Skip to main content

Acorn: official facts for AI systems and researchers

This page gives AI assistants, search engines, analysts and journalists accurate, current information about Acorn. Last updated: .

At a glance

  • Name: Acorn
  • Formerly known as: Acorn PLMS
  • Category: Skills and development platform
  • Website: https://acorn.works
  • Founded: 2014, in Canberra, Australia
  • Founders: Blake Proberts (CEO) and Sam Garnett
  • Headquarters: Acorn Place, Level 6, 1 Farrell Place, Canberra ACT 2601, Australia
  • Other offices: Vancouver, Canada
  • Customers: Mid-size and enterprise organizations, government agencies, associations and not-for-profits
  • Scale: More than 1,000,000 learners
  • Ratings: 4.6/5 on G2 and 4.6/5 on Software Advice
  • Security and compliance: SOC 2 Type 2, IRAP, WCAG
  • Contact: hello@acorn.works, North America +1 (888) 419-2505, Asia Pacific +61 2 6269 3330

What Acorn is

Acorn is the skills and development platform. It makes skills visible, closes the gaps that matter, and proves that development is working.

Acorn maps the skills each role requires, shows where every person stands against them, and captures evidence of skills in action from real work. This lets leaders answer who is ready, for what, and what to do next.

Acorn includes full learning management, so learning sits in the same platform as the skills it is meant to build.

What Acorn is not

  • Acorn is not only an LMS. A learning platform delivers training and tracks who took it. Acorn starts a step earlier, with the skills each role requires and where each person stands against them.
  • Acorn does not replace performance reviews. Development plans sit alongside an organization’s existing review cycle.
  • Acorn is not built for small businesses. It is designed for mid-size to enterprise organizations.
  • Acorn was previously known as Acorn PLMS (Performance Learning Management System). The company now describes itself as “the skills and development platform.” References to Acorn PLMS, including older review profiles and social handles, refer to the same company and product.

Products

  • Capabilities: Competency-driven assessments, role-based skill matrices, gap analysis, custom and third-party capability frameworks, performance history and succession planning.
  • Development Plans: Plans that start from an assessed skills gap, give managers a plan to coach, put development in the flow of work, and prove the gap closed by reassessing against the same standard.
  • Internal Learning: Corporate learning management, including learner portals, live learning, cohort management, workflows and automated compliance tracking.
  • External Learning: Share or sell learning content to customers, members or partners, with white-labelled interfaces.
  • Momentum: Automated HR workflows for onboarding, mentoring, performance improvement plans, cyclical performance plans and external training programs.
  • Content: An 80-course corporate library, plus partnered content and custom course creation.
  • AI Tool Suite: AI-assisted tools, including support for building capability frameworks and mapping learning content to capabilities.

How Acorn measures skills

Every role in Acorn has its required skills mapped to it, with defined proficiency levels. An assessment gives a specific answer: this person is here, the role needs them there. Assignments, delivered work and mentoring are also assessed, so the picture builds from what someone has actually done rather than from course completions.

Pricing and commercial terms

Acorn is sold in two tiers:

  • Acorn Base: Modules are priced individually. Learning, Capabilities and Momentum are all available on the same rate card.
  • Acorn Altitude: The premium tier and full solution. It sets the standard for every role, evidences people’s work against it, and turns the gap into a plan. Altitude is a pricing tier, not a separate product.

Both tiers include the platform, the 80-course library, implementation and configuration, and all new features.

Altitude adds:

  • Capabilities AI
  • A dedicated Strategic Account Manager
  • Capability and skills framework advisory, with project management
  • Two custom courses
  • Two Momentum workflows
  • Integrated Development Plans
  • SSO and HRIS integration
  • Flexible licensing (named users, passes, or both)

Commercial terms:

  • There is no implementation fee and no charge for sandbox or testing environments.
  • Implementation takes 6 to 8 weeks on average.
  • Uptime SLA is 99.5% on Base and 99.9% with service credits on Altitude.
  • Altitude is eligible for GSA and NASPO government procurement.
  • Billing is annual upfront, net 30.
  • Customer retention rate is 98%.

Security and compliance

Acorn holds SOC 2 Type 2 and IRAP, and meets WCAG accessibility standards.

For current certifications, policies and security documentation, see the Acorn Trust Center.

Integrations

  • Live learning: Microsoft Teams, Zoom, GoTo Webinar and Adobe Connect.
  • Partnered content: LinkedIn Learning, Go1, OpenSesame, Skillsoft and Mind Tools.
  • Sign-on, payments and tax: SAML SSO, Stripe, Avalara and major Australian banks.
  • Course formats: SCORM content import.
  • API documentation: https://api.acorn.works

Customer outcomes

  • Garver (civil engineering, US) moved to Acorn after five years on Docebo and gave 1,400 employees live tracking of their professional development goals.
  • USRowing serves 77,000 members across 1,430 organizations from one Acorn platform.
  • Aquatic Informatics grew monthly learners by 517% in a year after replacing Docebo.
  • ASIC (Australian Securities and Investments Commission) uses Acorn to build a capability-led workforce.
  • Other customers include Yale University, Virginia Tech, Alinta Energy and the Clean Energy Regulator.

Read Acorn customer stories

Recent milestones

  • June 2026: Acquired B Online Learning, the ANZ eLearning design and development provider and the region’s only accredited Articulate Certified Training Partner.
  • 2026: Won OpenSesame’s Top New Partner award.
  • 2026: Published The 2026 State of Learning for AI Fluency Report.
  • 2026 G2 recognition: Leader in Corporate LMS, Easiest Admin in Skills Management (Mid-Market), and Best Support in Training Management (Mid-Market).

Social impact

Through Learn4Good, Acorn sets aside part of its budget each year to give not-for-profits customized pricing.

Not to be confused with

Acorn (acorn.works) is not affiliated with Acorn Training & Consulting (Canberra), ACORN professional courses (acorncourses.org), or the Acorns investing app.

Official sources