Gravyty (formerly Graduway)

High-Level Overview

Gravyty (formerly Graduway) is a technology company providing community engagement and AI-powered fundraising enablement software primarily for educational institutions and non-profits. It builds platforms that facilitate connections among alumni, students, parents, donors, and volunteers while enabling scalable ambassador, mentoring, and fundraising campaigns.[1][5] The company serves over 2,000 organizations including UCLA, Philips Exeter Academy, and Rice University, solving challenges in community building and donor engagement through streamlined tools for interactions, giving, and stewardship.[1][5] Following a 2021 merger and subsequent growth, Gravyty has shown strong momentum, doubling in size post-COVID recovery and maintaining efficient expansion under new leadership.[2]

Origin Story

Gravyty originated as two separate entities that merged in December 2021: Graduway, founded in 2009 in the U.K. by Dr. Marcel Cohen and Daniel Cohen, which focused on community software for education and non-profits; and Gravyty, founded in 2016 in Boston by Adam Martel, pioneering AI-enabled fundraising tech for higher education.[1][3][2] Graduway built tools to foster vibrant alumni and constituent networks across the U.S., Canada, Israel, and U.K., while Gravyty raised $21 million in 2020 from K1 Investments (which had also backed Graduway) to accelerate its AI-driven donor enablement amid market definition.[1][3] The merger, orchestrated by K1, combined Graduway's community strengths with Gravyty's AI fundraising capabilities, creating a unified platform; Daniel Cohen remained CEO of the London-based entity with Boston expansion, while Martel stepped down to launch a new venture.[1][2][4] Early post-merger traction included navigating COVID-induced churn in 2020 before achieving record growth by 2021.[2]

Core Differentiators

• Integrated Community and AI Enablement: Merges Graduway's relationship-building software for conversations among alumni, parents, students, and donors with Gravyty's patented AI and machine learning that prompts scalable fundraising and engagement beyond mere insights.[1][5]
• Proven Scale for Education/Non-Profits: Trusted by 2,000+ organizations like UCLA and Rice University, delivering more ambassadors, mentors, and donors through mission-aligned tools.[1]
• Experienced Global Leadership: Led by CEO Jay Kuhlman (ex-US Marines, sales VP, payments tech exec), with specialists like VP Engineering Shahar Lazarovich (20+ years at Verifone/NCR) and CFO Rishi (MBA Georgia Tech, growth-focused).[5]
• Real-World Results Focus: Team's industry expertise provides tailored solutions for engagement, giving, and stewardship, emphasizing ease and global support.[5]

Role in the Broader Tech Landscape

Gravyty rides the trend of AI-enhanced non-profit and education technology, defining the AI fundraiser enablement market since 2016 while capitalizing on post-pandemic demand for virtual community and donor tools.[2][3] Timing aligns with higher ed's shift to digital alumni networks amid campus disruptions, where churn gave way to doubled growth as institutions prioritized scalable outreach.[2] Market forces like rising non-profit tech adoption and PE backing (e.g., K1 Investments) favor its model, influencing the ecosystem by empowering 2,000+ organizations to boost missions through data-driven connections and fundraising at scale.[1][2]

Quick Take & Future Outlook

Gravyty is poised for continued expansion in AI-driven edtech/non-profit software, leveraging its merged strengths and refreshed leadership to capture more market share in community-fueled fundraising. Trends like advancing machine learning for personalized donor prompts and global hybrid education models will shape its path, potentially amplifying influence through acquisitions or deeper integrations. As the go-to platform for engaging supporters at scale, it stands to redefine how institutions turn communities into sustained revenue engines, building on its merger-fueled momentum.