A daily newsletter summarizing recent activity & interesting start-ups globally
RECENT NOTABLE ACTIVITY – SELF LEARNING
- Teachable, a cloud-based course creation platform, has raised $4M in Series A funding round led by Accomplice Ventures, Naval Ravikant and Matt Brezina. Link
- Unacademy, a free online learning platform offering crowd-sourced courses, has raised $4.5M in Series A funding round led by Nexus VP and Blume Ventures. Link
- Querium, a mobile based adaptive learning platform for STEM education, has raised $3.2M in Series B funding round led by Wild Basin Investment. Link
- WordDive, a language learning course provider, has raised $1.34M via the Invesdor crowdfunding platform. Link
- Selected, a job matching application for the education sector, has raised $20K from Fullstack Academy. Link
- English Central, a web-based conversational English language learning platform, has raised funding from Kirihara Shoten K.K. Link
- SkillLane, an online school for professional learning courses in Thailand, has raised funding from Itthipat Peeradechapan, Founder and CEO of Tao Kae Noi. Link
SOME INTERESTING STARTUPS FOUND
Online English Skills (2016, Blackburn) – online tutoring and course provider for English language learning.
Growthcasts (2016, Bali) – online platform for learning growth hacking.
LEADER BOARD – SELF LEARNING
Online Courses
Lynda (1995, Carpinteria, $289M, Acq.) – Online video courses in software, creative and business skills. Backed by Accel Partners, Spectrum Equity, Meritech Capital Partners and TPG Capital. Acquired by Linkedin in 2015 for $1.5B.
Hujiang (2001, Shanghai, $257M) – Provider of a web platform, a social media network, an online shop, and an online school which offers courses for ten different languages as well as vocational skills and various arts. Backed by Baidu, China Minsheng Investment and Hina Group.
Pluralsight (2004, Cedar Valley, $205.4M) – Online video courses in programming and creative learning. Backed by Insight Venture Partners, Iconiq Capital, Felicis Ventures, Sorenson Capital.
Byju’s Classes (2008, Bangalore, $174M) – a hybrid test preparation & learning platform. Backed by Lightspeed Venture Partners, Sequoia Capital, IFC, Times Internet, Sofina, Aarin Capital, InnoVen Capital, and Chan Zuckerberg Initiative.
Udemy (2010, SF, $173M) – Marketplace for online courses. Backed by 500 Startups, MHS Capital, Lightbank, Signia Venture Partners, Insight Venture Partners, Learn Capital, Norwest Venture Partners.
General Assembly (2011, NYC, $173M) – Offers online and offline courses in technology, business and design streams. Backed by Advance Publications, Wellington Capital Management, IVP, Learn Capital, Maveron, Rethink Education and GSV Capital.
MOOCs
Udacity (2011, Mountain View, $160M) – A professional development nano degree courses provider. Backed by Bertelsmann, CRV, Andreessen Horowitz, Google Ventures, Drive Capital, Emerson Collective, Valor Capital Group, Recruit Holdings, Cox Enterprises and Baillie Gifford.
Coursera (2012, Mountain View, $146M) – MOOCs and certificate courses provider. Backed by EDBI, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, GSV Asset Management, GSV Capital, Laureate Education, International Finance Corporation, Learn Capital, Times Internet and Yuri Milner.
Online Content
Teacherspayteachers (2006, NYC, $64M) – Marketplace for teachers to buy and sell teaching resources like lesson plans, assessment ideas, powerpoints and more. Backed by Spectrum Equity, Tiger Global and True Ventures.
Zuoyebang (2012, Beijing, $60M) – AmMobile based 1-1 doubt clarification & learning tool. Backed by Sequoia Capital, GGV Capital and Legend Capital.
Leaderboard includes all the top funded, IPO and successfully running bootstrapped companies along with their location, founding year and funding amount.
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