Reach Capital

Reach Capital is a Palo Alto-based venture capital firm established in 2015 that focuses on early-stage investments in the education technology sector. The firm targets startups developing technology solutions for various educational challenges, including early childhood, K-12, higher education, and lifelong learning. Reach Capital prefers to invest between $100,000 and $500,000 in seed rounds and $1 million or more in Series A or B rounds, typically acquiring stakes of 3% to 5% in seed investments and 8% to 10% in later-stage funding. By supporting promising entrepreneurs, Reach Capital aims to enhance educational opportunities for all children and acts as a catalyst to attract additional investment in the rapidly growing ed-tech market. The firm explicitly avoids investments in wearable devices and related applications for schools.

Jennifer Carolan

Co-Founder & Partner

Enzo Cavalie

Principal

Wayee Chu

Co-Founder & Partner

Jackie Dao

Chief Financial Officer

Shauntel Garvey

Co-Founder & Partner

Chian Gong

Partner

Jomayra Herrera

Partner

Wu Jennifer

Venture Partner

James Kim

Partner

Jim Lobdell

Venture Partner

Shauntel Poulson

General Partner

Esteban Sosnik

Co-Founder & Partner

106 past transactions

Campus

Series A in 2023
Campuswire is a real-time messaging platform designed specifically for college classes, aimed at enhancing communication between students and educators. The platform facilitates class discussions, question-and-answer sessions, and announcements, ultimately optimizing the teaching and learning experience. By integrating both synchronous and asynchronous messaging features, Campuswire promotes increased student collaboration and simplifies educators' workflows. Its user-friendly interface, inspired by social media, enables professors to efficiently share important information, engage in online discussions, and privately communicate with individual students. Through its innovative approach, Campuswire is committed to addressing challenges in educational communication and fostering a more collaborative learning environment.

Stellic

Series A in 2022
Stellic Inc. operates an integrated planning and advising platform designed to assist students in effectively planning their academic semesters. The platform features a Degree Planner that includes tools for prerequisite checks, course searches, career templates, elective placeholders, semester planning, and an integrated calendar. Additionally, it offers a Degree Audit feature that accurately tracks completed, in-progress, and remaining program requirements. The Advisor Tool enables advisors to identify at-risk students early, while Data Reports help university administrators analyze future course demand, student performance issues, and engagement levels among students and advisors. Founded by Carnegie Mellon undergraduates frustrated with existing academic planning tools, Stellic aims to provide innovative, user-centered solutions for universities globally. The company is headquartered in Doha, Qatar, with an additional location in Palo Alto, California.

WorkWhile

Series A in 2022
WorkWhile is a labor technology platform that helps workers find jobs that fit their skills, schedule, and location. The platform uses cognitive science, behavioral analysis, and peer feedback to help identify reliable hourly workers. WorkWhile was founded in 2017 by Amol Jain and Jarah Euston and is based in San Francisco, California.

PAPER

Series D in 2022
Improve student achievement and teacher effectiveness with the leading Educational Support System. Leading school districts make Paper part of their strategic plan. Whether you need to support a high ELL population, improve math/English proficiency, reduce teacher turnover, or address opportunity gaps in a diverse socio-economic community, Paper helps you reach your district goals. Educational Equity Like Never Before Paper is the first comprehensive Educational Support System (ESS) featuring live help and writing feedback for students paired with real-time feedback and intervention tools for teachers.

FourthRev

Series A in 2022
FourthRev is working to bridge the digital skills gap by connecting leading companies and universities to enable the delivery of up-to-date, industry relevant programs, ranging from micro-credentials through to degree courses. We do this by co-creating content and curriculum with leading technology companies, such as AWS, Salesforce and Tableau, which is delivered to learners by our university partners, either as stand-alone courses or as part of existing offerings. FourthRev then connects learners to employers in our partners ecosystems.

Handshake

Series F in 2022
Handshake is a college career network established in 2014, aimed at transforming the recruiting experience for students, career centers, and employers. It connects 17 million students and young alumni from over 1,000 colleges and universities—including many minority-serving institutions—with nearly 500,000 employers, ranging from Fortune 500 companies to small businesses and nonprofits. The platform democratizes access to job opportunities, providing students with valuable insights and a wider array of career options, while enabling employers to efficiently access diverse talent. Additionally, it offers colleges tools to enhance student engagement and boost employment outcomes. Headquartered in San Francisco, with offices in Denver and London, Handshake has raised a total of $155 million from various investors, including prominent venture capital and social impact firms.

Wayfinder

Series A in 2022
Project Wayfinder designed for all students to develop lives of meaning and purpose.

Replit

Series B in 2021
Repl.it lets you start coding in your favorite programming language in 2 seconds; it lets you build and deploy apps right from your browser. The founders wanted to build something to solve their own problem -- back in school they were tired of setting up their development environment on every machine they wanted to code on, and they dreamed of a world where you could just open a tab in the browser and start working. They built Repl.it to give developers access to simple, powerful tools and a community of hackers, aspiring programmers and teachers. They make it possible to learn, practice and build, all in the same place.

Yay Lunch

Series A in 2021
Yay Lunch is a food delivery company that offers fresh and healthy lunches and snacks for schools. The company is driven by its mission is to make it easy to give kids healthy lunches they'll love, every day. They're determined to do this in the freshest and least wasteful way possible.

Guardians Collective

Seed Round in 2021
Guardians Collective is a San Francisco-based company that operates an online community platform designed for parents and early childhood educators. The platform facilitates collaboration and dialogue, allowing users to connect and share information in a safe and anonymous environment. By bridging the gap between parents and early educators, Guardians Collective aims to eliminate early learning gaps and foster support networks. The platform offers resources and research-based activities that parents can implement with their children, making the journey of first-time parenting less isolating and more collaborative. Through this initiative, Guardians Collective enhances the overall experience of parenting and early childhood education.

1Mentor

Pre Seed Round in 2021
We all know how technology has disrupted the world, especially over the past couple of decades. As a result, preparing students with the right skills and tools required by the labour market is harder than ever. We partner with colleges and universities to help them and their students understand how the labour market is evolving, what employers expect of graduates, and guide students to equip themselves for the occupations they want.

Outschool

Series D in 2021
Outschool operates an online platform that facilitates live, interactive learning experiences for children through classes taught by independent teachers. Founded in 2015 and headquartered in San Francisco, the platform connects parents, motivated learners, and educators, allowing families to discover and book a variety of online classes tailored to their interests. The platform caters to a diverse range of educators, including certified teachers and individuals with expertise in various fields. Outschool's model enables parents to select classes and teachers based on their children’s needs, thereby expanding educational opportunities in a cost-effective manner compared to traditional tutoring. The platform emphasizes community building by allowing parents to collaborate on activities and share experiences.

Hopps

Seed Round in 2021
Hopps (www.hopps.io) is an LA-based startup that provides enterprises with one-click access for instant help with enterprise tools like Facebook Ads Manager, Hubspot and Figma. Through our platform’s AI-driven matching, vetted experts screen-share and upskill professionals in < 2 minutes by collaborating on problems in real-time.

Lynx Educate

Pre Seed Round in 2021
Lynx Educate operates as an education-to-employer marketplace focused on upskilling and reskilling the workforce. The company offers a comprehensive suite of employee education services that provide access to accredited and certified programs tailored for adult learners. By enabling organizations to transform their training budgets into meaningful investments, Lynx Educate helps human resources teams retain, engage, and attract talent. The platform aims to bridge the skills gap by equipping employees with the necessary knowledge and expertise to thrive in their roles, aligning workforce development with the evolving needs of businesses.

EveryDay Labs

Series A in 2021
EveryDay Labs, Inc. develops a toolkit that is designed to provide educators with insights, research, and strategies on how to partner with families so that every student has an equitable opportunity to learn. The company was founded in 2015 and is based in Redwood City, California.

Coderhouse

Series A in 2021
Coderhouse SRL is an education provider based in Buenos Aires, Argentina, offering virtual coding courses through a web-based platform. Founded in 2013, the company specializes in digital design, web programming, and digital marketing, catering to both students and professionals. Its course offerings include front-end development, full-stack development, mobile development, online marketing, UX design, and WordPress. In addition to pre-recorded courses, Coderhouse also provides live training services, equipping users with the tools and knowledge necessary to develop their own mobile applications.

Class.com

Series B in 2021
Class.com specializes in online learning solutions, offering a range of courses that include core subjects, electives, and skills development. The company also provides program implementation services to enhance the educational experience. A key feature of Class.com is its integration with Zoom, allowing educators to utilize Class software within the Zoom Meetings platform. This integration facilitates various educational activities such as taking attendance, distributing assignments, administering quizzes or tests, grading, proctoring exams, and engaging in one-on-one discussions with students. Through these offerings, Class.com aims to support and improve the online teaching and learning process.

PAPER

Series C in 2021
Improve student achievement and teacher effectiveness with the leading Educational Support System. Leading school districts make Paper part of their strategic plan. Whether you need to support a high ELL population, improve math/English proficiency, reduce teacher turnover, or address opportunity gaps in a diverse socio-economic community, Paper helps you reach your district goals. Educational Equity Like Never Before Paper is the first comprehensive Educational Support System (ESS) featuring live help and writing feedback for students paired with real-time feedback and intervention tools for teachers.

Lovevery

Series C in 2021
Lovevery, Inc. is a company based in Boise, Idaho, that specializes in manufacturing educational play products for infants. Founded in 2015, Lovevery offers a range of items designed to support early childhood development, including the Play Gym, which features various toys and tools that engage babies' senses and promote learning at different developmental stages. The company's products are informed by child development experts and aim to provide parents with stage-based information to enhance their children's growth. Lovevery sells its offerings primarily online and has received recognition for its innovative designs from several notable organizations, including TIME Magazine and Parents' Choice. The company is backed by prominent investors such as Maveron and the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative.

Rhithm

Seed Round in 2021
Rhithm is a wellness check-in tool. The platform selects an ideal 1-2 minute activity video to regulate well-being based on user given data from a simple emoji assessment. This data is available on dashboards to reflect and connect with as desired at the campus, district/network and state levels.

Handshake

Series E in 2021
Handshake is a college career network established in 2014, aimed at transforming the recruiting experience for students, career centers, and employers. It connects 17 million students and young alumni from over 1,000 colleges and universities—including many minority-serving institutions—with nearly 500,000 employers, ranging from Fortune 500 companies to small businesses and nonprofits. The platform democratizes access to job opportunities, providing students with valuable insights and a wider array of career options, while enabling employers to efficiently access diverse talent. Additionally, it offers colleges tools to enhance student engagement and boost employment outcomes. Headquartered in San Francisco, with offices in Denver and London, Handshake has raised a total of $155 million from various investors, including prominent venture capital and social impact firms.

Polygence

Seed Round in 2021
Polygence Inc. offers an online academic program to give project-based learning. The company offers projects related to their interests, background, and aspirations and builds creativity, problem-solving skills, and design thinking to enable students to gain intellectual maturity and helps to develop their skills. The company was incorporated in 2019 and is based in Stanford, California.

Aura health

Venture Round in 2021
Aura Health is a digital wellness company that specializes in mindfulness meditation through its mobile application available on iOS and Android platforms. Founded in 2015 and headquartered in San Francisco, California, Aura offers personalized content aimed at reducing stress and anxiety. The app connects users with a global community of therapists and coaches, providing tailored resources designed to enhance mental well-being. Through its innovative approach, Aura Health seeks to create a supportive environment for individuals looking to improve their mental health and overall quality of life.

Outschool

Series C in 2021
Outschool operates an online platform that facilitates live, interactive learning experiences for children through classes taught by independent teachers. Founded in 2015 and headquartered in San Francisco, the platform connects parents, motivated learners, and educators, allowing families to discover and book a variety of online classes tailored to their interests. The platform caters to a diverse range of educators, including certified teachers and individuals with expertise in various fields. Outschool's model enables parents to select classes and teachers based on their children’s needs, thereby expanding educational opportunities in a cost-effective manner compared to traditional tutoring. The platform emphasizes community building by allowing parents to collaborate on activities and share experiences.

Holberton, Inc.

Series B in 2021
Holberton, Inc. offers a project-based learning approach tailored for aspiring software engineers, providing an alternative to traditional college education. Founded in 2016 and headquartered in San Francisco, California, the company operates additional campuses in New Haven, Connecticut, and in Bogotá and Medellín, Colombia. Its comprehensive two-year program focuses on hands-on learning, covering essential topics such as full-stack web development, machine learning, augmented and virtual reality, advanced Linux programming, algorithms, and blockchain. Students engage in collaborative projects that simulate real-world challenges, fostering teamwork and creativity. Notably, Holberton provides free education until students secure employment, making it an accessible option for those seeking to enter the tech industry.

Spokn

Seed Round in 2021
Spokn helps companies develop their talent and build a culture of continuous learning - all in audio. Our 'bite-sized' insights cover skills like communication, collaboration, productivity and leadership and come from the top experts in the world - from Harvard Business School and MIT to HubSpot, Mindful, the Financial Times and more. The best part? It's 100% in audio, so learning fits into the daily routine of employees.

Spokn

Seed Round in 2021
Spokn helps companies develop their talent and build a culture of continuous learning - all in audio. Our 'bite-sized' insights cover skills like communication, collaboration, productivity and leadership and come from the top experts in the world - from Harvard Business School and MIT to HubSpot, Mindful, the Financial Times and more. The best part? It's 100% in audio, so learning fits into the daily routine of employees.

Wayfinder

Seed Round in 2021
Project Wayfinder designed for all students to develop lives of meaning and purpose.

Newsela

Series D in 2021
Newsela, Inc. is an instructional content platform that publishes daily online news articles designed to enhance students' advanced literacy skills. Founded in 2013 and based in New York, the company provides engaging, leveled content across various categories, including science, health, arts, and sports. Newsela sources material from reputable organizations such as National Geographic, NASA, and the Washington Post, ensuring high-quality content for educators and students. The platform integrates formative assessments and analytics, allowing users to engage with the material at their own level and track their progress. With a presence in over 90% of U.S. K-12 schools, Newsela has established itself as a vital resource for enhancing learning outcomes in the classroom.

FourthRev

Seed Round in 2021
FourthRev is working to bridge the digital skills gap by connecting leading companies and universities to enable the delivery of up-to-date, industry relevant programs, ranging from micro-credentials through to degree courses. We do this by co-creating content and curriculum with leading technology companies, such as AWS, Salesforce and Tableau, which is delivered to learners by our university partners, either as stand-alone courses or as part of existing offerings. FourthRev then connects learners to employers in our partners ecosystems.

Class.com

Series A in 2021
Class.com specializes in online learning solutions, offering a range of courses that include core subjects, electives, and skills development. The company also provides program implementation services to enhance the educational experience. A key feature of Class.com is its integration with Zoom, allowing educators to utilize Class software within the Zoom Meetings platform. This integration facilitates various educational activities such as taking attendance, distributing assignments, administering quizzes or tests, grading, proctoring exams, and engaging in one-on-one discussions with students. Through these offerings, Class.com aims to support and improve the online teaching and learning process.

PAPER

Funding Round in 2020
Improve student achievement and teacher effectiveness with the leading Educational Support System. Leading school districts make Paper part of their strategic plan. Whether you need to support a high ELL population, improve math/English proficiency, reduce teacher turnover, or address opportunity gaps in a diverse socio-economic community, Paper helps you reach your district goals. Educational Equity Like Never Before Paper is the first comprehensive Educational Support System (ESS) featuring live help and writing feedback for students paired with real-time feedback and intervention tools for teachers.

Sketchy

Series A in 2020
SketchyMedical is a online education company that helps students master complex concepts through fun and informative video sketches that enhance visual memory

Outschool

Series B in 2020
Outschool operates an online platform that facilitates live, interactive learning experiences for children through classes taught by independent teachers. Founded in 2015 and headquartered in San Francisco, the platform connects parents, motivated learners, and educators, allowing families to discover and book a variety of online classes tailored to their interests. The platform caters to a diverse range of educators, including certified teachers and individuals with expertise in various fields. Outschool's model enables parents to select classes and teachers based on their children’s needs, thereby expanding educational opportunities in a cost-effective manner compared to traditional tutoring. The platform emphasizes community building by allowing parents to collaborate on activities and share experiences.

Springboard

Series B in 2020
Springboard is an online learning platform that prepares students for the tech industry’s most sought after careers. With expert mentorship from top professionals, a bleeding-edge curriculum, and a network of support from day one, they make sure students have everything they need to excel in their program and in their next job. The platform one-size-fits-one approach is made for working professionals who are ready to level-up or make a major career shift. And our tuition back guarantee means students can take charge and invest in themselves. Springboard data science career track comes with a job guarantee, ensuring students secure a job within six months of graduation or get a full refund. The platform's self-paced courses offer students the opportunity to develop job-ready skills that they display in an industry-worthy capstone or portfolio projects.

Guardians Collective

Seed Round in 2020
Guardians Collective is a San Francisco-based company that operates an online community platform designed for parents and early childhood educators. The platform facilitates collaboration and dialogue, allowing users to connect and share information in a safe and anonymous environment. By bridging the gap between parents and early educators, Guardians Collective aims to eliminate early learning gaps and foster support networks. The platform offers resources and research-based activities that parents can implement with their children, making the journey of first-time parenting less isolating and more collaborative. Through this initiative, Guardians Collective enhances the overall experience of parenting and early childhood education.

EveryDay Labs

Venture Round in 2020
EveryDay Labs, Inc. develops a toolkit that is designed to provide educators with insights, research, and strategies on how to partner with families so that every student has an equitable opportunity to learn. The company was founded in 2015 and is based in Redwood City, California.

Hone

Seed Round in 2020
Hone Group Inc. is a company that develops and operates a platform for live online leadership and management training, primarily aimed at enhancing both hard and soft skills within organizations. Founded in 2017 and based in San Francisco, California, Hone provides a comprehensive development platform that facilitates the sourcing, management, and delivery of instructor-led training programs. The company's offerings include training in areas such as management, diversity and inclusion, communication, conflict management, team building, and interpersonal skills. Hone's platform is designed to support organizations of various sizes by measuring the impact of training and promoting behavior change, human connection, and continuous progress. Through its innovative approach, Hone aims to uplift human skills development in modern, distributed teams.

PAPER

Venture Round in 2020
Improve student achievement and teacher effectiveness with the leading Educational Support System. Leading school districts make Paper part of their strategic plan. Whether you need to support a high ELL population, improve math/English proficiency, reduce teacher turnover, or address opportunity gaps in a diverse socio-economic community, Paper helps you reach your district goals. Educational Equity Like Never Before Paper is the first comprehensive Educational Support System (ESS) featuring live help and writing feedback for students paired with real-time feedback and intervention tools for teachers.

Springboard

Series A in 2019
Springboard is an online learning platform that prepares students for the tech industry’s most sought after careers. With expert mentorship from top professionals, a bleeding-edge curriculum, and a network of support from day one, they make sure students have everything they need to excel in their program and in their next job. The platform one-size-fits-one approach is made for working professionals who are ready to level-up or make a major career shift. And our tuition back guarantee means students can take charge and invest in themselves. Springboard data science career track comes with a job guarantee, ensuring students secure a job within six months of graduation or get a full refund. The platform's self-paced courses offer students the opportunity to develop job-ready skills that they display in an industry-worthy capstone or portfolio projects.

Riipen

Seed Round in 2019
Riipen is an experiential education platform for universities and colleges so that their students graduate with the employable skills and industry connections that will get them relevant employment upon graduation. We connect faculty and students, inside and out of the classroom, to companies that want a more effective and engaging way to create brand awareness and recruit on campuses across the globe.

Winnie

Series A in 2019
Winnie, Inc. operates an online childcare marketplace for parents to discover local daycares and preschools in the United States. It offers Winnie that is used by parents to learn about programs of daycares and preschools, including detailed descriptions, photos, tuition information, licensing status, availability data, and more. The company’s Winnie is used by childcare providers to fill their open spaces, build their wait lists, and get support and resources to run their business. The company was founded in 2016 and is based in San Francisco, California.

Stellic

Seed Round in 2019
Stellic Inc. operates an integrated planning and advising platform designed to assist students in effectively planning their academic semesters. The platform features a Degree Planner that includes tools for prerequisite checks, course searches, career templates, elective placeholders, semester planning, and an integrated calendar. Additionally, it offers a Degree Audit feature that accurately tracks completed, in-progress, and remaining program requirements. The Advisor Tool enables advisors to identify at-risk students early, while Data Reports help university administrators analyze future course demand, student performance issues, and engagement levels among students and advisors. Founded by Carnegie Mellon undergraduates frustrated with existing academic planning tools, Stellic aims to provide innovative, user-centered solutions for universities globally. The company is headquartered in Doha, Qatar, with an additional location in Palo Alto, California.

Lovevery

Series B in 2019
Lovevery, Inc. is a company based in Boise, Idaho, that specializes in manufacturing educational play products for infants. Founded in 2015, Lovevery offers a range of items designed to support early childhood development, including the Play Gym, which features various toys and tools that engage babies' senses and promote learning at different developmental stages. The company's products are informed by child development experts and aim to provide parents with stage-based information to enhance their children's growth. Lovevery sells its offerings primarily online and has received recognition for its innovative designs from several notable organizations, including TIME Magazine and Parents' Choice. The company is backed by prominent investors such as Maveron and the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative.

Bitwise Industries

Series A in 2019
Bitwise Industries Inc. is a technology ecosystem company based in Fresno, California, founded in 2013. It aims to advance the local technology landscape by focusing on education, software development, and collaborative workspaces. Through its Geekwise Academy, Bitwise offers accelerated coding programs designed to equip individuals of all backgrounds with essential technology skills, particularly targeting marginalized groups. The company also operates Shift3 Technologies, a custom software development firm that pairs experienced professionals with entry-level programmers to create software solutions. Additionally, Bitwise provides physical spaces for technologists and technology companies, including collaborative work environments and tech venues, fostering a community for innovation and growth. New projects, such as Bitwise|41 and Bitwise State Center Warehouse, are currently under development to further enhance its offerings.

Outschool

Series A in 2019
Outschool operates an online platform that facilitates live, interactive learning experiences for children through classes taught by independent teachers. Founded in 2015 and headquartered in San Francisco, the platform connects parents, motivated learners, and educators, allowing families to discover and book a variety of online classes tailored to their interests. The platform caters to a diverse range of educators, including certified teachers and individuals with expertise in various fields. Outschool's model enables parents to select classes and teachers based on their children’s needs, thereby expanding educational opportunities in a cost-effective manner compared to traditional tutoring. The platform emphasizes community building by allowing parents to collaborate on activities and share experiences.

PeopleGrove

Series A in 2019
PeopleGrove Inc. is an educational technology company based in San Francisco, California, that provides a platform designed to enhance career development and mentorship for students and professionals. Established in 2014, PeopleGrove connects users with advisers, mentors, and coaches, facilitating access to guidance and support as they navigate their academic and career paths. The platform enables individuals to create profiles, link to their LinkedIn accounts, and express interest in job openings, which informs employers about potential candidates. PeopleGrove aims to foster supportive relationships that enhance the educational experience and improve job outcomes, recognizing that community engagement is essential for student success. The platform has been successfully implemented at numerous prestigious institutions and is also utilized by companies like Intuit and Qualcomm to help their employees access expert coaching and resources within their organizations.

Candidly

Series A in 2019
Candidly is a company focused on simplifying student debt repayment and refinancing for employers through a software-as-a-service (SaaS) model. Founded by former Google employee, Candidly aims to assist organizations in providing effective benefits that help employees manage and reduce their student debt burdens. By offering innovative solutions, Candidly empowers companies to support their workforce in achieving financial well-being and securing a more stable future.

PAPER

Venture Round in 2019
Improve student achievement and teacher effectiveness with the leading Educational Support System. Leading school districts make Paper part of their strategic plan. Whether you need to support a high ELL population, improve math/English proficiency, reduce teacher turnover, or address opportunity gaps in a diverse socio-economic community, Paper helps you reach your district goals. Educational Equity Like Never Before Paper is the first comprehensive Educational Support System (ESS) featuring live help and writing feedback for students paired with real-time feedback and intervention tools for teachers.

Hone

Seed Round in 2019
Hone Group Inc. is a company that develops and operates a platform for live online leadership and management training, primarily aimed at enhancing both hard and soft skills within organizations. Founded in 2017 and based in San Francisco, California, Hone provides a comprehensive development platform that facilitates the sourcing, management, and delivery of instructor-led training programs. The company's offerings include training in areas such as management, diversity and inclusion, communication, conflict management, team building, and interpersonal skills. Hone's platform is designed to support organizations of various sizes by measuring the impact of training and promoting behavior change, human connection, and continuous progress. Through its innovative approach, Hone aims to uplift human skills development in modern, distributed teams.

Handshake

Series C in 2018
Handshake is a college career network established in 2014, aimed at transforming the recruiting experience for students, career centers, and employers. It connects 17 million students and young alumni from over 1,000 colleges and universities—including many minority-serving institutions—with nearly 500,000 employers, ranging from Fortune 500 companies to small businesses and nonprofits. The platform democratizes access to job opportunities, providing students with valuable insights and a wider array of career options, while enabling employers to efficiently access diverse talent. Additionally, it offers colleges tools to enhance student engagement and boost employment outcomes. Headquartered in San Francisco, with offices in Denver and London, Handshake has raised a total of $155 million from various investors, including prominent venture capital and social impact firms.

Aura health

Seed Round in 2018
Aura Health is a digital wellness company that specializes in mindfulness meditation through its mobile application available on iOS and Android platforms. Founded in 2015 and headquartered in San Francisco, California, Aura offers personalized content aimed at reducing stress and anxiety. The app connects users with a global community of therapists and coaches, providing tailored resources designed to enhance mental well-being. Through its innovative approach, Aura Health seeks to create a supportive environment for individuals looking to improve their mental health and overall quality of life.

Mrs Wordsmith

Series A in 2018
Mrs Wordsmith is the world’s most innovative vocabulary programme. They combine data science and creativity to illustrate the 10,000 words that matter for academic success. Launched in 2016 in London, Mrs Wordsmith is one of the fastest-growing, VC backed startups in the UK. They help young people learn efficiently through engaging content from the Hollywood artists behind Madagascar. Their words are carefully selected and curated by Cambridge University data scientists to ensure that children learn the words they will come across at school and in the books they read. Loved by teachers, parents and students.

Lingokids

Series A in 2018
Lingokids is an educational app designed for children aged 2-8, focused on teaching English through a playful learning approach. With a user base exceeding 10 million families globally, the app offers over 600 interactive games and activities that foster essential skills such as creativity, collaboration, critical thinking, and communication. The platform encourages parental involvement, allowing families to engage in the learning process together. Lingokids aims to positively impact 100 million families, emphasizing the importance of language acquisition and vocabulary development in early childhood education.

Winnie

Seed Round in 2018
Winnie, Inc. operates an online childcare marketplace for parents to discover local daycares and preschools in the United States. It offers Winnie that is used by parents to learn about programs of daycares and preschools, including detailed descriptions, photos, tuition information, licensing status, availability data, and more. The company’s Winnie is used by childcare providers to fill their open spaces, build their wait lists, and get support and resources to run their business. The company was founded in 2016 and is based in San Francisco, California.

Gradescope

Venture Round in 2018
Gradescope, Inc. is a software company that provides a grading platform designed for educational institutions. Founded in 2014 and based in Berkeley, California, Gradescope allows instructors to efficiently grade paper-based assignments and exams online, significantly reducing grading time. The platform also offers detailed analytics on assignments and questions, enabling data-driven education for both teachers and students. With its user-friendly interface, Gradescope has been utilized to grade over 3 million pages of student work across more than 100 schools, serving over 30,000 students. As of October 2018, Gradescope operates as a subsidiary of Turnitin, LLC.

BookNook

Seed Round in 2018
BookNook is combining technology and educational expertise to open the doors of literacy for students. They are a social enterprise with dual bottom line and a particular focus on supporting children in traditionally disenfranchised communities. Their founding team comes almost entirely from schools, nonprofits, social-good technology, and government. They believe that the best programs are designed by educators who have their roots in the classroom. Both their instructional strategy and their curriculum come from experienced educators who have seen first hand what works best for students. Their approach is grounded in multiple rigorous studies and they have assembled a team of nationally recognized experts who are both practitioners and researchers. They believe in scaling what works for students that technology is a great way to put proven instructional best practices in the hands of more and more people.

Holberton, Inc.

Series A in 2018
Holberton, Inc. offers a project-based learning approach tailored for aspiring software engineers, providing an alternative to traditional college education. Founded in 2016 and headquartered in San Francisco, California, the company operates additional campuses in New Haven, Connecticut, and in Bogotá and Medellín, Colombia. Its comprehensive two-year program focuses on hands-on learning, covering essential topics such as full-stack web development, machine learning, augmented and virtual reality, advanced Linux programming, algorithms, and blockchain. Students engage in collaborative projects that simulate real-world challenges, fostering teamwork and creativity. Notably, Holberton provides free education until students secure employment, making it an accessible option for those seeking to enter the tech industry.

Ellevation

Series B in 2018
Ellevation, LLC is a Boston-based company that develops a web-based software platform aimed at supporting English learners (EL) and the educators who serve them. The platform organizes EL student data, facilitates critical monitoring processes, and aids in instructional planning for multilingual students. Ellevation offers research-based instructional practices and activities that assist classroom teachers in effectively planning lessons to help ELs acquire language skills and master grade-level content. Additionally, the company provides Ellevation Math, specifically designed to help ELs engage with grade-level math concepts. Serving various public school districts, including EL coordinators, specialists, and teachers, Ellevation aims to enhance educational outcomes for English learners across the United States. Founded in 2006, the company was previously known as ESL Innovations, Inc. and rebranded to Ellevation, LLC in 2011.

Podcast App

Seed Round in 2018
The Podcast App is a streamlined mobile application designed to help users discover and enjoy podcasts that align with their interests. Utilizing advanced machine learning technology, it creates personalized playlists tailored to individual tastes, enhancing the listening experience. The app facilitates a straightforward process for users to find, save, and listen to their favorite podcasts across a wide range of topics, including news, education, comedy, politics, and true crime. By focusing on user preferences, The Podcast App aims to simplify the podcast discovery process and provide a diverse selection of audio content.

Candidly

Seed Round in 2018
Candidly is a company focused on simplifying student debt repayment and refinancing for employers through a software-as-a-service (SaaS) model. Founded by former Google employee, Candidly aims to assist organizations in providing effective benefits that help employees manage and reduce their student debt burdens. By offering innovative solutions, Candidly empowers companies to support their workforce in achieving financial well-being and securing a more stable future.

Frank Financial Aid

Series A in 2017
Frank’s online platform streamlines and simplifies the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) application process. Its mission is to help students reach their greatest potential by getting the most value from their education. Frank aims to assist each student and help them get their maximum financial aid.

BetterLesson

Series B in 2017
BetterLesson, Inc. develops and offers a professional development platform for teachers. Its platform connects teachers to their personal coaches for setting professional development challenges and objectives, creating individualized learning plans, and making teaching strategies. It provides a searchable database to users to find lesson plans, classroom materials, and instructional resources from teachers; browse various documents, presentations, lessons, units, and courses; and share curriculum and connect with fellow educators. BetterLesson, Inc. was incorporated in 2008 and is based in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Mystery.org

Seed Round in 2017
Mystery.org is an educational platform dedicated to enhancing children's understanding of the world through engaging explanations. It originated with a focus on the 150 most common science questions posed by children, leading to the creation of Mystery Science, which has been utilized by one in five children in the U.S. across half of elementary schools. The organization has received over 500,000 questions from children in the past 18 months, indicating a strong demand for answers to their inquiries. To address this, Mystery.org is developing video explanations for a wide array of questions that children may not encounter in traditional schooling, effectively serving as a visual encyclopedia tailored for young learners. By providing multimedia lessons designed to spark curiosity and promote scientific understanding, Mystery.org aims to cultivate a generation of critical thinkers equipped to explore and comprehend the complexities of the world around them.

Play Piper

Series A in 2017
Piper is a Minecraft toolbox for budding engineers that leverages kids' love of Minecraft to show them that building real gadgets is effortless and fun. At a time when technology pervades every part of our life, kids learn to passively USE technology, but not to CREATE with it. We believe that giving kids an opportunity to become creators rather than consumers, and to do it through a game their already understand and love is a powerful way to replace screen-time with build-time. Letting kids invent, tinker, and build in the physical world while they are young is the most powerful way to empower them to create the future.

Lightneer

Seed Round in 2017
To be able to address a rapidly changing market we created a market first / market fast approach to game development. Our world-class team takes the best concepts to market in just a handful of weeks from dozens of original ideas. We look for strong marketability and high player engagement from the outset to help determine if games have hit potential.

Tinkergarten

Series A in 2017
Tinkergarten, Inc. is dedicated to providing outdoor play-based learning classes and activities for children aged 18 months to 8 years. Founded in 2014 and headquartered in Northampton, Massachusetts, the company connects families with local leaders who facilitate activity-based classes designed to foster essential developmental skills in a natural setting. Tinkergarten's approach emphasizes the importance of early childhood education in outdoor environments, allowing children to learn through play while enabling parents to engage actively in their children's learning journeys. By creating a network of community leaders, Tinkergarten aims to elevate the quality of early education and support parents in raising healthy, confident, and capable children.

PeopleGrove

Seed Round in 2017
PeopleGrove Inc. is an educational technology company based in San Francisco, California, that provides a platform designed to enhance career development and mentorship for students and professionals. Established in 2014, PeopleGrove connects users with advisers, mentors, and coaches, facilitating access to guidance and support as they navigate their academic and career paths. The platform enables individuals to create profiles, link to their LinkedIn accounts, and express interest in job openings, which informs employers about potential candidates. PeopleGrove aims to foster supportive relationships that enhance the educational experience and improve job outcomes, recognizing that community engagement is essential for student success. The platform has been successfully implemented at numerous prestigious institutions and is also utilized by companies like Intuit and Qualcomm to help their employees access expert coaching and resources within their organizations.

Abl Schools

Series A in 2017
Abl is building a new kind of school operations software that helps school leaders better manage their time and resources. Their mission is to transform education by helping schools create flexible, transparent, and collaborative learning environments.

TeachFX

Pre Seed Round in 2017
TeachFX, Inc. develops an application that gives teachers feedback on the dialogue that happens in classroom. The application uses machine learning to analyze and visualize for teachers what portions of their class are teacher talk vs. student talk. The company develops smartphone and web application that provides automated feedback and help students and teachers to identify problem areas and resolve the issues. TeachFX, Inc. was incorporated in 2017 and is based in Palo Alto, California.

Mrs Wordsmith

Seed Round in 2017
Mrs Wordsmith is the world’s most innovative vocabulary programme. They combine data science and creativity to illustrate the 10,000 words that matter for academic success. Launched in 2016 in London, Mrs Wordsmith is one of the fastest-growing, VC backed startups in the UK. They help young people learn efficiently through engaging content from the Hollywood artists behind Madagascar. Their words are carefully selected and curated by Cambridge University data scientists to ensure that children learn the words they will come across at school and in the books they read. Loved by teachers, parents and students.

BookNook

Seed Round in 2017
BookNook is combining technology and educational expertise to open the doors of literacy for students. They are a social enterprise with dual bottom line and a particular focus on supporting children in traditionally disenfranchised communities. Their founding team comes almost entirely from schools, nonprofits, social-good technology, and government. They believe that the best programs are designed by educators who have their roots in the classroom. Both their instructional strategy and their curriculum come from experienced educators who have seen first hand what works best for students. Their approach is grounded in multiple rigorous studies and they have assembled a team of nationally recognized experts who are both practitioners and researchers. They believe in scaling what works for students that technology is a great way to put proven instructional best practices in the hands of more and more people.

Epic

Series C in 2017
Epic! Creations Inc. is an online subscription service that provides access to a vast library of books and chapter books for children aged 12 and under. Founded in 2013 and based in Redwood City, California, Epic offers a digital reading platform that includes read-to-me books, audiobooks, educational videos, and interactive quizzes. The platform is designed to foster a fun and safe learning environment, encouraging children to explore their interests through engaging content. Epic's services are accessible via the web and mobile applications on iOS and Android devices, making it a versatile resource for young readers worldwide.

Kaymbu

Seed Round in 2017
Kaymbu Inc. is a company that provides a cloud-based documentation and media management solution specifically designed for early education centers. Founded in 2012 and headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Kaymbu offers an iPad application that allows teachers to document classroom activities through photos and videos. This platform facilitates secure communication between teachers and families, enhancing the connection between home and school. Additionally, teachers and administrators can access these documented activities via web or mobile devices, enabling the addition of contextual notes and alignment with various assessment frameworks or accreditation criteria. Kaymbu’s services aim to strengthen school communities by making learning visible and improving engagement between educators and parents.

Nearpod

Series B in 2017
Nearpod Inc. provides a cloud-based platform designed to enhance the learning experience in both traditional and remote classrooms. The company's primary product, Nearpod, enables teachers to create interactive multimedia presentations that can be synchronized with iPads, fostering student engagement and real-time assessment. Educators can easily transform their existing presentations into mobile-friendly formats, allowing for the use of interactive features such as polls, quizzes, and drawing activities. In addition to its core platform, Nearpod offers a certified educator community that provides webinars, lessons, and training materials. The company also delivers various curriculum services, including a lesson library, resources for digital citizenship and literacy, support for English learners, and materials focused on social-emotional learning and college and career exploration. Founded in 2011 and based in Aventura, Florida, Nearpod aims to leverage the growing adoption of mobile devices in education to promote active participation among students.

Holberton, Inc.

Seed Round in 2017
Holberton, Inc. offers a project-based learning approach tailored for aspiring software engineers, providing an alternative to traditional college education. Founded in 2016 and headquartered in San Francisco, California, the company operates additional campuses in New Haven, Connecticut, and in Bogotá and Medellín, Colombia. Its comprehensive two-year program focuses on hands-on learning, covering essential topics such as full-stack web development, machine learning, augmented and virtual reality, advanced Linux programming, algorithms, and blockchain. Students engage in collaborative projects that simulate real-world challenges, fostering teamwork and creativity. Notably, Holberton provides free education until students secure employment, making it an accessible option for those seeking to enter the tech industry.

Mainstay

Seed Round in 2017
AdmitHub, Inc. is a Boston-based company that specializes in providing expert admissions guidance through its website and SMS services. The company focuses on helping students communicate directly with college admissions offices and offers assistance in various areas, including college selection, financial aid, standardized tests, and support for first-generation college students. Additionally, AdmitHub has developed a chatbot platform named Oli, which integrates artificial intelligence and human expertise to enhance student enrollment, persistence, and completion at numerous colleges and universities. This platform helps educational institutions streamline repetitive tasks, engage students effectively on a large scale, and gain valuable insights into their admissions processes.

Mainstay

Seed Round in 2016
AdmitHub, Inc. is a Boston-based company that specializes in providing expert admissions guidance through its website and SMS services. The company focuses on helping students communicate directly with college admissions offices and offers assistance in various areas, including college selection, financial aid, standardized tests, and support for first-generation college students. Additionally, AdmitHub has developed a chatbot platform named Oli, which integrates artificial intelligence and human expertise to enhance student enrollment, persistence, and completion at numerous colleges and universities. This platform helps educational institutions streamline repetitive tasks, engage students effectively on a large scale, and gain valuable insights into their admissions processes.

Tinkergarten

Seed Round in 2016
Tinkergarten, Inc. is dedicated to providing outdoor play-based learning classes and activities for children aged 18 months to 8 years. Founded in 2014 and headquartered in Northampton, Massachusetts, the company connects families with local leaders who facilitate activity-based classes designed to foster essential developmental skills in a natural setting. Tinkergarten's approach emphasizes the importance of early childhood education in outdoor environments, allowing children to learn through play while enabling parents to engage actively in their children's learning journeys. By creating a network of community leaders, Tinkergarten aims to elevate the quality of early education and support parents in raising healthy, confident, and capable children.

Replit

Seed Round in 2016
Repl.it lets you start coding in your favorite programming language in 2 seconds; it lets you build and deploy apps right from your browser. The founders wanted to build something to solve their own problem -- back in school they were tired of setting up their development environment on every machine they wanted to code on, and they dreamed of a world where you could just open a tab in the browser and start working. They built Repl.it to give developers access to simple, powerful tools and a community of hackers, aspiring programmers and teachers. They make it possible to learn, practice and build, all in the same place.

PeopleGrove

Seed Round in 2016
PeopleGrove Inc. is an educational technology company based in San Francisco, California, that provides a platform designed to enhance career development and mentorship for students and professionals. Established in 2014, PeopleGrove connects users with advisers, mentors, and coaches, facilitating access to guidance and support as they navigate their academic and career paths. The platform enables individuals to create profiles, link to their LinkedIn accounts, and express interest in job openings, which informs employers about potential candidates. PeopleGrove aims to foster supportive relationships that enhance the educational experience and improve job outcomes, recognizing that community engagement is essential for student success. The platform has been successfully implemented at numerous prestigious institutions and is also utilized by companies like Intuit and Qualcomm to help their employees access expert coaching and resources within their organizations.

Play Piper

Seed Round in 2016
Piper is a Minecraft toolbox for budding engineers that leverages kids' love of Minecraft to show them that building real gadgets is effortless and fun. At a time when technology pervades every part of our life, kids learn to passively USE technology, but not to CREATE with it. We believe that giving kids an opportunity to become creators rather than consumers, and to do it through a game their already understand and love is a powerful way to replace screen-time with build-time. Letting kids invent, tinker, and build in the physical world while they are young is the most powerful way to empower them to create the future.

Tynker

Series A in 2016
Tynker is an online creative coding platform that aims to equip children aged 5 to 18 with foundational skills in computer science and programming. The platform offers self-paced courses for individual learners as well as a comprehensive curriculum tailored for educational institutions. Through its intuitive visual programming language, Tynker allows users to create a variety of projects, including web and mobile applications, animations, music, e-books, and games, while also enabling programming for robotics and drones. The organization's mission is to foster critical thinking and problem-solving abilities in children, preparing them for future career opportunities in a technology-driven world.

KickUp

Seed Round in 2016
Kickup, Inc. develops and operates a collaboration platform that helps school districts to design, coordinate, and assess their professional learning activities. Its platform also give educational leaders an actionable picture of their program's effectiveness. The company serves superintendents, directors of PD, and district leaders. Kickup, Inc. was formerly known as Pedagology, LLC and changed its name to Kickup, Inc. in February 2015. The company was incorporated in 2014 and is headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

FreshGrade

Series A in 2016
FreshGrade Inc. is an online education platform based in Kelowna, Canada, founded in 2011. It is designed for teachers, parents, and students, facilitating communication, assessment, and documentation of learning moments through multimedia such as videos, pictures, and notes. The platform enhances parental engagement by providing insights into their child's classroom progress and fosters personalized learning experiences. By enabling real-time assessment and collaboration, FreshGrade aims to improve learning outcomes for students and support the evolution of education in a manner that aligns with contemporary communication practices.

Nearpod

Series A in 2016
Nearpod Inc. provides a cloud-based platform designed to enhance the learning experience in both traditional and remote classrooms. The company's primary product, Nearpod, enables teachers to create interactive multimedia presentations that can be synchronized with iPads, fostering student engagement and real-time assessment. Educators can easily transform their existing presentations into mobile-friendly formats, allowing for the use of interactive features such as polls, quizzes, and drawing activities. In addition to its core platform, Nearpod offers a certified educator community that provides webinars, lessons, and training materials. The company also delivers various curriculum services, including a lesson library, resources for digital citizenship and literacy, support for English learners, and materials focused on social-emotional learning and college and career exploration. Founded in 2011 and based in Aventura, Florida, Nearpod aims to leverage the growing adoption of mobile devices in education to promote active participation among students.

Gradescope

Seed Round in 2016
Gradescope, Inc. is a software company that provides a grading platform designed for educational institutions. Founded in 2014 and based in Berkeley, California, Gradescope allows instructors to efficiently grade paper-based assignments and exams online, significantly reducing grading time. The platform also offers detailed analytics on assignments and questions, enabling data-driven education for both teachers and students. With its user-friendly interface, Gradescope has been utilized to grade over 3 million pages of student work across more than 100 schools, serving over 30,000 students. As of October 2018, Gradescope operates as a subsidiary of Turnitin, LLC.

ClassDojo

Series B in 2016
ClassDojo, Inc. is an online school communication platform designed to connect teachers, students, and families, fostering a community that enhances learning and character development. Founded in 2011 and based in San Francisco, California, ClassDojo enables educators to share classroom experiences through photos, videos, and messages, facilitating real-time communication with parents about their children's progress. The platform allows teachers to create classes, monitor student behavior, and reward achievements, while parents can stay informed and engaged in their child's education. Available in 35 languages and utilized in 180 countries, ClassDojo has become a widely adopted tool in 90% of American school districts. The application is accessible via web browsers and mobile devices, ensuring ease of use for all participants. Over the years, ClassDojo has received several accolades, including recognition as one of the "25 Most Disruptive Companies" by Inc. and inclusion in Forbes' "100 Most Promising Companies."

BetterLesson

Series A in 2016
BetterLesson, Inc. develops and offers a professional development platform for teachers. Its platform connects teachers to their personal coaches for setting professional development challenges and objectives, creating individualized learning plans, and making teaching strategies. It provides a searchable database to users to find lesson plans, classroom materials, and instructional resources from teachers; browse various documents, presentations, lessons, units, and courses; and share curriculum and connect with fellow educators. BetterLesson, Inc. was incorporated in 2008 and is based in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

SchoolMint

Series A in 2016
SchoolMint provides a cloud-based student enrollment and school choice platform to PreK-12 school systems worldwide. Since its founding in 2013, more than 6,000 schools have chosen SchoolMint to streamline all aspects of student enrollment - student registration management, application, lottery, and school choice management, and digital forms and document uploads. Available online and on mobile devices, SchoolMint integrates with leading student information systems (SIS) and transforms the end-to-end enrollment experience for school staff and parents. Visit http://www.SchoolMint.com to learn more.

Abl Schools

Seed Round in 2016
Abl is building a new kind of school operations software that helps school leaders better manage their time and resources. Their mission is to transform education by helping schools create flexible, transparent, and collaborative learning environments.

EdSurge

Series A in 2015
EdSurge is a prominent platform serving educators, entrepreneurs, and investors in the education technology sector. The organization offers a comprehensive database of edtech products and companies, along with daily news reporting focused on the education technology ecosystem. It provides independent reviews of education technology tools, assisting schools and colleges in selecting appropriate resources to enhance learning. In addition to its online presence, EdSurge hosts events such as the San Francisco education technology meetup and a series of nationwide summits, alongside the Digital Innovation in Learning Awards. The platform also features a jobs board and a service called Edtech Concierge, which supports education leaders in tool selection. Founded in 2011 and based in Burlingame, California, EdSurge operates as a hybrid of technology journalism, employing a mix of technologists, educators, and journalists, with the aim of fostering informed adoption of education technology through impartial reporting and community engagement.

WriteLab

Seed Round in 2015
WriteLab is an online writing platform offering immediate, objective, and constructive responses to any writer's prose. WriteLab utilizes probability and statistics to identify patterns in each writer's choices. Writers can accept or reject suggestions, and WriteLab learns continuously from these choices, customizing its algorithms to suit users' preferences. Users receive customized feedback, generating powerful analytics. The platform designed for high school and higher education students that provide specific feedback and editing suggestions to uploaded essays Student users can share drafts with instructors on WriteLab, and instructors can read and respond to students'​ writing and leave comments of their own. It addresses these issues by offering immediate editorial assistance at any time.

Schoolzilla

Series A in 2015
Schoolzilla provides a best-in-class dashboard system---Mosaic District Progress Monitoring---that makes it easy for K12 district and school leaders to be data-driven leaders. Mosaic is used to support districts working to reduce chronic absence, improve assessment results, reduce equity gaps, monitor behavior interventions, make sure students are on track to graduate college- and career-ready, and more. Mosaic is a configurable SaaS solution built on the Schoolzilla Data Warehouse that ingests and transforms data from more than 100 commonly used SIS, assessment, and operational software systems.