Watermark

Watermark operates as a software provider for the higher education sector, offering institutions data management tools to inform their strategies. The company was formally established in 2018 through the merger of three existing entities: Taskstream, Tk20, and LiveText. This consolidation was followed by a series of strategic acquisitions, including Digital Measures, EvaluationKIT, SmartCatalog, and, in 2022, Aviso Retention. In March 2018, Watermark received a significant investment from TCV, a growth equity firm, which acquired a controlling interest in the company.

The firm’s core offering is the Educational Impact Suite (EIS), an integrated platform that centralizes institutional data from various sources, such as Learning Management Systems (LMS) and Student Information Systems (SIS). This suite is designed to support a range of administrative and academic functions, including assessment and accreditation management, curriculum and catalog development, faculty activity reporting, course evaluations, and student success and engagement tracking. By unifying these processes, the EIS aims to break down data silos, automate workflows, and provide actionable insights for faculty, administrators, and institutional leaders. The business model is centered on providing these software solutions to colleges and universities, with a client base of over 1,700 institutions. Revenue is generated through software licensing and support services, with pricing typically customized based on an institution's specific requirements.

The product portfolio within the EIS addresses several key areas. For institutional effectiveness, the platform aids in navigating assessment and accreditation processes. It offers tools for student success that use AI-powered analytics and early alerts to help institutions improve student retention and completion rates. The suite also includes features for managing faculty data, such as highlighting achievements and streamlining review cycles. For curriculum management, it provides a system to streamline development and update catalogs in real-time. A recent addition to its course evaluation tools is an AI-powered feature called Instructor Insights, which analyzes student feedback to provide actionable takeaways for instructors. Watermark's solutions have received industry recognition, including multiple G2 awards for its Faculty Success, Planning & Self-Study, and Student Success & Engagement products.

Keywords: higher education technology, educational intelligence, student success software, accreditation management, assessment software, faculty activity reporting, curriculum management, course evaluation tools, student retention, institutional effectiveness, educational data analytics, academic administration software, ePortfolios, student feedback analysis, learning outcomes assessment, higher ed software, edtech, SaaS, data-informed decision making