Edhance

Edhance, founded in 2008 by Bjorn Larsen, KJ Gundersen, and Kris Helenek, operated as a student-focused discount program based in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The company is now inoperative following its acquisition by BuyWithMe, Inc. in June 2011. At its peak, Edhance had amassed a user base of over 2 million students.

The core of Edhance's service was a card-linked cash-back system. College students could register up to five of their existing Visa or MasterCard debit or credit cards with the platform. When a student used a registered card at a participating merchant, the transaction was automatically tracked, and a discount, typically between 5% and 25%, was credited to their Edhance account. The company also provided an online model for digital deals. To ensure the integrity of its user base, Edhance employed an enrollment verification system, often in real-time through university partnerships, to confirm that its members were currently enrolled in accredited U.S. colleges or universities.

Edhance's business model was structured as a pay-for-performance system, which was free for student members. Revenue was generated by charging partner merchants a commission based on the volume of student business directed to them through the platform. This model attracted a number of notable retailers, including Apple, Target, Walmart, and Reebok, who offered discounts through the service. Following its initial run, the Edhance brand appears to have been repurposed and is now presented as an online resource dedicated to the initiatives of HonorSociety.org.

Keywords: student discount program, cash back, card-linked offers, student loyalty, college marketing, merchant partnerships, online discounts, student verification, pay-for-performance, affiliate marketing, student rewards, university partnerships, retail discounts, ecommerce deals, student savings, BuyWithMe Inc, Bjorn Larsen, KJ Gundersen, Kris Helenek, HonorSociety.org