Microsoft buys Flipgrid, a video discussion platform for education
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Microsoft has acquired Flipgrid Inc., a maker of video discussion software and services for the education market, for an undisclosed amount.
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Flipgrid counts more than 20 million educators, students and families in 180 countries as its customers, according to Microsoft. The Minneapolis, Minn.-based company was founded in 2015.
Flipgrid's service lets students create and share videos publicly or privately from iOS and Android devices. In announcing its purchase of Flipgrid, Microsoft officials said the company plans to continue to support the platform across Microsoft, Google and partner ecosystems. Flipgrid's post also mentions plans for continued support on iOS.
Microsoft plans to make Flipgrid free for schools, like it does with its Office 365 Education service, officials said. (Office 365 Education is free for students and teachers who have a verified education address.)
Flipgrid is currently priced at $65 per educator per year, $800 per year for a district and $1,000 per year for a school. There's also a limited one-grid plan available for free. Customers who've already purchased a subscription from Flipgrid will get a prorated refund.
Microsoft already has its own video creation and sharing service, called Stream, which officials liken to YouTube but for the business audience.
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Microsoft has been stepping up its push to grow its share of the education market with new hardware, software and services in recent years.