Chinese education companies continued to attract investors this week with a Beijing-based K-12 education platform raising $200 million in a Series E round.
Springboard Education has acquired Kids’ Adventures, a provider of before- and after-school programs. Also, Asteria Education has acquired ECS Learning Systems and Aperture Education and Kickboard are partnering to assist schools as they collect, monitor and analyze data on student behavior.
Under the terms of the agreement, Discovery Communications will retain a minority equity interest and license the Discovery Education brand to the business.
Agile Investment Group acquired LightSail, developer of an adaptive reading platform. In addition, educational lender Meritize and The Graide Network, an online writing feedback platform, raised funding.
In this week’s dealmaking news, assessment developer ACT invested adaptive learning company Smart Sparrow. Also, K-12 engagement platform LivingTree acquired fundraising platform Edbacker and PeopleAdmin acquired Performance Matters.
Ed-tech businesses including LearnPlatform and TeacherGaming raised funds. Also, education management solutions provider ASSIST and Brainly announced acquisitions.
Crowdfunding: A Strategy for K-12 Companies to Build a Customer Base and Stronger Profile
But Education Providers Also Must Pursue Experienced Investors, Sustainable Revenue Models
Crowdfunding is one of the strategies that education providers are using to raise money and tap into a new segment of customers — but it has its limitations.
Companies including a text messaging app and a provider of STEM tools for teachers raised funding. Also, educational games provider Jumpstart acquired online math program Sokikom, and Microsoft and PowerSchool unveiled a new partnership.
BoomWriter Media Inc., a collaboration tool for the crowdsourcing of writing content in schools and colleges, has closed a new round of funding worth $4.1 million.
An early childhood programs provider, a startup focused on college loan acquisition, and a company that helps schools monitor online activity all raised new funding.