North American edtech company SkillUp has chosen Lisbon as the location for its global R&D center, strengthening its presence in Portugal after entering the market quietly in 2021.
The Seattle-based company has just closed a €6 million Series A funding round, led by Portuguese fund Explorer Investments, with participation from FundBox’s IRC fund. The round will support the hiring of 50 new AI and product management professionals for its Lisbon hub by 2028.
SkillUp currently employs 27 people in Portugal and about 300 globally, with a client base that includes Google, Microsoft, and IBM.
The company combines AI personalization with human mentoring to achieve a course completion rate of 67%—well above the industry average of 4–8%. CEO and founder JPS Kohli says the investment will help accelerate SkillUp’s mission to deliver deep, learner-centric experiences powered by AI, while keeping human elements central.
Investor Confidence in AI-Powered Education
Explorer Investments’ partner António Rocha e Silva says the deal reflects "confidence in the transformative power of AI" in education and SkillUp’s "solid track record".
FundBox’s Rita Carles praised the company's “scalable model and unique pedagogical approach”.
OCEAN.capital’s José Maria Abecasis Soares, who advised the deal, highlighted SkillUp as a "global, innovative company with a strong local commitment", reinforcing Portugal’s role as a leading R&D hub for digital solutions.
The move strengthens Portugal’s reputation as a magnet for tech investment, innovation, and high-skilled job creation in the education sector.
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