LinkedIn to acquire Lynda.com for $1.5bn

 LinkedIn has announced that it has entered an agreement to acquire an online learning company called Lynda.com.

The acquisition is valued at around $1.5 billion, 52 per cent will be paid in cash and subject to adjustment the other 48 per cent will be stock. LinkedIn will officially acquire Lynda.com during the second quarter of 2015.

lynda.com is an online learning company which teaches technology, business, creative skills to help people achieve their professional goals. Through subscription, users have access to a number of courses taught by industry experts and in different languages. The languages available are English, Spanish, French, Japanese and German.

CEO of LinkedIn, Jeff Weiner said: “The mission of LinkedIn and the mission of lynda.com are highly aligned. Both companies seek to help professionals be better at what they do. lynda.com’s extensive library of premium video content helps empower people to develop the skills needed to accelerate their careers. When integrated with the hundreds of millions of members and millions of jobs on LinkedIn, lynda.com can change the way in which people connect to opportunity.”

CEO of lynda.com, Eric Robison added: “In LinkedIn, we have found an incredible partner who shares our vision and passion for empowering people around the world to make real change in their lives through access to information, learning and professional development.”