For Immediate Release
Learning Tech Veterans Launch Arcs Learning to Solve the Data Problem Holding Enterprise AI Back
A new company founded by David Ells and Bill Conran aims to turn fragmented learning data into trusted, AI-ready intelligence.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — August 11, 2026 — AI is rapidly changing learning and development, but most organizations face a fundamental barrier to realizing its potential: their learning data was never built for AI.
Today, learning technology veterans David Ells and Bill Conran announced the launch of Arcs Learning, an enterprise learning company focused on creating the trusted data foundation organizations need to use AI safely, confidently, and at scale.
Learning and workforce data is often fragmented across LMS platforms, HR systems, content libraries, skills technologies, performance tools, and decades of legacy infrastructure. Arcs Learning connects, cleans, normalizes, and governs that information—turning disconnected learning data into organizational intelligence that AI can actually use.
The potential impact extends beyond better reporting. With trusted data, organizations can use AI to uncover skill gaps, personalize development, connect learning to performance, automate workflows, improve talent decisions, and identify redundant technology and content investments that may be costing hundreds of thousands of dollars annually.
Built by Leaders Who Helped Shape Learning Technology
Arcs Learning is led by two executives whose careers span major shifts in learning technology.
David Ells, Co-Founder and CTO, most recently served as Managing Director of Open LMS and previously as CTO and CEO of Watershed. At Rustici Software, Ells pioneered the standardization approaches and interoperability frameworks—including SCORM, xAPI, and cmi5—that became industry standards for connecting learning data across systems. He helped write the standards this industry runs on.
Bill Conran, Co-Founder and CCO, brings nearly two decades of enterprise learning experience. He was part of the founding team at Watershed, built global sales operations and international markets at UL, and most recently served as Head of Global Sales at Open LMS.
Together, the founders have built learning technology infrastructure across Fortune 100 companies, government agencies, higher education institutions, and global organizations—delivering specialized expertise in data normalization, learning record standards, and AI-ready data governance.
“AI is creating an extraordinary opportunity for learning, but organizations won't realize its full value by simply adding AI on top of fragmented systems,” said Ells. “The organizations that make their learning data trusted and AI-ready will be positioned to personalize development, make smarter investments, and move faster.”
Arcs Learning is vendor-neutral and designed to strengthen—not replace—existing LMS, HRIS, talent, content, and BI investments.
The company is delivering hands-on learning data services today while developing the Arcs Learning Intelligence Platform, which will feature AI-native integrations, full audit trails, governance controls, and explainability—built to scale learning intelligence across organizations.
About Arcs Learning
Arcs Learning builds the trusted data foundation for enterprise AI in learning. The company helps organizations unify and govern fragmented learning and performance data, transforming institutional knowledge into actionable learning intelligence.
Visit arcslearning.com. Organizations interested in becoming early partners for the Arcs Learning Intelligence Platform can contact hello@arcslearning.com.
Media Contact:
Bill Conran
Co-Founder & Chief Commercial Officer
bill@arcslearning.com