Imbellus

About Imbellus

Imbellus operated as a developer of simulation-based cognitive assessments designed to evaluate how individuals think rather than just what they know. Founded in 2015 by Rebecca Kantar, the Los Angeles-based company aimed to reinvent how human potential is measured, with a long-term goal of transforming standardized testing in education and workforce development. Kantar, who previously founded BrightCo and served as an Entrepreneur in Residence at GLG, was driven by a desire to shift education away from rote memorization and toward developing skills like problem-solving and critical thinking.

The firm's core product consisted of game-like assessments that presented complex challenges to users. By combining engaging experiences with psychometrics and data science, Imbellus could measure complex cognitive abilities such as systems thinking, problem-solving, and situational awareness. The platform was delivered as a global web application, featuring AI-generated scenarios to ensure test integrity and prevent cheating. Its business model involved partnering with employers and educational institutions to identify desirable attributes in top performers and use these as benchmarks for their assessments. One of its most notable partnerships was with McKinsey & Company, which utilized Imbellus's platform for its recruitment process in a digital assessment known as the McKinsey Solve Game.

Imbellus secured a total of $18.5 million in funding over two rounds, including a $4 million seed round in 2016 and a $14.5 million Series A in 2018 led by Owl Ventures, with participation from investors like Thrive Capital, Upfront Ventures, and Sound Ventures. In a significant milestone, the intellectual property assets of Imbellus were acquired by Roblox Corporation on November 30, 2020. The acquisition, valued at approximately $11.4 million in cash and stock, aimed to bolster Roblox's talent recruitment by using simulation-based assessments to identify candidates with strong cognitive skills. Following the acquisition, founder and CEO Rebecca Kantar, along with other key team members, joined Roblox to build a new system for fair and inclusive talent assessment.