Valparaiso University School of Law. He’s currently a Venturer in Residence at the Viterbi Center for Engineering in Education at USC.
What Makes Us Different
Experience
We take an active role in our investments, leveraging more than 50 years of digital education experience. We’ve worked with leading non-profit universities to offer hundreds of degree and certificate programs online.
Guidance
Our investment is more than just financial. We guide portfolio companies in both strategy and execution and offer support for establishing and navigating relationships with students, institutions and corporations.
Opportunity
We are uniquely positioned to help startups grow and scale with the possibility of connecting portfolio companies with institutional decision makers as well as Bisk's scaled online education platform and value chain of services.
Investment Philosophy
We invest in best of breed, innovative early stage software and service companies that fundamentally impact the higher education lifecycle and the student, faculty and administrator experience to create savings, value, throughput and overall results. Our investments span the following pillars of the higher education lifecycle:
- Strategic Planning
- Marketing Services
- Recruitment & Enrollment
- Corporate Learning
- Learning Experience
- Student Support
- Data & ERP
- Career Services
- Alternate Credentials
