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Skills Fund's Overview

Total employees35
HeadquartersAustin
Founded2015

Skills Fund, now a key offering of Ascent Funding, is dedicated to transforming lives by making high-quality, outcomes-focused education accessible. They provide transparent and student-friendly financing options for individuals looking to upskill or change careers through bootcamps and vocational programs. Partnering with numerous top-tier educational providers, Skills Fund aims to empower students to invest in their future without prohibitive financial barriers, focusing on programs that demonstrate strong career placement rates.

Where is Skills Fund's Headquarters?

Skills Fund officeSkills Fund officeSkills Fund officeSkills Fund office
*Images sourced via web search. Rights belong to original owners

HQ Function

Serves as a key operational center for the Skills Fund brand within Ascent Funding, handling partnerships, brand management, and customer-focused initiatives for its specialized financing products.

Notable Features:

Modern office space located in a prominent Austin business district, fostering a collaborative environment. Facilities are part of Ascent Funding's broader infrastructure.

Work Culture:

As part of Ascent Funding, the culture is mission-driven, focusing on student success, transparency, and innovation in educational finance. It emphasizes collaboration and making a positive impact.

HQ Significance:

Austin's dynamic tech and education ecosystem provides a strategic advantage for managing and growing the Skills Fund brand, facilitating connections with partner schools and a skilled talent pool.

Values Reflected in HQ: The operational focus in Austin reflects values of innovation, accessibility, and partnership central to both Skills Fund's legacy and Ascent Funding's mission.

Location:

Skills Fund, as a brand of Ascent Funding, primarily focuses its services on students and educational programs within the United States. Financing options are generally available to U.S. citizens, permanent residents, and DACA recipients (or international students with a qualified U.S. cosigner, depending on the specific loan product through Ascent). The partner schools are typically U.S.-based or serve the U.S. market, reflecting a domestic concentration for its educational financing solutions.

Street Address:

500 W 2nd St Ste 1900

City:

Austin

State/Province:

TX

Country:

USA

Skills Fund's Global Presence

San Diego, California/USA

Address: 501 W Broadway Ste A150, San Diego, CA 92101

Serves as the central command for Ascent Funding's national student loan and financing operations, driving company-wide strategy and ensuring regulatory compliance.

Buying Intent Signals for Skills Fund

Highperformr Signals uncover buying intent and give you clear insights to target the right accounts at the right time — helping your sales, marketing, and GTM teams close more deals, faster.

Notable news
Hiring actively
Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance
*Example signal, not calculated in real time

Executive Team of Skills Fund

As of April 2025, Skills Fund' leadership includes:

Ken Ruggiero - Chairman & Chief Executive Officer, Ascent Funding
James Chilton - Chief Operating Officer, Ascent Funding
Dustin Wagner - Chief Financial Officer, Ascent Funding
Ryan Gray - Chief Product & Analytics Officer, Ascent Funding
Michelle R. H. - Chief People Officer, Ascent Funding

Investors of Skills Fund

Skills Fund has been backed by several prominent investors over the years, including:

University Ventures
UFUN (University Funds)
Iowa Student Loan Liquidity Corporation

Executive New Hires/Exits in the Last 12 Months

Hire0
Exits0

Following Skills Fund's acquisition by Ascent Funding in 2020, its leadership is integrated within Ascent. Any major executive changes are at the Ascent Funding level. In early 2023, Ascent announced new COO and CFO appointments. No further major changes specific to the Skills Fund brand's direct oversight have been publicly detailed in the immediate last 12 months.

Technology (Tech Stack) used by Skills Fund

Discover the tools Skills Fund uses. Highperformr reveals the technologies powering your target accounts — helping your sales, marketing, and GTM teams prioritize smarter and close faster.

Skills Fund Email Formats and Examples

As Skills Fund is part of Ascent Funding, professional communications typically use Ascent Funding's email domain. Common formats are variations of first name, last name, and initial.

[first_initial][last]@ascentfunding.com

Format

jdoe@ascentfunding.com

Example

85%

Success rate

News and media

Forbes Advisor / Ascent Funding NewsMay 23, 2024

Ascent’s Cosigned Student Loan Awarded Best Private Student Loan for Flexibility by Forbes Advisor

Ascent Funding's cosigned student loan was recognized by Forbes Advisor, highlighting the company's commitment to flexible student financing options, relevant to the overall mission shared by Skills Fund....more

Ascent Funding NewsAugust 2, 2023

Ascent Announces Deferment Option for Coding Bootcamp Students

Ascent Funding introduced a new deferment option for its bootcamp loans, allowing students to defer principal and interest payments while in school and during their job search, enhancing accessibility for programs typically financed via Skills Fund....more

Ascent Funding NewsJune 20, 2023

Ascent Partners with Upright Education to Expand Access to Tech Bootcamps

Ascent Funding partnered with Upright Education to provide financing for students enrolling in Upright's tech bootcamps, aligning with Skills Fund's core mission of supporting skills-based education....more

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