AI-powered certification startup Certiverse has secured $11 million in a Series A funding round led by Cherryrock Capital, with additional backing from Chingona Ventures, Hyde Park Venture Partners, and Zeal Capital Partners. This brings the Chicago-based company’s total funding to just over $16 million.
Launched in 2023 by founders Ruben Garcia, Pablo Meyer, and Federico Lopez, Certiverse is on a mission to make professional certification exams faster, easier, and significantly more affordable to create.
Reinventing Certification Exam Development
Certiverse offers a platform that allows organizations to build certification programs at a fraction of the traditional cost. While legacy providers like Pearson VUE or Prometric often charge up to $150,000 and take a year to develop an exam, Certiverse claims its clients can build up to 10 exams per year for under $10,000 each.
“Becoming certified can be a life-changing milestone for professionals,” said CEO Ruben Garcia, who previously co-founded and exited Innovative Exams, a company specializing in exam delivery solutions.
“Our business model is built to support our clients’ success,” Garcia added. “We only generate most of our revenue once their exams go live and professionals begin taking them.”
Trusted by Tech Leaders
The platform has already attracted clients ranging from major nonprofits like The Linux Foundation to commercial tech firms such as HashiCorp. These early partnerships underscore Certiverse’s broad appeal across industries that rely on upskilling and verified expertise.
Efficient Fundraising to Accelerate Growth
Garcia described his fundraising approach as “focused,” pitching to around 50 investors over just 45 days. He connected with lead investor Cherryrock Capital through one of Certiverse’s existing backers.
Now armed with fresh capital, Certiverse plans to scale rapidly, aiming to onboard 1,000 new clients and partners onto its platform. The company will also use the funding to boost automation and make its platform even more accessible to organizations with limited technical resources.
Breaking Barriers to Access in Certification
Certiverse’s vision is to democratize access to professional certifications by removing the high upfront costs and long development timelines. As more companies and institutions seek to validate skills in a changing job market, Certiverse is positioning itself as the go-to platform for affordable, scalable, and efficient exam creation.
