Newschools Fund II

NewSchools Venture Fund, founded in 1998 and based in Oakland, California, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to transforming public education, particularly for minority and low-income students in underserved urban communities. The organization seeks to close the achievement gap by investing in innovative educational solutions through its various funds, which focus on both nonprofit and for-profit ventures. By providing early-stage capital, NewSchools supports entrepreneurs developing education technology tools, charter schools, and educational services that enhance student achievement. The fund has made over $180 million in investments across more than 70 organizations, advocating for effective policies and sharing insights from its experiences. NewSchools aims to ensure that all children have access to high-quality education, fostering scalable solutions to address critical educational challenges.

Maggie Andrews

Director

Jason Atwood

Director

Scott Benson

Partner

Stacey Childress

Chief Executive Officer

Tonika Clayton

Managing Partner

Miho Kubagawa

Partner

Deborah M. McGriff

Managing Partner

Frances Messano

Senior Managing Partner

Gabi Netter

Senior Associate Partner

Tiffany Cheng Nyaggah

Partner

Amy Omand

Chief Financial Officer

Daryl Peagler

Chief Operating Officer

Joanna Rees

Former Director

Cameron White

Partner

115 past transactions

Tutored by Teachers

Series A in 2022
We match students with certified teachers to deliver convenient, customized and high-quality online education. We drive improved outcomes for students, better income for teachers and additional access for disadvantaged communities. We will help close the achievement gap through a national tutoring program, powered by our community of teachers.
Educators for Excellence is a non-profit dedicated to giving teachers a voice in policies that affect their students and profession. The company was founded in 2012 by Sydney Morris and Evan Stone.

TECA

Grant in 2019
TECA is a non-profit organization dedicated to the support of educators of color in Tennessee. Diarese George, a former classroom teacher in the Clarksville-Montgomery County School System, founded the Tennessee Educators of Color Alliance in the fall of 2016 to provide a platform to amplify the voice and presence of educators of color.

Move This World

Grant in 2019
Move This World is a prominent provider of social-emotional learning (SEL) resources tailored for PreK-12 students, educators, and families. The organization offers an extensive library of multimedia content, including interactive lessons that aim to empower students in navigating their personal and academic lives. These programs are designed for straightforward implementation, enabling educators and families to easily integrate SEL into daily routines without the need for extensive planning. The curriculum emphasizes creative expression and participatory movement, fostering essential skills that promote well-being and establish a common language among all participants. With a focus on evidence-based practices rooted in creative arts therapy and positive psychology, Move This World has positively influenced the lives of over 1.5 million students across 38 states, enhancing their social-emotional development and strengthening community connections.

GiveThx

Grant in 2019
GiveThx is a digital program that strengthens student wellbeing and social-emotional skills using gratitude science. Students and staff use digital thank you notes to recognize and reinforce positive behaviors that nurture relationships and build self-esteem. GiveThx is a powerful social-emotional learning system that schools can use on a daily basis, leveraging technology to create safe and inclusive communities. GiveThx is a nonprofit based in Oakland, CA with a mission to increase belonging and emotional wellbeing for all students.

Purpose Project

Grant in 2019
Purpose Project helps both children and adults in developing skills such as self-awareness, self-direction, and community impact. The company is a non-profit organization based in San Francisco that is supported by Plussed and IDEO.

Centervention

Grant in 2019
Centervention offers game-based online programs and supplemental lessons that improve social and emotional skills for students in elementary and middle school. These games are fun for students, automatically gather data so educators can monitor progress, and include supplemental lessons to reinforce learning. With Centervention, educators can meet students where they are, address their unique needs, and do so in a fun, effective way.

EduMotion

Grant in 2019
EduMotion offers transformative school programs, including SEL Journeys, a digital platform that connects students all over the world to cultural dance lessons and Social-Emotional Learning activities.

Mursion

Series A in 2019
Mursion is the virtual reality environment where professionals practice and master the complex interpersonal skills necessary to be effective in high-stress professions. Used by a wide range of innovative organizations in healthcare, education, hospitality, finance, and other corporate sectors, Mursion delivers customized virtual reality simulations that recreate the most demanding interpersonal challenges that professionals confront on the job every day.

Beloved Community

Grant in 2019
Taleo for diversity, equity, and inclusion progress monitoring

Teton Science Schools

Grant in 2018
TSS is an organization in northwest Wyoming and Idaho comprised of seven program areas sharing a common vision of education.

NexusEdge

Seed Round in 2018
NexusEdge Education Inc. designs and develops an artificial intelligence based career navigation platform to help students discover their career paths and assist employers in building a pipeline of candidates that meet their specific expectations. It offers video face to face mentoring, micro-credentialing, LinkedIn learning, and adaptive job board services. The company provides its services to high schools, community colleges, universities, and alumni. NexusEdge Education Inc. was founded in 2016 and is based in Los Angeles, California.

ClassWallet

Seed Round in 2018
ClassWallet, based in Hollywood, Florida, provides a comprehensive funds management and tracking platform tailored for school systems and educational agencies. The ClassWallet platform simplifies the management of education funds by digitizing and automating processes that traditionally involve extensive paperwork and administrative tasks. It enables users to efficiently track classroom stipends, unappropriated funds, Title I allocations, student activity funds, grants, and donations. With features that integrate funds disbursement, e-commerce capabilities, and a reloadable debit card, ClassWallet facilitates seamless spending and tracking for educators, allowing them to focus more on teaching rather than administrative burdens.

RaiseMe

Grant in 2018
RaiseMe is a financial aid information and networking platform aimed at improving access to higher education by providing scholarship opportunities. The platform allows students to earn "micro-Scholarships" throughout their high school years, based on individual achievements both in and outside the classroom. This approach addresses the limitations of traditional financial aid systems, which typically award assistance at the end of high school, often too late to influence students' college decisions. By enabling students to accumulate financial aid early, RaiseMe has facilitated the earning of over $2 billion in micro-scholarships from its university partners. This innovative model seeks to enhance educational pathways and support students in their academic pursuits.

Strive for College

Grant in 2018
Strive for College connects aspiring college students with free, one-on-one, online mentoring through the entire college admissions and financial aid application process. Strive for College recruits and trains volunteer mentors throughout the country. Mentors work with high school students interested in attending college and provide one-on-one virtual mentoring to help them access and pay for college. From the spring semester of junior year until application deadlines are complete, Strive mentors and mentees meet for about one hour each week online. Mentoring pairs work through the year-long Strive for College curriculum, developed with college deans and admissions administrators, to cover every aspect of researching, applying to and paying for a student’s best-fit, four-year college.
Weird Enough Productions is a multimedia production company that specializes in original content creation and media literacy education. The company uses creativity, collaboration, and new media to create original content that illuminates the complexities of the human condition from perspectives that are often overlooked by mainstream media.

Spotlight

Grant in 2018
Business intelligence company currently focused on education. Proprietary software converts data into natural language for "everyday users," either as narrative text-based reports or as personalized videos. Early traction includes paid partnerships with some of the most significant players in education, including ETS, the College Board and NWEA, as well as major school systems, including Oakland Unified School District, Long Beach Unified and Green Dot Public Schools.

Teachley

Grant in 2017
Teachley, LLC is a New York-based company that develops educational applications rooted in cognitive science research, specifically targeting K-8 students. The company focuses on creating interactive math applications that facilitate learning through gameplay. Notable products include Addimal Adventure, aimed at teaching single-digit addition to students in grades K-2, and Mt. Multiplis, which helps third to fifth graders master complex multiplication strategies. Additionally, Teachley offers Teachley Analytics, a program designed for schools to analyze student performance, track progress against educational standards, identify at-risk students, and tailor classroom instruction accordingly. Founded in 2011 by Dana Pagar, Kara Carpenter, and Rachael Labrecque, Teachley aims to enhance educational outcomes through innovative technology.

Cognitive ToyBox

Grant in 2017
Cognitive ToyBox, Inc. is dedicated to enhancing early childhood education through evidence-based games and applications designed to assess kindergarten readiness in children. Established in 2014 and headquartered in Brooklyn, New York, the company creates interactive games that focus on building foundational skills in numeracy and other areas critical for young learners. In addition to its educational games, Cognitive ToyBox offers assessment applications tailored for teachers and schools, facilitating a comprehensive approach to early learning. The company’s solutions are available on both Android and iOS platforms, aiming to ensure that all children are well-prepared for the challenges of kindergarten. Founded by Tammy Kwan and Dr. Brenden Lake, Cognitive ToyBox has received support from notable organizations, including the National Science Foundation and the Robin Hood Foundation.
The MIND Research Institute enables elementary and primary students to reach their full academic and career potential through developing and deploying math instructional software and systems - working closely with community leaders, school administrators and educators, and civic leaders and donors. As non-profit organization, MIND also conducts basic neuro-scientific, mathematics, and education research to improve math education and advance scientific understanding.

Waterford.org

Grant in 2017
Waterford.org is an early education nonprofit dedicated to promoting universal literacy among children through accessible educational resources and family engagement. The organization provides reading, math, and science curricula tailored for pre-K through 2nd grade students. Its flagship initiative, Waterford UPSTART, focuses on kindergarten readiness for four-year-olds by offering computer-adaptive instruction at home, complemented by personalized support from Family Education Liaisons who guide parents in their role as primary educators. Waterford.org serves over 300,000 children annually across the United States, aiming to create individualized learning paths that foster fluent reading and lifelong learning. The organization's efforts are bolstered by support from various governmental and philanthropic entities, including a federal EIR grant and initiatives from The Studio @ Blue Meridian and TED’s Audacious Project. Waterford.org is headquartered in Sandy, Utah, and was established in 2007.

Family Engagement Lab

Grant in 2017
Family Engagement Lab, LLC develops and provides an online platform to improve student outcomes in low-income communities through family engagement. The company offers FASTalk, a text-based program that helps teachers engage families through curriculum aligned, at-home activities that drive students’ social, emotional, and academic skill development. Its platform also helps families learn strategies to support learning, including building critical academic skills, cultivating learning mindsets and habits, and practicing social and emotional skills. The company was founded in 2016 and is headquartered in San Francisco, California.

Brightwheel

Grant in 2017
Brightwheel is the first all-in-one software platform for preschools, childcare providers, camps, and afterschool programs. Brightwheel helps teachers manage their day and communicate with parents, gives parents deeper insight into what their children are learning, and automates the process of managing operations for administrators. The platform has been shown to save teachers and administrators up to an hour per day while improving parent satisfaction and giving them a closer connection to their child’s learning. It is the fastest growing platform in early education, used across thousands of locations globally.

codeSpark

Grant in 2017
codeSpark is an educational software company that creates interactive learning games aimed at children aged five to eight. Founded in 2014 and based in Pasadena, California, codeSpark develops a platform called codeSpark Academy, which includes The Foos, a self-directed game that teaches computer science concepts through engaging mechanics. The platform accommodates various learning styles and promotes inclusivity, allowing millions of children in 201 countries to learn programming and critical thinking skills. Through structured challenges and creative play, children can design, code, and share their own video games, fostering imagination and practical application of fundamental concepts in computer science.

Mawi

Grant in 2017
Mawi Learning was founded by Mawi Asgedom, an Ethiopian refugee who persevered against all odds to successfully graduate from Harvard. Mawi chronicled his family’s journey in his best-selling autobiography Of Beetles and Angels and in speeches to over a million students and teachers worldwide.

WriteReader

Grant in 2017
WriteReader ApS is a Copenhagen-based company founded in 2012 that has developed a web-based educational platform designed to enhance children's reading and writing skills. The WriteReader application allows children to create digital books by taking pictures of their surroundings, including family and friends, and writing about these images at their own writing level. The platform then translates the child's text into conventional writing, enabling them to compare their original work with an edited version, which fosters improvement in their literacy skills. Additionally, WriteReader facilitates the sharing of these books with friends and family, as well as publishing them in a global online library, promoting a collaborative and interactive learning environment.

Kaymbu

Grant 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.

Peekapak

Grant in 2017
Developed by education experts, Peekapak's award winning learning platform and digital games provides educators with easy-to-use, standards-aligned, research-based tools that make integrating social-emotional skills fun, engaging and effective. Peekapak is backed by Y Combinator's Edtech Vertical, Imagine K12, NewSchools Venture Fund, Uncharted and the DMZ and has been covered in EdSurge, Entrepreneur Magazine, Kidscreen, Flare, International Business Times, Flare, BetaKit, TechVibes, Yahoo Finance, CBC, CTV and Toronto Star.

Reasoning Mind

Grant in 2017
Reasoning Mind is a nonprofit organization with the mission of providing a first-rate math education for every child. To achieve this, the organization develops blended learning mathematics programs for elementary and middle school and works with schools to implement these programs in classrooms.

Sparkler

Grant in 2017
Sparkler serves education organizations and other employers that work with the parents of young children. Sparkler offers organizations serving young families a mobile app and related services that help parents, grandparents, and other caregivers harness the science of early child and brain development to make the most of the early years. Sparkler’s enterprise tools promote healthy child development. The company works with education, healthcare, and social service organizations that serve young families to help them give families tools that prepare children for learning and life.

Learning Genie

Grant in 2017
Learning Genie provides the most powerful and flexible portfolio and assessment rating tools for child development observation, documentation, and assessment rating. It is ideal for state or federally funded programs to meet the documentation and assessment reporting requirements set by the Department of Education. In addition, Learning Genie’s innovative and interactive daily reporting feature makes Learning Genie the leader for family engagement. It is not a simple photo sharing or daily routine reporting tool. Rather, it is aimed to truly involve parents in children’s early learning to achieve the best home to school connection. By enabling the teacher to share learning contents such as ebooks, songs, interactive learning media as well as parenting tips, it enables a better bonding between parents and children through interactive learning together. They believe these will ultimately improve the quality of the program as well as children’s early learning outcomes.
AppleTree Institute for Education Innovation is an educational organization based in Washington, D.C., founded in 1996. It operates seven public charter preschool campuses, which serve as models for effective teaching and learning. The institute combines its educational efforts with a research and development component aimed at enhancing instructional quality. AppleTree's innovative program is built on four core components: a focus on instructional quality, a standards-based curriculum, quality classroom environments, and a commitment to utilizing data to inform practices. This holistic approach aims to improve early childhood education and foster positive outcomes for young learners.

PowerMyLearning

Grant in 2017
PowerMyLearning is a national non-profit that leverages technology to strengthen the learning relationships among students, teachers, and families so that all students can succeed. Our work fosters growth in teachers as instructional leaders; in families as support partners; and in students as learners who can meet the challenge of high academic standards.

Majorwise

Pre Seed Round in 2017
Majorwise’s mission is to revolutionize how students find jobs out of high school. Majorwise was started by Peter Silverman and Max Robbins in December of 2015. Peter and Max were college roommates at the University of Vermont, and both were having trouble finding local jobs for the summer related to their major. Peter ended up getting a digital marketing internship in Boston, and Max was a waiter in Cape Cod. Neither of us could believe there were no local jobs we could find. So, we started investigating where all these jobs are. It turned out, most of the companies in Vermont are small, as in less than 10 employees. These businesses don’t normally hire students for internships because internships are often too big of commitments. They do need help executing marketing strategies, making graphics, and communicating with customers, but they can’t afford that for 30 hours a week. Figuring this out, Peter and Max created a simple job board called BeaconVT to help Vermont students find local jobs, internships, projects, and gigs.

Timocco

Grant in 2017
They wake up every morning to create a bigger smile on the faces of children with special needs. Their team is dedicated to developing games that help children to overcome their disabilities in a playful and interactive way. The Timocco experience provides a safe, educational and empowering gaming environment for children, and a platform that encourages coping with everyday difficulties like physical or cognitive dysfunctions. Their goal is to provide those children in need with a friendly gaming environment, which allows them to become active and engaged in a fun and challenging activity, just like other children surrounding them.

VocaliD

Grant in 2017
VocaliD's award-winning technology generates high-quality, natural sounding voices within hours rather than months using cutting-edge machine learning techniques, proprietary voice blending algorithms, and a crowdsourced Voicebank.

PhET

Grant in 2017
PhET provides fun, free, interactive, research-based science and mathematics simulations. They extensively test and evaluate each simulation to ensure educational effectiveness. These tests include student interviews and observation of simulation use in classrooms. The simulations are written in Java, Flash or HTML5, and can be run online or downloaded to your computer. All simulations are open source. Multiple sponsors support the PhET project, enabling these resources to be free to all students and teachers.

iTherapy

Grant in 2017
iTherapy offers multi-sensory, universal technology to students with autism and other special needs. The company's technology is used to create educational equipment that improves communication skills by combining science, technology, and play, allowing for better teaching methods for those with learning disabilities. iTherapy was founded by Matthew Guggemos and Lois Jean Brady.

LiftEd

Grant in 2017
LiftEd is a continuous monitoring, intervention, and instructional support platform. It empowers teachers, related service (speech/occupational therapists, behaviorists, psychologists, etc.) and other Special Education professionals to rigorously track progress data, intelligently refine instruction/intervention strategies, and accelerate outcomes for learners with disAbilities or differences ages 3-22.

Enuma

Grant in 2017
Enuma creates game-based self-directed learning applications for children to help them acquire foundational math and language skills. The company's mission is to empower all the world’s children, including those with special needs or without access to resources to become independent learners.

Education Modified

Grant in 2017
Education Modified LLC provides EdMod App, a tool for everyone who influences the education of a student with diverse needs. Its tool features include easy-to-implement strategies, built-in professional development, and Learning Biography, as well as curriculum, program, or standards enhancement. The company also provides ADHD professional development, co-teaching professional development, and Dyslexia professional development. Education Modified LLC was founded in 2011 and is based in New York, New York.

ExceptionALLY

Grant in 2017
ExceptionALLY delivers a customized solution to help parents navigate the IEP process. The company aims to help parents understand, organize and communicate all the info they need to make sure their child is getting the help they require.

Kinems Inc

Grant in 2017
Kinems Inc is an educational technology company that specializes in movement-based learning games designed for children with various learning disabilities, including autism, ADHD, dyspraxia, dyslexia, and dyscalculia. Founded in 2013 and based in Athens, Greece, the company provides a range of interactive games that combine therapeutic body movements with academic content, helping students engage in both learning and therapy simultaneously. Kinems offers a cloud-based monitoring and reporting system that allows professionals, such as teachers and therapists, to customize game settings according to each child's individual needs. This system not only facilitates tailored learning experiences but also tracks progress and documents interventions, ensuring that educational goals are met effectively. Kinems serves a diverse clientele, including educators, healthcare professionals, therapists, and parents, all aimed at empowering special education students to reach their full potential.

Branching Minds

Grant in 2017
Branching Minds solves a large and growing problem for teachers, principals and superintendents: educators have no clear way of figuring out why students are struggling to learn, or what teachers should do to help them get back on track. Our platform helps teachers to identify students’ cognitive learning strengths and challenges, algorithmically matches them with research-backed learning supports, and then tracks and reports data on student progress.

Zyrobotics

Grant in 2017
Zyrobotics, LLC is an assistive technology company that was conceived in the summer of 2012 and officially incorporated in 2013 as a Georgia Tech Venturelab spin-off company. They have continued expanding their product line to offer technologies targeted toward accessible Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) education. Their first offerings include OctoPlus and OctoMinus, switch-accessible math apps that create an interactive gaming environment to reinforce common core math skills while enhancing fine motor skills and visual perception. Their STEM apps combine education and therapy to fully help in achieving developmental milestones for children of all abilities.

TCSC

Venture Round in 2017
TCSC is a movement dedicated to effective policy, excellent schools, competent operators, and well-informed communities. The Tennessee Charter School Association and Tennessee Charter School Incubator merged in 2013 to form TCSC, which has a long history of providing comprehensive support to Tennessee's growing charter sector since 1998 and is critical to its continued growth.

Education Reform Now

Venture Round in 2017
Education Reform Now, a non-partisan 501.c3 organization, is committed to ensuring that all children can access a high-quality

CodeHS

Seed Round in 2016
CodeHS, Inc. is a San Francisco-based company founded in 2012 that offers an online platform for training in programming and computer science. The platform is designed to assist high schools in teaching a comprehensive curriculum focused on various topics, including JavaScript, graphics, animation, game design, data structures, HTML, and CSS. CodeHS provides free access to a curriculum suitable for students in grades 6 through 12, along with enhanced features for schools that opt for the professional version. These features include lesson plans, grading tools, progress tracking, and dedicated support, which collectively aim to improve the teaching and learning experience in computer science education.

Spotlight

Grant in 2016
Business intelligence company currently focused on education. Proprietary software converts data into natural language for "everyday users," either as narrative text-based reports or as personalized videos. Early traction includes paid partnerships with some of the most significant players in education, including ETS, the College Board and NWEA, as well as major school systems, including Oakland Unified School District, Long Beach Unified and Green Dot Public Schools.

TalkingPoints

Grant in 2016
TalkingPoints’ mission is to meaningfully connect teachers, parents, and students across to build relationships, so students can feel better supported in their learning. The company helps parents meaningfully engage in their students’ education, regardless of the backgrounds they have or the languages they speak.

Speak Agent, Inc.

Non Equity Assistance in 2016
Speak Agent, Inc. is an education company dedicated to closing the academic achievement gap for special populations like ELLs (English Language Learners). The company was born out of the CEO’s frustration as a former teacher with the lack of tools to teach academic English. Its solution is an online platform for teaching vocabulary in all subjects. It has received awards from the Dept. of Education, DARPA, NSF, TEDCO, and NewSchools Venture Fund.

Listenwise

Grant in 2016
Listen Current makes it easy to bring authentic voices and engaging non-fiction stories to the classroom. We curate the best of public radio to keep teaching connected to the real world and build student listening skills at the same time. Listen Current is a LearnLaunchX graduate.

Motion Math

Grant in 2016
Motion Math Inc. is an educational technology company based in San Francisco, California, that specializes in developing movement-based mobile games aimed at enhancing children's understanding of mathematics. Established in 2010, the company creates engaging, adaptive games designed to help students master challenging K-6 math standards. Its suite of products focuses on helping learners perceive and estimate various representations of fractions, including numerators, denominators, percents, decimals, and pie charts, by connecting these concepts to their distances on a number line. This approach fosters math fluency, conceptual understanding, and a positive attitude towards intellectual challenges. Motion Math operates as a subsidiary of Curriculum Associates LLC, continuing its mission to make math accessible and enjoyable for young learners.

Mathalicious

Grant in 2016
The World Is an Interesting Place. Math Class Should Be, Too. At Mathalicious, they think the world is an interesting place full of interesting questions. Do people with small feet pay too much for shoes? Do taller Olympic sprinters have an unfair advantage? How have video game consoles changed over time…and are they building the Matrix? They also think math class is the perfect place for students and teachers to explore questions like these, and that it can be the most interesting part of the day.

ThinkCERCA

Grant in 2016
ThinkCERCA is an award-winning education technology company that focuses on developing critical thinking skills through argumentative writing for students in grades 4-12. Its personalized literacy platform is utilized by educators in all 50 states and 130 countries, making it a significant player in global education. The company has established partnerships with notable educational leaders, including Follett Corporation, and has received recognition from prominent publications such as The Atlantic and EdSurge. ThinkCERCA was a finalist for the 2016 SIAA CODiE Awards in multiple categories and has been highlighted by Common Sense's Graphite as one of the leading tools in educational technology. The company also received a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in 2013, underscoring its commitment to enhancing literacy education.

Carnegie Learning

Grant in 2016
Carnegie Learning is a leading publisher of innovative, research-based math curricula for middle school, high school, and post-secondary students. Providing differentiated instruction to schools across the United States, Carnegie Learning is helping students to succeed in math, creating a gateway to graduation and preparing them for the 21st century.

CueThink

Grant in 2016
CueThink Inc. is a Boston-based company that provides a peer-to-peer platform aimed at enhancing math problem-solving skills among students in grades 4-12. Founded in 2012, CueThink's platform allows students to develop systematic problem-solving abilities, improve their mathematical language, and build meta-cognitive skills. It also serves teachers by providing analytics on student progress and helping meet Common Core standards, while parents can access insights into their children's strengths and weaknesses through a portfolio of strategies and feedback. Additionally, the company offers Quantum, an iPad application designed for students in grades 4-8. By leveraging familiar social media and gaming experiences, CueThink fosters an engaging learning environment that encourages collaboration and deeper learning in mathematics. Its initial development was supported by a National Science Foundation grant, and the platform has shown success in classroom pilots. As the market for 1:1 learning environments continues to grow, CueThink is positioned to address the increasing demand for innovative educational solutions.

Kaizena

Seed Round in 2015
Students use Kaizena to request feedback on their work from teachers and other students. From hearing yourself play a wrong note on the piano to a baseball coach guiding your swing, feedback is everyone’s fundamental learning process: try, compare, try again. We extend everyone's natural approach to learning into the classroom.

ClassWallet

Seed Round in 2015
ClassWallet, based in Hollywood, Florida, provides a comprehensive funds management and tracking platform tailored for school systems and educational agencies. The ClassWallet platform simplifies the management of education funds by digitizing and automating processes that traditionally involve extensive paperwork and administrative tasks. It enables users to efficiently track classroom stipends, unappropriated funds, Title I allocations, student activity funds, grants, and donations. With features that integrate funds disbursement, e-commerce capabilities, and a reloadable debit card, ClassWallet facilitates seamless spending and tracking for educators, allowing them to focus more on teaching rather than administrative burdens.

Zaption

Seed Round in 2015
Zaption, Inc. operates an online video interaction platform that offers interactive video tools and ready-to-use video lessons for education applications. Its Web application allows teachers, trainers, and instructional designers to add images, texts, and questions to existing online videos. The company serves K-12 classrooms, higher education institutions, and training. Zaption, Inc. was founded in 2012 and is based in San Francisco, California. As of June 30, 2016, Zaption, Inc. operates as a subsidiary of Workday, Inc.

Tales2Go

Series A in 2015
Tales2Go Inc. provides an audio book subscription solution that gives educators, parents, and students with on-demand access to books from publishers and storytellers to mobile devices and desktops in the classroom and beyond. The company was incorporated in 2009 and is based in Bethesda, Maryland.

CodeHS

Seed Round in 2015
CodeHS, Inc. is a San Francisco-based company founded in 2012 that offers an online platform for training in programming and computer science. The platform is designed to assist high schools in teaching a comprehensive curriculum focused on various topics, including JavaScript, graphics, animation, game design, data structures, HTML, and CSS. CodeHS provides free access to a curriculum suitable for students in grades 6 through 12, along with enhanced features for schools that opt for the professional version. These features include lesson plans, grading tools, progress tracking, and dedicated support, which collectively aim to improve the teaching and learning experience in computer science education.

Edcamp Foundation

Seed Round in 2014
A bit of history: back in late 2009, a group of passionate, dedicated Philadelphia area educators – most of whom who had never met in person, but were connected by social media – somehow found themselves together at an unconference called Barcamp Philly. Despite the name, there was no alcohol and no camping (“Occupy” style or otherwise). There was, however, intense excitement as the event began, the day’s conference schedule was created before our eyes, and sessions got underway. By the end of the day, we’d all attended many workshops, led a few of our own, and collectively reached a powerful conclusion:

Newsela

Series A in 2014
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.

EdCast

Series A in 2014
EdCast Inc. operates an artificial intelligence-powered knowledge cloud platform designed for personalized learning and knowledge management. Its flagship offerings include EdCast LXP, which fosters a culture of learning within organizations, and EdCast Marketplace, which accelerates employee development through flexible solutions. The company also provides MyGuide, a tool that automates repetitive tasks and offers intelligent guidance and analytics for users. Additional solutions encompass onboarding, workflow training and automation, knowledge sharing, streamlined learning procurement, and upskilling and reskilling initiatives. EdCast serves a diverse range of industries, including banking, healthcare, hospitality, manufacturing, retail, and technology. Founded in 2013 and based in Mountain View, California, EdCast was previously known as CourseMaster, Inc. and has expanded its presence with offices worldwide.

SchoolMint

Seed Round in 2014
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.

FreshGrade

Seed Round in 2014
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.

Ellevation

Venture Round in 2014
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.

Tuva Labs

Seed Round in 2014
Tuva Labs provides data literacy solutions for K-12 schools, businesses, and organizations working in sustainable development. It offers Tuva, a data literacy platform that enables teachers to use interactive, visual graphing tools and curated datasets to teach problem solving, modeling, evidence-based thinking and other essential skills. The company's Tuva provides a library of modules and lessons that enables participants to learn foundational concepts in data, statistics, and analytics in various languages, such as English, Spanish, and Arabic. Tuva Labs was founded in 2012 and is based in New York.

Mystery.org

Seed Round in 2014
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.

ClassWallet

Pre Seed Round in 2014
ClassWallet, based in Hollywood, Florida, provides a comprehensive funds management and tracking platform tailored for school systems and educational agencies. The ClassWallet platform simplifies the management of education funds by digitizing and automating processes that traditionally involve extensive paperwork and administrative tasks. It enables users to efficiently track classroom stipends, unappropriated funds, Title I allocations, student activity funds, grants, and donations. With features that integrate funds disbursement, e-commerce capabilities, and a reloadable debit card, ClassWallet facilitates seamless spending and tracking for educators, allowing them to focus more on teaching rather than administrative burdens.

Mystery.org

Seed Round in 2014
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.

Tales2Go

Seed Round in 2014
Tales2Go Inc. provides an audio book subscription solution that gives educators, parents, and students with on-demand access to books from publishers and storytellers to mobile devices and desktops in the classroom and beyond. The company was incorporated in 2009 and is based in Bethesda, Maryland.

BrightBytes

Series B in 2014
BrightBytes provides the first SaaS-based data analytics platform that measures and links technology use in education to learning outcomes. It leverages data to understand and improve learning with technology. Its team is made up of Data Scientists, Educational Researchers, Developers, and Data Visualization Experts. The platform also enables educators to cleanse, integrate, and bi-directionally to manage complex data from multiple systems. It was founded in 2012 and is located in San Francisco, California.

EdSurge

Series A in 2014
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.

Kidaptive

Series B in 2013
Kidaptive, Inc. is an education technology company based in Redwood City, California, that focuses on developing interactive educational content for preschoolers. Founded in 2011, the company offers products such as Leo's Pad, a series of interactive applications designed for children, and Parent's Pad, an assessment tool for parents. Kidaptive's Adaptive Learning Platform (ALP) aggregates observations from various contexts to create a comprehensive understanding of each child's learning progress and preferences. The company aims to enhance personalized learning experiences, increasing engagement and improving educational outcomes for children. By leveraging innovative technology and principles from learning sciences, Kidaptive seeks to empower children, parents, and educators, fostering a love for learning during the crucial early years of development.

Securly

Seed Round in 2013
Securly is the first web filter that has been designed from the ground up for schools. It is completely cloud based, takes five minutes to set up per district and costs a fraction of the enterprise solutions that schools are forced to pay for today. We solve the problem of "over blocking" in schools by allowing educators to safely use 21st century instructional tools such as Google, YouTube and Wikipedia in the classroom.

Newsela

Seed Round in 2013
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.

Curriculet

Seed Round in 2013
Curriculet is a digital reading platform that enhances the educational experience for students and teachers. It allows educators to create, customize, and share curriculum and lesson materials that align with Common Core standards. The platform also provides school districts with the opportunity to purchase ebooks at a reduced cost, thereby expanding their library resources and enriching teachers' reading lists. Founded in 2012 and based in San Francisco, California, Curriculet was previously known as Gobstopper, Inc. In 2016, it became a subsidiary of Waterford Institute Inc. The company remains focused on fostering a love of reading and effective teaching through collaborative and inspired curriculum development.

ReadWorks

Seed Round in 2013
ReadWorks offers free, research-based, classroom-proven lessons and online training to help K-6 teachers explicitly teach the component skills and strategies of reading comprehension, while also supporting the much needed development of background knowledge and vocabulary.

NoRedInk

Seed Round in 2013
NoRedInk Corp. operates an online language-learning platform designed to enhance grammar and writing skills for students in grades 4-12. Founded in 2012 and based in San Francisco, California, the platform provides a variety of adaptive exercises that engage learners and facilitate self and peer reviews. It delivers actionable performance data to educators, enabling them to track student progress effectively. NoRedInk's resources are utilized in over half of the school districts in the United States, reflecting its commitment to improving writing proficiency and unlocking the potential of millions of students.

Socrative

Seed Round in 2013
Socrative, Inc. provides an online smart student response system that empowers teachers to engage their classrooms through a series of educational exercises and games via smartphones, laptops, and tablets. The company’s educational software is used by teachers for quick polling, pre-made quizzes, and open response activities. Its applications are available in the Google Play, iTunes, or Windows Store. The company was incorporated in 2011 and is based in Cambridge, Massachusetts. As of July 11, 2018, Socrative, Inc. operates as a subsidiary of Showbie Inc.

Ellevation

Series A in 2013
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.

Schoolzilla

Seed Round in 2013
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.

Mytonomy

Venture Round in 2013
Mytonomy, Inc. is a Bethesda, Maryland-based company that specializes in microlearning software and content solutions for patient education. Founded in 2011, Mytonomy offers a SaaS platform that enables virtual digital care models by providing original microlearning video education aimed at helping patients and their families understand health conditions, improve health outcomes, and manage their health effectively. The platform delivers curated content accessible on any device and utilizes both passive and active data collection to personalize the educational experience for patients over time. Mytonomy's solutions empower healthcare staff to operate efficiently and facilitate better patient outcomes, enabling healthcare systems and pharmaceutical companies to transition care to lower-cost settings while enhancing medication adherence and compliance.

LearnZillion

Series A in 2013
LearnZillion provides educators with curricular products for the new standards in digital and print. Its platform offers access to instructional materials for mathematics and literacy, as well as provides task-implementation guides for teachers that enable students and teachers to get benefited from each other through interactive learning. LearnZillion was founded in 2011 and is based in Washington, District of Columbia.

Tynker

Venture Round in 2013
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.

Nearpod

Seed Round in 2013
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.

BrightBytes

Seed Round in 2013
BrightBytes provides the first SaaS-based data analytics platform that measures and links technology use in education to learning outcomes. It leverages data to understand and improve learning with technology. Its team is made up of Data Scientists, Educational Researchers, Developers, and Data Visualization Experts. The platform also enables educators to cleanse, integrate, and bi-directionally to manage complex data from multiple systems. It was founded in 2012 and is located in San Francisco, California.

Mytonomy

Seed Round in 2013
Mytonomy, Inc. is a Bethesda, Maryland-based company that specializes in microlearning software and content solutions for patient education. Founded in 2011, Mytonomy offers a SaaS platform that enables virtual digital care models by providing original microlearning video education aimed at helping patients and their families understand health conditions, improve health outcomes, and manage their health effectively. The platform delivers curated content accessible on any device and utilizes both passive and active data collection to personalize the educational experience for patients over time. Mytonomy's solutions empower healthcare staff to operate efficiently and facilitate better patient outcomes, enabling healthcare systems and pharmaceutical companies to transition care to lower-cost settings while enhancing medication adherence and compliance.

Ellevation

Venture Round in 2013
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.

Goalbook

Seed Round in 2012
Developer of a professional learning platform designed to help educators identify learning barriers and instructional strategies. The company's platform combines research-based strategies, model exemplars, and training for planning specialized instruction, enabling educators to offer students the required support for each learning activity.

eSpark

Series A in 2012
eSpark, Inc. is an educational technology company that develops iPad-based applications aimed at enhancing the learning experience for elementary school students. Founded in 2007 and headquartered in Chicago, with an additional office in San Francisco, eSpark focuses on creating engaging tools that motivate students to write and provides differentiated instruction in mathematics and English Language Arts. The company's flagship product, eSpark, offers personalized learning services tailored to individual student needs. eSpark is committed to ensuring that all students, regardless of their backgrounds, have the opportunity to achieve their educational aspirations.

EdSurge

Seed Round in 2012
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.

Educreations

Series A in 2012
Educreations, Inc. is an educational software company based in Palo Alto, California, founded in 2010. It provides a platform that enables teachers and students to create and share animated video lessons, facilitating self-paced learning and collaboration. The software allows educators to record their voice and screen on an iPad, import documents and images from various sources, and share video tutorials with their students. This tool not only enhances classroom engagement but also keeps parents informed and involved in the learning process. Educreations aims to democratize education by enabling anyone to teach and learn from a global community, thereby extending the reach of effective teaching practices.

Engrade

Series A in 2012
Engrade, established in 2003 by a high school student seeking improved communication with teachers, has evolved into a comprehensive learning management system. It connects educators, parents, and students through web-based classroom tools that facilitate the management of classes and provide real-time access to grades and information. As a division of CTB/McGraw-Hill, Engrade supports users throughout the educational process, from curriculum planning to assessments, enhancing the overall learning experience. The platform's development has been driven by user feedback, making it a valuable resource for managing educational interactions and fostering collaboration among all stakeholders in the learning cycle.

LearnZillion

Seed Round in 2012
LearnZillion provides educators with curricular products for the new standards in digital and print. Its platform offers access to instructional materials for mathematics and literacy, as well as provides task-implementation guides for teachers that enable students and teachers to get benefited from each other through interactive learning. LearnZillion was founded in 2011 and is based in Washington, District of Columbia.