(4 Mar 2019) iParadigms, creators of Turnitin, today announced the company has reached a definitive agreement to acquire Ephorus, the European leader in plagiarism prevention with more than 5,000 customers in over 45 countries. The agreement will allow the two companies to strengthen their plagiarism prevention databases, build out European data centers and accelerate innovation around student learning and feedback. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Both the Turnitin and the Ephorus brands will be maintained. The Ephorus service will continue to be supported for existing and new customers. The combined companies plan to increase investment in Europe and developing markets to meet the technology and product requirements necessary to support customers. Ephorus and its employees will continue to operate out of its headquarters in Utrecht, The Netherlands.
“Turnitin and Ephorus share a similar mission of delivering cost-effective educational technologies that improve student learning,” said Chris Caren, chairman and CEO of iParadigms. “The merger of Turnitin and Ephorus is a perfect match for our customers, employees and partners. The agreement will allow us to invest more in ensuring we are meeting the evolving needs of customers in Europe and other growth markets.”
Expected benefits of the agreement include:
- More Innovation. By combining resources, the companies plan to accelerate investment in technology assets, including data centers, internationalization and next-generation product features.
- Stronger Database. The companies will be able to increase the size of content comparison databases, including web crawling and educational content partnerships to provide customers with the most comprehensive comparison database in education.
- Global Reach. The merger will allow the companies to combine direct and indirect sales channels to increase reach around the world.
- Better Value for Customers. The combination of the two companies will deliver significant cost savings to customers over time and will allow the company to provide more affordable products to a wider range of educational institutions.
Read the press release here.
