Our entire business model is built on acquisition. We look for companies operating in four distinct verticals. They are almost always technology companies in some way. But why do we do it? Why build a company around acquiring other companies? Well, think about this from a Darwinist perspective. Survival of the fittest makes up the core of Darwinism. The term denotes, from a biological perspective, that for a thing to survive in nature, it must be the fittest of its kind. Consider that every species you see on the planet today is the fittest version of itself that has survived throughout the eons. The same can be applied to the business world, but with a bit of a twist. For businesses, it's not so much survival of the fittest as it is survival of the biggest.
And yet, even though big corporations with lots of money control much of today’s production, there are different ways to grow and expand. We believe in acquisitions that keep companies intact. And we want to build a web of interconnected companies that help each other do so. If you buy a company and positively foster growth, leaving organizations and teams intact, then you can better leverage the talents of one company to another’s benefit. If done well, this can foster growth while reviving and revitalizing the original company.
For example. ICOM Productions and Pathways Training & eLearning both operate in the online learning and development space. They bring new and unique talents to the Pluribus family, like virtual reality training and video and animation. Together, they exist under the umbrella of The Learning Network, which is a preeminent technology-first learning and development network. Under The Learning Network, we have gathered some of the best learning and development firms, each bringing with them a set of unique skills and talents that enhance the overall operation.
We brought on the Kesson Group, which provides teachers with an easy way to get a teaching license and then connects them to schools and districts where they can get jobs through their intuitive Teach Away Platform. Then, Skooli, another company we acquired, can help those teachers find districts with an affordable and intuitive solution. These solutions help people find good-paying jobs. And they help school districts fill a need. Technologies that benefit society are essential to our acquisition strategy.
Out of the four verticals we specialize in acquiring, the eLearning sector may show the most promise. The COVID-19 pandemic and societal shifts turned many people online to work and learn. Our eLearning vertical combines the abilities of many companies into one. Or philosophy is not one that believes we need to be as big as possible. No, we need to be as strategic as possible. And we believe that is possible by keeping companies and teams together. By combining forces.
And yet, eLearning is not the only vertical with promise. We have also made sizable investments in the health tech sector. Our investment in TeleMED Diagnostic Management helps cardiologists and rural internal medicine doctors better manage their diagnostic data. All done through an intuitive, secure, and user-friendly platform, their platform is optimized for use by diagnostic laboratories, specialty clinics, and occupational testing organizations. We believe that the future of medicine lies in using technology to increase efficiencies, save money, and improve patient outcomes.
We acquire companies using a very simple investment criterion. In the end, we want everyone to succeed. When the companies under our umbrella – and their customers – succeed, we all succeed. As a result, we continue to build a portfolio of companies to be proud of.