Discovery Education Buys U.K.-Based DoodleLearning; WeVideo Acquires PlayPosit
Discovery Education, backed by Clearlake Capital Group, acquired U.K.-based DoodleLearning in a deal the companies said will help expand DoodleLearning’s global reach and add to Discovery Education’s ed-tech offerings.
Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
DoodleLearning, created by two former math educators, provides four app-based products in math and language arts that are designed to support instruction for grades pre-K-9. Its users are largely based in the U.K., but the company is exploring expanding to other countries where it believes students could benefit from an accessible, affordable option to support learning.
Phillip Nanney, senior vice president of corporate development and strategy for Discovery Education, said that DoodleLearning’s products will complement Discovery’s existing digital services. He was also drawn to the founders of that company’s backgrounds and dedication to education.
“The things we look for are pretty simple to state and hard to find. We’re looking for great products, great people, and impact,” Nanney said. “The product is easy to implement. It’s high-efficacy, and high-impact in the classroom.”
DoodleLearning Co-founder and Chief Operating Officer Tom Minor said their products are designed to offer individualized work programs that are available in bite-sized chunks through mobile apps or web browsers. They’re aimed to be used as a daily habit before or after school when students “can fit in those extra minutes.”
The company is especially focused on increasing access to mathematics materials, Co-founder and CEO Nicola Chilman said.
“We’ve all heard stories of children who … become really great readers or writers just by having access to books,” she said. Because of mobile applications and the high prevalence of mobile phones, math “can now be accessible to children.”
WeVideo acquires PlayPosit. WeVideo has acquired software company PlayPosit, the companies announced Tuesday. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
The deal is designed to enable WeVideo, makers of a collaborative video platform used by K-12 districts, to add learner engagement and real-time analytics to its platform.
“Our goal is to help creators boost user engagement and increase ROI on training and information retention,” WeVideo CEO Krishna Menon said in a statement. “With the addition of PlayPosit’s assessment capabilities, WeVideo will now offer a robust communication feedback loop that enhances the entire learning experience.”
WeVideo is backed by St. Louis-based private equity firm Thompson Street Capital Partners, which made an undisclosed growth investment in WeVideo in December 2020.
Image by Getty
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