Multiverse, a UK-based upskilling platform, has raised $70 million in strategic funding led by Schroders Capital. The company pairs expert human coaching with its Atlas AI coach to deliver on-the-job apprenticeships in AI, data, and engineering fields. The capital supports expansion across Europe following the January 2026 acquisition of Berlin-based StackFuel.
AI Shortage Doubles UK Hiring Times
The raise arrives as AI skills shortages double hiring timelines to nine months in UK financial services, with firms paying 50% premiums for talent per The Banker. More than half of employers report difficulty finding graduates with AI skills according to a European study. Multiverse addresses this gap for enterprises like Microsoft, NHS, and John Lewis, claiming over £2 billion in verified customer ROI per company data.
Workforce Lags Behind AI Tools
Enterprise AI adoption stalls due to skills mismatches, with only 42% of employees using AI daily versus 59% of leaders who expect it from Multiverse research. Traditional training fails to embed skills in daily workflows, leaving productivity stagnant despite AI investments. Apprenticeship starts in the UK reached 353,000 in 2024/25 amid government levy funding, yet demand outpaces supply.
Atlas AI Scales Human Coaching
Multiverse's platform delivers applied learning through programs like AI-Powered Productivity (Level 3) and Data Fellowship (Level 4). Unlike rivals QA and Kaplan, which focus on broader IT courses, Multiverse emphasizes measurable business outcomes such as 45% of learners earning promotions and 10+ hours weekly time savings per apprentice per platform metrics. The Atlas AI coach, now serving 23,000 users with 2 million messages, triages support to scale coaching efficiently.
As CEO Euan Blair stated in the funding announcement:
"The missing piece of the productivity puzzle isn't more software, but the human infrastructure required to actually deploy it."
Tier-1 VCs Bet on AI Talent
Joining lead investor Schroders Capital are General Catalyst (backers of Anthropic), Lightspeed Venture Partners, and Index Ventures. This syndicate, with heavy AI convictions from portfolios including Anthropic and Stripe, values Multiverse at $2.1 billion post-money. The mix signals confidence in scaling AI upskilling as mission-critical infrastructure for enterprises navigating workforce transformation.
Edtech Market Hits $187B
The global edtech market stands at $187 billion in 2025, projected to reach $437 billion by 2033 at 10.8% CAGR per Grand View Research. Upskilling and reskilling follows closely at $58.7 billion in 2025 growing to $148.4 billion by 2034 according to DataIntelo. In the UK, corporate training exceeds $20 billion via IMARC Group, where Multiverse leads rivals in apprenticeship revenue per FE Week.
Ex-Amazon Exec Joins Leadership
Multiverse appointed Jay Richman, former VP at Amazon and Spotify, as Chief Product Officer in February 2026. This hire bolsters product development amid aggressive expansion, complementing founder Euan Blair's vision and board member Martha Lane Fox's influence. The team has trained 22,000-30,000 learners across 1,500+ partners, achieving cash positivity in Q1 2026.
Targets 100K German Workers
Post-StackFuel acquisition, Multiverse aims to train 100,000 German workers while hiring in go-to-market, engineering, and product roles. New programs like AI Solutions Builder and Engineering Academy support enterprise scaling. With 50% YoY revenue growth and government alignments like DSIT's AI Skills Boost, the company positions as Europe's AI adoption layer.