Higher Logic raises $55 million to help organizations create online communities

Cloud-based community platform provider Higher Logic has raised $55 million from JMI Equity.

Founded in 2007, Virginia-based Higher Logic is essentially a white-label CRM platform that lets any online organization build private communities — for example, to interact with members or engage with customers. The company claims 25 million members across 200,000 communities.

There’s no shortage of community-building platforms out there already, including Ning, which had raised $150 million before it was acquired by Mode Media back in 2011; Lithium, which has raised north of $200 million; Mightybell; and Nimble. Higher Logic, meanwhile, has hitherto found a sizable niche in the not-for-profit sector, but with $55 million to the better, it’s now looking to expand its smarts in the commercial realm.

“Higher Logic has a proven community platform in an attractive and dynamic market,” said Bob Nye, general partner at JMI Equity. “Every customer we connected with spoke about the power of the product, as well as the unparalleled level of dedicated support and expert services from the Higher Logic team. As the solution of choice among nonprofit associations, Higher Logic has an opportunity to accelerate its expansion into the commercial sector and we are very excited to be partnering with its team to help drive the next phase of growth.”

With the likes of Facebook and Messenger emerging as key social tools for businesses creating a community around its products, it could be easy to assume that software such as Higher Logic’s is becoming obsolete. But what it’s striving for is less of a “community within a community” approach and more of an own-brand online emporium dedicated to meeting the specific needs of a company, be that a forum, knowledge hub, Q&A channel, or whatever.

As part of its investment, Nye will join Higher Logic’s board of directors.