edtech
Edtech exits show a need for better plumbing
The world’s massive experiment with remote learning has done more than emphasize the cracks in the way we learn. It’s brought much needed attention and capital to potential solutions. But…
Nearly 40 million Americans are unemployed, and a recent study that examined more than 66,000 tech job layoffs found that sales and customer success roles are most vulnerable amid COVID-19.…
Indian edtech giant Byju’s in talks to acquire Doubtnut for more than $125M
Byju’s is in advanced stages of talks to acquire Doubtnut, a two-year-old education learning app, as the Indian edtech giant looks to expand its reach in smaller cities and towns…
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Edtech is surging, and parents have some notes
Unlike most sectors, edtech has been booming over the last few months. Flashcards startup Quizlet is now a unicorn, digital textbook company Top Hat is finding unprecedented surges in usage and student success business Edsights raised nearly $2 million from high-profile investors, all from inbound interest. Investors are so confident that homeschooling might become a…
University entrepreneurship — without the university
If the pandemic forces school closings for the long-run, students will have to deal with more than a semester with an easier course load.
Zigazoo launches to be a ‘TikTok’ for kids, surpasses 100,000 uploads and downloads
Like many parents, Zigazoo founder Zak Ringelstein worries about his children’s screen time. His worries only grew when COVID-19 led to school shutdowns and kids came home to a world…
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3 bearish takes on the current edtech boom
Edtech is booming, but a short while ago, many companies in the category were struggling to break through as mainstream offerings. Now, it seems like everyone is clamoring to get into the next seed-stage startup that has the phrase “remote learning” on its About page. And so begins the normal cycle that occurs when a…
EdSights raises money to help schools reduce their drop-out rates
While the idea of baring your soul to a chatbot might seem uncomfortable, sisters Claudia and Carolina Recchi think that might be exactly what college students across the United States…
MasterClass just raised $100 million for celebrity-fueled content
MasterClass, a startup that sells celebrity-taught classes to people, has raised $100 million in a Series E round. The round was led by Fidelity Management & Research Company with participation…
Quizlet valued at $1 billion as it raises millions during a global pandemic
As millions of students and teachers shift to learn from home in response to the novel coronavirus disease, modern-day flashcard business Quizlet has raised $30 million in a Series C…
When Zach Sims first started pitching his coding startup, Codecademy, he framed it to investors as a corporate tutoring company. That was intentional, despite the fact that edtech is a…
Back in January, Georgia Tech professor David Joyner got a cryptic email from a student based in Wuhan, China. “I’m under quarantine, but my internet access is okay so I…
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Freada Kapor Klein warns of ‘vulture capitalists’ during pandemic
The tech industry experienced turmoil before during the dot-com bust and again during the 2008 economic downturn. But this time it’s a bit different, according to Kapor Capital founding partners Freada Kapor Klein and Mitch Kapor. “What’s different this time is that it is society-wide,” Kapor Klein said during an Extra Crunch Live appearance this…
Edtech was long defined by stodgy sales cycles, sluggish adoption and splashy pitches to K-12 districts with tight budgets, but the COVID-19 pandemic turned that reputation on its head in…
Niche’s one-stop shop for college searchers raises a $35M Series C
Despite the implications of its name, edtech platform Niche took nearly a decade-and-a-half to find its place within the world of the college search process. The company started as College…
Earlier this month, edtech unicorn Duolingo raised $10 million in new venture capital from General Atlantic, per an SEC filing. With the raise, the online language learning platform accepted its…
Bradley Tusk on starting a company and seed investing in the coronavirus era
Bradley Tusk has carved a unique path in the VC investment landscape: A longtime political and communications operative, he has built a track record for Tusk Ventures by going after…
Labster’s latest partnership, and what it tells us about the future of remote learning
Labster, a virtual science lab edtech company, today announced that it is partnering with California’s community college network to bring its software to 2.1 million students. California Community Colleges claims…
MyBuddy.ai, a virtual tutor for kids learning English, raises $1M seed round
MyBuddy.ai, a startup that develops virtual tools to help kids learn English, announced today that it has raised $1 million in seed funding from LETA Capital. The capital will be…
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What happens to edtech when kids go back to school?
In just a few weeks, homeschooling has gone from a rarity to a baseline in homes across the country. Jonah Liss, a 16-year-old student at International Academy of Bloomfield Hills in Michigan, was sent home out of precaution due to the coronavirus outbreak. While the transition has been okay for Liss, who has used some…
Varsity Tutors launches Virtual School Day for free amid COVID-19 school closures
Varsity Tutors, the edtech company looking to connect students with tutors live and on-demand, is today releasing a free product called Virtual School Day for students and parents, as schools…
Language platform Busuu acquires video tutor startup, now plans IPO
Language-learning platform Busuu, which has fast expanded to take on traditional giants like Duolingo, says it has acquired the live video tutoring company Verbling for an undisclosed amount, other than…
Sim Shagaya’s uLesson African edtech startup raises $3.1M
Nigerian founder Sim Shagaya is back with a new startup — uLesson — that has raised a $3.1 million seed round led by TLcom Capital. The venture is integrating mobile…
London ed tech startup pi-top has gone through another round of layoffs, TechCrunch has learned. Pi-top confirmed that eight jobs have been cut in the London office, saying the job…
Education is a $4 trillion market globally in urgent need of an overhaul — so where within education are top venture capitalists optimistic about startups building large businesses by providing…
India’s Vedantu raises $42M to expand its live and interactive online tutoring platform
Vedantu, a Bangalore-based startup that operates an online tutoring service, today announced it has raised $42 million as it races to expand its reach in the nation where tens of…
Reliability concerns raised over pi-top’s STEM learning laptop
TechCrunch has learned of a safety issue and a number of product reliability questions being raised about a modular computer made by a London edtech startup that’s intended for children…
Google discloses its acquisition of mobile learning app Socratic as it relaunches on iOS
Google publicly disclosed its acquisition of homework helper app Socratic in an announcement this week, detailing the added support for the company’s AI technology and its relaunch on iOS. The…
London edtech startup pi-top sees layoffs after major contract loss
London-based edtech startup pi-top has cut a number of staff, TechCrunch has learned. According to our sources, the company has reduced its headcount in recent weeks, with staff being told…
Google launches Chromebook App Hub for educators plus other classroom tools
Earlier this year, Google announced plans to build a Chromebook App Hub designed to help teachers and other curriculum administrators more easily find educational tools and apps to use in…
