This article offers more information about part four of my annual review of the year-in-ed-tech. Here are some of the details about who’s investing in learning management systems:

In June, Edsurge published a story titled “Stale Words and Hackneyed Ideas That Make Edtech Investors Cringe” – advice to entrepreneurs on what sorts of ideas venture capitalists like and dislike. Among the tips, stay away from “graveyard ideas” like the learning management system.

It’s not great advice, particularly if you note that learning management systems were among the types of companies raising the most money this year. (Okay, okay. That’s because I now count AltSchool as an LMS.)

Investments in Learning Management Systems

Smartup.io raised $5.5 million in February from Notion Capital and Hong Leong Group.

AltSchool raised $40 million in May from undisclosed investors. The private school startup (turned LMS) has raised $173 million total.

Absorb Software raised $59 million from Silversmith Capital Partners in September.

Moodle raised $9 million in October from Education For the Many.

Acquisitions in the LMS Industry

The Volaris Group acquired the LMS Edumate in October. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Instructure acquired the video-based assessment platform Practice in December. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

It is perhaps notable that Blackboard, one of the top acquirers of startups in previous years, did not make any acquisitions this year.