Salt Lake City: Livability in the 21st Century

Between 2010 and 2013, Instructure secured more than
$100 million in contracts and the Canvas community grew
to more than 500 colleges, universities, and K-12 schools
with 9 million cumulative users. Continuing as a pioneer in
twenty-first century education technology, the company
recently launched Canvas Network, an index of open,
online courses taught by educators and institutions from
around the world. In 2014, Instructure will expand its
Canvas LMS into international and corporate markets.
In addition to its fast-growing client base, Instructure is
backed by private investment. In June 2013, it raised
$30 million in Series-D funding, which brought its
lifetime funding total to $50 million. Current investors
include Bessemer Venture Partners (BVP), EPIC Ventures,
OpenView Venture Partners, and TomorrowVentures.
Located in Salt Lake City’s Old Mill Corporate Center,
Instructure had just over 250 employees in September 2013.
Through the Governor’s Office of Economic Development
(GOED) incentive program, it expects to nearly triple that
number by 2019, bringing an estimated 655 new jobs
to Utah.
Asked about Instructure’s overwhelming success, Coates
said, “Education is universally accepted and admired
because it’s so powerful. At Instructure, we’re solving a
problem in education with technology and
building the foundation for a company that can
grow to hundreds or possibly thousands of
employees and effect change all over the world.
It’s about real, permanent change.”
As a good corporate citizen, Instructure has
partnered with the Salt Lake Chamber of Commerce
in the Governor’s 2020 Initiative, and has joined
other organizations, such as the Utah Technology
Council, in their efforts to improve Utah schools.
Through its own grant program, it also awards
$100,000 annually to cultivate innovation in K-12
and higher education.
To learn more, visit www.instructure.com.
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Above: Nobody at Instructure has an office. Not even the CEO.
That’s what they mean by “open.”
Left: Instructure’s office is a flurry of activity, including employees buzzing
around on scooters, all to help make teaching and learning easier.
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