Social Finance Announces $3 Million Investment in Upright Education to Help Students Access Short-Term Training for Technology Careers

The investment aims to drive economic mobility for learners by enabling Upright to expand access to its program to WIOA-eligible and other grant-supported students. 

(BOSTON, MA) — Today, Social Finance announced that the UP Fund has made a $3 million investment in Upright Education, a mission-driven technology training provider that works with colleges, universities, and employers to equip adult learners with in-demand digital skills through practical, hands-on training. The investment aims to expand access to Upright’s training by providing upfront funding for students eligible for support through the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) and similar tuition-support grants, helping these students enter their local workforce. 

Upright partners with educational institutions to offer a selection of short-term training courses that prepare students for technology careers with demonstrated local labor market demand. Upright’s courses are generally part-time, range from four to six months in length, and consist of both live and asynchronous instruction. Upon graduation, participants receive a certificate from the partner institution and work one-on-one with career coaches to obtain roles in their field of study. Upright has delivered strong outcomes to the grant-funded students it has already served, achieving a 79% job placement rate and an average salary of $59,588 among reporting learners six months after graduation. 

The WIOA and Upright’s other grant-funding sources thoroughly evaluate individual need to determine eligibility for support, resulting in a student base well-aligned with the UP Fund’s impact thesis. However, long reimbursement timelines from these programs can hinder training providers’ ability to serve these learners and grow their businesses. The UP Fund’s investment will help to address this issue, enabling the company to scale operations sustainably at no cost to learners. 

“This investment in Upright is the latest advancement in the UP Fund’s strategy to design financially sustainable products while driving social impact at scale,” said Andrew Chen, Vice President of Impact Investments at Social Finance. “With many of its partners in often-overlooked medium-sized metro areas, Upright benefits both individual learners, who are upskilled, and local employers, who reap the benefits of a technology talent pipeline. We’re excited to amplify this mission by supporting the broader public workforce funding system for more effective results.” 

Upright’s financing model also benefits the educational institutions that it partners with by providing a revenue share on enrollments and expanding their course offerings. This revenue stream is particularly valuable for community colleges and universities today given the current climate of declining enrollment and uncertainty around public funding.  

“We’re honored to partner with Social Finance and the UP Fund to open more doors for working adults,” said Benny Boas, CEO, Upright Education. “By smoothing long reimbursement timelines for grant-supported learners, this investment lets Upright enroll more students at zero upfront cost and meet local employer demand faster. Our mission is simple: deliver practical, job-aligned training and help adults step into good careers. This support accelerates that work.” 

Social Finance’s UP Fund is a $50 million pool of catalytic capital that aims to help upskill people who face barriers to education and employment. Since 2020, the UP Fund has supported the design and launch of nine outcomes-based workforce and economic mobility initiatives to upskill workers across the country into in-demand jobs in IT, skilled trades, healthcare, and beyond. 

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About Social Finance 

Social Finance (SF Advisors, LLC) is a national nonprofit and registered investment advisor. We work with the public, private, and social sectors to create partnerships and investments that measurably improve lives. Our Impact Investment team designs, launches, and manages impact-first investments. Our Advisory team partners with government and philanthropy leaders to implement data-driven programs for social impact. And through the Social Finance Institute, we aim to build the field and change systems through actionable research, communities of practice, and educational outreach. Since our founding in 2011, we have mobilized more than $400 million in new investments designed to help people and communities realize improved outcomes in workforce and economic mobility, health, and housing. Learn more at socialfinance.org. 

About Upright Education 

Upright Education partners with colleges, universities, and employers to deliver short-term, career-focused training in fields such as AI, data analytics, and cybersecurity. Programs blend live and asynchronous instruction, are designed around local labor-market demand, and culminate in a college-issued certificate plus individual career support. Upright serves adult learners and incumbent workers, partnering with employers to deliver upskilling programs that help them stay a step ahead in the face of AI-driven change. Learn more at uprighted.com.