Wimba

Wimba Inc. was a software company focused on the education technology market, specializing in collaborative and interactive applications for online and blended learning environments. The company was co-founded by Keith Ross, who also served as the original CEO. His background in computer networking and various academic roles at institutions like the University of Pennsylvania and NYU informed the company's direction.

The firm provided a suite of software tools designed to supplement traditional course management systems (LMS). Its core offering, the Wimba Collaboration Suite, enabled educators and students to engage in live online classes, utilize virtual whiteboards, participate in instant messaging, and add voice recordings to text-based course materials. The product suite was recognized with CODiE awards for "Best Education Solution" in 2009 and "Best Collaboration Solution" in 2010. Wimba's business model was centered on providing these software applications and services to educational institutions, serving over 700 K-12 and higher education clients in 28 countries by 2010. The company's revenue was generated through sales and licensing of its software to this client base.

A significant milestone in Wimba's history occurred in July 2010, when it was acquired by Blackboard Inc. The acquisition was a joint deal that also included Elluminate, another synchronous learning technology provider, for a combined total of approximately $116 million in cash. Following the acquisition, Blackboard merged the technologies and teams from both Wimba and Elluminate to form a new standalone platform named Blackboard Collaborate. This new entity aimed to combine the strengths of both products to offer a more comprehensive solution for web, video, and voice conferencing, instant messaging, and voice authoring, all tailored for the education sector. Support for Wimba's specific products was eventually phased out as clients were transitioned to the new integrated platform. Keywords: Wimba, Blackboard Collaborate, education technology, edtech, collaborative software, online learning, virtual classroom, synchronous learning, course management system, e-learning, Keith Ross, Blackboard acquisition, Elluminate, voice tools, interactive learning, web conferencing, online education, blended learning, academic software, CODiE award