Bonsal Capital is a family private equity firm based in Baltimore, Maryland, founded in 1999 by Frank A. Bonsal, Jr., a co-founder of New Enterprise Associates. The firm focuses on mission-driven investments primarily in the Capital Region, targeting technology-enabled services in education and workforce development, as well as the information technology and life sciences industries.
A multidisciplinary studio building companies from the ground up while creating everything in-house.
Canopie
Pre Seed Round in 2022
Canopie offers a digital platform that addresses symptoms of maternal depression and anxiety. It aims to prevent and address maternal mental health disorders through customized, audio-based programs and automated coaching using clinically validated, recommended therapeutic techniques. Canopie works with cities, payers, health systems, and providers to deliver effective, low-cost care to moms that works for them and can be easily scaled - tackling the key treatment barriers of cost, scheduling, time, and stigma.
KidzToPros
Series A in 2022
KidzToPros, LLC is a provider of after-school enrichment programs, specializing in sports coaching and various educational activities. The company operates an online platform that connects parents with private coaches for a wide range of sports, including soccer, basketball, tennis, martial arts, and more, as well as activities like chess, coding, and science. Established in 2016 and based in Fremont, California, KidzToPros aims to enhance children's extracurricular experiences by offering access to qualified instructors in a convenient marketplace.
RareBreed Ventures
Venture Round in 2021
RareBreed Ventures is a venture capital firm based in Baltimore, Maryland, founded in 2020 by McKeever "Mac" Conwell. The firm focuses on investing in pre-seed stage technology companies, aiming to support early-stage startups with potential for growth. By allowing angel investors to participate as limited partners in future funding rounds, RareBreed Ventures fosters a collaborative investment environment. The firm is dedicated to identifying and nurturing innovative ideas, contributing to the development of emerging businesses in the technology sector.
EveryDay Labs
Series A in 2021
EveryDay Labs, Inc. is focused on improving student outcomes by addressing chronic absenteeism through a unique combination of behavioral science, data science, and family engagement. Founded in 2015 and based in Redwood City, California, the company offers a toolkit that equips educators with insights, research, and strategies to effectively collaborate with families. This approach aims to ensure that every student has equitable opportunities to learn. By providing attendance intervention reports, EveryDay Labs enables schools and parents to monitor student attendance records, ultimately empowering educators to enhance support systems across districts.
Upswing International
Series A in 2021
Upswing International is a provider of an integrated student services platform designed to enhance student retention at colleges and universities. The company enables educational institutions to consolidate various support operations, including advising, counseling, and tutoring, into a cohesive virtual environment. This allows students to easily access assistance and connect with staff members. Upswing's platform also features a virtual assistant that communicates with students through SMS, delivering reminders and important information. Additionally, the platform offers a selection process for academic coaches, allowing students to choose based on criteria such as price, quality, and subject expertise. By streamlining these services, Upswing International enhances communication between students and staff while offering administrators comprehensive insights and reporting capabilities.
Sendcloud
Series B in 2020
Sendcloud is an all-in-one shipping platform tailored for e-commerce businesses, facilitating connections between online retailers and multiple shipping carriers. The platform streamlines essential shipping processes, including label creation, tracking, returns, and order fulfillment, thereby enhancing the overall shipping journey from checkout to returns. Designed for ease of use, Sendcloud can be integrated into a webshop in approximately five minutes, allowing retailers to save time and reduce shipping costs. By optimizing shipping operations, Sendcloud enables online retailers to improve their efficiency and increase conversion rates.
Nepris
Series A in 2020
Nepris is a cloud-based platform that connects industry professionals with K-16 classrooms, adult job seekers and out of school youth to bring real world relevance and career exposure to all learners. Nepris matches the skills of working professionals to learning objectives and virtually connects them with students to bring abstract lessons to life, offer project mentoring and evaluation, virtual tours, mock interviews and virtual work place experiences. Nepris makes it easy for educators to leverage industry connections to bring real world knowledge and skills to students, while providing a reliable platform for companies and regional intermediaries (like workforce boards, chamber, STEM hubs) to easily and effectively engage current workforce with the future workforce.
CourseArc
Convertible Note in 2020
CourseArc is a digital content creation tool that allows easy creation of engaging, interactive, and affordable online courses. It allows its users to create mobile-friendly, accessible courses without the assistance of a web developer.
Student Opportunity Center
Seed Round in 2019
Provider of an online platform intended to centralize, manage and assess student's experiential learning. The company's platform help student participate in experiential learning to prepare them for career and life after graduation.
InferCabulary
Venture Round in 2019
InferCabulary is a digital visual vocabulary tool that supports vocabulary acquisition and critical thinking using semantic reasoning. It enables students to learn the nuanced meanings of words.
Terbium Labs
Series A in 2017
Terbium Labs, Inc., founded in 2013 and based in Baltimore, Maryland, specializes in data intelligence solutions for information security. The company offers Matchlight, a comprehensive and fully private dark web monitoring system designed to detect stolen data and mitigate the impact of data breaches. This automated platform monitors for leaks of sensitive information, providing organizations with real-time alerts when their data appears in unauthorized locations on the internet or dark web. By enabling proactive risk management, Terbium Labs helps organizations safeguard their high-value data against theft and misuse.
BetterLesson
Series B in 2017
BetterLesson, Inc. is a professional development platform aimed at K-12 educators, headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and established in 2008. The platform connects teachers with personal coaches to establish professional development goals and create tailored learning plans. BetterLesson offers a searchable database that allows users to access lesson plans, classroom materials, and various instructional resources. The company emphasizes research-based professional development focused on enhancing student outcomes, equipping educators with the skills to foster meaningful, student-centered learning experiences. Its offerings include defined learning pathways, self-directed courses, in-depth workshops, and personalized coaching, all designed to support strategic learning initiatives within educational districts and improve teaching effectiveness and student performance.
Faculty Guild
Seed Round in 2017
Faculty Guild focuses on creating technology that enhances the educational experience for both educators and students. The organization develops a teaching platform that connects students with skilled faculty, offering personalized professional coaching and a supportive community. Additionally, Faculty Guild provides a comprehensive suite of resources, including digital courseware and teaching tools, aimed at fostering deeper connections between faculty and students. By emphasizing evidence-based instructional practices, the platform helps students gain momentum and overcome challenges, ultimately supporting their journey toward graduation.
Torchlight
Series A in 2017
Torchlight is the complete caregiver support program for employers and health plans that provides real-time access to the strategies and solutions modern caregivers need most. From screen time to Social Security, Autism to Alzheimer’s, Torchlight meets caregivers where they are, providing the expert guidance, tools, and step-by-step action plans that solve even the most complex family challenges. Modern caregiving. Illuminated.
Allovue
Series A in 2015
Allovue, Inc. is a Baltimore-based company that specializes in financial software solutions for K-12 education departments and school districts across the United States. Its flagship product, Balance, integrates with existing accounting and data systems to assist educators in budgeting, managing, and evaluating expenditures. The platform offers tools for analyzing school budgets, tracking expenses, forecasting future spending, and planning for capital investments, enabling district officials and school administrators to visualize and optimize the impact of their financial decisions on educational outcomes. Allovue also provides supplemental services such as funding equity analysis and financial management training, catering to superintendents, CFOs, budget directors, and other stakeholders within the education sector. Originally founded as Allovue, LLC in 2013, the company rebranded in 2014 to reflect its mission of connecting finance and education to support strategic resource allocation.
Quad Learning
Debt Financing in 2015
Quad Learning, Inc., operating as American Honors, was founded in 2012 and is based in Washington, D.C. The company focuses on creating more affordable pathways for students seeking to complete their bachelor's degrees at prestigious institutions. It develops a two-year honors program tailored for high-achieving students, offering essential academic support and personalized advising services, including course planning and career exploration. Additionally, Quad Learning collaborates with community colleges to deliver this competitive program, providing marketing strategies, recruitment, selective admissions, and faculty development services. The company also features an online learning platform, enhancing the educational experience for students and facilitating their transition to four-year universities.
Terbium Labs
Seed Round in 2015
Terbium Labs, Inc., founded in 2013 and based in Baltimore, Maryland, specializes in data intelligence solutions for information security. The company offers Matchlight, a comprehensive and fully private dark web monitoring system designed to detect stolen data and mitigate the impact of data breaches. This automated platform monitors for leaks of sensitive information, providing organizations with real-time alerts when their data appears in unauthorized locations on the internet or dark web. By enabling proactive risk management, Terbium Labs helps organizations safeguard their high-value data against theft and misuse.
Sickweather
Seed Round in 2015
Sickweather Inc. is a company that specializes in sickness forecasting and mapping through its innovative mobile application. Founded in 2011 and headquartered in Windsor Mill, Maryland, Sickweather utilizes patented social listening technology to scan social networks for indicators of illness, allowing users to receive real-time alerts and check the likelihood of sickness in their area. The platform operates in over 120 countries and provides users with 15-week forecasts and a threat level index known as the SickScore. By crowdsourcing data about illness trends, Sickweather aims to deliver precise and meaningful insights, making it easier for individuals to understand public health risks, similar to checking weather forecasts.
Torchlight
Seed Round in 2015
Torchlight is the complete caregiver support program for employers and health plans that provides real-time access to the strategies and solutions modern caregivers need most. From screen time to Social Security, Autism to Alzheimer’s, Torchlight meets caregivers where they are, providing the expert guidance, tools, and step-by-step action plans that solve even the most complex family challenges. Modern caregiving. Illuminated.
Quad Learning
Series B in 2014
Quad Learning, Inc., operating as American Honors, was founded in 2012 and is based in Washington, D.C. The company focuses on creating more affordable pathways for students seeking to complete their bachelor's degrees at prestigious institutions. It develops a two-year honors program tailored for high-achieving students, offering essential academic support and personalized advising services, including course planning and career exploration. Additionally, Quad Learning collaborates with community colleges to deliver this competitive program, providing marketing strategies, recruitment, selective admissions, and faculty development services. The company also features an online learning platform, enhancing the educational experience for students and facilitating their transition to four-year universities.
Allovue
Seed Round in 2014
Allovue, Inc. is a Baltimore-based company that specializes in financial software solutions for K-12 education departments and school districts across the United States. Its flagship product, Balance, integrates with existing accounting and data systems to assist educators in budgeting, managing, and evaluating expenditures. The platform offers tools for analyzing school budgets, tracking expenses, forecasting future spending, and planning for capital investments, enabling district officials and school administrators to visualize and optimize the impact of their financial decisions on educational outcomes. Allovue also provides supplemental services such as funding equity analysis and financial management training, catering to superintendents, CFOs, budget directors, and other stakeholders within the education sector. Originally founded as Allovue, LLC in 2013, the company rebranded in 2014 to reflect its mission of connecting finance and education to support strategic resource allocation.
Calvert Learning
Series A in 2013
Calvert Learning offers a comprehensive homeschool curriculum that combines traditional textbooks with online learning, serving English-speaking students from pre-kindergarten to eighth grade worldwide. The curriculum covers a wide range of subjects, including history, mathematics, science, literature, and foreign languages, as well as various enrichment programs in arts, music, and writing. Founded in 1906 and based in Hunt Valley, Maryland, Calvert Learning has a long history of providing educational resources for nontraditional learning environments. The company operates as a subsidiary of Edmentum, Inc. and focuses on delivering high-quality educational experiences through a flexible, modular approach tailored to the needs of schools and districts. Additionally, Calvert Learning provides advisory teaching and technical support services to enhance learning outcomes for students.
Quad Learning
Series A in 2013
Quad Learning, Inc., operating as American Honors, was founded in 2012 and is based in Washington, D.C. The company focuses on creating more affordable pathways for students seeking to complete their bachelor's degrees at prestigious institutions. It develops a two-year honors program tailored for high-achieving students, offering essential academic support and personalized advising services, including course planning and career exploration. Additionally, Quad Learning collaborates with community colleges to deliver this competitive program, providing marketing strategies, recruitment, selective admissions, and faculty development services. The company also features an online learning platform, enhancing the educational experience for students and facilitating their transition to four-year universities.
GIGAS
Seed Round in 2012
Gigas offers powerful and advanced real time cloud hosting services with a very simple and intuitive control panel. Founded by experienced Internet and Telecoms experts from companies such as Deutsche Telekom/Ya.com, Telefonica/O2, Fon.com or Merril Lynch, Gigas cloud hosting services are designed to support the most demanding hosting configurations. Gigas main product, Cloud Datacenter, provides customers with a pool of resources so that they can enjoy their own fully functional datacenter. Customers can deploy servers in real time (with the chosen resources and operating system) and other datecenter equipment such as load balancers, firewalls, VLANs, etc, all from a fully operational control panel. The company is focused on Spain and Latam, with offices in Madrid, Bogotá, Medellín, Santiago de Chile, Lima, Panamá City, Mexico City and Miami, and provides services from four datacenters, two in Spain, one in Chile and one in Miami, all of them Tier-III and Tier-IV (highest possible certification for a datacenter). Gigas offers Infrastructure as a Service to more than 3,600 business customers, from SMEs to large corporates. The company is the official provider of public cloud to the European Commission, has received numerous awards and recognitions, like best cloud hosting provider in the world in the 2016 Cloud Awards, or being named a Global Significant Provider by Gartner. Gigas is listed in the Madrid Stock Exchange (MAB) since November 2015.
Quad Learning
Series A in 2012
Quad Learning, Inc., operating as American Honors, was founded in 2012 and is based in Washington, D.C. The company focuses on creating more affordable pathways for students seeking to complete their bachelor's degrees at prestigious institutions. It develops a two-year honors program tailored for high-achieving students, offering essential academic support and personalized advising services, including course planning and career exploration. Additionally, Quad Learning collaborates with community colleges to deliver this competitive program, providing marketing strategies, recruitment, selective admissions, and faculty development services. The company also features an online learning platform, enhancing the educational experience for students and facilitating their transition to four-year universities.
Curiosityville
Seed Round in 2011
Curiosityville LLC, founded in 2010 and located in Cockeysville, Maryland, operates an interactive educational website designed for children aged 3 to 8 years. The platform offers a variety of animated video games and engaging activities that focus on mathematics and other subjects, providing a playful learning environment for young learners. Through its innovative approach, Curiosityville aims to enhance early childhood education by making learning both enjoyable and accessible.
BetterLesson
Venture Round in 2011
BetterLesson, Inc. is a professional development platform aimed at K-12 educators, headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and established in 2008. The platform connects teachers with personal coaches to establish professional development goals and create tailored learning plans. BetterLesson offers a searchable database that allows users to access lesson plans, classroom materials, and various instructional resources. The company emphasizes research-based professional development focused on enhancing student outcomes, equipping educators with the skills to foster meaningful, student-centered learning experiences. Its offerings include defined learning pathways, self-directed courses, in-depth workshops, and personalized coaching, all designed to support strategic learning initiatives within educational districts and improve teaching effectiveness and student performance.
Moodlerooms
Venture Round in 2010
Moodlerooms is a provider of an online learning platform that connects educational institutions to its customizable Learning Management System, joule. The platform is designed to evolve around user needs, offering various hosting options, including basic, standard, and enterprise-level services. In addition to core functionalities, Moodlerooms provides a range of services such as e-portfolios, digital repositories, and comprehensive training solutions. The company also specializes in customization services, which encompass project management, custom module development, international deployment consultation, and open source consulting. Furthermore, Moodlerooms ensures quality through code review and certification, along with formally tested and reviewed software releases.
StraighterLine
Seed Round in 2010
As the cost of higher education skyrockets and the average household income declines, StraighterLine is enabling thousands of students to affordably obtain their degrees. StraighterLine provides online, self-paced, pay-as-you-go introductory level college courses for $99 per month or $1000 per year . The goal of this company is to increase access and affordability and lower the cost threshold for starting in college. Through StraighterLine, students are able to inexpensively take their core courses online and then seamlessly transfer those courses for credit at accredited partner universities to earn their ultimate degree.
Questar Assessment
Post in 2009
Questar Assessment, Inc. specializes in providing comprehensive assessment solutions for the K-12 education market, catering to states, school districts, and other educational entities. The company offers a range of customizable services, including test design and construction, item development, online test administration, and psychometric services. In addition to these services, Questar develops proprietary assessment products such as the Degrees of Reading Power program, WriteQuest, and various proficiency tests. The company is committed to delivering end-to-end testing solutions that encompass everything from program management to data analysis and reporting. Questar Assessment aims to support educational institutions by ensuring reliable online testing performance and addressing the specific needs of its clients. Founded in 1976 and headquartered in Brewster, New York, Questar was formerly known as Touchstone Applied Science Associates, Inc. and became a subsidiary of Educational Testing Service, Inc. in 2017.
BetterLesson
Debt Financing in 2009
BetterLesson, Inc. is a professional development platform aimed at K-12 educators, headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and established in 2008. The platform connects teachers with personal coaches to establish professional development goals and create tailored learning plans. BetterLesson offers a searchable database that allows users to access lesson plans, classroom materials, and various instructional resources. The company emphasizes research-based professional development focused on enhancing student outcomes, equipping educators with the skills to foster meaningful, student-centered learning experiences. Its offerings include defined learning pathways, self-directed courses, in-depth workshops, and personalized coaching, all designed to support strategic learning initiatives within educational districts and improve teaching effectiveness and student performance.
BetterLesson
Seed Round in 2009
BetterLesson, Inc. is a professional development platform aimed at K-12 educators, headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and established in 2008. The platform connects teachers with personal coaches to establish professional development goals and create tailored learning plans. BetterLesson offers a searchable database that allows users to access lesson plans, classroom materials, and various instructional resources. The company emphasizes research-based professional development focused on enhancing student outcomes, equipping educators with the skills to foster meaningful, student-centered learning experiences. Its offerings include defined learning pathways, self-directed courses, in-depth workshops, and personalized coaching, all designed to support strategic learning initiatives within educational districts and improve teaching effectiveness and student performance.
Starfish Retention Solutions
Seed Round in 2008
Starfish Retention Solutions, Inc. specializes in developing student success and advising solutions for higher education institutions globally. The company's flagship product, the Starfish Enterprise Success Platform, is designed to enhance student support initiatives by identifying at-risk students in real-time and connecting them with essential services. Key components of this platform include Starfish EARLY ALERT, which tracks student progress and identifies concerns, Starfish CONNECT for online scheduling and communication between students and their advisors, and Starfish Degree Planner, which provides personalized academic roadmaps for students. Founded in 2007 and headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, Starfish serves a diverse clientele, including community colleges, four-year public and private institutions, and online programs. The company also offers implementation, training, community building, product support, and strategic services to its clients.
Videology
Series A in 2008
Videology is a digital media advertising technology company that specializes in providing solutions for connecting advertisers with consumers. The company develops software that enables converged and addressable advertising across both television and digital video platforms. By utilizing consumer data and advanced ad decisioning, Videology optimizes the performance of video and display advertising campaigns, ensuring that advertisements reach the most relevant audiences. Its advertising technology continually analyzes media and audience data to enhance forecasting and demand estimation, bringing the efficiencies of programmatic advertising into the traditional TV and premium video landscape. Through its offerings, Videology aims to create a more meaningful web experience for consumers while increasing accountability for advertisers.
NxThera
Series A in 2008
NxThera, Inc. is a medical technology company based in Maple Grove, Minnesota, established in 2008 and currently a subsidiary of Boston Scientific Corporation. The company specializes in convective water vapor energy technology aimed at treating endourological conditions, particularly benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), which affects over 32 million men in the United States. NxThera's innovative platform employs a minimally invasive vapor therapy that converts sterile water into thermal energy delivered to prostate tissue, providing an effective treatment option for patients suffering from urologic conditions, including prostate and kidney cancer. This approach aims to enhance urinary flow and improve overall patient quality of life while minimizing side effects commonly associated with traditional treatments.
Moodlerooms
Seed Round in 2007
Moodlerooms is a provider of an online learning platform that connects educational institutions to its customizable Learning Management System, joule. The platform is designed to evolve around user needs, offering various hosting options, including basic, standard, and enterprise-level services. In addition to core functionalities, Moodlerooms provides a range of services such as e-portfolios, digital repositories, and comprehensive training solutions. The company also specializes in customization services, which encompass project management, custom module development, international deployment consultation, and open source consulting. Furthermore, Moodlerooms ensures quality through code review and certification, along with formally tested and reviewed software releases.
Headsprout
Series D in 2007
HeadSprout, Inc. provides computer-based learning programs for teaching fundamental academic skills. It offers online reading programs. The company was founded in 1999 and is headquartered in Seattle, Washington.
American Public Education
Series B in 2005
American Public Education, Inc. is a provider of online and campus-based postsecondary education, primarily focused on serving military and public service communities. The company operates through two main segments: the American Public University System, which includes American Military University and American Public University, and Hondros College of Nursing. American Public Education offers a comprehensive range of educational programs, including 121 degree programs and 111 certificate programs across various fields such as business administration, health science, technology, criminal justice, education, and liberal arts, as well as specialized areas like national security and military studies. With a commitment to affordability and quality, the institution serves over 83,000 adult learners, delivering education through experienced faculty dedicated to fostering academic success. Founded in 1991 and headquartered in Charles Town, West Virginia, American Public Education continues to be recognized for its effective practices in online higher education.
Spectrum K12 School Solutions
Series A in 2001
Spectrum K12 School Solutions, Inc. specializes in software and services for special education programs within K-12 schools in the United States. Founded in 1996 and based in Towson, Maryland, the company offers Encore, a web-based data management system designed to facilitate the individualized learning process for students receiving special services. This includes support for special education, 504 plans, limited English proficiency (LEP/ESL), and pre-referral response to intervention (RTI) programs. Spectrum K12 School Solutions aims to enhance educational outcomes for students with diverse needs through its tailored software solutions.
Smarthinking Online Tutoring
Seed Round in 2000
The market leader in products and services to bolster student performance, persistence and retention. More than 1,000 universities, colleges and schools turn to SMARTHINKING for on-demand, online tutoring.
Blackboard
Series B in 1999
Blackboard Inc. is a leading provider of enterprise technology and innovative solutions for the education sector, catering to higher education, K-12, business, and government markets. Founded in 1997 and headquartered in Reston, Virginia, the company offers a diverse range of products designed to enhance the teaching and learning experience. Its flagship platform, Blackboard Learn, supports academic goals through a comprehensive learning management system, while Blackboard Collaborate facilitates interactive and mobile learning. Additional offerings include Blackboard Analytics, which converts data into actionable insights, and Blackboard SafeAssign, which helps identify plagiarism in student submissions. The company also provides tools for accessibility, student support, and community engagement, such as Blackboard Ally and Blackboard Connect. With a global presence, Blackboard aims to improve educational outcomes and institutional performance by leveraging technology to streamline processes and enhance communication among educational stakeholders.
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